How does DSL compare to cable modems?
Cable modems are capable of high speed access, but they have drawbacks that do not make them ideal for dedicated Internet access. Internet access through cable is based on the broadcast model, where the same signal is shared through a large loop of subscribers in a geographical area. For this reason, the more subscribers that have cable modems in a particular area, the less bandwidth is available to each subscriber. DSL is a dedicated circuit from you to AstraGate’s high-speed network, resulting in faster, more reliable Internet connectivity.
Cable modems offer service over a shared cable. Multiple users may be connected to the same local cable line. DSL technology provides a dedicated service over an existing local connection to the Verizon Central Office near you. This means that you don’t have to share your local access connection with other users.
Cable modems promise to support transfer speeds of up to 10 Mbps. While this speed is possible, it is unlikely, because of the way cable networks are structured. Cable network users share network resources with other members of their neighborhood. Thus connection speeds will be decreased as the amount of users online increases. DSL allows each user to get a CIR (committed information rate) of at least 384Kbps or 1.5 Mbps to the Internet. Also, new VDSL technologies will surpass the transfer rates of current cable delivery systems.
Although cable can be appealing because of its price, there are some inherent drawbacks to cable modem service. First, the cable network is shared, which means as the number of cable users increases the speed on each individual’s line decreases. At times of peak Internet usage, cable modem speeds fall off dramatically. Second, a shared network is inherently less secure than a dedicated service like DSL, as neighboring cable customers can more easily intercept data or hack into another user’s computer. Third, the upstream speed on a cable modem generally is no higher than 128 Kbps. Thus, cable modems are unable to provide acceptable levels of speed or security for business purposes such as video streaming, video conferencing, or sending large e-mails.
