(no subject)
*looks back at last two posts...*
No, I'm not a herion addict or a child porn ... thing. Moving right along.
I'm thinking of doing a guide to australian broadband type thing. People yell and scream at me all day long because they aren't getting what they want. So, this is a few guidelined points, not in the sway of any ISP, though it will tell you how to pick what is best for you.
Cable vs. ADSL
Cable holds the fastest connection speed available to most residential users. The plans are uncapped in speedlimit, and the unlimited plans come in at a fairly reasonable price. The only thing that hinders you reaching the top speed for any particular server is how many people are using cable in your area. If there is only three people on a rim made for two hundred, you are laughing. The unit is more reliable then ADSL insofar as infrastructure, and it allows for server type applications.
There's a few fundamental flaws within each of those points though.
Most residential users is covered only by those who have Foxtel cable access. If you have tried to get Foxtel and had to get satellite, you will not be able to have cable internet. If you live in a newly laid area, chances are the cable was not layed when it was developed. The cable is no longer being put out by Foxtel, and one (of the two the writer knows about) of the ISPs that offer it will only extend a cable line across a maximum of five houses, which can be very expensive to you.
The cable plans around are shaped at a low limit for the type of connection it is. Again, residential plans for cable access are indeed fairly reasonable at base entry prices, but to obtain a limit that warrants the speed of the connection can cost you a lot. If you haven't had broadband access at home you don't know how easy it is to download over ten gig of data a month.
The infrastructure for cable is very permanent. It's not changing so don't expect it to. Installing it can involve ripping up your lawn and you having to pay for it. Sometimes you can be told it's ready to be installed only to find a piece of concrete has crushed the line into the house. Sorry, see you later. If you are thinking of moving from one place to another, don't expect to be able to bring your cable internet with you. You might have to change it for ADSL, which has download speeds. In a server application however, cable still has a capped limit on it's upload speeds.
Residentially, ADSL is available in speeds up to 1500kbs. Download speeds can vary anywhere betweek 2kbs to 400kbs depending on the server. Cable has download speeds similar to this in most areas. Current cable plans are shaping around ten gig for unlimited, though you can get ADSL plans under a hundred dollars that will give you over twenty gigs of data. Downloading at 200k average (on a good day, when the sun is shining and the planets are in the right position) will make sure you don't smash your limit and loose your connection speed. When it happens, it sucks.
ADSL can be transfered to and from many more properties then cable. There is normally no extra work required, as the signal is passed down the phone line. It makes absolutley no change to your voice calls and there are no dial up charges. The hardest part of installing an ADSL connection hardware wise is figuring out which way the filters go on the line, and there's only two ways it can go, and each is labelled. Most work done for an ADSL connection is done at your exchange. Any modification in most cases to the exchange can take up to a week. Not all phone lines can handle an ADSL connection either, though some can be upgraded to a full line, and this is not always possible.
There is a better likelyhood you can move an ADSL connection then a cable connection. ADSL runs down a path that is being constantly upgraded and improved. Telephone lines are the major source of data over Australia, it is the teleco's business in those lines so they are going to continue to improve it. The ability is there to increase speeds for ADSL in the future, and the ability to offer access to more home lines too.
One common misconception about ADSL. You cannot connect with a 56k dialup modem. Both types of broadband require modems that range in price around hundreds of dollars. They can be purchased from both ISPs and most computer shops. Some ISPs will not allow unsupported modem brands on their server. A recent addition has been wireless modems. These modems can be wireless, with the ability to use a laptop in most areas of the house without cables for internet access. Again, there are flaws with wireless networking as well, it can have connection dropouts, is interfered with by electrical units like TVs, stereos and some larger computer rigs. It will slow down your connection on each computer to the internet as the data cannot travel as fast to and from the modem.
If there is a few pieces of advice, this would be it: look at everything about it. Don't just look at one provider, look at them all. There are numerous wholesale ADSL providers out there who offer good pricings and plans, and cable access should be decided thoughtfully on too. Look for download limits, speed caps and what kind of fees are involved moving, cancelling or altering your account in anyway possible.
