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Home > DSL vs Cable

DSL vs Cable Modem

When choosing a broadband Internet service, the big question on everyone’s mind is which is better, cable or DSL? This question is harder to answer than it might at first seem, and here we will take a look at both services and see what our conclusion will be.

The first thing we need to do is decide what our parameters will be for making our comparison. The two services, while being similar, have key differences that must be taken into account when doing any kind of study. With this in mind, the best way to look at cable vs. DSL is through the customer experience, and not the technology.

Performance

In operation cable and DSL are very similar. They both offer broadband Internet access, with high transfer rates both upstream and downstream. Both services in general offer “always on” Internet access, however some DSL providers still require the user to make a connection when they want to access the Internet. This is becoming more and more rare, and cable connections are all “always on”.

The main question everyone asks of course is which one is faster. There is no simple answer to this, but in general cable offers a faster connection for most users. As most consumers are aware, DSL speeds are affected by their distance from the phone company’s central office. The further away a user, the slower the connection. Filters and signal amplifiers are making this slowdown much less pronounced than it was in the past, but it is still a factor. Cable download speeds range from around 4 Mbps up to 16Mbps, while DSL usually cannot reach 6 Mbps, and even then only in limited areas.

Cable has a much higher upper limit in bandwidth than DSL regardless of distance as the pipe the data is traveling through is physically larger and contains more fiber. It is unlikely most users will ever take full advantage of the possible speeds available due too bottlenecks that exist both on the user’s computer and the Internet in general.

Security

The Internet is never totally safe, and regardless of the type of connection you have to it you can be at risk. Cable and DSL connections tend to be a bit more likely to be targeted than dial up users due to their “always on” nature. Both of these services seem to be equally secure, however some would argue that the “shared” bandwidth of cable is inherently inferior to DSL. While this may have once been the case, it more than likely is no longer so.

Both connection types benefit from virus protection software and firewalls. With these in place, the user can be assured they have taken strong precautions against intruders and malicious software. Another common safety practice is to turn off the computer or sever the connection when the Internet is not in use.

Installation

There was a time when cable was far and away the easier service to install, but that time has passed. DSL service has come a long way, and so has its installation. Since the only line you need is the phone line, as opposed to a coaxial cable, it is easy for users to run the line, install the hardware, and set up the connection themselves. Cable on the other hand requires that a specific cable be run, usually from the attic, to wherever the computer is located. This takes professional assistance more often than not, which means waiting for a technician to get out to your house.

If a user wants to install their own DSL service, most telephone companies will ship all the parts needed for this, or they can be purchased at a retail outlet such as Best Buy or CompUSA.

Pricing

When looking at the price, you need to take into consideration introductory programs, installation fees, and regular monthly pricing. The normal monthly prices for Cable tends to range from $40 to $80, while DSL is more in the $20 to $45 price range. This is a small difference, but can add up over time. Introductory programs can offset these costs, but are of a limited duration, and once they expire high pricing is inevitable.

Installation fees range from $25 all the way up to $100 for DSL, while cable is most often free. The DSL fees can usually be avoided by doing a self install, but this is not possible for all users.

Availability

Cable is clearly superior in this area for several reasons. The cable networks have been in place for years, and have had a lot of time to develop and grow. There are around 68 million cable subscribers in the United States, and around 80% of them have access to cable Internet. In contrast the US has around 50 million DSL subscribers.

Even if DSL is offered by a Telco in a user’s area, there are many technical reasons that Internet access may not be available. These reasons include distance from the central office, hardware restraints in the area, and older lines that cannot carry a clear signal.

With the above information, we can conclude that both DSL and Cable are good Internet connections, but if Cable Internet is available it would seem to be the superior choice.