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High Speed Internet Access Overview

Comparison Of The Main Forms Of Residential Internet Access
by Richard Thomason - Updated March 16th, 2009

For most Americans, the choice of which type of high speed Internet service they will use in their home is a simple one -- DSL or cable? However, new forms of broadband Internet access are being developed which are making that choice a little more complicated. Fiber optic networks and new wireless technologies are being developed which give consumers a broader choice in high speed Internet access.

This overview is intended to help you understand the various types of high speed Internet access that currently exist, and how to compare them to each other. For the most part, the choice is still between your telephone company, in the form of DSL or fiber optics, or your cable company, in the form of fiber-enhanced broadband cable Internet.

 

Quick Comparison of DSL, Cable & Fiber Optic Internet Access

If you live in a major population center of the U.S., then your choice for broadband is currently between three major types of Internet access -- DSL, cable, and fiber optics. This comparison chart on the main types of residential high speed Internet access should give you a fair idea of the speeds and costs involved:

Compare >> DSL Internet Cable Internet Fiber Optics
Download (Min) 768 Kbps 4 Mbps 10 Mbps
Download (Max) 7.1 Mbps 16 Mbps 50 Mbps
Upload (Min) 128 Kbps 384 Kbps 2 Mbps
Upload (Max) 768 Kbps 1.5 Mbps 20 Mbps
Connection Phone Line TV Cable Fiber Optic Lines
Monthly Price $20 to $45 $40 to $55 $45 to $145

Although fiber optics is the fastest, it is also the most expensive. However, most cable companies are upgrading their networks to compete with fiber. For example, Comcast has introduced plans with up to 50 Mbps download speeds in select U.S. cities. In most areas, the speeds shown above for DSL and cable are (by far) the most common.

 

The Main Types Of High Speed Internet Access

To get Internet access through most DSL Service Providers, you're local phone lines will have to be fitted with special copper wires in order to receive DSL Internet signals. In older cities and most rural areas, such wires are currently not in widespread use, and so DSL service is limited to those areas which are already equipped with copper wires.

Your choice of Cable Internet Providers is limited to only those companies that provide you with cable television service. For example, if Comcast is your current cable provider for TV reception, then you will have to choose them for cable Internet service, as well. This is currently the most popular choice between cable or DSL.

While DSL and Cable are both faster, and much cheaper, than Satellite Internet Service, their range of availability can be quite limited. However, if you have a clear view of the southern sky from your home anywhere in the continental United States, then you can access the Internet via Satellite. While readily available, Satellite access is at least twice as expensive as DSL / Cable, and not nearly as reliable.

For those who travel a lot, different forms of high speed Wireless Internet Access are now available for your laptop or cell phone. Availability of these new wireless services varies greatly, but they are typically found in areas like hotels, airports, cafes, and the like. So, at the current time, wireless Internet is not "everywhere", but it will be available in the places where you need it most while traveling in the U.S.

And finally, for those consumers who want faster speeds, but who do not want the additional high costs that come with it, there is accelerated Dialup Internet Access that is up to 5 times faster than your normal dialup service. However, no ISP can exceed the transmission limits imposed by the FCC on communications through phone lines. So while such dialup services are faster for browsing pages on the Internet, they cannot move large files or downloads any faster than normal.

 
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