Verizon DSL Service

Looking for DSL? Verizon has just lowered there monthly DSL rates to $14.95. That a pretty good price! All packages include:

Choice of online services: Yahoo! and MSN
24/7 live technical support
30-day money-back guarantee
9 e-mail accounts
10 MB of Web space
Self-install kit

Do you qualify? You can find out by going to shopfordsl .

Covad and Verizon Making Up

The two companies announced on Wednesday that they've agreed to a settlement that resolves all pending litigation and other legal quarrels between the two sides. For more on this story: http://news.tmcnet.com/news/-covad-verizon-mci-litigation-case-pending-antitrust-voip-/2005/dec/1244290.htm

The History of High Speed Internet Access

High speed internet access, also known as broadband internet, is a high data-transmission rate internet connection. High speed internet has revolutionized the way that people utilize the internet. Before broadband internet, people spent more time downloading content than enjoying it.

The fastest that dial-up internet access can deliver downloaded files is at the rate of 56 kilobits per second. High speed internet, on the other hand, typically transmits at nine times the speed of a conventional dial-up modem. There are also broadband service packages that can transmit up to 20 Megabits per second.

Broadband internet access refers to DSL (digital subscriber line) and cable modem access. DSL is the most commonly used high speed internet, with cable running a close second in terms of popularity. There is also satellite internet access, but there is a high latency problem caused by the distance the signal must travel to and from the satellite. Currently there is also a new service called power-line internet that is being tested. This internet service may eventually allow high speed internet data to travel along standard high-voltage power lines. However, this data transmission system has several issues that will need to be resolved before the feasibility of power-line internet is determined.

High speed internet access became an extremely rapidly developing market in many regions in 2000. Studies found that broadband internet usage in the United States grew more than 24% between 2000 and 2003. One of the challenges of this age of broadband is the ability to provide high speed service to customers located in rural areas. This is because in urban areas service providers are easily able to recover the cost the new equipment required to offer broadband. For this reason, many rural inhabitants still use dial-up or ISDN, which typically delivers data at up to 128 kilobits per second.

In some markets, especially those outside of the United States, there are some internet service providers that are taking advantage of the current lack of industry definition as to what constitutes as broadband internet. Currently, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has defined high speed internet access as 256 kilobits per second in at least one direction (upload or download), though average consumer broadband speeds far exceed this rate of data transfer. Thus, some internet service providers take advantage of lacking industry standards and market lower bitrate connections as high speed.

With the innovation of high speed internet it has become possible for users to download and watch videos and music files in just minutes, if not immediately. Anyone that’s used dial-up to download these larger types of files knows the frustration of waiting hours for a download that may never even complete. Without broadband internet access, the popularity and convenience of peer-to-peer file sharing would not have been possible.

As the rate of data transmission increases, the market expects that streaming video and streaming audio services will become increasingly popular. Interestingly, video encoding formats such as MPEG-4 are making top quality video streams accessible at even lower bandwidth rates. Innovations in video formats are converging with the increasing end user bandwidth speeds to provide unprecedented video access over the internet.

As data formatting innovations combine with increasing access of high speed internet to users around the world, we will continue to see improvement in the delivery of various media types as well as improved connectivity and communication, in general, between people all around the world.

To find out more information about this topic, please visit High Speed Internet

Charlotte Alice represents UK Dropshipper and Online Web Publisher

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Charlotte_Alice

Broadband Internet - Why Purchase Service Online?

You've made the decision to purchase broadband internet access for your home or office. What's your next step? Do you contact your local provider directly and sign up? This is certainly and option, but one that may not be in your best interest.

Contacting one local provider may not be your best option because it limits your choices. It limits the specials available to you. You see, the competition for your business is fierce. There can be a number of vendor choices each offering the same or different access methods and specials. There's cable access, DSL access, satellite access. Each comes with it's own pro's and con's.

You might live in an area where all three-access methods (not counting dial-up) are available. You may live in an area where only 2 or even 1 vendor is available. How do you know? Which do you choose?

The simple way is to contact the one vendor you know of, but there is another way. Use an online-brokered service.

These services should be FREE to you and provide information as well as quotes from multiple vendors within your area. There are many services available on the internet for you to access this information. Of course we'd like you to use our service, free of charge, but any service you find should provide you with the following.

Information - It's critical that you be provided with the information you need to make informed decisions.

