A Digital Subscriber Line - Case Study Example

DSL Services in my Area al Affiliation A Digital subscriber line (DSL) is a networking device often used to connect a router or computer to the internet. This is accomplished using a telephone line which normally provides the digital services to the end-user (subscriber). On the other hand, a cable modem is a technological device that provides bi-directional communication of data within a data distribution network. Both DSL and cable modem services are used to provide broadband internet services to prospective clients in most sections of America (Smith, 2002). The area of research for this particular investigation entails the assessment of the DSL and cable services offered in Upper Marlboro MD 20772. There are a number of companies that offer internet provisional service in the Upper Marlboro community. These include: the Verizon, EarthLink, XFINITY by Comcast and the dishNET company. In this case, the focal point of this study uses the EarthLink internet company since it the only firm that offers both the DSL and Cable modem services with favorable download speeds. When it comes to selecting an appropriate DSL or Cable connection, there are a number of factors that one has to consider, for example, the speed or internet bandwidth and the popularity of use between the two. The internet bandwidth speeds for the two types of connectivity vary greatly in the Upper Marlboro area. A cable modem connection using the EarthLink Internet Company offers a peak of up to 15 Mbps (megabytes per second) for both the download and uploads speeds. This is slower compared to the DSL connection service offered by the same company. The DSL internet connection only provides up to 7 Mbps (megabytes per second) for downloads and uploads. Some other aspects of an internet connection that an interested party ought to look at are the cost and reliability of the connection. Having constant access and reliable internet connection at an affordable cost is valuable for any internet subscriber. The subscription cost demanded by the EarthLink Cable Internet is a monthly payment of $29.95 compared to the $14.95 a month budget for subscribing to a DSL connection. The logical implication in the above features is that the Cable modem connection is the most reliable since it has a higher bandwidth and dial up connection. The Verizon Company and the XFINITY Internet Company do not offer both of the packages, but instead provide DSL and Cable modem services respectively. The most lucrative DSL package the Verizon Company provides is the Verizon High Speed Internet Enhanced package that has a maximum download speed of up to 15 Mbps (megabytes per second). This connection costs about $34.99 per month. The XFINITY Internet Company has a bundle that provides download speeds of up to 150 Mbps (Megabytes per second) and a corresponding upload bandwidth of up to 20 Mbps (Internet Providers by Zip Code, 2014). This connection is a high speed cable internet that is very reliable and can offer many application services to the subscriber, including the high definition online gaming experience. This service is referred to as the XFINITY EXTREME 150 INTERNET and costs $89.99 a month. Other DSL packages that provide broadband internet include the 1 Mbps and 3 Mbps or 5 Mbps meant for residential and business settings respectively. The Verizon Company offers these internet bundles. They are relatively cheaper because of the slow bandwidth compared to other packages that offer higher internet speeds. The cable service company most prominent in the Upper Marlboro MD area, zip code 20772, for provision cable internet is the XFINITY Internet Company. The highest bandwidth is the150 Mbps package, while the lowest is the 3 Mbps package. In this case, it is only the XFINITY Internet Company that offers competitive and fair pricing for cable broadband internet with regards to the corresponding internet speeds. Since a DSL connection uses telephone technology to transmit data, the DSL circuit needs a digital service that assists in demodulation of analog signals or the high bit rate data transmission that occurs within the network. Transmitting high frequencies requires a wider frequency bandwidth at all times to enable successive data transmission. Additionally, running a DSL network can only be used for networks connected from a telephone switching station to an office or home network environment (Elahi, 2006). Therefore, using a DSL network would prove to be unfavorable simply because of its lower bandwidth capacity compared to a cable network connection. Using cable internet connection in this area is affordable and offers a high bandwidth that dependable for running a business or even residential internet sharing. The internet service providers in the region offer competitive internet packages and even distribute TV channel over the cable network connection. This means that the lines or data transmission cables can handle a high bandwidth at a time that enables it transmit bulky data packets like stream video files. The suitable internet service to subscribe to in the Upper Marlboro is the XFINITY EXTREME 150 INTERNET transmission which allows data communication and exchange of up to 150 Mbps at a cost of $89.99 in month (Internet Providers by Zip Code, 2014). A cable network utilizes coaxial cables as channel or medium for data transmission. The coaxial cable, which is also an electrical wiring product used by TV companies provides better cabling than telephone lines (Information Resources Management Association, 2010). That is why the cable network is able to provide up to 150 Mbps of internet bandwidth. They provide better bandwidth and secure connectivity. The cable modem service network would work best in this region since it delivers the highest data transmission rates compared to any other company that offer internet services in the same area. A cable network that operates over cable TV lines utilizes particular channels for down streaming activity and utilizes other channels for upstream activity. This is another reason why a cable and Internet modem can be used to accomplish extremely fast connectivity to the Web. Furthermore, an inevitable fact is that millions of homes presently have cable TV wiring. This has made it easier for technological companies that offer both internet and cable TV to install and implement their services in residential areas. References Elahi, A., & Elahi, M. (2006). Data, network, and Internet communications technology. Clifton Park, NY: Thomson Delmar Learning. Information Resources Management Association. (2010). Networking and telecommunications: Concepts, methodologies, tools, and applications. Hershey, PA: Information Science Reference. Internet Providers by Zip Code (2014). Internet Services Available In Zip Code 20772. Retrieved from Smith, R. W. (2002). Broadband Internet connections: A users guide to DSL and cable. Boston: Addison-Wesley. Read More