Is at this time there Still a Place For DSL Internet?

     Broadband cable and fiber optic ISPs are providing higher bandwidth Online connections than ever. Does this imply that reliable DSL is within danger of being lumped in with dial-up towards the bottom of the heap?

Far from it. DSL still belongs among the high-speed pack — and Verizon DSL provides a number of benefits which make it not just a contender with cable and fiber, but actually a better choice in lots of situations.

Availability. In spite of major expansion within the last number of years, fiber accessibility is still limited. DSL and cable are much more predominant.

Monthly cost. DSL is typically the lowest priced high-speed Web option. Your local provider may vary, but many DSL ISPs provide a $15-$20 tier, which is around half (or even a third) of the price of a comparable cable or fiber tier.

Set up cost. Nearly all DSL networks come on common telephone service, that have been connected to all of our homes for many years. Then chances are you have a fast and ‘tool-free’ DSL installationin front of you. In fact, most people can really handle the set up themselves, without the wait or the need to bring anyone into their home.

The ‘Peak Hours’ Problem. Because cable carries a higher maximum bandwidth doesn’t mean you’ll get faster real-world speeds. Cable Internet is really a ‘shared’ connection, which means thatit gets bogged down a bit more with each user — and this can translate in to a serious loss in speed in densely-populated areas, specifically during the busier evening and weekend hours.

The ‘Caps’ Problem. One of the ways that cable ISPs aim to make up for more customers is by limiting the amount Internet the client may use. Many cable companies are notorious for ‘data caps’ (and some much more notorious for denying it, even when given clear evidence). A higher bandwidth connection isn’t much good to you if you can only use it for a couple of weeks of each month before you’ll hit the data ceiling.

Don’t Believe the Hype. ISPs will try to encourage you to buy more speed than you require. It’s one thing if you’re a serious online gamer, or if you regularly stream and/or download big HD audio and video files. But cable or fiber won’t provide a very good boost when it comes to the things which we do by far the most — email, social networking, news, online shopping, Internet browsing, and so on.

What DSL are You? Even ignoring most of these other considerations, your local DSL may actually be the fastest choice available. Granted, many potential DSL subscribers have to compare slower ‘classic’ ADSL with faster cable and fiber. But more and more areas are enjoying modern versions for instance VDSL2 — at 40 Mbit/s, it’s DSL that doubles cable’s best efforts — and matches almost the most expensive consumer fiber tiers. Another possibility is Verizon High Speed Internet.