How To Choose The Right Internet Service

The options for getting online grow ever more complicated. In addition to the old dial-up services, broadband now includes DSL, Cable, Satellite, cellular networks and high speed commercial solutions solutions. This article attempts to summarize and compare the different options available.

Dial up - slow but readily available

Dial up is the original mass internet service. It is typically quite slow as it shares the phone line with your actual telephone, but this also means it is readily available in regions where broadband has not yet reached. Contact your phone company if you want to pursue this service, and they can provide you with the equipment and help to get set up. Dial up is inexpensive and entirely sufficient for users who just want to check email or read the news, but more intense uses require broadband.

DSL - dedicated internet over phone lines

DSL provides high speed internet using the same phone lines as dial up, but the phone is dedicated to internet, allowing for much greater speeds. Not all phone companies provide DSL service however, and homes may need to get wired for a second line. However, the speeds are quite high and the cost is generally low compared to other broadband solutions, making this a good option for advanced internet users.

Cable - piping internet through the TV wires

Cable is an extremely common form of broadband that uses the same cables that bring in cable TV. The speeds are higher than with DSL generally, but this is qualified by the fact that cable is a shared internet service. Cable users access the internet through the same pathway that their neighbors do, meaning that service can slow during peak hours (privacy is maintained, however, so that neighbors cannot snoop on each others internet activities). Costs are generally comparable to DSL.

Satellite Internet - getting data from space

Satellite internet provides broadband service to even the most remote areas of the planet. However, satellite is quite costly compared to DSL and Cable, and the speeds trend slower and are more vulnerable to weather conditions. As such, consider satellite only if broadband is necessary but DSL and Cable are unavailable.

The options for internet service are broad and suit almost any need. Call multiple companies to compare and contrast which service meets your needs best.

The options for getting online grow ever more complicated