Reply:
Actually, in many metropolitan areas in the USA, we have three options for broadband Internet access: DSL, Cable, or Satellite. I'm not going to even state ballpark numbers for prices because that would change day after tomorrow. What I will point out are the essential similarities and differences in the underlying technology.
Each service should be bundled with ISP (Internet Service Provider) services that include an e-mail address for you and other members of your household. Some providers also give you an option for building your own personal web pages. Aside from the obvious speed difference, the key feature of broadband, contrasted with dial up internet access is that your broadband connection is always "on." Each service should furnish "how to" directions for you set up your connection. If you are reasonably comfortable with wiring things together and with installing new software on your computer, you should be able to do all of this with no outside help. Otherwise, you can pay for the provider to do the actual installation for you.
DSL or Digital Subscriber Line Internet Access. This is offered by the telephone company. It uses regular telephone lines that probably already are in your house or apartment. The major issue with DSL is that the phone company can only offer service to locations that are within a limited physical distance from their switching facility. If you don't live within that distance, then DSL is not an option. This limitation impacts some newer subdivisions and many rural customers. SBC currently offers two levels of service at two prices. The lower speed will be much faster than any dial up modem. DSL's major advantage is that it is probably fully as reliable as your normal telephone service.
Cable Internet Access. This is offered by the Cable TV company. It uses the existing cable that probably already is in your house or apartment. Cable modem service can be just as fast if not faster than the fastest DSL. Be aware that you and every other cable modem user on your segment of the physical cable share the bandwidth. If there are only a few of you, you will get blazing speed. If there are many of you and you all access the Internet at the same time, you may notice occasional impact on the response. Cable's reliability can be no better than that of your cable TV service.
Satellite Internet Access. This is provided (in some areas) by the Satellite TV company (Dish, Direct TV, and others.) It is the only choice for some rural customers. There is a pronounced delay time between the time you hit a key on your computer keyboard and the time the signal travels from the antenna at your location up to an orbiting satellite, back down to a ground station where it is introduced to the Internet. Then a return signal must be received, transmitted back to an orbiting satellite and then back down to the antenna at your location. You will get plenty of bandwidth, but the response time has at least four satellite hops built in. Satellite service reliability is impacted by all the physical limitations of the technology: Storm clouds, passing aircraft, and signal interference can all interrupt your service.
Satellite access has been provided in different and sometimes costly ways. One option includes the use of both a telephone line and the satellite link. The phone line is used for subscriber sending and the satellite link for receiving. This can work; but the complexity limits its practicality.
Dial Up Internet Access: Dial up is what you use if you don't want to pay for broadband access. The above discussion does not address dial up telephone access. Depending on your house wiring, your neighborhood wiring, and the type of equipment your local telephone service provider offers, dial up may be an option for you. In our community, some of my neighbors routinely get 52KBits per second dial up connections to their internet provider. Other neighbors get no better than 28KBits per second.
Revised 20 June 2007