| |
Dial-In |
DSL |
Cable |
| Cost/Month* |
As low as $9.99/month |
Starts around $13.00/month |
Starts around $30.00/month |
| Ease of Installation and Availability |
Provided over existing telephone lines. Internet usage will interfere with telephone usage. |
Provided over existing telephone lines without interfering with telephone usage. Problems with the telephone wiring inside your home will add significantly to the installation time and cost You must live within a certain distance from your phone switching station. |
Provided over existing cable television lines. Cable modem service is not available in areas where cable television is not available. |
| Performance |
The distance of your home from the telephone company's Central Office (CO) plays a crucial role in performance. Quality of telephone connection is key. |
The distance of your home from the telephone company's Central Office (CO) plays a crucial role in what DSL services are available and its performance. |
Cable modem service uses a shared cable lkine to provide service to an entire neighborhood. Essentially, all cable customers in the region belong to the same Local Area Network (LAN). As more users get online, traffic performance decreases. |
| Speed |
Dial-in speeds connect to the internet at an estimate 56 to 91 kilobytes-per-second (Kbps). In comparison, high-speed connections (D
SL or Cable) from home can reach up to 5000 Kbps (or 5 megabytes-per-second). |
Speeds vary with provider (top speed can reach 5 megabits per second [Mbps]). You must be close to a phone company switching stations to get the fastest speed. The further away you are from the switching station, the lower the maximum speed for your location. |
Speeds vary with provider (top speeds can reach 5 megabits per second [Mbps]). Actual speeds can be significantly lower if there are many users on your segment of the cable network (in your neighborhood). |
| Security |
Same as DSL. |
DSL uses dedicated rather than shared cabling. With DSL, your computer is the only one on your network. |
Other people in your neighborhood share the same network and can spy on traffic to and from your computer. You may want to install personal firewall software as a precaution. |
| Traveler Considerations |
Most internet providers offer nationwide dial-in numbers. This allows you to access the internet with a local phone call while traveling, instead of paying long-distance access charges. |
Same as dial-in. Please check with your internet provider before signing a contract. |
Dial-in numbers are not available for cable modem service while traveling. Users are encouraged to investigate inexpensive dial-in options for travel purposes. |
