DSL vs. Cable and other technical worries

[phoebe]

Hi folks,

Our move to Bellingham, WA is nearly upon us (27 more days) and we are trying to figure out all the possible phone-TV-Internet plans (yikes!). Right now we pay a lot for our Cable TV/Internet (it was Comcast and is now Time Warner). We're hoping to spend less or at least not more when we move. So here are (some) of our questions:

1. What is the difference in terms of performance between DSL and Cable for the Internet?
2. What is the difference between Cable and Direct TV for TV?
3. Is bundling generally a better deal and a good idea? We were considering bundling everything: land-line, cell, TV, internet with someone like Verizon. Is that stupid?

I tend to lose what little mind I have left when people give me too many options so HELP!!!

[phatch]

DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) is based on the telephone wires AND the distance to a supported switch. You pay for an allotted bandwidth and usually a monthly limit on total traffic as well as an ISP service--usually Microsoft. Downloads are faster than upload but your speed is constant at the rate you paid for. You can buy burstable plans from some providers, meaning you can access more speed for big downloads if the lines aren't that busy but you don't get to exceed your monthly average.

Speeds usually start at 256 Kbs and ramp up to 1.5 Mbs and then to 3Mbs is supported in my city by Qwest, but not in my neighborhood. We're close enough to the switch, but our lines suck.

Most commonly, you buy DSL from your landline phone company but with de-regulation, you can often buy it from local Internet Service Providers (who are usually leasing bulk access from the local phone company) Your local phone company should have a web page where you can enter your land line phone number (assuming you have one from them). They'll send a test signal through the lines for DSL support and report your DSL options to you on a subsequent web page. This should indicate the speeds your line can support.

Where you're a bit in the boonies, you might have trouble getting DSL. Also consider trees. They can down lines and cause interference. My sister was without power/phone for the better part of a week in Seattle this year from severe storms.

DSL is usually more expensive than cable when you compare possible speeds. But you need to match your uses to the service.

Qwest offers monthly fees for the required modem or you can buy one. If you pay monthly, Qwest will replace it if it dies. If you buy one, you have to buy a new one if it dies. We bought ours for $60.00 and it has been more economical for us that way over the years we've had the service.

We pay $15/mo for 256 Kbs connection with Qwest and another $20 to a different but supported ISP of our preference for the data. We could have hooked up with MSN for $15 bundled with Qwest but we get better service and features from a local ISP.

Cable runs about $30/mo in my area if you already are paying for cable service. I don't know about the cost for cable internet alone. You don't have your choice of ISPs through cable in general though there are probably exceptions.

Cable internet is routed on the cable lines and is usually rated UP TO 7 Mbs. Note the UP TO. You are guaranteed no particular speed. Your actual speed depends on how many other users there are in your neighborhood, but it's usually around 3Mbs or more as reported by my friends. Cable's upload speed is pretty slow but that doesn't affect most people's usage.

I'm not a fan of the data collection cable companies do on their cable boxes so I'm leery of the monitoring and data mining they'd do on their internet servers.

Satellite. This is more expensive and used to provide decent speed, up to 256 Kbs or so, but the companies have lately been selling more access so the speeds are dropping. If you can't get cable or DSL, this is really the only option left. And with the rain in your area, that might not be so good an option.

Most people consider cable the best bang for the buck, especially as they usually want cable. I don't want cable and I prefer DSL for privacy reasons if you can use a reputable ISP with the DSL.

Phil

[phatch]

I didn't talk about the TV part. Both Cable and Direct TV/Dish monitor all your viewing. Cable via the cable connection and Dish with a phone connection. This is why I'm not a fan of the systems. I don't see why I should pay them to mine my viewing habits for advertising resale. Plus I don't watch much TV.

Cable and Satellite are fairly comparable in my experience for cost and content and quality. Satellite can be more reliable, but again, you're near Seattle. Rain can be a problem on the dish reception.

With the nearing advent of the switch to digital TV, you should look closely at who supports the most high def content for the shows you're interested in. And what kind of TV you have/will have.

Bundling is usually cheaper but you're also entering deeper into datamining territory the more services you use with one provider. Most people like the bundled deals, but I'd watch the terms of price bumps, and the required time on contract. You can usually get the best deals over time by alternating service contracts as the competitor tries to woo you back. More hassle for you though.

Phil

[phoebe]

Thank you, Phil! Your information helped. Right now we use Cable, but we know we're moving to an area that's more rural (of course, ANYTHING would be more rural than L.A. ). So we'll talk with the companies and see what they can offer at our new address.

[shipscook]

Gosh to me Bellingham is a city, but I am 600 miles north in Ketchikan.
Bellingham is so lovely!!
Here we have a choice of dial-up or DSL and I guess our dial-up is pretty good, when I am in a hotel with DSL it is a bit faster, but not enough to pay for the difference?

We only have Cable TV unless you get a dish at this point.

We do have a bundle deal with the local power company or a cable company where I could get DSL for the same price I'm paying now. Would have one bill a month, but I have the cable company's TV and it has more of my choices.

Enjoy the Northwest!!!!
Nan

[deltadoc]

Unlike small dishes, C-band large satellite dishes give a better HD signal, and are not affected by the rain. You can also get internet access on a big dish. Actually most little dish companies take their programming from C-band dishes and then re-send the secondary signals to their little satellites. The little satellites are very powerful compared to C-band satellites, and therefore have to be replaced more often, but you're getting a secondary signal at best, where as with C-band equipment you're getting the primary signal. Side by side comparisons are hard to find, but I've seen them side by side, and there is no comparison.

Finding a big dish company is getting harder because so many people didn't like the large size.

Also they're highly regulated in cities. Not so much in the "boonies".

doc

[Headless Chicken]

Since all the technicals have been covered, I'll comment on bundling. Its a blessing and a curse depending on how you view it. I have Rogers digital TV bundled with cable for internet running around $130/month (basic TV + TMN and most of the between channels). Now internet shouldn't be more then $40/month based on the regular non-bundling cost so we're paying around $90/month for digital TV which for some reason has had 3 increases in price since we got it 5 years ago. In all, we're not saving a whole like...maybe $20/month at the most.

Now say you bundled phone, tv, and internet all into 1 package, will your invoice show you the break down? No, it'll just state the package deal with applicable taxes and other fees but you won't know how much you're paying for each service. This info, IMO, will come in handy when judging how well the service runs like if my cell cuts out every 10mins and I only get coverage within downtown then I'd expect my phone bill to be less, but does that mean the rest of the services in the package makes up the rest of my costs? You may be paying less but at what cost and not being able to break down those costs dosn't help determine where the problem lies.

...just my 2 cents.