Internet Options in the Home

Dial-up service’s greatest criticism is the lack of speed. By far the slowest Internet connection option, dial-up speeds fall largely into the 56K, or 56 The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation promotes policies aimed at advancing technical innovation—including broadband Internet penetration—in the U.S. and abroad. Kilobit-per-second, speed rating. This falls short of the FCC’s 200K standard for “high speed lines,” which is one reason why dial-up is not considered a “high-speed Internet” option. Dial-up also requires users to “dial-up” to connect to the Internet, a process that also ties up the home’s phone line, preventing it from other use. Most dial-up Internet service providers offer an upgraded plan that brings faster download speeds, and in most cases these “accelerated” plans utilize special software that loads Web pages to the user browser faster, creating the illusion of greater bandwidth. Dial-up providers offer a variety of rates for their services, though generally they are much less expensive than DSL or cable. The average is about $7 to $15 per month, which usually includes unlimited access. Some dial-up Internet service providers include: • EarthLink • Juno • Copper Internet • NetZero • Netscape DSL DSL, or digital subscriber line, is an Internet service provided across existing phone lines, like dial-up. With DSL, however, the connection is “always on,” and users do not have to enter a username and password to go online. The phone line carries both Internet data and voice transmissions from phone calls. Potential customers investigating DSL service may come across the terms “ADSL” (“asymmetrical digital subscriber line”) and “SDSL” (“symmetrical digital subscriber line”). Both refer to the download and upload speeds of the connection. In an asymmetrical scenario (the most common residential DSL service offered), the download speeds are faster than the upload speeds. With symmetrical service, the speeds are the same. An SDSL service is usually going to cost more, but it is advantageous to those who use the Internet for online gaming or sharing and uploading large files. This kind of service usually requires a separate phone line while most DSL services do not require a separate line. Like all Internet service, the costs of DSL service vary by provider and by region, but customers might expect anywhere from $15 to $40 per month, depending on plan specifics, like download speeds. Download speeds will also vary by provider, and some providers will offer different “tiers” of service, with higher speeds incurring greater monthly costs. DSL download speeds usually range anywhere from around 700 Kbps to 7 Mbps. Some DSL service providers include: • Verizon • Bellsouth • EarthLink DSL • AT&T Cable As of September 2007, The National Cable and Telecommunications Association (NCTA) Web site states that over 90 percent of American households had access to a cable operator’s high-speed Internet service. Like DSL, Internet service from a cable provider shares a single cable line for multiple services. In this case, Internet data and digital television is transmitted along the same cable. Generally speaking, Internet service provided by a cable company will have faster download and upload speeds than a DSL service. Like DSL, however, cable Internet is most commonly asymmetrical in nature; that is, the download speeds are faster than the upload speeds. Depending on the service provider and the plan, cable Internet download speeds can start as slow as 786 Kbps to as fast as 20 Mbps. Costs will vary accordingly, as well, with monthly fees ranging from $20 to $70.

...Continued - Page 2 of 4 ( 1 2 3 4 )
< Previous Page | Next Page >