High-Speed Internet Vs. DSL

High-speed Internet, also called broadband Internet, is a range of different technologies that work at considerably faster speeds than a dial-up connection. Speeds average from around 200 kilobits per second upwards of 6 megabits per second, with some newer technologies reaching as high as 50 to 100Mpbs. According to the Federal Communications Commission, the advantages of high-speed Internet include access to services not available with a traditional dial-up connection, such as Voice over Internet Protocol, access to telemedicine, faster access to online educational resources, online shopping, ability to use the Internet and telephone at the same time and the expansion of more economic opportunities. Most high-speed Internet companies provide different downstream and upstream speeds for their customers.

DSL is one form of high-speed Internet. DSL has a number of pros and cons in comparison with other types of broadband technologies. According to the High Speed Internet Access Guide website, DSL for consumers, depending on the provider, has an average downstream speed of 3.52Mbps to 11.94Mbps and average upstream speed of 0.71Mbps to 7.03Mbps. The discrepancies are reliant upon region -- some parts of the country have upgraded their technologies faster -- Internet provider and proximity to a DSL hub. In comparison to cable and satellite broadband Internet, DSL is usually cheaper and has better security since the DSL lines aren't shared with other consumers.

A high-speed cable connection is made through a cable modem purchased from your local cable television provider. Cables speeds are usually faster than DSL with an average downstream of 7.71Mbps to 16.52Mbps and upstream of 1.12Mbps to 4.13Mbps, says High Speed Internet Access Guide. The availability of broadband cable Internet is greater than DSL as well, though that's changing as DSL providers install more DSL hubs and upgrade old telephone lines in rural areas. According to CNET, cable is more available to consumers than DSL is due to the problems of getting DSL to rural users. Cable has an advantage in terms of distance and thus relative availability; the cable signal doesn't degrade if over 17,000 to 18,000 feet from a central office or hub, whereas DSL does. So with cable, a person at the top of a mountain will have the same relative speeds as a person inside a city, or even possibly more since he's not sharing the lines with all his neighbors.

Satellite Internet isn't a new technology. The military and other government operations have used satellite for live communications for decades. But, as the costs of satellite Internet technology has dropped, it has become more available to consumers. Satellite downstream speeds average around 512Kbps to 2Mbps, so slower than DSL or cable. But, for rural customers, satellite high-speed Internet may be the only option. Satellite technology doesn't rely on cable or telephone lines, doesn't need a DSL hub or cable modem to work. The installer just needs to point the satellite in the right direction and install the software on the your computer. The costs of satellite Internet are higher than either DSL or cable and during extreme storms the signal degrades or can be lost entirely. But for consumers with no DSL or cable access, a satellite connection is a suitable choice.