Quotes for service - You should be allowed free access to quoting software that will search out and report back all the available vendors within your area. This quote should be free to you as well as identify who the vendor is, what type of service it is, detailed technical information about the service, price, contract length and what specials are available to you.

Lastly, there should be something in it for you as well. When searching for these types of services, don't forget to see what's in it for you! For one, our service offers rebates in addition to the vendor specials. Ok, we're biased here because we believe our service is the best, but other sites probably offer the same incentives. Also look for another level of support. You can go directly to the vendor of your choice with questions about modems, routers, email accounts, etc. and then wait until someone from their support group gets back to you. If you've purchased your broadband service using a brokered service on the internet, you should be able to contact them as well. An additional level of service is another incentive to purchasing your service online.

If you contact a single vendor chances are you're not going to receive unbiased information. A broker does provide unbiased information because they are not tied to a single provider. Having access to multiple providers with multiple access types allows the flexibility to search out and find the 'appropriate' service and the best price and provides value for using the service.

In closing, find a service that is FREE for you to use and provides the information, quotes for service and provides value to you in the way of cash rebates, information and another level of support.

Enjoy your broadband internet experience.

FullService Broadband Provider offers unbiased and informative information on broadband technology. Business, residential, VoIP and more. Our free service is made possible through Try Right Technology, Inc.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Weaver

SBC DSL: A Good Choice for High Speed Internet

What is the best way for me to go about getting high speed internet in my house? I searched on line and through the yellow pages, only to find that there are an uncountable number of high speed internet options out there. However, as I sifted through all of the consumer sites and user reviews, I found that SBC DSL may, indeed, be the best bet for bringing high speed internet to my home office.

According to many a review, SBC DSL is the most reliable DSL service out there. They also happen to be the largest in many major metropolitan areas in the country, or at least those serviced by Southwestern Bell. SBC DSL has a spectacular reputation among consumers for having technologically advanced products, great customer service, and good competitive prices on their service. The only drawback I could find is that several SBC DSL customers found setting up a home network to be difficult. However, by simply converting to wireless internet, you can solve that problem and still have your SBC DSL connection all over your home.

A big advantage of SBC DSL is that in most cases you can get a free modem and setup. Setup can be one of the more frustrating parts of getting high speed internet, especially if you are not technically savvy. Many companies charge a setup fee, so that savings alone can make SBC DSL attractive to you. Installation can be difficult, and there is charge for that. However, if you do it yourself they waive the fee and you will still have access to the very knowledgeable and helpful SBC DSL customer service representatives.

Many high speed and DSL internet companies will not be willing to give you a firm date as to when you can get your connection taken care of. That is another way that SBC DSL is different. Once you place an order you are given an installation date, which is as a general rule about six business days out from when you call. Such convenience and up front commitment from a company makes it easier for you to arrange your schedule around setup and installation plenty of time in advance without fear that you will have to make more last minute changes to your busy schedule.

There are a ton of high speed internet options out there today. There are cable internet, DSL companies, wireless internet over cell phone signals, and even high speed dial up connections. Each one tells you that it is the best for converting your office or home to high speed internet connection. Which, though, is the best? That is hard to say definitively as prices and services vary by area, but the one with the best reputation around is SBC DSL. By offering friendly representatives, good competitive pricing, and commitment to service, SBC DSL is a model high speed internet service. They will allow you to go to high speed without the worry of setup, installation, and whether or not you will be able to get in touch with someone the next time you have a problem with the service. That peace of mind is as valuable as anything else.

If you would like the latest information on high speed internet, or find more of my personal articles like the one you just read, visit my computing site.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Christopher_Luck

What is Exactly is Broadband?

These days, "broadband" is a word that is thrown around easily in telecommunications and internet lingo, but the average consumer may not have a clear understanding of how broadband is defined. It's easy to understand why; the technology industry defines it in different ways as well.

So how is broadband defined? The online Webster's dictionary defines broadband as "A class of communication channel capable of supporting a wide range of frequencies, typically from audio up to video frequencies. A broadband channel can carry multiple signals by dividing the total capacity into multiple, independent bandwidth channels, where each channel operates only on a specific range of frequencies." Let's take a look at each part of the definition.

The first part of understanding broadband defined in straightforward terms is to think about the phrase a "class of communication channel."

