BleepingComputer.com: To Broadband, Or Not To Broadband?

Hi, all!

I have a dial-up connection and am considering upgrading(?). I am a complete newbie to this idea. So, I am commencing with the stupid questions:

1. Is "Broadband" the same as "High-speed" internet?
2. Will I typical see a significant jump in speed? (At this moment, I am online at 44.0 Kbps)
3. When I sign up for it, it replaces my old ISP? Or do I end up paying two companies?
4. Am I going to be able to afford this? (I can pay about 15.00 - 20.00 a month...)
5. Am I a complete moron for asking these questions?

Please, Internet and copmputer gurus, educate me!!

-Thanks-
RR

To really answer this would take a lil more info like where do you live, who are the service providers there? Do you want to really save money then I would use the same company for both my phone AND the internet because there are normally huge saving doing it that way.

Like I have the phone the internet AND cable all coming thru the same supplier and I get my phone for a flat 35 and I can call unlimited long distance, I then pay 45 for my internet BUT I got 20 bucks off a month so thats a steal and my cable is the basic which I dont really even use except when U have family they have to be able to play some too right? lol
Hope that helps the best I can say is NOTHING is written in stone with these companies and you can often get a decent deal but you have to look for it. Verizon if its offered near you is usually the cheapest and someone like you would prob be happy with "DSL" and its faster than phone but a lil slower than Broadband.

I live in Australia so there may be some local terms used which I don't understand, but from my perspective..

1. 'Broadband' and 'High Speed' are (so far as I know) general terms which apply to a whole range of possible service speeds so I guess the short answer is YES but it depends how technical you are being.

2. YES most definitely, particularly with downloading larger files, images etc.

3. Depends on what's available where you live. Here most ISPs offer broadband (usually ADSL) connection so once its installed you just change to a different plan with your ISP. We only have 2 or 3 cable providers so if I wanted cable broadband I would have to change ISP to get that.

4. Can't answer that one - go online and check your local ISP websites for their plan rates.

5. Certainly not. That's what this site is all about - answering computing questions.

hth

1. Is "Broadband" the same as "High-speed" internet?
It use to be referred to as either, but now some of the dialups use the term "High-speed" to describe their accelerater software. AOL, Netscape, Netzero. I don't consider High speed "Broadband.

2. Will I typical see a significant jump in speed? (At this moment, I am online at 44.0 Kbps)
Yes. A dramatic increase. Even the 256kbs/128kbs will smoke ANY dialup.

3. When I sign up for it, it replaces my old ISP? Or do I end up paying two companies?
It depend on your ISP. Here you could upgrade from say BellSouth's dialup to the DSL and keep everything except the slow speed.

4. Am I going to be able to afford this? (I can pay about 15.00 - 20.00 a month...)
It really does depend on where you live. Here BellSouth offers a DSL Lite 256/128kbs starting at $25/mo. Cox Cable Internet
has a value you plan for $25/mo 256/256kbs.

5. Am I a complete moron for asking these questions?
No. Just uninformed. We are taking care of that right now...right?

I hope this was of some help.

Wow! Thanks for the quick info, guys!!

A few more things, then:

1. Just to make sure of how I understand this: Since my current ISP has no broadband option, if I switch to a different company and select the broadband service, it is a completely different thing from regular service. (I.E., broadband is not an add-on.) Right?

2. I live in Pinckney, Michigan, but I don't know if that helps, seeing as it's such a dinky town. My current ISP is PeoplePc, and I know there's a lot of other ones available in my area, such as Juno, Glis, and Comcast...

3. Physically, is there any special equipment I would have to buy?

Thanks in advance, you guys are great!

Hello Redrose

1. If you switch to broadband you will have a new ISP (Internet service Provider). new home page/browser from them if you want to use it. With their mail,news etc. Optional to use but free with the service. Not an add on,yes.

2. I would contact some of the providers as to a few things. for instance I believe Comcast is a cable not a DSL service. Comcast is also probably the largest provider. Cable is faster and probably a bit costlier. By dinky do you imply very rural? Because in some rural areas if the company hasn't already run there cable near your home they may require you to pay for that. You only have to ask them how much is the service to your address and they'll let you the rest.

3. You will need a different modem,eg a cable modem. Again when you make a call or check there website you'll see they probably will give you free equipment and installation as a new customer.

Do you have cable TV? May answer that extra install question already. THey offer packages for service combos. TV , Broadband and Phone or paired combo rates. I'm in suburban NJ. I have the 3 package and it costs me 52 + 30 + 15 respectivly ($97)/mo. By themselves cable TV is from 40 to 90, broadband is 45, and Phone is 35. As Acklan posted Dsl is a bit cheaper.

1. Just to make sure of how I understand this: Since my current ISP has no broadband option, if I switch to a different company and select the broadband service, it is a completely different thing from regular service. (I.E., broadband is not an add-on.) Right?
If you go with DSL you will need a telephone line but you don't have to have it with the same company as your ISP. It can be different or the same. In your case different since your ISP does not provide DSL.

2. I live in Pinckney, Michigan, but I don't know if that helps, seeing as it's such a dinky town. My current ISP is PeoplePc, and I know there's a lot of other ones available in my area, such as Juno, Glis, and Comcast...
I prefer cable instead of DSL. Thats just me. After dialup either will be a treat. As in my earlier post see if they have a value service. That usally starts at $25/mo.

3. Physically, is there any special equipment I would have to buy?
Yes, there is a "modem" that you will need. The caable modems cost $50-$100. The DSL modem are $75-$100. You can rent for a few dollars a month. Upside is if is fails the company relpaces it. Downside is about a year you will have spent enought money to have bought a repalcement.

Good luck.

Ok, ok, I'm starting to get this. ;)

So, Broadband will tie up my phone line just like dial-up, right? And are there any other differences between cable and DSL I should know?

Broad band cable internet will NOT tie up your phone line even if you you use the cable (VOIP) phone system.
If you only get Cable broadband internet you will NOT tie up your phone.
I know that Comcast cable in NJ does not charge you for the equipment (modem). They give it to you free as long as you use their system. Approx $45 /mo

It will share the line not tie it up. For a lack of a better way to explan it, the DSL and telephone use to different frequences to send thier signal. It's like a multi-lane highway. The slow cars in one lane (POTS) and the faster in the other (DSL). Same line two signals. You will get a filter to split the signal when you get the modem.

I just saw boopme's reply. I have TV/internet/VOIP(tel.) all through the cable company. Best move I made. I had all option through the teleco. When I switched to the Cable VOIP (tele over internet) I ended up saving $45/mo over the three services.