Both AT&T; and Comcast offer Internet service at high speeds.
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In addition to being the country's largest provider of landline telephone services, AT&T; also offers U-verse, a fiber-optic network that connects your digital television, landline telephone and high-speed Internet through a central "brain" called the Wireless Gateway. Comcast's XFINITY is another fiber-optic network that provides digital television, telephone service and high-speed Internet to residential and business customers across the United States.
Download Speeds
U-verse Internet is available in five different download speeds. The Pro plan, at 3 Mbps, is suitable for emailing and social networking. The 6 Mbps Elite plan is good for Internet gaming and online conferencing. At 12 Mbps, the Max plan works for watching television online and uploading files. The 18 Mbps Max Plus plan is good for streaming video, and at 24 Mbps, the Turbo plan is ideal for video conferencing. Two plans are available to Comcast XFINITY high-speed Internet customers. The Performance plan with PowerBoost boasts download speeds up to 15 Mbps, and the Blast! plan offers speeds up to 20 Mbps.
Communications
U-verse service plans come with 11 email accounts. The main account has 2 GB of storage, and the 10 sub-accounts have 250 MB apiece. Additionally, all service plans come with unlimited access to AT&T; Wi-Fi hot spots across the country. XFINITY Internet plans come with the SmartZone communications center, which consolidates your email, XFINITY landline voicemail and universal address book into one convenient interface. It also allows you to forward landline voice mails to others by email. Additionally, XFINITY Internet customers get seven email accounts with 10 GB of storage apiece.
Security
U-verse service plans come with the AT&T; Internet security suite, which protects you and your computer from identity thieves, viruses and spyware. Parental controls prevent your children from seeing things they shouldn't while surfing the Internet, SpamGuard separates junk email from valuable messages and Disposable Email Addresses help you protect your privacy. XFINITY comes with Constant Guard, a comprehensive Internet security suite. It helps protect your user IDs and passwords, as well as deflect viruses and spyware from your computer. Additionally, Secure Backup & Share automatically backs up your valuable files and prevents loss.
Customer Service
24-hour live chat and phone tech support are available to U-verse customers. AT&T;'s website features an extensive customer support section, which includes video tutorials. Comcast's customer service guarantee is offered to all XFINITY customers. It includes a 30-day, money-back guarantee, an account credit for service provider lateness and quick resolution of routine issues.
References
- Comcast: XFINITY Internet from Comcast
- AT&T;: U-Verse High Speed Internet
Photo Credits
- Burke/Triolo Productions/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images