So, we can gather that it is different from the normal class of communication channel that we use - our regular phone lines. Phone lines, also called baseband lines, normally carry 29.6kbps of analog data when used for voice communications. But with the advent of the internet, people began to demand faster data transmission. A regular, baseband phone line can carry up to 56kbps of data with the help of a high-speed modem, but without additional technology, that is its maximum capacity.

That wasn't nearly fast enough to keep up with the average person's demand for and dependency on the internet. Which brings us to the next portion of broadband defined; a broadband connection is capable of carrying a wider range and type of frequencies, meaning different types of data. Not only that, it can carry it faster.

If you imagine your connection to the internet as a tunnel that links your computer to the internet, a regular phone line can allow only a small amount of data to pass through at a time. In comparison, a broadband is a wider (or broader) tunnel, allowing a greater amount of information to pass through your connection at one time. With broadband service, you can download different types of frequencies as well, such as audio and video files.

The FCC's (Federal Communications Commission) has broadband defined in their publications as any internet connection with a download speed that is greater than 200 kbps. However, some companies don't consider a connection to be broadband unless it runs at a minimum of 256kbps.

Also, many companies only consider a connection to officially be broadband if it is always connected. In other words, if you don't have to "dial-up" to make the connection.

Usually, the connection is made with either DSL technology, which runs over your existing analog telephone wire, or by a cable connection, which runs over the same coaxial cable that your cable television service does. So broadband defined, while somewhat debated by industry professionals, does include some agreed-upon points.

It allows you to use the internet to its potential by permitting you to download a wider range of data types. And because the download speed with a broadband connection is faster than a regular, baseband connection, it is also called high-speed internet service. So you'll also be able to use the internet faster and more efficiently.

Van Theodorou will help you slash your telecom expenses by 43% and assist or even become your telecom department at no cost to you. For a free analysis or phone consultation go his site at business long distance

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Van_Theodorou

Get on the Broadband-Wagon

'Broadband' is the general term used to refer to high-speed information transmission over networks, and nowadays is used increasingly to mean a fast Internet connection.

The term has more to do with the electrical waveform (‘signal’) being transmitted. The signal can come to you through a variety of physical arrangements: a DSL line, a T1 line, a TV cable, a wireless link and even your utility power line.

Which physical arrangement is best for you depends a great deal on what is available in your geographical area and the price of each arrangement. You should do a comparison of speeds and costs and choose what is optimal for you. Just be sure you do not choose an ISDN line (because it is getting obsolete) or power line (because the technology is not mature, and it will be some years before the bugs are ironed out).

Live in a large city and want free wireless broadband Internet? Your wish is or will be granted! Almighty Google is busy fixing antennae to lampposts in major cities so that your computer can access the Internet much in the same way your mobile phone accesses your cellular network: almost anywhere in any city. Not only will you get driving directions to that restaurant you are going to, the maitre d’ will appear on a small screen and take your order as you drive.

~ Broadband’s Bag of Goodies ~

Broadband has brought a slew of valuable capabilities to the Internet:

1. Good Video

First of all, you can download smooth, non-jerky video. Consequently an increasing number of sites are including rich graphics, Flash and video to enhance the appeal of their messages. You can now download feature films from over 200,000 Web TV stations and watch them as they stream into your computer (“stream them”). No more trips to the video library and no more renting DVDs!

You can share your screen and talk with co-workers located at far-flung locations (or just relax and play Xbox or PS2 games with them). You can interact with them from the convenience of your home computer, and the need for a physical office can be dispensed with. This implies less travel in your car, less gasoline consumption and less pollution of the atmosphere by engine exhaust gases.

You can search online video archives with specialized search engines. This means you can download video that matches your chosen phrases. Examples would be “Nick Lachey singing ‘My Everything’ to Jessica Simpson”, “Oprah visiting Katrina victims” or “how to toss a thin pizza shell”. There is no longer a need to wait for your subject to be broadcast.

2. Cheap Long Distance

Broadband has enabled miracle of low-cost long-distance Internet telephony. This application is based on the renowned technology, VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol). You can now speak to your loved ones or business associates in most other parts of the world for 2 cents a minute!

No more waiting for late nights or weekends to get those “free minutes”… you can afford to call anytime. Additionally, the sound clarity is several times better than that of a conventional phone call… voices are loud and clear with little or no background noise.

This means you can stay in touch more often. You can get news faster and offer advice without delay. For instance, a timely observation about a certain medical treatment could very well save the life of the person at the other end!

