If you are still using dial-up, you have probably gotten either the You dont use DSL yet? or the You dont use cable yet? expressions of credulity. So youve decided that its probably time to get off of dial-up yet, the question remains: which is better, DSL or cable? There are advertisements arguing the perks of both, but which will really get you more bang for your buck?
The three issues to take into account when comparing DSL and cable Internet connection are speed, customer satisfaction and security.
Theoretically, cable modems run faster than DSL because they offer more bandwith. There is also a form of DSL called VDSL which can match the speed of a cable modem. However, the speed of cable is relative to the number of people in your area who are accessing the neighborhood at the same time. One popular commercial compares cable modems to drinking out of a straw the straw is fine, if one person is drinking from it. But if the straw must be shared well, obviously things slow down a little. Both DSL and cable also vary in speed by the minute depending on the congestion caused by multiple users.
Customer service surveys conducted by J.D. Power and...