Comparison of Dial Up, DSL, Cable & Fios Internet Connections

Dial-up Internet tends to be the slowest and cheapest connection service available. The computer's modem uses a telephone line to connect to the service provider. The modem can only send and receive 56 kilobits of data per second, which means that a computer with a dial-up connection takes seven seconds to load the average web page. Using a dial-up connection ties up the phone line, and users cannot talk on the phone and access the Internet simultaneously. The service is usually billed by the minute at the same rates as phone calls would be, which makes it a cost-effective choice for people who do not spend much time online.

Digital subscriber line Internet access is a type of broadband, meaning it is high speed and the computer remains connected all the time, unlike with dial-up. DSL also uses the building's phone line, but it divides the line into two streams of data, one of which is for phone calls and the other for Internet. Users can talk on the phone and access the Web at the same time. DSL is available in various speeds, the slowest of which loads a webpage in about 1.5 seconds and the fastest loads a webpage in about 0.05 seconds. It is more expensive and usually billed by the month, rather than by the minute. DSL works best near the service provider's location, and connections deteriorate slightly further away.

Cable Internet uses the wires that transmit cable television to a building's TVs, rather than using its phone lines. It is also high-speed and constantly connected, and it does not affect a user's television reception. Service providers offer various cable speeds, covering the same range as the speed options for DSL. Like DSL, cable providers bill users at a fixed monthly rate. Unlike DSL, the user's distance from the service provider does not affect service.

FiOS stands for fiber optic service. It uses a special kind of wire constructed of strands of glass that conduct data to and from the computer at light speed. Because the information is traveling as light, FiOS is considerably faster than cable or DSL. Like cable, the distance from the service provider does not affect FiOS signals. Dial-up, DSL and cable services all use wiring already installed in the building, but fiber optics does not -- it requires a special installation. Like DSL and cable, users sign up for FiOS at a fixed rate per month.