Internet Service That Can Be Used in Different Homes

by Oneil Williams, Demand Media

Cable, satellite, DSL and wireless are all types of Internet technologies that can be used in various homes. Since a majority of homes are wired for landline telephone service and cable television, you can access cable and DSL Internet across much of the United States. For rural areas where cable and DSL are not available, wireless or satellite Internet may be able to fill the gap.

Cable

With over 123 million homes wired for cable, this high-speed Internet technology shows no signs of slowing down. Broadband data is transmitted through the cable TV line directly into the household, allowing speeds that, in some locations, far surpass those of DSL, satellite and wireless technologies. Fiber optic cable is touted as having far superior data transfer potential than copper-wire cable and DSL. The devices being used to send and receive data transmissions via fiber optic cable have yet to fully exploit the capabilities of this broadband technology channel.

Satellite

Customers who enjoy the seclusion that rural areas provide must also understand that cable and DSL providers are opting not to extend service to these areas for fear of not obtaining a return on their investment. Satellite high-speed Internet is filling in the gaps by offering residents in rural areas access to high-speed Internet. Virtually everywhere in the contiguous United States is covered by the technology. As long as you have a clear view of the southern sky and don't mind signing a 24-month agreement of service, you are eligible to subscribe for high-speed satellite Internet. At the time of publication, the maximum download speeds for satellite Internet were up to 2 Mbps.

DSL

DSL or Digital Subscriber Line technology makes use of a home's copper telephone line to transmit Internet data. The technology enables the subscriber to make calls from the home telephone while surfing the Internet at the same time. Telephone companies added about 325,000 DSL subscribers in the fourth quarter of 2010. Though this figure trails new cable broadband Internet subscriptions, it still indicates that DSL broadband technology is on the rise.

Wireless

Wireless technology gives you the freedom to roam or move anywhere within a coverage area and still receive Internet service. Many subscribers find this portability appealing because it allows them to move seamlessly from home to office to wherever they need to be without wondering where to find the nearest free wireless hot spot. Home wireless technology allows you to connect wirelessly to the Internet within a certain radius from your household while wireless on-the-go plans allow you to access the Internet within an extended area that is in range of wireless towers.

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References

  • NCTA: Industry Data
  • Skidmore College: Fiber Optic Speeds
  • Leichtman Research Group; 3.4 Million Added Broadband from Top Cable and Telephone Companies in 2010; March 2011

Resources

  • "Star Tribune"; Comcast Ups the Ante in Internet Speed Competition; Steve Alexander; December 2004
  • SpeedTest.net: Home
  • Digital Landing: Home
  • Speedmatters: Why We Must Act Now on Universal Internet Access and the Digital Divide
  • "USA Today"; Comcast Bumps Up Speed for Home-Internet Users; Jon Swartz; April 2011

About the Author

Oneil Williams started writing professionally in 1993. He wrote for "The Sunday Gleaner" and the "Jamaica Observer," two newspaper publications in Jamaica, and immigrated to the United States in 1995. Williams holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts in communication from the University of Central Florida.

Photo Credits

  • Medioimages/Photodisc/Photodisc/Getty Images