Home Internet Options: The War Between DSL And Cable

By: Ross Gravett

If you are still using dial-up, you have probably gotten either
the "You don't use DSL yet?" or the "You don't use cable yet?"
expressions of credulity. So you've decided that it's probably
time to get off of dial-up - yet, the question remains: which is
better, DSL or cable? There are advertisements arguing the perks
of both, but which will really get you more bang for your buck?

The three issues to take into account when comparing DSL and
cable Internet connection are speed, customer satisfaction and
security.

Theoretically, cable modems run faster than DSL because they
offer more bandwith. There is also a form of DSL called VDSL
which can match the speed of a cable modem. However, the speed
of cable is relative to the number of people in your area who
are accessing the neighborhood at the same time. One popular
commercial compares cable modems to drinking out of a straw -
the straw is fine, if one person is drinking from it. But if the
straw must be shared - well, obviously things slow down a
little. Both DSL and cable also vary in speed by the minute
depending on the congestion caused by multiple users.

Customer service surveys conducted by J.D. Power and Associates
in 2004 showed that DSL had an edge over cable in customer
satisfaction ratings. This survey looked at billing, the
provider's business image, cost and tech support, and email
services. Earthlink and Verizon, both DSL, were the top two
service providers rated in the survey.

Since cable modems necessitate the sharing of a cable line to
provide service to the entire neighborhood, DSL is slightly more
secure. However, cable modems are easier to install, and many
sources believe that the difference in security is not
significant enough to go through the trouble of installing DSL.
Many cable customers avoid security problems by putting up
firewalls in order to protect themselves, and their information.

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