Cable or DSL

[hammer]

I was wondering if anyone here's made a switch between DSL or Cable and vice versa.

I currently have Cable access through Comcast and it's very fast (2 - 3 MBPS), but there's an offer out for Verizon DSL for almost $20 less per month than what I'm paying for Comcast. Is it worth the cost savings to "downgrade" to the DSL connection?

Thanks in advance for any info...

 

[Joshua B]

I've had both.

In my opinion, the cable companies charge too much for their services. I switched to Verizon DSL from Comcast cable internet. Maybe I wanted to like it better, but I actually noticed a positive change in terms of speed after switching to DSL.

The Comcast service was very good, so I'm not going to take anything away from them, however, usenet rocks with Verizon DSL--much better than Comcast. I have noticed the occasional service interruption during a download with Verizon, where that was even more rare with Comcast. Verizon is less expensive.

 

[HughK]

Have been using Verizon DSL for three? years now. No problems, good customer service, simple install and you can share the service with other computers in the house at no additional cost- speed does not seem to be too adversely affected.

Make sure you get the service bundled with one of their calling packages for the lowest rate, I have the Freedom Package. DSL part is $29.95/month.

Have never been bumped off the service. Not a gamer, so don't know how that compares. it comes bundled on your phone bill, less paper. Plus from watching "Enemy of the State" with Will Smith too many times, I'm convinced the cable guys are watching. :lol:

 

[riverc0il]

may i suggest VoIP through DSL? my service provider (speakeasy.net) was one of the first providers to offer this service and it looks incredible. if i had any need for a land line, i'd be using VoIP. the ability to combine unlimited calling any where via land land with DSL is gonna alter the table a little bit in regards to the telephone companies. if you don't need a land line, you can also do adsl without a land line which rules! unfortunately, the only way to get cheap internet usually is to "bundle" - a very very dirty word.

 

[TenPeaks]

I went from dial-up to Verizon DSL and have no complaints. The speed is just fine for my day to day internet activities.

There are times when I'll work from home and the connection is a bit "choppy," but for the price I won't complain.

Besides, I don't like the idea of one company controling all of my services (TV, phone, web, etc.)

 

[skijay]

I am glad this topic came up. I have decided to go with cable for my internet . My cable company will hook me up as my house is prewired for cable TV. I do not have to pay for any cable channels as they do the internet access as a stand alone service. I just need to pay the service call to hook me up at the pole.

Here is what is offered: 256k upload/download speed @ $24.95 or 400k download/ 512k upload @ $39.99. I currently have dial up at 32k @ $23.95 a month.

Do these prices seem competitive? DSL, for me would be SBC Yahoo. For me to get the low rate of $26.95, I need to add phone services to my home line. for another $12.00. So to save $8.00 off of the $34.95 DSL rate, I need to spend an additional $12.00 for services on my home line that I will never use.

 

[hammer]

I am glad this topic came up. I have decided to go with cable for my internet . My cable company will hook me up as my house is prewired for cable TV. I do not have to pay for any cable channels as they do the internet access as a stand alone service. I just need to pay the service call to hook me up at the pole.

Here is what is offered: 256k upload/download speed @ $24.95 or 400k download/ 512k upload @ $39.99. I currently have dial up at 32k @ $23.95 a month.

Do these prices seem competitive? DSL, for me would be SBC Yahoo. For me to get the low rate of $26.95, I need to add phone services to my home line. for another $12.00. So to save $8.00 off of the $34.95 DSL rate, I need to spend an additional $12.00 for services on my home line that I will never use.

Those prices seem high for the speeds being promised. I am paying $48.95 ($3 for cable modem rental) and my download speeds are between 2 - 3 meg. Since I went through Earthlink I was able to get that rate without also getting a cable package, which was good for me since I have satellite provider for my TV service.

I'd admit, however, that it is hard to compare prices and speeds in one area to another. I remember being stuck with dial-up for several years while towns nearby had both cable and DSL available, and when DSL was initially available, it was for 128k at around $60 a month.

What speeds are being advertised in your DSL rates? I believe that, in your case, a better DSL package even if you purchased it by itself could give you better speeds than the cable service being offered.

Good luck with your new high speed service -- I remember switching just to "give it a try" and realizing almost immediately after hooking up that I would never go back to dial-up service.

 

[Stephen]

I had settled on Direct TV with TiVO for my house, so when it came time to pick phone and internet, I weighed the options. Comcast website said digital phone wasn't available. So phone was Verizon. As I compared the price ($55 vs. $30) between cable and DSL, I decided to go with DSL.

When my phone was turned on, we discovered that the upstairs tenant has Comcast digital phone. Not only that, but Comcast CUT the lines from the pole to both Network Interfaces. I had to get a tech from Verizon out there to make new drops, and Comcast is now facing a $20,000 fine.

