What Is the Faster Internet: Bellsouth or Comcast?

DSL services, such as Bellsouth, use phone lines to transmit Internet data. However, since it transmits on higher frequencies than voice communications, it doesn't interfere with traditional phone lines. Cable companies such as Comcast broadcast data through cable lines buried underground. DSL service can virtually guarantee that the company can offer the speed it says it can because telephone wires stay intact. Cable companies can't guarantee the quality of their cables in your area, and some may be worn down and not capable of as quick of speeds as advertised.

Both companies offer two tiers of service, each of which advertises different speeds and costs. The plans advertise similar speeds for the two tiers, about 6 to 8Mbps for the smaller plan and up to 10Mbps for the second plan for Comcast and about 6 to 8Mbps for the smaller plan and a little over 8Mbps for the larger plan from Bellsouth. These are speeds which are about 150 times faster than dial-up, and even the lowest speeds on the scale can satisfy most basic Internet needs.

PowerBoost is a service offered by Comcast which is said to nearly double speeds with certain content. PowerBoost kicks in, for instance, at the beginning of a large download. For the first quarter of the download, Comcast will double your data transfer if its system allows, and then take it back to normal speed for the remainder of the download. This means that users with 6Mbps speed can expect speeds of almost 12Mbps for certain content and downloads.

Both Comcast and Bellsouth have two prices for their two tiers, which are similar. Bellsouth offers its largest plan for $43 if you already have a Bellsouth phone line, or $48 if you don't, as of June 2011. Comcast service is $43 a month, plus an activation fee and the cost of the modem. However, Comcast offers its new users $20 a month for its smaller plan or $30 a month for its larger plan for the first six months of use.