AT&T Elite Vs. Cox Cable

The DSL Elite plan offered by AT&T; makes up one of four available Internet access packages under the High Speed Internet heading. It accesses the Internet through a DSL modem connected to your phone line. Those subscribing to the DSL Elite plan receive downstream speeds of up to 6 Mbps, with upstream speeds capable of 768 Kbps. As of June 2011, AT&T; offers its Elite DSL plan at a regular price of $43 per month.

Cox offers Internet access through their cable service. You access the Internet through the same connection as for cable television. Cox cable Internet comes in several different levels. As of June 2011, Essential gives downstream speeds up to 3 Mbps, and upstream speeds up to 384 Kbps for $35 per month. The Preferred plan provides downstream speeds up to 12 Mbps and upstream up to 1 Mbps for $50. The Premier plan gives downstream speed up to 25 Mbps and upstream up to 2 Mbps. Ultimate offers 50 Mbps in downstream speed and 5 Mbps in upstream for $100. Three- and twelve-month introductory pricing may be available depending on your area.

Depending on what you want out of your Internet connection, both the AT&T; Elite plan and the Cox plans offer several benefits. DSL Elite beats the Cox Essential plan in both downstream and upstream speeds with twice the available bandwidth. However, when the other Cox plans are considered on the basis of speed, DSL elite is slower. The next available Cox plan, Preferred, provides twice the downstream speed and more upstream speed. If you factor in price, the AT&T; plan is still cheaper than the three faster Cox plans.

You'll want to consider factors other than just speed and price. AT Cox plans provide ten addresses with more limited storage. Both provide security suites that use McAfree software. If you were to choose one of the three faster Cox packages, you also get access to their "PowerBoost" feature, which temporarily increases downstream and upstream speeds. This feature is unavailable with AT&T;'s DSL Internet plans.