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Is "Dial-Up Broadband" really faster?

926 Views 10 Replies 6 Participants Last post by hotskates, Sep 25, 2003

hotskates

Discussion Starter · Sep 23, 2003

My local internet provider recently had me enter a new local dial up phone number because we now have the new and improved "dial up broadband" that the provider promises will increase speed by three times faster. I did the number changes and the only thing I notice that is faster is the actual "dial-up" time (when you hear the computer dialing the internet provider).
But, for everyday surfing there is no increase in speed at all.

I just wondered if this is a gimic to make dial-up users feel like we're getting something like an upgrade, when we actually are not.

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Adam_Black

· #2 · Sep 23, 2003

Dial-up broadband? /me sniggers.

I've never heard of a thing called 'dial-up broadband.' Broadband is a completely different thing to dial-up! To use the phrase coined by the advertisements, it's 'always-on.' I think they're pulling your leg, and your suspicions are probably true.

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Corrosive

· #3 · Sep 24, 2003

I think you mean "Middleband." I think the teccie term is ISDL, but I'm not sure. And no, it isn't faster.

Edit: I'd best clarify something. Middleband is faster than Narrowband (dialup), but is slower than broadband.

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hotskates

Discussion Starter · #4 · Sep 24, 2003

When I contacted my internet provider to tell them that my internet speed was no faster than before they told me:

"There are many, many variables regarding how fast your internet works. The two primary variables are connection speed, and the speed of your computer. The connection speed through any dial up service is slow when compared to true
broadband. The dial up broadband is "less slow" than regular broadband. How dial up broadband works is the backbone company provides huge internet servers that copy each page that all
their users go to. When another user on the same service requests that same page, the server then has a copy of the pathway to get to that page quicker. That is how the dial up broadband effectively gives you faster speeds than
regular dial up. We have had several customers mention that the new service does seem faster than the old service, so I'm not sure what the problem might be with your connection. It could be a damaged line coming into your house from the phone company that still works but is just slower in transmitting the data, it could be your computer speeds, it could be your
modem, it could be a combination of all of these. "

Oh, the best part: They did offer to upgrade my service to broadband for $50.00 per month, which was I think, the point of their letter.

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sekirt

· #5 · Sep 25, 2003

Caching of pages can be done by them or you can even get free software that will do it for you. Not real sure about the exact details of it, however, I find it next to useless and certainly would not pay anything for it.

1) Many times I go to obscure sites that may not be cached and only visit them once. So I would not get the speedier service. The next person going there would get the page that was cached because of my visit.

2) A cached page might end up being an outdated page. As an example what good would a TSG page from 2 hours ago be to you?

3) When you go to download software, music, movies or anything, the speed is the same as always.

Just my opinion.
sekirt

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$teve

· #6 · Sep 25, 2003

sounds like ISDN to me........i tried that for about a month...it was more expensive than ADSL broadband and next to useless as regards speed.
and take no notice of the phone-up "techies" they read it all of pre-written cards.

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Corrosive

· #7 · Sep 25, 2003

I was a letter off the acronym...

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hotskates

Discussion Starter · #8 · Sep 25, 2003

Is there any broadband out there for about $25.00 a month or they all $50.00 and up?

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Adam_Black

· #9 · Sep 25, 2003

Well, here in England the most expensive you could pay for broadband is £30 per month, which, based on my naive view that £1 = $2, is approx $60 per month. However I have found companies that offer way below that, like £17. However, you still have all the setup fees, the cost of the modem etc etc which is why my mother still refuses to get broadband, and pay a dial-up 56k to Freeserve at a steady £12.99 per month.

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BillC

· #10 · Sep 25, 2003

If you already have cable TV, sometimes you can add broadband internet for about $35

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hotskates

Discussion Starter · #11 · Sep 25, 2003

Regular dial up here in california is as low as $9.00 per month. We do have cable t.v. and i'll check into their broadband costs, but I'm pretty sure they will be up around $45.00 per mo. Hopefully broadband will be the standard some day and prices will drop. Thanks.

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