ADSL? SDSL? T1? T3? Cable? The variety of broad-band options for a high-speed connection to the Internet is astounding. Let us take the edge off by matching what you need to a service provider. We'll work for you, not the communications company, and we're not going to sell you something that you don't need. To help you get started, we'll define a few terms. Then give us a call!
| Cable | Broadband over a cable-TV system is currently the most popular form of high-speed connection. The data stream is asymmetrical, which means that the download (server to you) speed is much higher than the upload speed. The speed on a cable system may deteriorate as more users come online and compete for bandwidth. Another disadvantage is that the connection is shared by a group of users who are physically close to each other, and eavesdropping can occur. |
| ADSL | This is the basic DSL or Digital Subscriber Line that many local phone companies and other resellers provide. The connection shares the same cable as your telephone, and both may be used simultaneously. Like cable broad-band, ADSL is asymmetrical. It is also typically slower. One advantage is that the line is not shared, and eavesdropping is a virtual impossibility. |
| SDSL | This is a synchronous and typically faster version of the Digital Subscriber Line service. Typically this is a business-class service and uploads are as fast as downloads. This is still designed to simply connect an office to the Internet, the speeds, reliability, and some other technical issues generally preclude using SDSL to provide service between a business and its customers. |
| T1 | A T1 line has been a standard for many years in the telecommunications industry. A T1 line arrives on a single telephone wire but is actually a bundle of channels, which may be divided and used for multiple telephone lines or other services. If all the channels are used for Internet communications synchronous transfer rates of up to 1.54mb (million bits) are possible. 1.54mb is roughly equivalent to 17,000 characters per second. T1 lines are typically used by businesses which must service their customers on the Internet. |
| T3 | A T3 line is similar to a T1, but is about thirty times faster (45mb). |