Over the years, the internet has become a necessity for every business and household. You need the internet for just about anything. From doing school assignments to ordering food online and from working from home to watching streaming TV and videos. Regardless of what you do online, an internet connection makes it possible for you to surf through the web. You can also send and receive data through emails, web pages, social media posts, videos, and much more.
The type of internet you use depends a lot on the telecom infrastructure that exists where you live. This infrastructure includes cable, fiber optic, and DSL. Cable TV and services similar to those offered by Spectrum cable service use coaxial cables to transmit data. Fiber optic delivers this data over light signals. Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) uses telephone lines to transmit digital data. We will talk more about this infrastructure and the differences between the various modes of internet service.
DSL
DSL uses traditional telecom infrastructure to transmit digital data. It offers download speeds in the range of 5 to 35 Megabits per second (Mbps). It is a fairly reliable connection as the speed remains consistent throughout the day. DSL has two variations Asymmetric DSL (ADSL) and Symmetrical DSL (SDSL). ADSL is among the cheapest mode of internet connection. It offers fairly decent download speeds, but the upload speed is usually not very fast.
DSL is among the most affordable options among all broadband services. It is also widely available as it uses traditional telephone cables that have been around for a considerable period. DSL is a great choice if you want an affordable internet connection. However, now there are much faster modes of internet available. If you are located far from your DSL operator’s central network, then you will be unable to enjoy a high service level. DSL is the slowest internet service among broadband internet services.
Cable
The coaxial cables that supply cable TV to your home can also be used to provide internet services. Cable internet services provide a download speed of up to 10 – 500 Mbps and an upload speed of 5 – 50 Mbps. Almost all cable service providers offer bundled packages of internet, TV, and phone services.
Cable broadband offers affordable and high-speed internet connection, which is also easy to set up in any household. If you already have a cable TV, odds are you can add the cable internet services to your existing account. However, cable internet services are relatively less reliable as during rush hours the internet speed tends to slow down making it hard for the user to do various online activities like streaming movies or using online social platforms.
Fiber-Optic
This is the newest, fastest, and most advanced type of internet service. It uses light signals to carry data. Fiber-optic cables are made out of strands of glass which that transmit laser-generated pulses that move along at the speed of light. The best thing about this fiber optic internet is that it offers symmetrical download and upload speeds of up to 250 Mbps to 1 Gbps. However, fiber-optic is a relatively new technology. Although it is getting prevalent with each passing year, you would be very lucky to get fiber internet services outside of big towns and cities.
Summing Up
The most suitable mode of the internet will depend a lot on where you live. In big cities and towns, you will get to enjoy multiple services. You would be able to choose from fiber, cable, and DSL. In remote locations, your choice will at best probably be limited to only DSL. Another deciding factor will be the volume of your internet usage. This will depend on both the type of activities you use the internet for as well as the number of people in your house. However, if you use the internet for heavy applications, like watching streaming videos or online gaming, it will be best to install a fiber internet connection, even if there are just a couple of users in your house.
