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A Comparison between DSL and CableApr 20 '01 Write an essay on this topic.The Bottom Line Upgrading to a high speed connection means choosing between DSL and cable for many. This article should give you a little help. I wrote a more general article based on my experience with DSL and cable and I want to go into more details about the differences and similarity between them. One important feature of both types of high speed connections is being always on. You don’t have to log on or off and you don’t have to wait to be connected. There are also other things to consider. Here they are: 1. Price Both DSL and cable are typically $40 a month. Usually installation is free. DSL providers sometimes give out free modems as well. Cable, however, typically requires you to return the equipment when you unsubscribe. But you should know that different DSL providers use different modems so even if you get to keep the modem it may not be useful to you. 2. Speed Both DSL and cable can go up to 1.5 Mbps. On the other hand, claimed DSL speed ranges from a modest 144 kbps to 1.5 Mbps, with varying fees. The claimed cable speed is usually 1.5 Mbps. You need to know, however, that “claimed” speed can be very different from actual speed. There are good and bad providers on both sides and there is no guarantee the claimed speed can be achieved. The best thing to do is to check with people in your area who have subscribed to these services. 3. Activation time DSL is a budding technology and many companies are not ready to handle a large volume of subscribers. When you receive an ad saying you have DSL in your area, in reality the DSL line may not be even laid! Also, if you are subscribing to a DSL provider other than your phone company then the line must be released by the phone company. Many a times phone companies are reluctant to do so, causing prolonged delays. A fast activation can be less than two weeks, but a slow one may take months. Cable activation is usually faster. A phone call to the cable company can result in immediate activation. Getting the right equipment installed may take two weeks. If you opt for self installation the process is even faster. 4. Dedicated line DSL connection is dedicated (not shared among subscribers), meaning your connection will not degrade as the number of subscribers increase. Cable connection is affected by the number of people subscribed and on-line, so at busy hours you can expect a drop in speed varying from barely noticeable to severe. If the cable provider has a backup system and a good infrastructure this should not be a problem. 5. Stability The stability of a connection depends highly on the quality of the service provider. Some DSL and cable companies offer very stable connections, while others constantly disconnect their users. You have to decide, base on your area, which provider offers a stable connection. Go to dslreports.com and look for your area. This site provides reviews for both DSL and cable providers. You can view hundreds of ratings and comments and from there you should be able to decide. Summary It is not useful to rate in general whether DSL or cable is better, because it depends on the quality of your local provider. Hopefully a trip to dslreports.com can help you decide!  |
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