Compare Internet Services
The broadband Internet market is a very competitive one with DSL and cable ISP's creating all manner of special offers, introductory monthly pricing, and claims to having the fastest download speeds available for the price. If you are one of those consumers who is still a little confused about how the various types of Internet access compare to each other side by side, then this page should help clear up some of your questions.
Listed below are the main types of Internet access, their average speeds, monthly prices, advantages, and disadvantages. Although fiber optics are slowly replacing DSL lines as a major offering in the U.S., their availability is still too limited.
What Type of Internet Service Do You Really Need?
For many Internet users, faster is always better, but for casual Internet users, price is the main determining factor when it comes to choosing an ISP. Listed below is a quick overview of the primary needs and uses for the main forms of residential Internet access:
- Dial Up - Casual use (checking email, instant messages, light Web surfing).
- Accelerated Dial Up - Casual Internet users that surf the Web on a regular basis and download large files more often. Netzero and PeoplePC are the most popular ISP's that offer an accelerated dial up Internet service.
- DSL or Cable - Regular Internet use (email, IM's, surfing), online gaming, streaming music & video, and large file downloads. Verizon and AT&T are the primary high speed DSL providers with entry level plans starting around $20 per month for up to 768 Kbps download speeds. Comcast and Time Warner are the main broadband Cable providers. Although cable is faster than DSL in most areas, it is also going to be a little bit more expensive. For a full comparison of the two, check our DSL vs Cable article.
- Satellite - As this is the most expensive option for high speed Internet, it is mainly used in areas where cable or DSL are not yet available.
- Wireless - Mobile users that need a high speed connection to the Internet while away from home or out of the office.
It's important to remember that no type of Internet is necessarily "better" than others. Pick the type that fits your budget and needs. A large portion of U.S. consumers still only use dial up Internet access and have no desire to pay more just to be faster when they rarely get online. Other Internet users are online several hours a day and are willing to pay for the fastest available Internet service in their area. Think about what you need the Internet for, how often you will use it, and what monthly price fits in your budget. Once you know the answers to those questions, the information above should help you make a decision.
Internet Service Comparison Chart
Compare the upload speeds, download speeds, and monthly pricing of the various types of residential Internet accounts (updated March 30th, 2009):
| Service | Upload | Download | Price |
| Dial Up | 56 Kbps | 56 Kbps | $10 to $25 |
| Accelerated* | 56 Kbps | Up To 5X Faster* | $15 to $30 |
| DSL | 128 Kbps to 384 Kbps | 768 Kbps to 1.5 Mbps | $20 to $30 |
| Premium DSL | 384 Kbps to 768 Kbps | 3 Mbps to 7.1 Mbps | $30 to $45 |
| Cable | 384 Kbps to 768 Kbps | 1 Mbps to 6 Mbps | $20 to $55 |
| Premium Cable | 768 Kbps to 1.5 Mbps | 8 Mbps to 20 Mbps | $50 to $80 |
| Satellite** | 128 Kbps to 256 Kbps | 512 Kbps to 1.5 Mbps | $50 to $120 |
| Wireless | 128 Kbps to 768 Kbps | 384 Kbps to 2.0 Mbps | $22 to $60 |
To understand the speeds, just remember that 1024 Kilobytes (KB) = 1 Megabyte (MB). Providers will typically list these speeds as Kbps (Kilobytes per second) or Mbps (Megabytes per second). That's how much data can be transferred through their connection in just one second. So, a high speed DSL account with download speeds up to 1.5 Mbps is equivalent to 1,536 Kbps, or roughly up to 27 times faster than a standard 56 Kbps dial up connection.
* Accelerated dial up services can speed up downloads of certain Internet content by up to 5X faster than a standard 56K dial up modem connection. Uploads are unaffected.
** Satellite Internet access involves many up-front costs, including equipment and installation, which typically range from $300 to $600 or more depending upon rebates and special offers.
To continue learning about the various types of Internet Service that are available, return to our home page and read our ISP reviews.