3. Always On

With Broadband, you are always connected to the Internet. No more dialing up and waiting to connect. The dialing time is freed up for you to use for other things.

In most cases, you get a telephone connection with the broadband connection, so you can simultaneously speak on the phone and surf the Internet. Your phone line will not be busy when you surf so that people can reach you even if you are online.

One important user of this constant connectivity is security. You can have inexpensive webcams mounted in various locations of your home or office and connect them to the Internet. Since your broadband connection is always ‘live’, you can monitor your house from anywhere, anytime. No more worrying when away from your desk or living room!

~ Conclusion ~

The day is not far when dial-up connections will be a rarity. If you have not yet upgraded to broadband, start working at doing so NOW. You will definitely not regret it.

John J Stockwell is an engineer with considerable experience in Internet technologies. Get even more information n broadband from his website at
http://broadband-aa.info

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_J_Stockwell

Disgusted With Dial-Up? - Compare DSL Service Providers, Cable and Satellite Internet To See If One

Do you find yourself waiting around for your Internet pages to load or digital photo files and other attachments to transfer?

Do your friends and family complain that they can never get through on the phone line because you or your kids are always online.Chances are you are still using dial up Internet service.Perhaps it’s time to consider an alternative method.

The main three types of high speed access include DSL, cable and satellite Internet. At the current time, DSL service providers and cable are not available in all areas. Some parts of the country do not have access to either option. Good satellite Internet reception is dependant on an unobstructed line of sight to the south. So where you live can make a big difference in which high speed Internet service you choose.

Here are some overviews of each service and comparisons for those fortunate to have more than one option available:

DSL Service Providers

DSL, which stands for Digital Subscriber Line, describes a technology that taps into unused frequencies on copper telephone lines to transmit information at much higher speeds. There is no dialup and accessing services. So access is immediate. With DSL, you can send both voice and high speed data over the same line. The bandwidth, or data transfer capacity, or DSL ranges from 128 Kbps to 1.544 Mbps downstream to your computer. Upstream transfer from your computer is usually limited to 128 Kbps. Bandwidth is dedicated so you don’t have to share with other users, but DSL is also more effective the closer you are to service provider's facilities. If your local area has plenty of cable bandwidth available it may be a better option for those located greater distances from a DSL provider. Average monthly charges for DSL services are around $55-$65.

Verizon is one of the leading providers of high speed DSL service, with a large coverage area. With Verizon DSL you get a monthly package for $34.95 that includes unlimited access with a personalized home page, 9 e-mail accounts, and 10 megabytes of web space. For those customers with multiple computers in the home, there is a home networking option available. You can connect multiple home computers and laptops to a single high-speed DSL Internet connection at no additional monthly cost.

Earthlink DSL is another option. Their basic package, which includes the same features as Verizon’s offer also includes a free dial-up service which allows you to enjoy 20 hours of Internet access per month when you're away from home. This package typically costs $39.99 per month. Earthlink also offers cable and satellite Internet.

As noted, DSL uses copper telephone wires. Rural areas and some cities do not have these wires available for large volume use, which means that DSL is not yet an option in those areas, even if Verizon, Earthlink or another provider offers services there.

Cable

If you have cable TV available in your area, chances are that you have access to Internet through your cable provider. This service uses the same wires as your cable TV programming and depending on the provider and the area, there may be a good deal of bandwidth available or a more limited amount. Because users share bandwidth, this could be an issue for those living in areas with limited amounts available for Internet use. It is a good question to ask your cable provider before signing up. Your choice for cable Internet is typically limited to only those providers who offer cable TV in your area. On average, cable Internet does tend to be a bit faster than DSL. Service is often slightly less expensive than DSL, averaging around $45 per month.

Satellite

If you do not have DSL or cable Internet available in your area, satellite Internet may provide a viable option. Its speed is comparable to other high speed Internet services, its always on, and you have the option of adding satellite TV service. However, it requires that you have a clear view of the southern sky from your home anywhere in the continental United States in order to receive good reception from the satellites. The service is typically a good deal more expensive than the other two high speed options discussed, averaging around $100 per month with installation fees of up to $400.

Some people confuse satellite Internet with what’s known as WiFi. WiFi Internet services are actually provided by access nodes located in high traffic areas such as airports and hotel or through Internet cafes. If you have a laptop equipped with WiFi receiver, you can access services from within about 1000 feet of the node. There is typically a fee to use this service. It is a good idea for travelers but does not meet the need for home Internet use because it required the access node.

