Quantex$
Premium
join:2002-11-01
U.S.A.
|  Cable vs. DSL; knowledgeable debate on it.
Ok; we all have heard of Cable and DSL, and most probably, had Cable or DSL.
Now, DSL advertizes themselves as a dedicated connection. A dedicated connection that does not bog down when other people go on.
Cable advertizes themselves as fast, cheap service.
Both advertize always on.
Now, onto the known things.
Cable, is a lot faster, for a lower price. 2000/384 for $42 a month, no contract, installation or hardware fees, no activation fees. That is Earthlink Cable, one of the best cable ISPs. They use DCHP.
DSL is a lot more expensive. 608/128, a one year contract and a $300 cancellation fee, some small extra fees, and that is it. This is what I know of Speakeasy.NET DSL's bare bones basic package. Verizon has none of these fees, yet it has 768/128, for a free month, five months of $30 a month service after that, then finally $50 a month.
There are many other ISPS, yet the general point is that cable is cheaper for more bandwidth. Yet, is it worth it?
DSL is said to be dedicated. It is supposed to not bog down when everyone else goes online, like DSL advertizes cable does. Although how can this statement be supported, seeing that both types of connections do not guarantee bandwidth or uptimes? So if my residential DSL does not guarantee bandwidth, who are they to say it won't bog down like cable will when lots of people get on, when I tell them I am cancelling to get cable? That's quite hypocritical seeing that bandwidth or "uninterrupted service" is not guaranteed.
Cable, says that DSL providers are wrong. Like for example, Roadrunner, a popular cable ISP, says that "because a properly designed and managed cable modem system (such as Road Runner's) accommodates the popularity of the service." That it is not true that DSL is dedicated and that cable bogs down.
Also, it is said, that even if cable bogs down, who cares? If the 2000/384 bogged down to %50 of its said speed, then it would still be noticeably faster than the DSL, at 768/128, for a higher price. Cable at less than %40 of the advertized speed can beat DSL around the same price, if it is a cable company like Earthlink which is relatively cheap, and an overall good cable ISP.
Not to mention that DSL needs to be a certain distance from the co to work, while with cable, if it's available, it's available, no speed difference because of distance.
Yet it is said that DSL is better than cable in matters of stability, as cable can have latency and pings low and high, while DSL can have more stable pings if you get good service.
Now, onto the main point here. What is better? What by your experience and/or knowledge is better service?
This is not meant for Cable/DSL users to flame each other, but merely a place to learn and gain knowledge about both types of broadband connections, to learn of other's experiences with them, and maybe, a little debate that doesn't get too far out of hand. 
I am not an expert, so please don't take anything I say offenseively.:) |
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tschmidt
Premium,MVM
join:2000-11-12
Milford, NH
 ·Hollis Hosting
 ·Verizon Online DSL
·Fairpoint Communic..
| Bottom line either Cable or DSL is capable of delivering acceptable service. Quality varies are lot by region. Your satisfaction has more to do with local business practices then engineering issues.
In our town Adelphia has the cable franchise -- they have a rather colorful reputation to say the least -- Verizon provides ADSL and G4 Communication SDSL.
My advice is check customer reviews for services in your area. When checking pay particular attention to terms of service, in general the Cablecos have more restrictions. For example, when I was investigating broadband Adelphia prohibited home networks which disqualified them for me even if they were able to deliver stellar service.
I've had Verizon ADSL service for over a year and have been happy with it.
[text was edited by author 2002-11-28 19:55:07] |
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MacGyver
Bell Sucks
Premium,ExMod 2003-05
join:2001-10-14
Orleans, ON
·TekSavvy Solutions..
·Bell Sympatico
| reply to Quantex$
Neither is better, and don't let anybody tell you otherwise.
The ultimate performance of either technology depends on so many factors, that it's impossible to clearly state whether one is better than the other.
The best advice I can give to anybody is try both, see which you like better, and dump the other.  |
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pinky321
join:2002-06-05
| I totally agree ... just take a look at couple threads at »OT:ATT stating that DSL is better than Cable and »Should I switch to AT&T DSL? yourself.  |
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kapp0
join:2001-12-16
Belvidere, IL
| reply to Quantex$
I've been going through this same debate with myself. »Get cable or stick with DSL? I have decided to stay with my SDSL. Tschmidt is right when he says that it varies by region. In our town Insight just can't get the bugs out so the speed varies too much for me. My DSL is rock solid with killer upload and great pings for gaming.
Another factor is if you want to run servers or want a static IP address. This is the biggest place that DSL and cable seem to be different, other than distance. DSL providers tend to be much more lenient with these.
As for the raw speed, unless you download all the time and the files are huge, the massive bandwidth of cable probably won't do much extra for you. My DSL is about 1/3 the rated speed of Insight, but when just surfing the net it is much faster because of reduced latency and increased stability.
Hopefully I didn't ramble too much.
--
Imagination is more important than knowledge.-- Albert Einstein |
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2kmaro
Think
Premium,ExMod 1 BC
join:2000-07-11
ColossalCave
clubs:  
| reply to Quantex$
Others have said it, I'll repeat it: which one is better for you depends almost entirely on where you live and what you expect from it.
