Broadband options besides DSL and cable emerging
Kim Komando writes about workplace technology and security issues. She's the host of the nation's largest talk-radio show about computers and the Internet, and writes a syndicated column for more than 100 Gannett newspapers and for USA Today. Find Kim's show on the radio station nearest you, and send an e-mail to subscribe to her free weekly e-mail newsletter.
By
Kim Komando
Name one thing that you gave no consideration to 10 years ago, and that today is an absolute necessity.
OK, you guys who mentioned stainless steel appliances, get out of here! The correct answer is Internet access, obviously.
There's only one question: How will you access the Internet? The majority of people in 2004 still use dial-up. But that is too pokey, especially if your work is dependent on the Internet. People who use the Web heavily are more likely to depend on broadband.
In most cases, you have two decent broadband choices: cable and digital subscriber line (DSL). If you live in a rural area, or in a small city, you may have to depend on satellite service. That's slower and more expensive.
These days, there is good news on the broadband front. New technologies are coming. As they spread, you should be given more choices. At the least, that should hold prices down.
So let's look at your choices, today and tomorrow.
1. First one to watch: power line broadband. Scientists have known for years that electric utility lines could be used to transport data. This trick is accomplished by dividing the lines. Electricity moves on one frequency; data is transported on another.There have been some hurdles to overcome, but utilities are beginning to step up. Cinergy, a Cincinnati utility, has begun rolling out a system with Current Communications. Customers have a choice of three prices: $30 for 1 megabit per second, $35 to 2 mbps, and $40 for 3 mbps. That compares very well to DSL and cable in most places.A system is also being rolled out in Manassas, Va. And power line broadband also is being tested in North Carolina and in Washington, D.C.Technically, the utilities have had the biggest problems with transformers. These look like big buckets on the poles. Transformers reduce the current in the main lines from thousands of volts to the 120 volts required at wall sockets.The North Carolina test is using Wi-Fi to get around transformers. So the feed comes as far as the transformer, then goes wireless. Subscribers, whether home or business, simply tap into the wireless signal. In Cincinnati, Cinergy and Current Communications have managed to get through the transformers. Users there get the Internet through their wall sockets.There is at least one other potential problem. Ham radio operators worry that the power line service will interfere with their transmissions. They've complained to the Federal Communications Commission. The FCC has promised to investigate.In the meantime, the Power Line Communications Association says the ham users are chatting up the wrong tree. It has offered to support any FCC rule requiring that interference issues be fixed by the body responsible.It is still unclear whether power line service will become widespread. It may not always have a big cost advantage over cable and DSL. In metropolitan areas, those services are well-established. Luring their customers away could be difficult. And in rural areas, low density brings the same cash-flow problems for power line as for other services.However, the Internet service offers advantages to utilities. They can use it to read meters, for instance, and to troubleshoot lines. So there may be internal advantages that mitigate the profit problem.
2. Second one to watch: new wireless access services. Verizon Wireless is offering a new service, BroadbandAccess. It offers a speed of 300-500 kilobits per second on downloads, comparable to DSL. Currently, the service is offered in Washington and San Diego, where it was launched in October. It is expected to be rolled out nationally by year-end 2005.Nextel has an even better service, which it began testing in February. It downloads at 1.5 megabits per second, at least three times faster than those from Verizon Wireless. Uploads run at 375 kbps. In mid-April, Nextel offered the service to all comers in the North Carolina Research Triangle area.Nextel is offering four plans, depending on speeds and usage. At the top end, it is charging $75 for unlimited usage. The company has not announced when, or if, it will offer the plan nationwide. The test will run through this year.Both work like wireless phone service. You turn on your computer and it is there.Both are more expensive than cable and DSL. They are unlikely to appeal to homeowners. And if your computer never leaves the office, they probably won't be cost effective for you.But if you tote your laptop from the office to the factory to the customer to the car wash, they could be very handy. You'll always have immediate, easy access to the Internet. No longer will you have to track down a Wi-Fi signal.If you wander from Verizon Wireless' BroadbandAccess service, you'll still have NationalAccess. That is a top-of-the-line cell service, known as 3G (third generation). It offers downloads of 40 to 60 kbps, usually slightly better than a 56k modem. With either system, uploads will run about 40 to 60 kbps. So video conferencing or heavy transmissions of pictures will be difficult.You'll need a computer card for BroadbandAccess. They run $300 for a one-year contract or $249.99 for two years.
3. The broadband veterans will be here, but will they be your best option? These days, DSL and cable are available in most metropolitan areas. Speeds vary widely. DSL can go up to 1.5 mbps; cable sometimes hits 3 mbps. It depends a lot on where you are.Even at their slowest, they are much better than dial-up. And they will get better and more widely available, as competition gets tighter. But power line broadband, assuming it spreads, will force them to cable and DSL to go faster at a lower price.If you don't have any other broadband options, check satellite. Direcway offers two monthly plans, for $99.99 and $129.99. The setup costs $1,000, and you have to agree to a two-year contract. Direcway says downloads can run as fast as 1 mbps.If you're like me, you have a thousand things to do. There is never enough time, so you always feel pushed. Getting rid of your dial-up connection can really ease that situation.You'll be surprised by how much difference broadband makes. Even DSL at 256 kbps, which is slow for broadband, is much better than a 56k modem.