What are the differences between Cable, DSL, and FIOS for Internet access?

Are you in the market for your first Internet provider, or looking to replace a current one and don’t know what to go with: Cable, DSL, or FIOS?  Maybe this article can help.

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Here’s a breakdown of the key differences:

Cable Internet uses the same coaxial cables that deliver cable TV. It offers fast speeds (typically 100-1000 Mbps) and wide availability since cable infrastructure is common. The main downside is that you share bandwidth with neighbors, so speeds can slow down during peak usage times when many people in your area are online.

DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) runs over traditional copper telephone lines. It’s widely available, even in rural areas, and provides a dedicated connection so your speeds stay consistent. However, it’s generally slower (5-100 Mbps typically) and speed degrades significantly the farther you live from the telephone company’s equipment – if you’re more than a few miles away, you might get pretty slow speeds.

FiOS (Fiber Optic Service) uses fiber optic cables that transmit data as light signals. It’s the fastest option (often 300-2000+ Mbps) with symmetrical upload and download speeds, meaning uploads are just as fast as downloads – great for video calls, cloud backups, or content creation. The connection is extremely reliable and doesn’t degrade over distance. The catch is limited availability – fiber networks are expensive to build, so they’re mainly in urban and some suburban areas.

In terms of ranking for speed and reliability: Fiber > Cable > DSL. But the best choice for you depends on what’s actually available at your address and your budget.

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Dan Uff

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