Take Cox cable as an example I'm familiar with. First - it is the only broadband available to me at my location, so anything DSL offers in my area is wishing in the wind anyhow. But it so happens I'm a fortunate customer - my speeds are at the top of their caps of 3000/256 most of the time and my pings are low and consistent (finally). Great local customer service also.
But if I were to move to the Northern Virginia area and pick up Cox cable there, boy would I be in for a surprise! Those folks are about to form a large lynch mob and start looking for anyone with a Cox logo on their shirt to hang out to dry. And they're justified in feeling that way: speed is terrible, latency is sometimes into the multiple seconds (try 1600 to 4000 ms for some users!) --
Either service (and don't forget satellite and other options) can deliver a rich internet content and give one a really fantastic ride on the information highway -- or either one can seem like nothing more than very expensive dial-up! That's why we have the Review section here at BBR, and why it is a very wise person who checks in the support forum for a prospective provider and asks the simple question:
How is xyz at providing service in MyTown, USA??
The answer to that is critical.
--
Once it hits the fan, the only rational choice is to sweep it up, package it,and sell it as fertilizer. |
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marktee
What Is A Rhetorical Question?
Premium
join:2002-11-09
Akron, OH
| reply to Quantex$
said by Quantex$  :
Now, onto the main point here. What is better? What by your experience and/or knowledge is better service?
The technologies are competitive. Service is what will set them apart. I'd be reading the reviews.
--
"There are only 10 types of people in the world - those who understand binary, and those who don't." |
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drslash
Goya Asma
Premium
join:2002-02-18
Marion, IA
| reply to Quantex$
If you have the time and not the dollars then do the leg work researching options and reading reviews and maybe even chatting with others in the neighborhood about what service they use and what their satisfaction level is. If you have the extra money, then go with both services and decide for yourself. The truly lucky people have more than one option to choose from. I may be considering a move over the next few months and I honestly will consider the broadband options available when I choose what city and neighborhood to move in to.
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"You don't have to drink to have a good time...but why take a chance!" W.C. Fields (I wish I had said that) |
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ZeCanard
The Cosmic Duck
join:2002-09-26
Irving, TX
·AT&T Southwest
 ·RoadRunner Cable
| reply to Quantex$
The argument for DSL is it shares its network with users higher up the stream. Although this is definitely a good point, it does not prevent an ISP from overselling.
Also, the fact that you have a "dedicated" connection does not mean the ISP cannot have network issues. So having a "dedicated" connection does not prevent network outages by any means.
Seemed you were confused regarding this point. If you were not, sorry for misreading you.
[text was edited by author 2002-11-29 03:19:02] |
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AmeritecTech
Change we can believe in, 1922
Premium
join:2002-09-06
Houston, TX | reply to Quantex$
If its handled right, cable wins hands down. More speed for less money. Mismanaged cable networks changes things. |
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Fobulous
Premium
join:2002-08-14
Missouri City, TX
clubs: | reply to Quantex$
Depends who your providers are.
My cousin who just moved to Austin is not too happy with his RR, which is suprising to me since i heard RR Is one of the best Cable providers out there..
--
Peace |
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Zero Gravity
Next to Arch Stanton
Premium
join:2002-04-30
Top Floor
·Bell Sympatico
| reply to Quantex$
In my area, Cable rocks and DSL sucks. DSL bogged down for me every night, while Cable has been rock steady any time of day. This is only in my area though, so things could be much different anywhere else. Use whatever works best for you.
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CYCLES NEEDED JOIN TEAM HELIX NOW! ICE COLD BEER HERE MOONSHINE HERE |
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Slava
Premium
join:2001-02-04
Fair Lawn, NJ
clubs:
·Optimum Online
·RoadRunner Cable
| reply to Quantex$
In my area I had the choice between Road runner and Verizon.
I get the same speeds as you on cable. And for a lot less money then Verizon at a lower speed.
Also before I ordered I read the reviews for my area on both.
And needless to say Road Runner won hands down.
I have had this great speed for well over a year now and have never looked back.
R/ slava |
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Hiker 2
Zeus
Premium
join:2002-10-27
Lebanon, NJ | reply to Quantex$
My .02 worth
I've had both and much prefer the consistent speeds of my 1500/384 DSL. |
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a4nic8er
Tempus Fugit, Carpe Cerevisi
join:2001-03-09
New Zealand
clubs:
·Xnet
·Xtra Broadband
| reply to Quantex$
Any broadband ISP basically selling you access through their network. Their performance is determined by how well they utilize and maintain the resources of that network, and sometimes poor financial planning restricts their growth. They may end up effectively selling more than they buy.
A lot depends on whether the business has an infrastructure in place to handle several varying factors including:
User demand peaks.
Expanding customer base.
Upstream bandwidth supply.
Some ISPs have bad performance at peak times (high contention rates or internal network bottle-necks).
Some start off well but quality of service degrades when they gain a large increase in customers.
Some fail to obtain reliable sources of bandwidth upstream or don't purchase extra when required.
I would seek out the statements of people who use the ISPs (the longer they have been with the ISP, the more credence I would give). I would look for an ISP that appears to be run on a quality/technical priority rather than a financial/"We have more users" basis.
