The DSL vs Cable Controversy

So which is better in the DSL vs cable argument? Is one superior to the other? Or is it a matter of location and availability? With the advent of cable modems, cable companies are reinventing themselves as high speed internet access providers for home users. A modem connects the PC with the internet via a coaxial cable at speeds much higher than dial up (phone) modems. Cable companies bundle broadband internet access with their other services (such as your cable TV hookup) to give customers a lower monthly package cost. So is there a firm DSL vs cable answer?

One of the problems in DSL vs cable is that both of these broadband technologies suffer from limited service availability and are usually confined to urban and suburban areas. If both are available, should you shop based on price? Yes—and no. If you decide the two are equally good in all aspects regarding reliability, support, and access—and speed isn’t the deciding factor—then go with the less expensive option.

The main talking point in the DSL vs cable controversy, is that with cable, the bandwidth will be shared with other subscribers in your neighborhood. That usually isn’t a problem but some neighborhoods report slowdowns during peak evening times of 5 pm to 11 pm when a lot of users get home from work and sign on. When that happens, a cable connection isn’t faster than a dedicated line from a DSL Internet service provider.

But the entire connection will only slow substantially if someone in your neighborhood is hogging all the bandwidth by doing something illegal: like running a web server or uploading a large amount of data – say an entire collection of pirated Star Wars movies – which can bring everyone’s browser to a crawl. Fortunately, most cable service agreements from DSL-ISPs such as Verizon and EarthLink prohibit home-based business usage such as running a web server, but that doesn’t keep the teenager down the street from trying. And so, the DSL vs cable controversy continues . . .

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