High Speed Internet
Access
High speed internet access has the ability
connect Americans to each other and to community services in
ways we cannot yet imagine.
But these features need to be accessible to everyone,
without fear that websites will be blocked or high-bandwidth
features inhibited. High speed internet access from dialup
internet accelerators is a good choice for those looking to get
more out of their dialup service, without much hassle or
expense.
Available connection types, offers, and ongoing monthly
charges vary by location. Use the form on this page to verify
the connection types and actual offer details available at your
location. Available service offerings depend on the bandwidth
capacity of the cable system. Prior to the Broadband
Acquisition, 86% of the Company's cable subscribers were served
by a system with a capacity of at least 750 megahertz and 95%
with a capacity of at least 550 megahertz and capable of
handling two-way communications.
Transmission is digital, meaning that text, images, and
sound are all transmitted as ?bits? of data. The transmission
technologies that make broadband possible move these bits much
more quickly than traditional telephone or wireless
connections, including traditional dial-up Internet access
connections. Transmission is provided by a wide range of
technologies, including digital subscriber line and fiber optic
cable, coaxial cable, wireless technology, and satellite.
Broadband platforms make possible the convergence of voice,
video, and data services onto a single network.
Cable and
Internet Services
Cable and internet services like cable iternet are
popular because cable and internet services are so much faster
than dial up access. Unlike dialup, where there are many
choices available, usually you can only get cable internet
access through the company that provides cable tv service to
your neighborhood. Broadband is short for broad bandwidth.
There is a not-very-helpful technical definition and a more
helpful practical definition about broad bandwidth.
Cable is one of the primary
means of fast Internet access. On the positive side, you can
generally get a very thick pipeline, up to two megabytes per
second, typically (potentially even more bandwidth if you live
in a really wired area). Cable connections are often faster
than DSL, and much, much faster than dial-up connections.
Surfing the Internet will be fun again instead of being a
chore! Cable companies are free to provide an answer to this
need without federal regulation. Telephone companies are
not.
DSL Broadband
Providers
DSL or Digital Subscriber Line is a high speed Internet
connection that operates over the existing copper telephone
lines. Unlike traditional 56k dial up service DSL will not tie
up the line nor is there any waiting for a connection as the
service is always "on". Internet dsl services
frequently requires a 1 year contract with penalties for early
termination. In contrast cable normally offers no contract
service on a month to month basis.
Satellite Internet Service Providers
Satellite internet access is the other high speed
option, and this may be the only choice for rural customers
that cannot get internet access from the DSL or cable
company.Satellite just does not bring enough to the table to
create the kind of competition that will force significant
changes.
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