I would check the ISP revues here at BBReports and try to find local/regional broadband user groups/forums/support sites. Lurking in the ISP's newsgroups/forums is a good source too.
--
If laughter can be contagious, why do we never hear of any mirth epidemics? |
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a
@bellsouth.net | reply to Quantex$
DSL r0x0rz j00r b0x4z |
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Gauthreau
join:2002-09-19
v2m-2t8 | I don't know how you can have a discussion like this an not include my 28.8 dial up modem. It kicks all kinds of ass!
Neil |
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arden625
join:2001-07-10
Haledon, NJ
| reply to Quantex$
It really depends on the service. In general, cable is faster than DSL...yes. But there are some cable services out there that are total crap and they make DSL look like the winner.
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urban /terror// / / - Urban terrorizing the Q3A community. |
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macyh
Ex-Isp
Premium,MVM
join:2001-04-24
Medina, OH
·Armstrong Zoom In..
| reply to Quantex$
All politics (and broadband) is local...
Let's get one thing straight...there is only one "right" answer here, everything else is derivative...
"It all depends on a number of factors, many of which are local, there is no universal correct answer. You get to make a choice and it's easy to choose badly. The question is, are you interested in making the effort to make an informed choice?"
So, exactly what am I talking about?
All broadband ISP's can be very good or not so good, depending on how their network is designed and managed, that's true for WISP, cable ISP's or ADSL providers. Name or technology alone does not indicate performance, many important performance factors are local, not national in scope. In every market, some providers are good, some are not so good. Any provider's local broadband performance very much depends on how that provider has been built out and provisioned that local network...and how well it is supported.
What many consumers do is either buy from the provider with the most obnoxious marketing, wildest promises, largest advertisements and/or the biggest name. Some consumers make their choice based on the (un)informed comments of a friend or coworker. A few will make the effort to look for reviews in places like DSLreports.
All in all, very few consumers really take the time or make any real effort to make an informed choice.
My suggestion? Seek out and learn (or work with) a few existing users of the providers you are considering before you place an order. You should actually visit the end user location and spend a little while on the keyboard, doing the same types of things you'll do at your location. Sure it's a bit more hassle, but you'll be making a more informed choice, which should improve the chances that you'll be satisfied with your choice.
How do you find these users and/or worthwhile providers for your area? Well, just by being here and asking/looking, you have taken the first step. Check the DSLR/BBR listings and reveiws, talk to fellow local users in the DSLR/BBR forums.
But you must do more than read reviews: Ask the providers themselves. Talk to their local salespeople and techs. Also talk to their tech support staff, find out the number, call it during off peak hours, tell them what you intend to do. Just by their responses, you'll learn a quite a bit.
No matter what, I can assure you that you've got a far better chance of having a postitive experience with broadband if you follow the suggestion above.
And who knows, you might even meet somebody worth knowing...
I did this very thing ten years ago when looking for a uucp usenet and email feed...and I ended up in the ISP business with a fine partner as a result. I hope it is as positive and satisfying an experience for you as it has been for me.
--
Macy Hallock APK Net, Inc. Cleveland, Ohio
[text was edited by author 2002-11-30 10:55:07] |
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ykrad
join:2001-08-23
Petaluma, CA
| reply to Quantex$
Re: Cable vs. DSL; knowledgeable debate on it.
I had @home way back when they first started offering it... yes, nearly 5 years ago. My town was a "test site" so the connection was TOTALLY AWESOME. At that time though I had no idea and eventually took it for granted. And then the changes rolled in, first of which was the reduction of static ip to dhcp, which SUCKED! Then ATTBI & the bandwidth capage. No longer could I top 500kB/s from sites like cdrom.com, we were reduced to DSL speeds - 1.5kbs. Then I moved and my parents canceled ATTBI. lol. =)
Where I live now, cablemodems don't exist - at least not yet. So now I've been on DSL for nearly 2 years and love it. It's been a lot more reliable, though more expensive, and pretty much a pleasure all around. I didn't go for the most capacity for my buck, but rather the best latency I could find in the area, which was, thinking back, about equal to that which I had on the old @home system.
All in all, I agree with those who said there is no "right" answer, and each technology has it's ups and downs. The only plausible upgrade I can think of would be fibre to the curb...as likely as that may ever be in a city with sub 100K pop. =)
Try each if available to you, if you're too far from the CO for DSL, go with cable - chances are it will turn out for the better. That is unless you require things like static ips, or the need to run servers... most all cablemodem companies frown on that, in fact it's a violation of many ISP's AUP. Then get DSL. You may lose a bit of overall bandwidth, but you'll likely be with a superior configured network.
When I imagine cablemodem networks, I see just a mesh of pipes all leading to a single well. All good until the well runs dry.
Where as DSL, I see a well organized server rack with cables neatly tucked away. Each with it's own port, designation, and IPendification. (I doubt this is how it actually is, but it's what I see. =) It just seems like a cleaner, more responsible technology.
Ok ok, off my soap box. Good luck to all you non-broadbandies in your quest for your own holy grail provider. |
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