Which broadband flavor suits you?

As much as someone, St. Louis program engineer Dale Fountain appreciates the benefits of a speedy broadband Net connection.Fountain depends on DSL to telecommute from his home in the city & to operate a Web-site for a local darts league.
"When I was on a dial-up modem, I loathed sites with a whole bunch of graphics," they says. "I could go in to the kitchen, pour & drink coffee, then return to the computer as it was finishing up that five page."
Regrettably, Fountain also knows broadband can sometimes turn in to a pipe dream. He is been through the wringer in the 2-plus years since they first ordered DSL — that is, a digital subscriber line, which operates over ordinary phone wires to deliver service worlds faster than 56K. He is tried one providers, faced numerous installation & service woes — & a couple of bankruptcies of those companies — before landing a service they likes.
Broadband junkies — of the cable, DSL or satellite variety — are willing to put up with potential hassles because, having sniffed a speedy hookup, they have a hard time kicking the habit.
For starters, an "always on" connection is a liberating experience. Mothers & dads no longer require fret about their only phone line getting tied up while their teenage children swap instant messages with friends. & folks who work at home can actually get their work done.
What is more, speedy connections alter surfing habits dramatically. Nielsen//NetRatings reports that Web usage spikes dramatically after people leave dial-up behind — its research shows surfers who migrated from a narrow band pipe view 130% more Web pages.
According to Jupiter Media Metrix, broadband users are much more likely to engage in a variety of Net tasks than their 56K-modem counterparts.
For example, 46% of broadband users are willing to fetch digital music vs. 26% of those who use slowpoke modems. The broadband bunch also bank online more often (48% vs. 30%), monitor stocks (35% vs. 23%) & watch videos more (36% vs. 18%).
Meanwhile, the latest versions of The united states Online & MSN program are showcasing broadband-enhanced material. AOL's version 7.0 program actually serves up dedicated content that 56K dial-up users won't get to see.
Which sort of broadband makes sense for you? The short answer: You might not can choose. You'll possibly have access to cable or DSL where you live, but not necessarily both; in either case, demand is outstripping supply. & in rural areas, satellite may be your only option.
The early rounds have gone to cable, the most widely deployed broadband method, followed by DSL. Satellite & fixed wireless (transmission towers connected to the Net communicate along with your computer) barely show on the radar.
Cable bested DSL by a wide margin in a customer satisfaction survey released by J.D. Power & Associates in August. There were several reasons. Over a third of DSL customers surveyed said they ran in to trouble, vs. 27% of the cable crowd. Cable customers also got the service up & walking faster after ordering (4.8 days vs. 9.8 for DSL) & reported a way more consistent connection experience. & naturally, you can use a cable modem & watch cable TV simultaneously.