Broadband Summary - Cable, DSL and Satellite Broadband Internet.

Which High Speed Broadband Connection is Right for You?

Cable
Cable Internet is one method of experiencing a broadband connection. Cable broadband Internet allows you to have an always-on connection that delivers considerably faster speeds than dial-up without interfering with your ability to make and receive telephone calls.

Many users prefer Cable Internet to other broadband options, such as DSL, because it utilizes the same fiber optic wiring already used to provide cable television in their homes. This typically makes installation faster. It also means that broadband users are working with their local cable provider, a company that they already trust.

While most Cable Internet service provides upload speeds of up to 256 Kbps, its download speeds can be as fast as 1 Mbps. Because of this speed, Cable Internet is especially useful for people who enjoy playing on-line games, downloading music, sending instant messages, and surfing graphic-intensive web sites.

One drawback to cable is, the more people using cable, the slower the service.

DSL
Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) is a new digital technology that brings high-bandwidth to homes and small to medium sized businesses (SMBs) over the ordinary copper telephone lines presently installed behind your walls. DSL technology is available in various flavors, collectively referred to as xDSL. It allows voice, video and data to be transmitted at very fast speeds, 20 or more times faster than an ordinary 56K modem and 10 times faster than ISDN.

DSL provides fast Internet access, high bandwidth and speed, reliability, "always on" service and increased security. It comes into your house over phone lines.

To turn a phone line into a DSL connection takes a little work. It may require special jacks and connections, or changes to your inside wiring. Your service provider may need to install new wire depending on the type of DSL flavor you choose. A DSL modem and an Ethernet card are also required for installation. Your service provider usually installs these components. However, you may be able to install these components yourself. Check with your service provider.

Satellite
Satellite Internet is one method of experiencing a broadband connection. While it may not be as popular as DSL or Cable Internet access, it is predicted that by the end of 2004, almost 4 million homes will be using satellite dishes to get on-line.

As the name implies, satellite Internet uses a space satellite to deliver broadband access to homes. Because of this, even homes in areas where DSL or Cable are not available can receive high-speed access. Of course that access does come at a price. Satellite Internet is one of the more costly broadband alternatives.

While Satellite Internet can be the ideal choice for some broadband seekers, it does have its drawbacks. One is that you must have a clear, unobstructed view of the southern sky to receive the signal. Another is that you may notice lags in the time between clicking on a link and receiving the data. These lags, known as latency, do not interfere with most Internet activities but can cause slowdown during on-line games.