Although there are several satellite Internet providers, they all use similar technology. DirecTV is a popular provider because they are also a top satellite TV company. DirecTV satellite Internet service is delivered through a wholly owned subsidiary, DIRECWAY. DirecTV satellite Internet costs $99.99 per month and requires customers to purchase a satellite dish and modem. Installation is typically available from the distributor.

Comparisons

Consult a comparison chart such as the High Speed Internet Guide which should give you a fair idea of the speed and costs involved. However, it is important to note that the data transfer rates you can get from either DSL or Cable will depend entirely on whatever local providers are in your area.

About the Author:

C.J. Gustafson is a successful freelance writer for 1st-Dish-TV.net, a
consumer guide for free
satellite TV systems. She has spent hours of time researching cable,
DSL service
providers, and
high speed satellite Internet service providers for her home office. She
dreams one day attaching the satellite dish to her RV and spending the winters
writing from wherever it's warmest that week

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=C.J._Gustafson

For Lightning-Fast Speed, What You Need is Comcast Internet

Just 10 years ago, the Internet was a novelty, a rarity and a luxury that most Americans were aware of but did not participate in. Now, 75 percent of Americans have Internet access at home, and many of them are using Comcast Internet.

With so many choices out there, how do you find what kind of Internet service is right for you? Simple: Choose the fastest, most reliable and most affordable. And that's Comcast Internet.

Until a few years ago, the standard for Internet access was dialup. Today, that method of connecting to the Internet is no longer favored, as many Internet customers have high-speed access, either cable or DSL. Nearly all businesses and offices with Internet access use broadband of some kind. And Comcast cable Internet is leading the way.

Comcast cable Internet offers broadband service that is faster than most DSL services -- about 6 Mbps ("6 Megs") of download speed -- so fast you'll barely notice anything is happening. (Most DSL services only go as high as 1.5 Mbps.) When Comcast Internet says "high speed Internet," they mean it!

With Comcast Internet access that fast, you have all the speed you need to watch videos, download songs, play online computer games and take advantage of everything else the Internet has to offer.

But look what else comcast high speed internet

gets you: As a Comcast Internet customer, you'll have access to exclusive features like Video Mail, PhotoShow, and a variety of music, entertainment, sports and financial news at Comcast.net. The Comcast Internet home page makes you part of a vast community of fellow Comcast Internet users.

Another advantage of Comcast high speed cable Internet is that you have customer service available to you 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If there’s a problem with your cable Internet, there will always be someone on hand to help you solve it. This is important especially to businesses, where a large portion (or sometimes all!) of their business is conducted over the Internet, thus making reliable high speed Internet a necessity.

You can also get Comcast Internet in conjunction with other Comcast services, such as Comcast digital cable. Customers often get a price break if they order a "package" of services -- cable Internet and cable TV, for example. Comcast digital cable TV has a digital video recorder (DVR) option that allows you to record your favorite programs digitally and watch them later, at your convenience. With high speed Internet and digital cable with DVR, all your news and entertainment needs are taken care of through Comcast.

Comcast Internet is one of many Internet service providers, yes. But none are used as often, or praised as widely, as Comcast is for its high speed broadband Internet services. When you want to use the Internet, you want to use it quickly, efficiently and without it costing an arm and a leg. Comcast Internet gives you all that and more, making it one of the leaders in today’s broadband Internet marketplace.


Christopher M. Luck has an extensive background in working exclusively with Comcast and is now offering his free personal internet tricks to the public. If you are at all interested in Christopher's advice, tips, or secrets, you can visit his comcast blog

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Christopher_Luck

SBC Yahoo DSL

So you want SBC Yahoo DSL but you're looking for a bit more information? Make sure you know the company to which people are referring when they try to answer your questions. SBC is actually a group of several companies and they have as many differences as do completely separate companies.

SBC traces its roots to the original Bell Company. It then broke off into the Southwestern Bell Company. Just a few years ago, SBC acquired Ameritech which offers service in the mid west. It also acquired Pacific Bell on the West coast and a few locations on the east. The behemoth of a company offers a service called SBC Yahoo DSL however the service is provided by the underlying companies which still operate much like separate companies.

