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What Is DSL internet? What are my internet options?

DSL internet is a digital subscriber line,and it allows you to access the internet over your phone lines. Along with cable,satellite,and ... Read More

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What Is DSL internet? What are my internet options?

Update February 10, 2020   02/10/2020:  

Since we published this article several years ago not much has changed.  DSL internet is still available and unfortunately the only option for many Americans who are simply looking for high speed internet for their homes. Companies like AT&T, CenturyLink and Earthlink still offer DSL service.  Many customers are stranded looking for options to be able to stream their favorite shows from Netflix, Hulu, Amazon amongst other sources.  Since the latest speed test done across the country show that DSL only has the ability to operate at a speed of 1Mbps or less, DSL is simply not an option for today's internet user.  

There is good news for folks who are either moving to a new area looking to set up service and find DSL is one of the only options or existing DSL customer from AT&T, CenturyLink and Earthlink who are simply not getting the speed, and service they are looking for.  Viasat Satellite internet service and HughesNet satellite internet service offer speeds almost 25x higher and give many customers a truly high speed internet option.  Check out to see if you have better options in your area by using our zip code lookup tool here Zip Code Lookup Tool



DSL internet is a digital subscriber line, and it allows you to access the internet over your phone lines. Along with cable, satellite, and fiber optics, DSL is one of the four main types of connections used by internet service providers.

How Does DSL Internet Work?

Traditional phones lines are made of copper wires that carry analog signals. When you talk on a landline phone, the acoustics of your conversation are converted into analog signals that run along the phone wires. Similarly, these wires can also carry analog signals from computer to computer. However, you need a modem to convert the analog signals into digital signals. Finally, subscriber line simply refers to the fact that you subscribe or pay a monthly fee to access the line.

Can You Use the Phone With DSL?

In the early days of internet popularity, dial-up service also used phone lines to carry the internet into your home. With these old systems, however, you could not use the phone at the same time as the internet. With DSL, that has changed. The signal is split coming into your home, allowing you to access the internet and use your landline at the same time.

How Fast Is DSL Internet?

The telephone companies that offer DLS internet use digital subscriber line access multiplexers -- imagine a small building full of constantly buzzing equipment and servers. These multiplexers connect to a network to access data, and from there, the data is forwarded to individual subscribers. In most cases, to get DSL internet, you must be within a certain distance of the multiplexer, and generally, the closer you are the faster your internet service is. DSL speeds range from 128 kbps to 12 Mbps. However, in some cases, you can get DSL speeds up to 20 Mbps or even 40 Mbps — those speeds are typically only available in areas where the existing phone lines have been reinforced or bolstered with fiber optics.

Can You Bundle DSL Internet?

Generally, phone companies offer DSL. For example, AT&T, CenturyLink, Verizon, and Frontier Communications all offer DSL internet as well as phone service. In most cases, if you want to have DSL and a landline, you have to get both services from the same company. However, discounts for booking multiple services is standard practice in the industry. Some DSL providers also pair with television, cell phone companies, and others to offer bundling discounts.

Where Is DSL Available?

DSL service is available around the county. However, it is not strictly available everywhere that has phone lines. As indicated above, the service can only work in areas where the phone company has invested in digital subscriber line access multiplexers and upgrading the phone lines as necessary. If DSL is offered in your area, you may want to consider it. Compare the price with other options, and then, make sure the potential internet speeds are up to your needs. For more on internet speeds, check out our post "What Internet Speed Do You Need?".

Cable Internet Versus HughesNet and Viasat Satellite internet: Which Option Is Best for You?

Two of the most popular internet options are satellite internet like HughesNet and Viasat or cable internet like Comcast Xfinity, Wow, Frontier, Spectrum and CenturyLink. We dig deep to find out which Internet Service Provider is best

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Cable Internet Versus HughesNet and Viasat Satellite internet: Which Option Is Best for You?

