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Quick computers a question of access
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Want to download the latest version of Microsoft Internet explorer? How about the latest hit single from Matchbox Twenty?
If you are a typical BSU student your modem is 56K and by today’s standards that means slow! Qwest claims you can get that browser upgrade or that song up to 25 times faster with their DSL service. AT&T @Home boasts up to 50 times faster with their cable modem.
DSL is an acronym for digital subscriber line. The service works by sending the signal through your existing phone line to a DSL modem that decodes the digital signal while allowing you to use your telephone at the same time. The @ Home cable modem service works in areas where the actual cable system has been upgraded to a fiber optic network that enables two- way data communication. Since it uses cable and not a phone line you also have the ability to be online and use your telephone at the same time.
So, at speeds from 25 to 50 times faster with the convenience of being able to be online and talk on the phone simultaneously, why aren’t BSU students stampeding to the nearest high-speed provider?
For some students availability is the issue, for others it’s price.
According to spokesperson Brian Dietz, AT&T @Home service is available in 54 percent of Treasure Valley households.
“Our broadband service is currently available in all of Nampa, Caldwell and Meridian, and most of north Boise” Dietz said.
Qwest did not respond to a request for information about DSL availability in the valley.
So, how much does it cost? With Qwest DSL it depends on which plan and which Internet service provider you select.
Qwest’s most popular plans are the Select service for $19.95 per month and the Deluxe service for $29.95 per month. In addition to this charge you also must have an Internet service provider which costs around $20 per month. AT&T @Home’s cable service runs $39.95 per month including the Internet service provider.
Both companies are currently running promotions that include free installation and a discount on the first few months of service. If you are using your existing phone line with your 56K modem chances are you are paying around $20 per month. In this case, switching to high speed would double your monthly expense. However, if you have a second phone line for your computer, switching is a bargain. You get much faster service for about the same price.
So, how fast is it really? AT&T @Home says 50 times faster than a 56K modem is a very realistic measurement. Dietz likes to use an analogy to describe his company’s service versus a 56K modem. He says the 56K modem is like a TV without a remote, if you want to switch channels you have to get up off the couch and manually turn the knob, a process that takes about 30 seconds.
“Our cable modem is like having that remote in your hand, hit the button and boom, you’re there.”
Qwest DSL says that for Select and Deluxe service, 25 times faster speed depends on many factors, however, they guarantee that your speed will always be at least five times faster than 56K. As for @Home’s speed claims, Qwest says as more people subscribe to the cable service, the slower it will get. For this reason, their service is the better choice. Of course @Home denies that the service will get slower as they add customers.
Dietz says, “that is a myth circulated by competitors with a weaker product that costs more.”
What do the experts say? There are strong arguments for both services. You can log on to most search engine’s, enter “DSL and cable,” and be bombarded with enough information to keep you busy for weeks. One thing is for certain though, an upgrade to either service from a 56K modem will greatly enhance your Internet experience.
For more information about either service, including availability in your area, call the company’s toll free number or log on to their Web site. (Qwest DSL: www.qwest.com, 877-665-6342, AT&T @Home: www.@Home.com, 888-262-6300.
Bryan Burnett