DSL GETS EVEN FASTER
Although there still are many that use a modem to dial-up and connect to the Internet, the tide is turning in the direction of high-speed or broadband Internet access. Currently, the two most popular broadband services are Digital Subscriber Line or DSL offered by the telephone company, and cable-modems obtainable via the cable television provider. And the competition between these two services it seems, is getting faster (pun intended).
From their inception to the current day, these broadband services have done most everything they can to entice new users and convert users from the other service into their fold. And not all of these methods have been exactly fair. Recently for example, I heard a cable modem service radio ad touting how much faster it was than DSL. The announcer first said that cable was 50 times faster than dial-up. Then it said it was "eleven times faster than most DSL." I had heard the first claim before but the second one got my attention until I heard the disclaimer at the end of the ad. The dial-up speed claim was based on a comparison to a 28.8 modem. Let me ask you. When was the last time you could even FIND a 28.8 modem for sale? All modems today and even a good part into yesterday are all rated at 56k. Granted you'll almost never get that connection speed but even on a bad day, you can still expect speeds somewhere between 30 and 40+ thousand bits-per-second (Kbps).
But then there was that other claim of being ELEVEN times faster than DSL. I listened carefully to the disclaiming announcer who rapidly spoke with a suppressed tone at the end of the commercial. He said that the speed used to compare their service was to "most" DSL services that used an access speed of 256 Kbps. Now I know that somewhere on the planet if you look really, really hard you just might find some obscure DSL service provider that only offers 256 Kbps service but I'll be darned if I know where it might be. Most every DSL service around minimally offers 768 kbps and most offer the standard 1.5 megabits-per-second. Yet there it was, that cable modem service ad using the word "most" in their DSL comparison. Hey Cable Modem Industry... I don't think so. To be fair, I've heard some DSL ads that push things right up to the edge as well. So before you make any decision about which service may be right for you, do your homework before you make a choice.
But fair advertising between these two industries aside, I want to get back to the competition heating up. Aside from competitive pricing and some feature differences, historically many consumers have been selecting one of the broadband methods based primarily on availability in their area. Used to be you were considered to be lucky if you had just one of them available where you lived. But now that's changing as broadband makes its way throughout the country. Many areas now offer both. So now it looks like the industry has found a new way to entice users along with offering lower pricing: Speed.
Recently, the cable-modem industry began offering subscribers faster access speeds to the Internet for a small rate increase. Not to be outdone, it looks like DSL providers are doing the same. Recently, Verizon began offering faster DSL speeds along with other Baby Bells, including SBC Communications and BellSouth. BellSouth which happens to be my provider calls their service "DSL Xtreme" which literally doubles the download speed from 1.5 Mbps to 3 Mbps, and also increases the upload speed from 256 to 384 Kbps. That's 3 million bits-per-second and they're charging only $5 more a month. So ask any broadband Internet surfer if they would pay 5 bucks more a month to literally double their Internet access speed and take a wild guess as to what you'd hear. Let me put it this way. The moment I found out that BellSouth was making the offer, I couldn't pick up my telephone fast enough to make the call and place my order.
So whatever broadband access provider you are currently using, it may be in your best interest to give them a call and ask if they currently, or do they plan to offer some form of accelerated Internet access. And if they do, just get it. You'll be glad you did. It's a trend that certainly seems to be accelerating. |
