subject: Cable, DSL, Satellite, WiMax: Comparing Broadband Options for New Yorkers [print this page] If someone says the word "broadband," what they are referring to is broadband Internet, or any form of high speed Internet connection that allows users to access the Internet at extremely high data rates. If you compare broadband Internet connections to the now fairly outdated dial up connections, you will find that broadband Internet connections not only offer much faster connection speeds, but they are also easier to use. It is no surprise, then, that people these days strongly prefer having a broadband Internet connection over having a dial up Internet connection. This article is for residents of New York who want to compare the various different broadband options that are available to them and decide which is the best option for them.
Nowadays, there are essentially four different types of broadband Internet connection. These are cable, DSL, satellite, and WiMax. Determining which of these types of broadband service is the right choice for your New York home will depend on the specific location of your home, as well as on the size of the budget that you are working with. The different types of broadband Internet service vary in terms of connection speed (although all of them are much faster than dial up speeds) and price. Some types of broadband Internet service are not available everywhere and may not be available where you live, depending on where exactly that is.
In general, the two most popular broadband Internet services to date are DSL, which stands for digital subscriber line, and cable. These two types of broadband Internet service are the fastest overall, though which of the two is the absolute fastest varies depending on a number of factors, such as the number of simultaneous users connecting to the network and the distance between your home and the service provider in order to get the best speeds through a DSL connection, for example, you will want to make sure that you live close to your local phone company, which will also be your provider, as the connection speeds will get worse the farther away you are.
While DSL and cable services are the fastest types of broadband Internet connections, they are not the most accessible. For the most part, the only people who are able to take advantage of the extremely fast speeds of DSL and cable connections are people who live in cities or relatively densely populated suburban areas. If you live in a part of New York that is rural or remote, DSL and cable services may not be available to you. If this is the case, satellite service could be a good option for you, since you can get it anywhere in the state where you have a clear view of the southern sky.
The fourth type of broadband Internet service, WiMax, which stands for Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access, is also the newest. Like satellite, it is widely accessible because it does not depend on wires or cables. Instead of sending and receiving signals using satellites, however, WiMAx service uses line of sight microwave access links. WiMax networks are a lot like cell phone networks in some ways, most notably in the fact that they offer extensive coverage areas. These coverage areas make WiMax the best service if you are looking for a mobile service.
Cable, DSL, Satellite, WiMax: Comparing Broadband Options for New Yorkers
