Feb 22, 2015 - High Speed Internet, Internet

Choosing an internet provider is stressful enough. But then there are the various types of internet delivery. Cable, DSL, Fiber-optic: What does it all mean?

Cable internet, or cable broadband, is generally offered by television providers.

You have to have a working coaxial connection to hook up the internet, which might mean using a splitter if you pay for both television and internet services. Cable is usually faster than DSL internet, and it is the most widely available type of internet service.

The speed and quality of service depends on usage in your area, so if everyone is online and downloading things from the internet at 9:00 p.m., your internet will be slower and more sluggish than at 3:00 a.m. when most people are in bed.

DSL, or Digital Subscriber Line, is an internet connection that operates over telephone lines and is plugged into the wall in the same place as your landline.

DSL is generally inexpensive and provides stable upload and download speeds, but the speed and quality of internet depends on how far away you are from the internet provider.

Fiber-optic service, or FiOS, is the newest type of internet connection and the least widely available. 

Fiber-optic uses light that is passed through tiny glass lines to send data. It offers the fastest internet, with download speeds of up to 300 Mbps and upload speeds of 65 Mbps (compared to cable download speeds that range from 3 Mbps to 100 Mbps and DSL download speeds up to 100 Mbps).

Super-fast speeds aside, fiber-optic is really a stand-out because it is less affected by the weather. This is especially important in Arizona, where extremes are the rule rather than the exception.

Fiber-optic cables don't need to be grounded, like the copper systems in place that allow DSL and cable to run. This makes fiber-optic immune to atmospheric conditions, corrosion from the elements, lightning, and other electrical or other interferences.

Fiber-optic is also more efficient than DSL or cable, because the glass fibers transmitting data can transmit more data quickly, with greater security, and over greater distances from the internet provider.

Just think about it: DSL shares lines with telephone providers and cable broadband shares cables with TV, phone, and internet; fiber-optic service is just that: fiber-optic internet service. Your data is free to travel to and from you at lightning speeds without having to wait in line behind everyone else's TV and phone data.

Still not sure fiber-optic service is the best choice? Give Bluespan a call today; we'll talk about service for your specific location and answer any questions you may have.