Broadband online access has grown more popular each year. As costs continue to decline and availability keeps spreading, more people are migrating from conventional dial-up modems to either DSL (digital subscriber line) or cable service. The question is which service is better and what are the differences between them?

Below, we’ll take a brief tour through both types of broadband internet access. We will explore the speed, reliability, customer satisfaction, and security considerations. By the end, you’ll have an appreciation for the features you should consider when deciding upon a provider.

Which Is Faster?

When it comes to High Speed Internet online connections, speed is typically measured in Mbps (or, megabytes per second). An individual subscriber’s DSL line is normally “clocked” between 1 and 2 Mbps while a cable connection is clocked between 1 and 1.5 Mbps. However, these numbers hide some technical issues.

A digital subscriber line is an individual connection. The fact is, it is not a shared situation. Cable lines are shared. Your neighbors will be sharing the same Internet pipe provider to gain online access. Another issue is that DSL speed is affected by distance from your home (or business) to your provider. Cable is not.

Are Both Reliable?

Both services provide a high reliability rate. One service does not have an advantage over the other. Having said that, it’s worth mentioning that DSL is unavailable in some parts of the country.

Customer Satisfaction

Customers seem to enjoy their digital subscriber lines more so than the alternative. J.D. Power and Associates noted in a 2004 report that thousands of residential subscribers rated the former higher than the latter in overall satisfaction. That may be due to the growth of cable connections. However, the lines are used by many and are shared. As more people subscribe to the service, the access speed for each person theoretically declines.

Oddly, a recent report (2008) from J.D. Power and Associates notes faster growth in that sector. That might suggest slower access speeds for customers in the future unless significant investment is made in order to increase capacity.

Security Considerations

Both services maintain a continuous connection to the Internet. As a result, there is always a level of exposure to online viruses. All users, regardless of what type of line they have online should be using a firewall and a reputable antivirus application. That said, DSL may have a slight advantage over a cable connection due to the latter’s shared line. Unless a customer installs security measures, their neighbor – who is basically on the same local area network – can gain access to their computer. A digital subscriber line does not have this issue.

So, which service is better? It depends. DSL is slightly less expensive in a few areas of the country, but the price discrepancy is likely to disappear soon. The choice for each customer may ultimately be based upon availability.