Recently SBC Yahoo DSL was introduced which was simply a branding initiative. The underlying service is SBC DSL. When signing up for the service, your experience may be quite different depending on which region you are in. When reading message boards or consumer group's comments on SBC Yahoo DSL, just make sure you know which region the person is talking about and don't take their comments too seriously if they're not in your region. Once again, these divisions are as different as separate companies because not too long ago they were separate companies. Also remember when reading chat boards and consumer groups that DSL service is highly dependant on your distance from the phone company so complaint people have about bandwidth may not apply to you as they could be farther from the phone company than you and therefore have a weaker signal.

How do I find a DSL Provider?

In addition to limiting your search a broker will also help you identify important facts about your new service. Remember to look at the extra charges like equipment and installation. Sometimes these charges are waived and sometimes they are not. Also be careful to note the commitment. Is it 1 year or two years that you're committing to? Many companies will offer bigger discounts but lock you in to a longer contract. Don't get caught! Make sure you know what you're getting into by going to a broker and comparing DSL Providers side by side.

A DSL Speed Test is a great way to find out what kind of speed you're really getting. Is your connection really slow or is it just the fast that you're working with an old, slow, or over tasked computer? Simply find the DSL Speed Test by performing a search on Google and you'll quickly be on your way to finding out what you're really getting. You'll have to shut down your programs that are accessing the net and then perform the test which takes 30 seconds or so. It's very important to shut down programs accessing the net because these will impair the test and will cause your connection to appear slower than it actually is since some of it is being used.

One last "gotcha" is the introductory price. DSL Providers may claim to give you service for $20 or $25 per month but it's likely an introductory price that lasts only a few months. If you're willing to sign on for the term, just make sure you know what you're paying when the introduction ends.

Verizon DSL

Most of us have been taught that by cutting out the middle man we can save money, but is that all you save? When it comes to internet access and phone service working with the Incumbents or Baby Bells is a mixed bag. Certainly there are competitive companies that can give you the same or better phone service than the Baby Bells which suffer from years of a monopolistic market but is it the same for internet service?

DSL service is actually quite different than phone service. Besides the obvious difference of one being data and one being voice, competitive carriers generally use their own equipment which is kept at the phone company's facilities. In this case, asking your phone company to make changes to your service is dependant on your phone company and depending on how smoothly they run their operations you could have a very pleasant experience. Internet service, however is different. Many baby bells resell their service which is then sold under a different name. You may be buying internet access and not realize that you're really buying Verizon DSL under another name.

In cases where companies purchase Verizon DSL and resell it under their own name, many of the advantages of changing carriers disappear. If the carrier does not own their equipment they will need to contact the provider to make any changes and as they are not the provider you have added another layer of complexity to any request you may have. Is it really worth the $5 or $10 you're saving by going with a competitor? Often times it's not. Think about cutting out the middle man when looking for internet service. If you know the company is simply reselling Verizon DSL, why not just go with the source?

Bellsouth DSL

Most of us have been taught that by cutting out the middle man we can save money, but is that all you save? When it comes to internet access and phone service working with the incumbents or Baby Bells is a mixed bag. Certainly there are competitive companies that can give you the same or better phone service than the Baby Bells which suffer from years of a monopolistic market but is it the same for internet service?

DSL service is actually quite different than phone service. Besides the obvious difference of one being data and one being voice, competitive carriers generally use their own equipment which is kept at the phone company's facilities. In this case, asking your phone company to make changes to your service is dependant on your phone company and depending on how smoothly they run their operations you could have a very pleasant experience. Internet service, however is different. Many baby bells resell their service which is then sold under a different name. You may be buying internet access and not realize that you're really buying BellSouth DSL under another name.

In cases where companies purchase Bellsouth DSL and resell it under their own name, many of the advantages of changing carriers disappear. If the carrier does not own their equipment they will need to contact the provider to make any changes and as they are not the provider you have added another layer of complexity to any request you may have. Is it really worth the $5 or $10 you're saving by going with a competitor? Often times it's not. Think about cutting out the middle man when looking for internet service. If you know the company is simply reselling BellSouth DSL, why not just go with the source?

Qwest DSL

Most of us have been taught that by cutting out the middle man we can save money, but is that all you save? When it comes to internet access and phone service working with the incumbents or Baby Bells is a mixed bag. Certainly there are competitive companies that can give you the same or better phone service than the Baby Bells which suffer from years of a monopolistic market but is it the same for internet service?

