How do ADSL, Cable Modems, Fixed-point wireless, and Two-way satellite compare and how do the providers compare?

03/06/2001

Problem: How do ADSL, Cable Modem, Fixed-point wireless, and Two-way satellite compare and how do the providers compare?

Solution:

Link to Provider Comparison

Access comparison:

ADSL	Cable
$40-$80 a month $200-$400 installation cost	$40-$50 a month $200-$300 installation cost
Pros: Dedicated service (not shared) Cons: Limitations in the distance from the central office; compatibility problems with some central office chip sets	Pros: Always on; no distance limitations; higher availability; increasing availability of retail modems and equipment Cons: Shared bandwidth (more subscribers in your neighborhood means lower bandwidth); security issues
Estimated subscribers in 2000: 1.97 million* Projected subscribers in 2004: 12.2 million*	Estimated subscribers in 2000: 3.4 million Projected subscribers in 2004: 13.7 million

Fixed-point wireless	Two-way satellite
$50-$200 a month $1,000-$1,500 installation cost	$60-$70 a month $300-$500 installation cost
Pros: Relatively easy end-user installation; works in areas lacking a wired infrastructure; easy to deploy; easy to secure with IP-based routers and firewalls Cons: Service and equipment can be expensive; not yet widely available	Pros: Good for those who cannot get broadband any other way Cons: Shared bandwidth; the transmission distance (44,000 miles round-trip) means some latency; occasional weather and solar interference; unobstructed view of the southern sky required; long service waits possible
Estimated subscribers in 2000: 144,000 Projected subscribers in 2004: 1.5 million	Estimated subscribers in 2000: 75,000 Projected subscribers in 2004: 2.4 million

This is the average throughput observed by 800 testers; it represents real-world performance and takes into consideration latency, overhead, and HTTP limitations. ISP responses for eight major Web sites are represented by the red bars and all other activity by the green bars. For comparison, the average actual throughput of a 56K modem is 5 Kbps.

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