Overview Of The Pros And Cons Of DSL
Overview Of The Pros And Cons Of DSL
Those who would like to finally abandon their dial-up connections in favor of broadband service have a few options at their fingertips. They can subscribe to a cable connection, satellite broadband line, or DSL. Each these services has inherent advantages and disadvantages, and making the right choice between them isn't always about bandwidth and uptime. For example, in the case of a digital subscriber line, location and proximity to a central hub are important though both factors are all but irrelevant with cable and satellite broadband.
Below, we'll explore the pros and cons of having a DSL connection in your home. You may discover that the features you consider critical are actually far less important than you imagined.
Arguments For The Service
One of the advantages of subscribing to a digital subscriber line is that the connection does not require an expansion of infrastructure. The technology transmits data packets through the existing phone lines. As long as a person has a landline phone in their residence, or can have a landline installed, the infrastructure already exists.
Another advantage of DSL involves the level of security. A cable modem is connected to other residential networks. As a result, the data packets are vulnerable to interception by outside parties. By contrast, a digital subscriber line uses a resident's personal - and therefore, private - telephone wiring. While the transmission of data is not untouchable, it is far more secure than a cable connection.
Potential Drawbacks
Unfortunately, the technology is not available in all areas of the country. While it is often available in densely populated cities, there are many sparsely populated areas that lack the service. The reason is partly due to cost. The initial investment required for a DSL provider to penetrate a market is high. If the community it hopes to serve is not large enough, recouping that investment may not be possible.
A potentially larger issue involves the degradation of the service's connection speed as distance from the central hub increases. If a resident lives near the provider's central office, that resident's online access and the speed of data transmission is likely to be fast. On the other hand, if a resident lives far from the provider's hub, the rate of transmission will be much slower.
Making The Final Decision
When most people consider their broadband options, they initially think of connection speed first. Sometimes, it's the only feature they consider before subscribing. But, that can lead to a poor decision. First, as noted above, DSL speed can be misleading. Not only is it dependent upon a person's distance from a provider's hub, but it can also be influenced by a subscriber's computer and the software installed upon it. Second, the technology offers a higher level of security and will not suffer performance degradation as new subscribers join.
For those who are looking for an attractive broadband alternative, DSL offers a number of appealing advantages.
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