DSL service is actually quite different than phone service. Besides the obvious difference of one being data and one being voice, competitive carriers generally use their own equipment which is kept at the phone company's facilities. In this case, asking your phone company to make changes to your service is dependant on your phone company and depending on how smoothly they run their operations you could have a very pleasant experience. Internet service however is different. Many baby bells resell their service which is then sold under a different name. You may be buying internet access and not realize that you're really buying Qwest DSL under another name.

In cases where companies purchase Qwest DSL and resell it under their own name, many of the advantages of changing carriers disappear. If the carrier does not own their equipment they will need to contact the provider to make any changes and as they are not the provider you have added another layer of complexity to any request you may have. Is it really worth the $5 or $10 you're saving by going with a competitor? Often times it's not. Think about cutting out the middle man when looking for internet service. If you know the company is simply reselling Qwest DSL, why not just go with the source?

DSL Service

DSL Service offers residential customers high speed internet access for a very reasonable rate. Many people don't realize that DSL speeds of 1.5Mbps are the same as T1 speeds which top out at 1.5Mbps. What's the difference? To start with…the price. DSL costs $35 per month on average where a full T1 usually costs $400 or $500 if you're in a metro location and up to $1,000 per month if you're in a rural location. Why the high cost for T1 service without the extra speed? A T1 gives reliable service and is not shared with other subscribers or oversubscribed the way DSL is. Because it is not a shared service it carries a high cost.

DSL service offers a slightly less reliable service for a fraction of the cost. If you already have DSL Service you may have noticed that it's fast at some times and slower at other times. This is because it's oversubscribed. Oversubscription means that many people are pulling from the same resource. During the afternoon when people are at work there may be plenty of bandwidth to have, but in the evening when everyone is looking up the news, going through e-mail, or shopping online, access tends to be strained. Many people pulling from the same limited resource will find that there's only so much to go around. What does this mean to you? Slow speeds occasionally in peak traffic hours.

Most residential users' biggest concern is price and that's why DSL Service is so popular among them. A few slow periods are a small price to pay for a 90% discount if you're using the service at home.

Earthlink DSL

The first non-AOL internet provider I ever had was Earthlink. Their stock rose with the rest of the brand new ISPs of the late 1900's. The sky was truly the limit.

However, as the internet buble burst in 2000, many companies who provided internet access with equipment purchased with investor dollars were left holding the back with huge networks and no one to fill them. Earthlink DSL was different - they saw the need to diversify into high-speed internet access and other cusotmer-friendly value-adds, like Spam Blocker and Adult Controls.

Fast-forward to 2004, where we see Earthlink becomming the leader in DSL - and - Satellite internet access. The demand for high-speed access has never been greater - and by virtue of their carefull planning and listening the collective voice of their customers, Earthlink has vaulted itself into the lead in the race for number one residential high-speed access provider.

In particular, EarthLink made significant inroads in the broadband arena by signing an expanded Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) agreement with Verizon, launching DSL service in Qwest's territories, and teaming up with Progress Energy to conduct a limited Broadband over Power Line (BPL) trial in North Carolina. EarthLink was also encouraged by the March 31, 2004 decision by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit not to revisit its earlier ruling that cable modem service contains a telecommunications service. If upheld, this decision will help open cable broadband networks to competition, thus enabling EarthLink to offer high speed service over additional cable networks.

Sprint DSL

Ever since we were young, most of us have been taught that by cutting out the middle man we can save money, but is that all you save? When it comes to internet access and phone service working with the incumbents or Baby Bells is a mixed bag. Certainly there are competitive companies that can give you the same or better phone service than the Baby Bells which suffer from years of a monopolistic market but is it the same for internet service?

In actuality, DSL service is actually quite different than phone service. Besides the obvious difference of one being data and one being voice, competitive carriers generally use their own equipment which is kept at the phone company's facilities. In this case, asking your phone company to make changes to your service is dependant on your phone company and depending on how smoothly they run their operations you could have a very pleasant experience. Internet service, however is different. Many baby bells resell their service which is then sold under a different name. You may be buying internet access and not realize that you're really buying Sprint DSL under another name.

In cases where companies purchase Sprint DSL and resell it under their own name, many of the advantages of changing carriers disappear. If the carrier does not own their equipment they will need to contact the provider to make any changes and as they are not the provider you have added another layer of complexity to any request you may have. Is it really worth the $5 or $10 you're saving by going with a competitor? Often times it's not. Think about cutting out the middle man when looking for internet service. If you know the company is simply reselling Sprint DSL, why not just go with the source?