Many people who recognize the need to have broadband access in their homes are becoming overwhelmed with the choices available today. They realize, however, that their lack of internet access or inadequate dial up is not enough, and that broadband is becoming the standard to connect to the Internet.
The main choices the typical consumer has are DSL, cable, and fiber optic broadband service. The three have different speeds and prices, and their level of access to you can depend on location. But, they all do offer a great boost over the connection speeds one would see with dial up service.
DSL is basic broadband available to most households, as it is provided by your telephone company. If you're not close to the telephone company service station, you might not be able to get it. The price is low, usually from $15 to $30 per month, and is perfect for the consumer looking to have cheap access to broadband.
Cable broadband is an option run by your local cable television service and provides a middle tier of broadband options. The price is higher than DSL, ranging from $25 to over $500 per month for business access, but offers a faster speed than most DSL packages.
Unlike DSL, cable is not distance limited as long there is television service in your area. For the user who wants to watch/download videos online, play ?live? games, download/stream music, or has 2+ regularly used computers, cable modem would be it.
Fiber Optic technology, which has been primarily introduced by Verizon's FIOS, is the high end of connectivity. Since Fiber Optic cables (a cable with a small piece of glass that reflects beams of light) are required, this is not available in most areas.
Bandwidth is by the far the greatest of the three, and there is more potential for network growth. Prices range from $30 - $200 depending on the package you choose. For those people with 3+ computers and are highly ?connected?, run websites, or upload/download a lot of content, this is your best choice.
As with all purchases you make, check all of the local providers' websites or contact them directly and see what packages are available in your area. Be aware, too, that bundling your services like television and telephone along with the broadband connection through one company can save you more in the long run.
