A Comparison of DSL to Cable Internet

Cable broadband is Internet service supplied over fiber optic or coaxial cables. The service is normally delivered by a cable television provider. You will need a cable modem to convert the Internet signals. Cable broadband speeds are usually in the range of 20 to 50 megabits per second. Unlike dial-up Internet service, cable broadband does not require a telephone line. Cable Internet service is usually bundled with other services provided by a cable television service provider, so the cost of obtaining Internet service can be lowered by choosing a package. Cable broadband is always on and provides fast service.

Digital Subscriber Line broadband is internet service supplied over existing telephone lines, which usually contain copper wires. This type of Internet service is delivered in a similar manner to dial-up internet service. It requires a special DSL modem to convert signals, but allows you to use the phone and the Internet at the same time. There are different types of DSL, such as Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line and ADSL 2/ADSL 2+, which each offer increasingly faster service than the regular DSL broadband, especially for downloads. This kind of broadband can go up to speeds of up to 24 megabits per second.

Cable broadband is shared by all the people in a region with access to the same cable. This means that there can be significant slowing down of your Internet service during peak usage periods. Since many people have access to the network, the security and privacy of any data you transmit over the network can be relatively easily compromised. You will need to take extra precautions, such as setting up firewalls. Depending on your location, cable services might not be readily available and your overall costs could be higher if you are located in a remote area.

DSL broadband service requires a telephone line installation, which can result in increased costs for access to the service. The speed of DSL service tends to decrease with distance from the exchange, so it is not very suitable for people living more than three miles from the nearest exchange.