Consumer broadband options increasing
By Michelle Kessler
USA Today
Broadband Internet service is attracting thousands of new customers each day, but some may not know what they're buying.
The Federal Communications Commission says any Internet connection faster than 200 kilobits per second (Kbps), or about four times faster than dial-up, is high-speed or broadband. Cable services running 53 times faster than dial-up is broadband, too.
That can be confusing to consumers. Adding to the angst: a flurry of new broadband plans that offer different speeds and prices. "A lot of people out there don't have any idea (how to choose a broadband carrier)," said ARS tech analyst Mark Kersey.
Until recently, most carriers offered just one plan for consumers. Many households were served by just one carrier, limiting confusion. But that's changing. AT&T Broadband and SBC Communications and Covad Communications are offering more than one broadband plan. Next year, more than 50 percent of U.S. homes will have both cable and digital subscriber line (DSL) service available, according to market researcher Yankee Group.
That makes picking a plan more complicated. And if frustrated consumers stay away, broadband's growth could be hurt, analysts say. Although the number of broadband subscribers has more than doubled since 2000, 85 percent of U.S. households don't subscribe, Yankee says. As choices increase, consumer advocates say shoppers need to ask about:
Speed. It is measured by "bits per second" of download or upload time. That's an unfamiliar term for customers such as Lisa Ostella, who has DSL in her North Brunswick, N.J., home. Mbps (megabits per second) and Kbps "don't mean anything to me," she said. To clarify, some carriers offer examples. SBC says its basic package is for Web surfing, for example, while its deluxe service is for telecommuters who need data fast.
Consumers should also know that carriers' broadband speeds are usually theoretical — the speed you could get only if everything were working perfectly. Actual speeds may vary significantly.
The kind of connection. A number of services, including DSL, cable, fixed wireless and satellite, are called broadband, though their performance differs. Cable, the most common, tends to have faster possible speeds than No. 2 DSL. But cable connections are shared. If your neighbors are bandwidth hogs, your connection can slow. DSL, meanwhile, runs faster the closer your home or office is to a phone company switching station.
Several Web sites, such as BroadbandReports (www.broadbandreports.com), offer tools that help you figure out how fast your Internet connection is and compare plans. Stores that resell broadband, such as Best Buy and RadioShack, also can help.
