Category: broadband

Options today for internet service providers (ISP) are much greater than they were ten years ago. At that time, the only choice was dial up internet service, which tied up the phone line, lost connection with incoming phone calls, and was torturously slow when trying to download or upload any type of information.

Today, there are several options for broadband ISP providers on the market. Not only are there numerous companies out there that provide the service, but there are several types of service to choose from depending on individual needs and the area in which the customer lives.

Three Choices

There are three basic choices in a broadband ISP provider, each of which has its own strengths and weaknesses: cable, DSL and satellite broadband providers.

Cable internet has been around the longest of the three and is probably still the most popular. Cable internet works by running the signals through the same fibers that the cable TV signals run through so that there can be concurrent service without interrupting either. It also serves to open up the phone lines again, whether through the traditional phone service, or through cable phone service. Cable broadband ISP providers also bundle their services so that cable TV and phone can be included with the internet, providing a discount from buying each service separately.

The main downfall of cable broadband ISP providers is bandwidth, since at high usage times of day, such at evenings; the speed of the service is reduced. Some companies have tried to offset this problem by giving customers a limit of downloads, but that has cause more complaints from the customers than the slower speeds caused, so most have been done away with or gone to a pay by GB plan.

DSL providers are very similar to cable providers in the speed of service and the bundling of services, which makes their pricing comparable. Both of these providers are viable options as business broadband providers, since they each have strong networking capacities. The main downfall of DSL broadband ISP providers is the slowing of service the further the customer is from the source, normally the main phone company.

Satellite broadband ISP providers are usually the last choice due to the price as well as a service that is not as fast as cable or DSL. Satellite providers require the buying of the equipment, which can be very expensive, close to five hundred dollars at the top end plus installation.

With the many technological advances in the last ten years internet service providers have been on the rise. Since the advancement to broadband service from dial up, the internet itself has changed, allowing for more downloads and entertainment applications such as music, videos and pictures.

When looking for the best broadband provider in the area, there are some options to consider before making a choice. Of course the customer needs to do comparisons between the different companies in their area, but there is also the choice of the type of broadband to purchase. Three types of broadband ISP providers are currently available: cable, DSL and satellite.

Availability

Some types of internet providers are not available in certain areas, so that the options for finding the best broadband provider are reduced. For instance, in rural areas, cable and DSL providers may not be an option, leaving satellite broadband providers as the only option. Even in cities, sometimes DSL is not an option because of the location of the customer, since customers must be located within a certain radius from the main phone company.

Cost

Cost is another issue in finding the best broadband provider. Cable and DSL providers usually allow for bundling of different services which makes the cost of the broadband service cheaper than buying it alone. Satellite internet service requires the purchase of the equipment to go with it, which can run anywhere from one hundred to five hundred dollars in addition to the installation.

Contract

Another issue to be concerned about when choosing the best broadband provider is whether they require a contract for the service. Some providers require that a one to two year contract be signed for the service, the breaking of which requires the customer to pay the remaining monthly fees owed on the contract, which can be extremely expensive and hinders changing providers if the customer isn’t happy with service.

Speed

The reason customers look at choosing the best broadband provider is for the speed of service. Cable broadband providers are probably the fastest on the market at this point, although they suffer from bandwidth issues at high usage times of day, such as the evenings. DSL broadband providers are close behind cable for speed, but speed suffers when the customer lives further than the recommended distance from the phone company’s main office. Satellite is the slowest of the three and has speed or connection issues if there is high foliage around the dish or if the dish gets knocked over in a storm.