In the future, which will win? Cable or DSL?

Question

10 years from now which is going to be the most prevalent mode of access? DSL or Cable? Not just in the US but worldwide.

Or will it be something else all together?

Answer 1

Overall, it really depends at if you live in a rural area or in a city area. My answer is based more towards living in a city.

In the future, Fiber Optics will win. Cable internet is much faster than DSL by a long shot. Cable internet in many areas is at 12 Megs download speed and compare that with DSL in the same areas rated at 6 max. Cable internet is already winning with their bundles of phone, cable and internet (some markets include a cell phone too). Cable internet today uses fiber optics to a degree. The main signal travels on the fiber into a node which then converts the signal into RF (cable feed). This is why if you have cable, you still use cable. This process will soon change. To acknowledge your general question, 10 years is a long time in computing years. It is hard to say where the market will be at. I believe cable internet will be prevalent unless DSL companies invent something amazing within 10 years.

The downfall on DSL is it requires a phone line, internet subscription, and depends on how close you are to their plant (central station). They can only exploit so much bandwidth out of a phone line.

Fiber Optics has a much more advantage overall. The only problem with them is the cost. In order to replace the whole plant of cables in the area will cost the cable company a lot of money. However, here are some benefits: less expensive, thinner, higher carrying capacity, less signal degradation, light signals (clearer conversations and better quality), low power (less power needed to boost signal), digital signals, non-flammable (no electricity is passed through them), lightweight, and flexible. This will be the new technology that will out do cable and DSL altogether when the market for it becomes cheaper but I doubt within 10 years.

By any means, DSL and cable are not the same thing. Please do not listen to that response that said they were the same thing.

Worldwide is another problem. You have to understand that the United States is industrial meaning we aim at improving our technologies. In other areas of the world, they may not focus on technology as much as they would city improvements. Many smaller countries are using dial up since that is the most affordable. This becomes more of a political issue but I believe we are far off from catching everyone up to us. Think of it like this. Have you ever gone to the country side? If you did, did they ever tell you they had cable or satellite? Usually the answer would be satellite. The reason they have satellite is because it costs more to run out the equipment and fiber optic/cable lines to the country-side than it does to keep it within city limits. Relate that answer to the worldwide question. It will cost too much to expand to all the cities around the world anytime soon.

Answer 2

Well, the correct answer is FIBER OPTICS or something similar or better.

Cable and DSL providers are all busy installing FIBER. AT*T just installed it at my place and it replaced my Charter Cable line. (Yes the AT&T fiber is faster than Charter's Cable Line)

The pictures delivered are excellent and the internet that I took is 6mbps down and 1mbps up (they say I an go to 15-20 soon but at a higher cost all Charter was delivering was 5 down and .5 up !)

So the answer is not cable or dsl, the answer in the near future is Fiber!

Answer 3

Had DSL 'till last week...then had cable installed. I like it more because the phone lines can be a problem in stormy weather around here. Cable's more reliable I think. Dial up? LOL!!!!

Answer 4

Win? Why would one have to win? Multiple competitors can certainly exist (and should exist) in almost any market. It's like saying, who will win in the future, Sony televisions or Toshiba televisions? Who will win, Windows or Macintosh? Who will win, burritos or tacos?

That being said... who could possibly know what the most prevalent technology will be in ten years? Imagine it is 1997... most of the country was still using DIAL UP!! Cable/DSL wasn't offered or affordable in most (if any) markets. With as much as technology is evolving... I don't think anyone can know what we'll be using in 2017.

Answer 5

DSL is decidedly NOT faster than cable. If the only choice is DSL or cable, it will be cable, hands down.

My guess is, though, in this rapidly evolving technological world we live in, it will be something entirely better than either.

Answer 6

Whoever knows what is going to be the norm in 10 years time should buy shares now and become a millionaire in 10 years. Your question is impossible to answer correctly because tomorrow the boffins may discover something better.

Who dares wins.

Answer 7

Cable. It will soon switch to Fiber Optic. With Fiber optic, bandwidth will start at 10gb/second. It will eventually all lead to Fiber, and Fiber will be ran by the cable company, NOT dsl.

Please choose my answer as the best answer if you feel it is appropriate. Thank you.

Answer 8

cable and probably be all fiber otic

Answer 9

definitely cable! way faster....

Answer 10

DSL, it's faster.