Updated: February 11, 2020

02/11/2020

We still get this question often and we wanted to update this article with the questions, myths and facts people still have or hear about cable vs satellite internet service.  For the purposes of this article we will be discussing the two major providers of satellite internet, HughesNet and Viasat as well as various cable providers which include but are not limited to companies like Spectrum, Comcast, Frontier, WOW cable, Time Warner Cable, CenturyLink and WIndstream.  There are over 2700 internet service providers across the US all offering various speed, packages, prices, bundles and incentives.  We will try to help you determine which service is right for you.  


Two of the most popular internet options are satellite and cable internet. Both satellite and cable bring the internet into your home, but they complete this function in vastly different ways. Here's a look at the basics to help you decide which option is right for your needs.  

Cable Internet Versus Satellite: The Basics

Cable internet comes to your home through the same cables that you use to watch cable TV. In most cases, you can use the same provider for both cable TV and cable internet like Comcast, CenturyLink, spectrum, Wow cable, frontier and many others.  , You typically receive a discount for bundling both your new cable and tv services. Satellite internet providers like HughesNet and Viasat, in contrast, starts with a land-based internet connection. That sends signals to a satellite orbiting Earth, which in turn sends signals to your personal satellite dish. Finally, your personal satellite dish is connected to your home modem.  Satellite internet like the service HughesNet and Viasat provide give you the exact same product as far as internet is concerned.  The differences really boil down to speed price and availability.  If you are moving to a new home and looking for a new internet provider, the availability of a cable service like Spectrum, Comcast or CenturyLink really depends if they have put the high speed broadband internet infrastructure in your area to be able to offer you service.  

The Installation Process

Both satellite and cable internet require professional installation and a modem. The cable internet installer simply splices your existing cable and routes it to your modem.  Many times providers like Comcast ( their high speed broadband internet service is actually called Xfinity) and Spectrum (formerly known as Charter) offer self install in which there companies just send the modem to your home and you plug it in.  For the self install feature Comcast and Spectrum need to have been installed in the home previously.  The satellite internet installer has to put in a satellite dish, just as they do with satellite TV.  With both satellite and cable internet, you pay a monthly fee, and if you bundle the service with your TV service, you can often receive a discount.  With Satellite internet service like Viasat and HughesNet, they do not have a standalone TV service but partner with DirecTV and often offer incentives like $10 off of your HughesNet or Viasat bill for signing up for both services.   In both cases, you may be required to buy or rent a modem. However, with satellite internet, you may also have to foot the cost of buying or leasing the satellite dish.  Much of this depends on the offer at the time and your credit worthiness.  Many providers offer free standard installation when you qualify for their offer.  Typically standard instillation of TV, Phone and Internet Service can run as high as $99.  To check and see the current offers or to see if you qualify you can always call Konecteaze.com or call Call 888-376-0753


Reliability

Cable internet runs along cables and tends to be relatively reliable. However, if you live in an area where the cable TV goes in and out, you can expect similar performance issues with your internet. Additionally, if your neighbors receive their internet through the same cable, speed and reliability may be reduced when multiple people are on the internet at the same time. With satellite internet, in contrast, you don't share the signal with your neighbors. That keeps the signal strong during peak usage times. However, storms and sunspots can disrupt the transmission signal and lead to downtime.

Availability

Cable internet is only available in areas with cable TV. Satellite internet is available almost anywhere. In many areas, you can choose between these two options, but in rural areas, without cable, satellite may be the only option.  The best way to find out which internet service providers are available in your area as well as offers and speeds, use our handy zip look up tool on our home page Konecteaze.com and type in your zip code to see the latest offers.  

Speeds

Speeds can vary depending on the type of cables in your area. However, cable internet typically offers speeds ranging from 20 Mbps to over 1000 Mbps. Satellite internet is a bit slower with speeds ranging from 5 to 100 Mbps(. If both options are available in your area, your decision boils down to speed and cost. Check out a few companies in your area to see which options and packages are available. Don't forget however that in addition to these options, you should also check out DSL. This modern take on dial-up will be covered in an upcoming blog.