What, You Don't Have Broadband Yet?
Cool Web sites aren't all they're cracked up to be. So what's the real reason you need that faster connection?Michael Desmond
Michael Desmond is managing partner of Content Foundry and author of "Microsoft Office 2003 in 10 Steps or Less" (Wiley Publishing, 2003, 317/572-3000). He had satellite broadband when he moved to northern Vermont. Now he's sailing along with a cable modem.
I've been writing about technology for more than ten years. So it should be no surprise that I've been using a broadband Internet connection since 1997. But I've got a buddy who's equally into high-tech gadgets, and he's crawling around the Web with a pokey dial-up modem. The funny thing is, he doesn't seem to mind--except on days when I send him hefty Adobe Acrobat files. You know why? Because he watches video on his TV and listens to music on his stereo--not on his PC, as broadband providers might wish.
No, this is not a story pooh-poohing broadband hype. It's actually the opposite. In fact, my buddy has a little secret: When he needs bandwidth to do his work, he saunters down to Starbucks and taps into a high-speed, wireless hot spot that costs less each month than a cable connection to his home. Heck, everybody needs a fast Internet connection some time.
Why Broadband--Really?
The fact is, broadband is as great as cable and phone companies say it is--but not always for the reasons they give in their commercials. Forget about videoconferencing with distant relatives; get over the notion of streaming movies to your desktop. And check this out: You don't need a broadband connection to shop for shiny red tricycles for the kids.
Yes, broadband is the future (my buddy will even admit it's in his future). Although the vast majority of U.S. homes still don't have broadband connections, companies like Comcast, the nation's largest cable provider, and SBC Communications, the leading provider of DSL service, report subscriber numbers jumping by as much as 60 percent over last year. But experts like research firm Strategy Analytics believe it's not because people are itching for video clips and streaming music. Last summer the firm surveyed 525 broadband households to find out why they upgraded. Freeing up a phone line was one of the top--and least glamorous--reasons.
So why get broadband? Let's see...
A convenient constant connection. I hesitate to say "always on" because sometimes when you boot up your PC, you still have to initiate a connection, especially with some DSL services. But once you do, you leave it on (provided you've protected your system with firewall software). Along with the fact that broadband saves you a phone line, having that constant connection is the most obvious reason to upgrade.
You can share it. With more homes containing multiple computers--often multiple notebook computers--broadband connections allow several people to use the Internet at the same time. All you have to do is put the computers on a network. These days a wireless network is a terrific option. (For more information, see PC World's "Wired or Wireless? Choose Your Network.")
It's great for dealing with spam. Interestingly, broadband is one of the best things to happen to poor saps who are inundated with spam. After all, chances are you're going to receive that junk anyway. Broadband shuffles it down to your computer much faster, so you don't have to wait long for all those Viagra offers to hit your in-box before you can delete them.
It makes other stuff go fast. No, I'm not talking about Web sites. If you don't like how long it takes ESPN.com to load over a dial-up connection, then get your sports news from the far faster Yahoo Sports site. But you know your family wants to send you digital pictures; and your office may need to e-mail you a PowerPoint presentation to work on over the weekend. Downloading those babies will have you pulling out your hair if you use a dial-up modem.
It helps keep your PC up-to-date. News flash: Microsoft Windows is unsafe and needs periodic patches. Your antivirus software needs updates, too. You'll appreciate a broadband connection when these downloads fly onto your hard drive. (My buddy got hit by the Blaster worm because he didn't want to waste time downloading security updates over his dial-up connection--sucker.)
Broadband rocks. I'm still not convinced that people will sit at their computers and stream music when they can pop a CD into their stereo. But I'm coming around to the idea that services like Apple's ITunes, MusicMatch, and Real's RealOne Rhapsody are a great way to purchase new music and burn CDs. And if you're going to burn a high-quality CD over the Internet, you must have a broadband connection.
Now, Get Connected
Of course, convincing yourself you need broadband access isn't the hard part: Getting the connection is. Should you order cable or DSL? What if neither reaches your home? When people ask me what kind of broadband they should get, I have to say, "It depends." It depends on where you live and what's available in your neck of the woods. And because broadband providers are usually regional, you can get great service from one company in New York and terrible service from another in California.
Here's my quick-and-dirty guide to the broadband services available today. Each has its pros and its cons (for instance, some providers throw in a modem for free while others make you rent one--ask before you sign up). But at the end of the day, it's the rare individual who doesn't love his or her broadband connection--no matter what kind it is.
DSL. It comes into your house over phone lines, so the Baby Bells are your primary service providers. But to turn a phone line into a DSL connection takes some work at the switching boxes that connect a phone company's central office to your neighborhood. That's why DSL isn't as pervasive as cable. It's also not usually as fast as cable. Still, for those who can get it, DSL has been a great deal lately. This past year, EarthLink, SBC, Verizon, and others have offered special rates for less than $30 a month. Verizon's normal monthly rate, for example, is $35.
Cable. It's become the most popular way to get a broadband connection in your home. If you can't get DSL, you might be able to get broadband from your cable TV company. It's usually faster than DSL. In the old days, skeptics worried that cable speeds would start to lag because neighborhoods share the bandwidth. But providers just keep adding more capacity.
That said, many people dislike their cable companies--and for good reasons. Service is sometimes poor, connections are dropped, and prices go up with little warning. In fact, if you choose cable broadband, expect to pay $40 to $50 per month. And if you ever need to connect to the Internet while you're away from home, chances are you'll need to pay for a separate dial-up service.
Satellite. There are people who swear by their satellite broadband connections. Most were forced into the choice because DSL and cable lines didn't reach their homes--a common issue in rural areas. But satellite broadband is expensive, to say the least. Direcway, the leading satellite provider, charges nearly $600 for the hardware and then $60 per month for the service.
The good news is satellite service has gotten much better over the years. It used to be a one-way broadband connection (you needed a dial-up connection to send data), and you'd be lucky to find a qualified technician to install it. Today, if you can foot the bill and have no other broadband option, satellite makes sense.
Wireless. It's not satellite and it's not that Wi-Fi stuff you've read about. It's like getting an Internet connection over a cell phone signal. Wireless broadband consists of a transmitter--attached to your PC by an Ethernet cable--that communicates with a radio tower. In the past, so-called "fixed wireless" services required that the transmitter have clear line-of-sight to the tower, but not anymore. Companies like IPWireless and Navini Networks are selling their technology to service providers, who can typically offer the speed of DSL or cable for less money--about $30 a month. This type of service makes sense for users who can't get DSL or cable and don't want to pay for satellite. It could also be helpful for business travelers who need to connect from the road, but don't want to duck into a coffee shop to find a Wi-Fi hot spot.
PC World has tried out this new breed of wireless broadband. Me, I understand its potential--but I can't help worrying that my wireless broadband connection will experience dropped signals the way my cell phone does. If you go the wireless route, make sure you use a provider with extensive coverage.
The Moral of the Story
No matter what type of broadband connection you end up with, it will change your computing life. You'll work and play faster; you may save a little cash by eliminating that second phone line; you may even become the envy of the neighborhood with your own local area network running from bedroom, to den, to kitchen.
Of course, you'll also open yourself to new issues. Hackers can take over an always-on connection and use your PC to spam others. That's why you need firewall software. And you should be vigilant about downloading security patches. With broadband, there's no excuse not to.
As for my buddy, he's a stubborn old bird, locked in an ongoing feud with his cable company over high fees and lackluster service. But he's sworn that broadband will be one of his 2004 new year's resolutions. Good for him. Wait until I send him pictures of my kids in their Halloween costumes; that ought to speed up the process.