And always ask for a reference number.
--------------------
No, I'm not a herion addict or a child porn ... thing. Moving right along.
I'm thinking of doing a guide to australian broadband type thing. People yell and scream at me all day long because they aren't getting what they want. So, this is a few guidelined points, not in the sway of any ISP, though it will tell you how to pick what is best for you.
Cable vs. ADSL
Cable holds the fastest connection speed available to most residential users. The plans are uncapped in speedlimit, and the unlimited plans come in at a fairly reasonable price. The only thing that hinders you reaching the top speed for any particular server is how many people are using cable in your area. If there is only three people on a rim made for two hundred, you are laughing. The unit is more reliable then ADSL insofar as infrastructure, and it allows for server type applications.
There's a few fundamental flaws within each of those points though.
Most residential users is covered only by those who have Foxtel cable access. If you have tried to get Foxtel and had to get satellite, you will not be able to have cable internet. If you live in a newly laid area, chances are the cable was not layed when it was developed. The cable is no longer being put out by Foxtel, and one (of the two the writer knows about) of the ISPs that offer it will only extend a cable line across a maximum of five houses, which can be very expensive to you.
The cable plans around are shaped at a low limit for the type of connection it is. Again, residential plans for cable access are indeed fairly reasonable at base entry prices, but to obtain a limit that warrants the speed of the connection can cost you a lot. If you haven't had broadband access at home you don't know how easy it is to download over ten gig of data a month.
The infrastructure for cable is very permanent. It's not changing so don't expect it to. Installing it can involve ripping up your lawn and you having to pay for it. Sometimes you can be told it's ready to be installed only to find a piece of concrete has crushed the line into the house. Sorry, see you later. If you are thinking of moving from one place to another, don't expect to be able to bring your cable internet with you. You might have to change it for ADSL, which has download speeds. In a server application however, cable still has a capped limit on it's upload speeds.
Residentially, ADSL is available in speeds up to 1500kbs. Download speeds can vary anywhere betweek 2kbs to 400kbs depending on the server. Cable has download speeds similar to this in most areas. Current cable plans are shaping around ten gig for unlimited, though you can get ADSL plans under a hundred dollars that will give you over twenty gigs of data. Downloading at 200k average (on a good day, when the sun is shining and the planets are in the right position) will make sure you don't smash your limit and loose your connection speed. When it happens, it sucks.
ADSL can be transfered to and from many more properties then cable. There is normally no extra work required, as the signal is passed down the phone line. It makes absolutley no change to your voice calls and there are no dial up charges. The hardest part of installing an ADSL connection hardware wise is figuring out which way the filters go on the line, and there's only two ways it can go, and each is labelled. Most work done for an ADSL connection is done at your exchange. Any modification in most cases to the exchange can take up to a week. Not all phone lines can handle an ADSL connection either, though some can be upgraded to a full line, and this is not always possible.
There is a better likelyhood you can move an ADSL connection then a cable connection. ADSL runs down a path that is being constantly upgraded and improved. Telephone lines are the major source of data over Australia, it is the teleco's business in those lines so they are going to continue to improve it. The ability is there to increase speeds for ADSL in the future, and the ability to offer access to more home lines too.
One common misconception about ADSL. You cannot connect with a 56k dialup modem. Both types of broadband require modems that range in price around hundreds of dollars. They can be purchased from both ISPs and most computer shops. Some ISPs will not allow unsupported modem brands on their server. A recent addition has been wireless modems. These modems can be wireless, with the ability to use a laptop in most areas of the house without cables for internet access. Again, there are flaws with wireless networking as well, it can have connection dropouts, is interfered with by electrical units like TVs, stereos and some larger computer rigs. It will slow down your connection on each computer to the internet as the data cannot travel as fast to and from the modem.
If there is a few pieces of advice, this would be it: look at everything about it. Don't just look at one provider, look at them all. There are numerous wholesale ADSL providers out there who offer good pricings and plans, and cable access should be decided thoughtfully on too. Look for download limits, speed caps and what kind of fees are involved moving, cancelling or altering your account in anyway possible.
And always ask for a reference number.
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