Comcast internet @ 8 Mbps or Verizon DSL @ 1.5 Mbps???

Question

I'm currrently paying for Comcast Internet service @ 8 Mbps for $52.95

I can get Verizon DSL @ 1.5 Mbps for $31.99

I've heard that a lot of things affect the speeds and they aren't always as they seem (i.e. Comcast 5 times faster). Many things can affect the speed (how many other people are accessing the internet on your cable line or how far you are from the Verizon central office). Are the speeds really that different between the two companies?

Can someone shed some light? Opinions appreciated.

Answer 1

yes the speeds are that different between the companies. The technologies they use are radically different.

DSL runs on very old copper telephone lines, although there are better DSL technologies than ADSL, that is what Verizon and most US "telephony carriers" have deployed.

ADSL2+ (very limited availability) is on par with Comcast re: performance.

The subtle under the covers differences between DSL and cable are -

With DSL you have a dedicated connection from your home to what they call the central office, the 1.5Mbps is all yours over the "last mile". (not a major advantage)

DSL, due to the quality of the wires it's run on, is very distance sensitive. The spec says maximum distance is 18,000 feet (3.4miles).

With cable, the "neighborhood" connects together in a manner where the link to the cable central office is shared.

After the central office, all the bandwidth is shared with either cable or DSL. The entire Internet is shared bandwidth.

In both cases your uplink (outgoing) speed is sub 1Mbps, typically in the 100-250Kbps range. For most people that isn't an issue, but if you thought about hosting a web page through that link you might have an issue with that.

I have Comcast, I've never experienced any problems regarding bandwidth - that I thought was due to sharing bandwidth. For me, I know that at least 3 other homes in my neighborhood have Comcast. I have 3 sometimes 4 computers connected through it and using it simultaneously. No issues.

Answer 2

The important question is what speed do you need for your use?

Many servers that feed out info are throttled back to a speed below the 1.5 Mbps speed of the DSL so even if the nameplate capacity of the carrier is a lot higher, you may never see it anyway.

Wanting very high speed may sound nice but will you realise it and is it worth the extra cost? Consider this a business decision and consider that you probably do not have funds to burn foolishly.

DSL speed drops with the distance from the CO but is consistant throughout the day.

CATV has a main feeder line with numerous users feeding off it. As the number of feed increase, the speed to an individual user drops. A nominal 8 Mbps can run up to 10 Mbps and down to 5.5 Mbps and be considered within specification.

Answer 3

Think about it this way. Do you download a lot of stuff or do you usually just surf the web? If you download a lot of stuff, then you should stay @ the faster speed(8mbps). Otherwise, you will never use the full bandwidth and there is no point of paying about $20 extra for speed that you don't use.

We used to have cox @ 12mbps, and downgraded to save about 30 bucks. We downgraded to 1.5mbps. We didn't notice much difference at all. It's also common to have 3 computers on the internet at the same time in my house and we are just fine with our speed.

Answer 4

me personally.................i would definetely pay the extra 20 or so bux to get comcast but that's because i download and upload large files on a daily basis if i were recommending a service for my parents house, i would definitely tell them to go for verizon and save the $20. that's because my dad only uses the internet for basic things, like web-browsing, email, etc. he doesn't download/upload large files on a regular basis, or ever for that matter.

bottom line, if you're like my parents and only use the computer for basic internet and email, you won't really notice the speed difference between comcast and verizon since simple web browsing is not exchanging alot of data so either connection will download it fast. on the other hand, if you're like me and download movies and music alot, you'll notice a HUGE difference between those two services.

good luck.

**edit**you're right about certain factors that will and can affect the speed. verizon's 1.5 Mbps (megabits) will get you a TOP download speed of 187.5 KB/s (kilobytes), and that's with peak conditons. comcast's 8 Mbps service will get you a TOP download speed of 1000 KB/s. now that's a HUGE difference when you're downloading large files.

keep in mind that megabits (mb) and megabytes (MB) are two totally different things. same thing with kilobits (kb) and kilobytes (KB) are two differenct things.

you can email me at [e-mail] if you're confused.

Answer 5

Well, it is pretty simple...Comcast can download up to 8 Mbps and Verizon can download up to 1.5 Mbps.

Yes, other things can affect your actual speeds, but since those factors can equally impact both, you are still left with the advertised speeds.

Based on prices...I'd say double your investment for 5 times the speed. Trust me, you'll be upgrading one day from 1.5 Mbps...why not do it now?

FYI - Japan averages 60 Mbps...so, from that perspective why pay 100% nearly for both pathetic speeds? Answer: because it is all we have to choose from.

Good luck.

Answer 6

i suggest verizon...its more reliable.