Compare Cable vs DSL Service

[ Cable vs DSL Services ]

First, some technical determinations:

• DSL (xDSL, ADSL, SDSL) means Digital Subscriber Line. It works over existing dedicated telephone line between a home and the phone company but requires a DSL modem and splitter. The cost of very simple ADSL-modem starts from $30 only.
• Cable ISP service works over cable TV network and requires a cable modem. The cost of it ranges from $60 to $200.

Both DSL and Cable Modem ISPs provide high speed Internet access and have a general name - broadband services.

What means "broadband"?

Broadband is high-speed Internet access such as through a cable, DSL modem, or satellite ISP equipment. It gives you a continuous connection to the Internet at speeds much faster than dial-up. You need a broadband connection to use most VOIP telephone services because they insist on consistent high quality audio for all your calls. As a general rule, if you're getting speeds of 90 Kbps or better, you probably have a broadband connection.

Cable Internet

Cable Internet uses a Cable modem and connects through your existing Cable TV line. Typically your local Cable TV company would provide your Cable Internet service. This service does not interfere with your TV connection. This Cable modem lets your computer and any other equipment connect to the Internet faster than a dial-up modem. A typical Cable Internet connection might have 128 Kbps of upload and 1.5 Mbps of download speeds. Your speeds can vary depending on what your Cable provider offers, and how many other people in your area are using the same service.

DSL Internet

DSL Internet uses a DSL modem and connects through your standard phone line at speeds much faster than dial-up. Typically your local phone company would provide your DSL Internet connection. A DSL connection does not interfere with your telephone conversations as dial-up does and does not generally require any additional wiring. A typical DSL Internet connection might have 128 Kbps of upload and 1.5 Mbps of download speeds. Your speeds will be higher or lower depending on how close you are to the Internet Provider's office.

Compared to traditional dialup access, these two technologies open up homes and small businesses to a new realm of possibilities for network connectivity and applications. One of the major concerns over cable is that since most systems are Ethernet based, overall performance will suffer as more users "get online" and surf the Web or Play online.

It's difficult to compare DSL vs cable service. Both Cable Service and DSL performance vary from one minute to the next depending on the pattern of use and traffic congestion on the Internet. Both offer specific advantages for Internet service. Consider all of the factors, not just the technical differences, when making the DSL vs Cable decision.

Compare Cable vs DSL services with the click of a mouse (~50 ISPs)

According to the supporters of cable modems, DSL will soon become outdated due to intensive data requirement of video on demand, multi player games, streaming of audio and video, Internet software distribution, and other such services that generally require very high data downloading speeds. On the other hand, supporters of DSL say that Cable modem access will face tough time with its inherent security and speed issues (There are still some cable modem systems in existence that do not encrypt/filter traffic within the local cable loop) and any single addition of subscriber to a neighborhood hub dilutes the overall quality of cable modem service.

On the contrary, DSL is slower than cable with an average speed of 1.5 megabits per second, but is considered far secure and reliable since it's based on a dedicated line between a home and the phone company. Hence there is a little security risk of personal computing systems getting hacked when using DSL access type.

In 2008, PCMag made a research in order to determine the average "real-world" speed of broadband ISPs. They used data, collected with SurfSpeed utility. The research shows that an average cable ISP provides 688 Kbps, while average DSL ISP lets surfing at just 469 Kbps. Thus, cable ISPs, on average, are 47% faster than DSL ones. Even the slowest cable ISP was faster than any other DSL ISP in this study.

The future of DSL

It is hard to predict what will happen tomorrow on the Internet. Here are some of the trends. Cable modems may become slow as more people sign up and cable companies don't upgrade capacity. Or, alternative ISPs will be allowed to offer Internet service over cable and you will see the same price war that pushed ISP rates. DSL has the ability to expand with less pain. You can always switch ISPs in case yours does not upgrade its Internet connection as fast as it should and Telephone companies may improve phone lines to make higher speeds available to more remote locations.

One new Internet access technology that may swing the consensus clearly in favor of DSL is VDSL, or Very High Bit Rate DSL. VDSL can provide an incredible amount of bandwidth, with speeds up to 52 Mbps downstream and 16 Mbps upstream. That is many times faster than the average for either standard ADSL or Cable Internet.

Best deals for business DSL, as well as for cable ISPs, can be found at BroadbandNational.com comparison service.

 Print this page   |     Bookmark this page