If you are a small company or a large corporation, we can help you with business dsl too.
Bandwidth - How much information you can send through a connection. Usually measured in bits-per-second (bps), kilobytes-per-second (Kbps), or megabytes-per-second (Mbps). A full page of English text is about 16,000 bits. A fast modem can move about 15,000 bits in one second.
CLEC - A CLEC (Competitive Local Exchange Carrier) is a telephone company that competes with an Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier (ILEC) such as a Regional Bell Operating Company (RBOC), GTE, ALLNET, etc. With the passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, there has been an explosion in the number of CLECs. The Act allows companies with CLEC status to use ILEC infrastructure.
Cable Modem - A cable modem is a device that enables you to hook up your PC to a local cable TV line and receive data at about 1.5 Mbps. A cable modem can be added to or integrated with a set-top box that provides your TV set with channels for Internet access.
See All Terms and Definitions
How to Select a DSL Provider
When shopping for a DSL provider, pay attention, as the monthly cost is not the only cost issue to be concerned with. Some might charge you an account activation or connection fee. Some DSL providers may also charge extra for equipment (DSL modem) and installation, where applicable.
Also know that a commitment of a 1 or 2 year contract will probably be required on your part, but not always.
Though it has no bearing on who you select for your dsl service, you may even face the challenge of having to replace the telephone wiring within your house. It happens sometimes, mostly with older homes though. Especially in this case, it may serve you better to get a direct DSL connection (no household phone lines involved).
Comparing DSL Providers
Be sure to compare your local DSL provider(s) to the nationwide companies. Pricing can vary from one DSL internet provider to another. You will usually find a few different plans available from each. Pricing is based on your access speed (both upload and download).
For example, at the time of this writing AT&T offers high speed internet plans with speeds up to 3.0 Mbps (Megabits per second) - regular cost: $38-$43 per month (new customers can get a special promotion for less than 1/2 of that).
On the other hand, Comcast Cable, which is not DSL by the way, advertises speeds from 12 to 50 Mbps (Megabits per second), ranging in price from $19.99 to $99.95, for Comcast Cable customers only. If you don't use their service for your TV and/or telephone too, then you pay a higher cost per month for Comcast internet service alone.
The above is a good comparison of pricing in the marketplace, though it is comparing two very different types of broadband. AT&T is a DSL provider (telephone line), where Comcast is a cable provider (fiber optic cable).
Let's get back to the subject at hand though, which is DSL, not broadband. Remember, DSL is a form of broadband via a telephone company. Comcast Cable offers its form of broadband via a cable network.
Who are the big name business and residential DSL providers? AT&T, Verizon, Frontier, Charter, Qwest, EarthLink, Sprint, and Speakeasy are some of the top contenders. There are others too.
Who is the Cheapest DSL Provider?
You may be wondering which the cheapest DSL provider is. That depends on a number of factors. Looking at price alone, AT&T has a promotion right now that is very hard to beat. For only $14.95 per month, a new customer can get that price locked in for a full year. Not bad at all for 3.0 Mbps access.
At its current pricing of plans, Verizon can't compare to AT&T. At Speeds of only 1/2 to 1 Mbps, Verizon charges $24.99 per month. One caveat with Verizon is that they do not require a contract, unlike AT&T.
You do the math. It's obvious that AT&T is the best way to go, as they offer more speed for a lesser cost. But do they service your local area? Are they one of the many dry loop dsl providers? These are some of the many question we can help you with.
How About the Extras?
Bundling options for phone, TV, wireless, and internet are becoming more common. Chances are, the DSL internet service you choose will offer you special rates on a combination of the services you choose (bundles).
It's a good idea to look at how much you can save by packaging all of your communication needs together with one company. One single bill can often save you a good deal of money.
Which Providers Are Available to You?
That's the easy part really. Simply fill in your location information on this form and you will be presented with not only DSL providers available to you, but also cable and satellite companies as well.
Find your dsl availability for where you are now.