High Speed Internet Guide
High speed Internet allows access to the Internet at speeds far greater than
dial-up, however choosing the right plan is not necessarily straight forward.
There are three main types of
high speed
Internet providers. These are DSL,
cable and satellite Internet. Not all types of Internet access are available in all
areas so you will need to check the availability of different providers in your
area.
DSL High Speed Internet
DSL stands for digital subscriber line and provides Internet access from the
transmission of data over telephone lines. In the US, DSL is provided through
the copper wires of the telephone system. There are a few main downsides to
using DSL for high speed Internet access. One major issue is that speeds
decrease the further away you are from the telephone exchange delivering your
connection. Another limitation is the amount of data copper wires can transmit
which limits maximum speeds. This is less of an issue for cable high speed
Internet services.
Cable High Speed Internet
Cable high speed Internet delivers a high speed
Internet connection over fiber optic and coaxial cable. This technology is
capable of faster speeds which do not deteriorate very much as they travel along
the fiber optic cable to distances up to 200km. Use of cable Internet is growing as it is
widely regarded as a superior technology to DSL.
Satellite Internet
The third popular type of high speed Internet access in the US is satellite
Internet. Satellite Internet, as the name suggests, sends data via satellite.
Satellite broadband is typically more expensive and is often popular in areas
with no DSL or cable availability.
Choosing a High Speed Internet Plan
When choosing a high speed Internet plan there are a few factors to consider.
Firstly, consider the type of Internet user you are, for example activities such
as watching movies online will benefit from a reasonably fast connection so
would suit a plans offering faster speeds. Alternatively, if you do only intend
to use your connection for browsing websites and emailing there’s no point
spending more than you need to on a super-fast connection.
Secondly, it’s worth considering the contract length of the high speed
Internet
plan you are interested in. It is usually expensive to get out of a contract
earlier so it’s worth considering this before committing to one. Typically
contracts are between 6 and 24 months.
Finally, it’s worth finding out about what others think of their Internet
providers; it’s hard to judge factors such as customer service and reliability
without reading reviews of what other customers have thought of the high speed
Internet providers they are using so reading some customer reviews is usually
time well spent.
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