As far as speeds go, realize that the 1.5M or the 2-3M they are talking about is only from the company's equipment to your PC. It doesn't take into account the rest of the internet.

Also, DSL is a dedicated connection. You own that 1.5m (or whatever speed your modem connects at) whereas on Cable Modems, you share the bandwidth with anyone else on your local loop.

-Stephen

 

[hammer]

As I compared the price ($55 vs. $30) between cable and DSL, I decided to go with DSL.

That's the big question for me. I do get a pretty high speed connection; the 2 - 3 MBPS is what I get from a speed test. But, if the DSL connection speed is lower but still good, then I'd like to save the $$.

In addition, right now Verizon is offering a wireless router if you sign up, which would be another bonus since I bring my work laptop home sometimes.

How is the DSL connection made? Is it through a regular phone outlet? When I had the cable connection made, I didn't have an outlet behind my computer desk so the installer drilled a hole through my brand new hardwood floor to bring the cable up to the computer (ouch).

 

[Stephen]

You plug your DSL modem straight into any phone outlet.

The phone system uses only .36% of the capacitiy of the phone line, leaving a LOT of space for data transfer. Theoretically you can get up to 8M download and 1 meg upload with ADSL, but you won't find anyone who will sell at that speed.

-Stephen

 

[Joshua B]

Yes, it should be mentioned that if you want DSL, you have to have a land line phone. I got along for a few years without one and it kind of sucked when I learned I had to have one. But I did it anyway.

 

[bvibert]

Yes, it should be mentioned that if you want DSL, you have to have a land line phone. I got along for a few years without one and it kind of sucked when I learned I had to have one. But I did it anyway.

Apparently if you use speakeasy.net as your service provider you don't need a land line...

if you don't need a land line, you can also do adsl without a land line which rules!

Their rates looked less than stellar though...

 

[riverc0il]

Yes, it should be mentioned that if you want DSL, you have to have a land line phone.

not true. i am on DSL with no land line. :mrgreen:

 

[riverc0il]

Their rates looked less than stellar though...

for my area, i actually pay the almost same amount for DSL as i used to pay for land line (only used for internet) + dial up. it was only a few dollars increase for me which was well worth it since i don't need a land line or cable since i don't have TV.

 

[skijay]

How do you get DSL without a phone line connection? Is it like a neighborhood super WiFi set up?

I was solicited to hook up a DirectWav 2way satellite internet service. The cost was $99 a month, installation, ISP, equipment included.

 

[noreaster]

Have access to both Roadrunner Cable and Verizon DSL. Cable and DSL end user DOWNLOAD experience is the same response time using a 1.8 Ghz Intel processor and ethernet cable. UPLOAD time is SIGNIFICANTLY better on DSL. So if you like sending e-mails with lots of big picture files of the kids to the grandparents, then DSL may be a better choice for you.

Super WiFi now were talk'en. Somebody put a WiFi reapeater on a telephone pole and magic everyone has free interenet access in the neighborhood. I am not a lawyer but this is probably NOT legal in most states.

 

[riverc0il]

How do you get DSL without a phone line connection?

http://www.speakeasy.net/residential/onelink/

 

[skijay]

I made the call tonight! They are going to remove the "filter" at the pole on Friday and I will be ready to go. I like the fact that I do not have to subscribe to cable TV to get this. I pick up the modem on Thurdsday night. I get three months @ $14.95 and then it goes to $24.95. I went with the 256K speed which is upgradable via a phone call. Anything is better than this dial up connection and the resource hog (AOL).

I purchasd a Linksys 802.11b wireless router / USB network adapter tonight. I am sticking the router in the basement in the center of the house. It is about 15 feet from the PC.

2 questions:

1. Will Mozilla browser work with network connections?
2. Any thing wrong with sticking the router in a basement in a 1 floor house (signal wise)?

Thanks.

 

[TenPeaks]

2 questions:

1. Will Mozilla browser work with network connections?
2. Any thing wrong with sticking the router in a basement in a 1 floor house (signal wise)?

Answers
1. Yes. Mozilla (Netscape, Firefox, etc.) will work with any internet connection. The problems you may have with it relate to web page design. If a page is designed to Internet Explorer specifications then some functionality may not work in Mozilla.

2. I own a 1,100 sq. ft. ranch and have my wireless router on the main floor. My connection works everywhere in the house, including the basement, without any slowdown in speed.

 

[bvibert]

Their rates looked less than stellar though...

for my area, i actually pay the almost same amount for DSL as i used to pay for land line (only used for internet) + dial up. it was only a few dollars increase for me which was well worth it since i don't need a land line or cable since i don't have TV.

Yeah, I didn't think about it clearly before posting. I guess its not such a bad deal... Their website says its not available in my area anyway... :roll: