Dsl Versus Cable
CommunistWithAGun
Local Propaganda Guy Join Date: 2003-04-30 Member: 15953Members
Local Propaganda Guy Join Date: 2003-04-30 Member: 15953Members
in Off-Topic
Alright I feel really silly to be asking this but I've never owned DSL. I've always had cable
Now, my cable is 3 mbps///256 ups
However my parents have Verizon as our telephone and the verizon central office is within view from my house, and the DSL is only 30 dollars a month versus 45 for cable. The dsl is rated at 1.5mbps//364 ups however they said the closer you are to the CO (central office) the faster it COULD go. Anyone have any idea?
Now, my cable is 3 mbps///256 ups
However my parents have Verizon as our telephone and the verizon central office is within view from my house, and the DSL is only 30 dollars a month versus 45 for cable. The dsl is rated at 1.5mbps//364 ups however they said the closer you are to the CO (central office) the faster it COULD go. Anyone have any idea?
Comments
Let me tell ya, it's not pretty switching from 3-6 Mbps to less than 1 Mbps. However, it's still much faster than DSL in my old apartment (University's though, take it with a grain of salt).
However, in 2005 Verizon DSL will begin offering competively priced plans startings at 2 mb up/down and going all the way to 30 m up/down. Fiber Optic is going to speed things up incredibly, and so cable internet companies like Comcast are going to have to increase their bandwidth by very large margins.
Also, keep in mind that you can't even use 3 mb down without using more of your up. When my brother even transfers a file through AIM, my connection freaks out when I'm gaming. Cable internet is fine for one computer, but it's too slow for multiple PC's for something like gaming.
Is it true if I kill you, I <i>become </i> you?
What the hell kind of DSL are you using?
Are you sure they didn't upgrade you to a fibre connection? I am not sure that the last copper hop can support those sorts of speeds.
Is it true if I kill you, I <i>become </i> you? <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Sonic deserves the member title "SON OF SAM-CWAG"
What the hell kind of DSL are you using?
Are you sure they didn't upgrade you to a fibre connection? I am not sure that the last copper hop can support those sorts of speeds. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
xDSL maybe, dont know much about dsl besides that its over a telly line
What the hell kind of DSL are you using?
Are you sure they didn't upgrade you to a fibre connection? I am not sure that the last copper hop can support those sorts of speeds. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
You must be using something other than DSL in the traditional sense.
20/10mbps is beyond the theoretical speeds of what the phone lines are built to support. Chances are, the company in your area has upgraded to a fibre to the premesis solution. In that case those speeds are attainable. However when discussing the merits of DSL vs Cable then we should not take that into consideration as it is not a traditional DSL connection. You can expect a relative maximum offered speeds of DSL for personal use to be about 1.5Mb/s There are other options but the costs begin to rocket and often require running new lines.
Correct me if I am wrong, it has been a while since I had to calculate bandwidth signal capabilities.
Typical phone line uses 3000 Hz. You can acheive a MAXIMUM speed of 33.6kb/s of data. There is no changing this max speed. Data compression can push this limit to an apparent 56.6 kbps. Now, a copper phone line can support 30 of these bands. So the phone company can lay one pair of wires for about 30 telephone signals. The phone company keeps you within the 3000Hz band by using passband filters.
When you subscribe to DSL the phone company just gives you access to more of these bands by removing/altering the passband filter. That is why you have to put the little inline filters on all of your voice phones. The phones expect only the 3000hz band and w/o those filters you will hear up to 30 at once. Now for some simple math: on a typical copper loop you can have 30 bands of 3000Hz. Each band can support about 56.6kbps speeds (limited for control signals also) 30x56.6 =~ 1.5mbps which is your typical cap for DSL.
Other technologies and lines let you get beyond the 1.5mbps cap but you are not going to see it installed in a home without much higher costs.
Hopefully that helps a bit.
Check what other people say about your area.
I say make sure there's no contract to fulfill and give it a try. Worst case is you have sucky internet for a month and are out a few bucks.
Now, for the last time, a single mega<b>bit</b> (Mb) is 1/8th of a mega<b>byte</b> (MB). 20/10 is actually only 2.5/1.25, and that is his STATED bandwidth. His actual is probably much lower (unless you want to use the stated DSL reports and compare your speeds).
Personally, I used Comcast cable and they upgraded our lines to 5 MB down and 2.5 MB up lines for free.
Wrong. It's true sometimes, but not always.
Let me tell you a little story, without all the technical mumbo-jumbo. A plumber comes to a small settlement. He knocks on the door of the first house and offers the residents to set them up a big pipe that will fill their bath with water in mere seconds. They agree.
He's satisfied and goes on, does the same with the next house. Eventually, all the houses want the 'big pipe', to fill their baths so quickly. But lo, behold. The plumber never took into consideration the main pipe, which supplies the settlement with water. It was never enlarged, hence, it could not provide enough water to fill everyone's bath at the same time.
To make it short, the telecommunication companies generally do not expand their cable pipelines quickly enough to compete with the demand. So the best option for you would be to get the actual speeds of each. Cable and ADSL (I'm assuming you won't be getting SDSL). If cable is much faster, it means there aren't so many users over there and/or the pipe is big enough (for now). If it's slower and DSL cheaper, get that. You'll be better off.
First off, DOOM said generally, not always <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Second off, it you have a good ISP (and I don't know anything about your cable ISP's down there), they continually split the main trunk if too many people use it. My cable company here, shaw, is very good about that. Within a few weeks of me noticing slowdowns in speed, they have split the trunk in my area. I get unlimited speeds (as fast as can go) and about 100 kb/s up (average) for $40 a month Canadian.
Our DSL service, from Telus, is total crap. Limits on monthly downloads, overall alot slower (unless you are right beside the node, like people said) and for only a few dollars less per month.
It all depends on your location and what companies offer service. I would then check up on each company from there.
Wrong. It's true sometimes, but not always.
Let me tell you a little story, without all the technical mumbo-jumbo. A plumber comes to a small settlement. He knocks on the door of the first house and offers the residents to set them up a big pipe that will fill their bath with water in mere seconds. They agree.
He's satisfied and goes on, does the same with the next house. Eventually, all the houses want the 'big pipe', to fill their baths so quickly. But lo, behold. The plumber never took into consideration the main pipe, which supplies the settlement with water. It was never enlarged, hence, it could not provide enough water to fill everyone's bath at the same time.
To make it short, the telecommunication companies generally do not expand their cable pipelines quickly enough to compete with the demand. So the best option for you would be to get the actual speeds of each. Cable and ADSL (I'm assuming you won't be getting SDSL). If cable is much faster, it means there aren't so many users over there and/or the pipe is big enough (for now). If it's slower and DSL cheaper, get that. You'll be better off. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Luckily, I'm the only person using my cable line, so its blazingly fast.