Buying Guide to Broadband

Cable Internet costs the least, but you should choose DSL if you plan to share access among multiple PCs.

Once you've switched to a high-speed Internet connection, it's hard to go back to dial-up. Instant connections and file downloads in seconds instead of minutes can change computing life as you know it. Here's a look at how much a high-speed setup will cost, what kind of performance you can expect to get, and what services each type of broadband provides.

Key Features

Price: DSL service fees range from $40 to $600 per month (the higher-price options include services for small businesses and faster upload and download speeds); residential services cost about $45 a month. DSL vendors usually provide the DSL modem. Installation costs from $50 to $400, though providers may waive or discount installation fees if you accept a one- or two-year service contract.

Cable data services cost from $25 to $95 per month; residential rates sit at the low end of the scale, and the higher fees are for faster upload and download speeds. You can buy your own cable modem for about $100 or rent one from your vendor for between $3 and $7 a month. Installation costs from $50 to $150; but like DSL services, cable companies may waive or discount these fees during promotions, which often involve an extended contract.

For satellite service you'll pay about $60 to $70 a month. The equipment and installation cost about $600.

Download/upload speed: Though a DSL connection can theoretically run at speeds as high as 10 mbps, most services offered to homes and small businesses provide download and upload speeds of 128 kbps to 1.5 mbps (roughly 2 to 25 times faster than a 56-kbps modem).

Download rates for cable start at about 1.5 mbps, whereas download speeds for entry-level DSL tend to fall well below 1 mbps. Upload speeds for cable range between 128 kbps and 384 kbps.

Satellite download speeds range from 400 kbps to 3 mbps, and upload speeds run about 128 kbps. But there's one big caveat: Satellite broadband incurs high latency--the time it takes for the signal to travel to and from the orbiting satellite--making it a bad choice for online gaming.

Choice of services: As with dial-up, you need an account with an ISP to complete your broadband connection. Many ISPs partner with DSL providers to offer various speed and service packages. Cable companies, on the other hand, can dictate most terms of service because they are usually the only providers in a given area. For example, AT&T Broadband's standard service agreements prohibit customers from running servers, and sharing connections among a home network of multiple PCs is another no-no, unless you pay extra. The company reserves the right to probe your system to make sure you're following its rules. DSL typically carries far fewer use restrictions, so it's a better choice if you do anything more than connect a single PC to the Internet for browsing, e-mail, and downloading.

Recommendations

If your internet activity is limited to e-mail and occasional Web browsing, broadband may not be worth the extra cost. But if you're ready to move to broadband, and you like your dial-up ISP, check with it first--you might keep your e-mail address. If you simply want a faster connection, cable usually offers more speed for the money. A DSL line typically has more business-friendly features. Stuck in the wilderness? Then you're probably stuck with satellite, but keep checking for the availability of the other services.

Cable, DSL, or Satellite?

Scott Spanbauer