Choosing an Internet Service Provider for Your Home
Am I getting my money’s worth with my internet service provider? Am I being charged excessively by my internet service provider Should I subscribe to a faster speed? What is the best deal for me? Read the article and find out.
Households have several different types of internet service to choose from. There are also different internet service providers available in different areas.
Before we begin, it would be helpful to define some terms like “broadband.” It is an all-around term that refers to any connection faster than a dial-up which has fallen into disuse because of its agonizingly slow data speed.
Another term worth defining is “Mbps.” It refers to Megabits per second which is the standard for comparing speeds between internet services. For common home web-surfing tasks, 2 Mbps is enough. You will want something faster, though, if you watch a sizable amount of internet video.
A 5 Mbps connection will be sufficient for personal use in most households. However, if several people will watch different streaming internet videos at the same time, you may want to consider more.
So, what type of internet service should you get?
DSL is short for digital subscriber line. It is routed to your house by means of an existing telephone line. Generally, DSL is the cheapest broadband internet service you can install at home. Most internet service providers give options up to 25 Mbps in your DSL connection, and even 100 Mbps for newer phone services. The disadvantage of DSL is that it is based on distance. As a general rule, your service will be slower the further you are from the service provider.
Cable internet gets delivered to your house via cavble service. Cable internet service providers claim speeds faster than that of DSL, frequently ranging above 100 Mbps. Its biggest drawback is that you are sharing your cable service with the people in your vicinity so it will slow down during peak hours which rarely happen with DSL.
Satellite internet reaches your home through a satellite service. In contrast to other types, its speed is slow repeatedly registering below 20 Mbps. Satellite internet oftentimes has short hiccups in the service which are normally not noticeable. If your location is far from urban centers, satellite may be the only broadband service available to you.
Fiber-optic internet is already accessible in some places and rolling out quickly. Generally, fiber-optic service works like a DSL service but offers speeds up to 500 Mbps which can go higher as technology advances.
In summary, your first task before signing up with an internet service provider is to look for fiber-optic or DSL service in your area. If both are unavailable, check for cable internet service and make satellite service your last option. Hopefully, you will get the perfect choice at your location.
Source: http://www.fourhorsemen.biz/time-warner-cable-bundled-deals/