DSL vs Cable vs WiMax for Residential Internet Access?
Recent DSL speed tests have revealed that my local DSL connection is really really bad. It’s not always bad like this, sometimes I get nearly 2000 kb/s download, but lately, it’s usually less than 200 kb/s and about twice a week I lose the connection completely while using it.
It makes me wonder what can I do to improve it. Well, I could try switching ISP providers, which I already have done, from Bell to Primus. For sure, switching back to Bell won’t help any, they were much slower and my connection was lost about twice a day.
Should I try switching to another ISP like Acanac-Inc. or should I call up my cable company for internet service? My guess is that it has everything to do with my neighborhood location and the local DSL set up which is owned by Bell and which will probably not be upgraded until sometime in 2023.
DSL Modems can make a big difference.
*** Update: To boost my DSL speed I could also try using multiple DSL lines into the same network. For this to work I’ll need to buy another LAN line (local area network) to my house and of course the cost of another subscription, but will the service be just as bad or better? Has anyone tried this? How well does it work?
*** My local cable options (Hull Quebec) are videotron. I can get a business package starting at $45 for 1.5Mbps a month or $70 for up to 7 Mbps. Gee that’s starting to sound good… Please let me know if you’ve tried their service.
For the residential packages, the service is capped at 100 GB and costs $1.50 per GB after that. Youch! that sounds pricey. The business packages have no such limitations as pointed out (thx for the comment). But would I ever reach 100 GB in a month anyway? Gee another thing to figure out; actual, usage.
*** Has anyone yet tried Bell’s new WiMax? Available in Ottawa but not over on this side of the river according to their site. However, Rogers will sell it to me for my location. ($50/month). Cable, WiMax or stick with what I’ve got?
Tags: Bell, Primus, DSL, ISP, poor-service
I wonder when fiber will finally show up in our neighborhood?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiber_to_the_premises
Just to be clear, the 100GB cap applies to one of the residential packages. All business plans are unlimited (though the $45/month plan only gives you 1.5Mbps).
Thanks for pointing that out. I can also get a $30 residential package:
http://www.videotron.com/services/en/internet/caracteristiques-ihv.jsp
But this is limited to 20 GB per month download and 10 GB per month upload.
How about point to point?
http://episteme.arstechnica.com/6/ubb.x?a=tpc&s=50009562&f=469092836&m=5350997552
…or satellite internet access…
http://www.galaxybroadband.ca/Galaxy_Broadband_residential_solutions.html
Whomever you choose to provide your DSL service in Ontario, it’s the same data lines. It’s either Bell (who owns the lines) or another company that leases Bell’s lines.
In udder voids… if there is a problem with your DSL line-quality, changing providers won’t help. But changing providers can save you money. For ex, why pay Bell $45/month for “high speed” that is less than full throttle because of poor lines, when you can pay the National Capital Freenet $30/month for the same quality? The NCF includes 40GB of monthly bandwidth, which is ample for everyone except the most ardent BitTorrenter.
I’m in Ottawa and have always used DSL. I had problems with the quality of the connection at first. It turned out that the outside line had a problem (which Bell fixed — one year after I reported it!) and the wiring inside the house had a problem. I fixed the indoor problem by installing a splitter and using CAT5 cable to carry the DSL signal. You can find instructions for doing this on the Web. Search for “DSL splitter POTS”. Good luck!
While I can’t speak to Videotron service in Hull, my friend had it in Montreal and it seemed pretty solid. I’m on Rogers in Ottawa and have found it to be solid since they suffered through some major infrastructure upgrades a few years ago. Since then a number of friends have left DSL for cable. Good luck.