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Assessing Your Internet Options: Is A Dial Up Modem Connection Your Best Choice?
In recent months, we've seen ISPs conducting what looks like a price war on dial up connections, each trying to offer the lowest price. Whereas a year ago, the average price was around $20, we now see offers for as little as $3.95! So what's the story here? How do you determine if a dial up modem connection is your best choice? It really all depends on what you need out of your web service.
Everyone knows that a dial up connection is relatively slow, when compared to DSL, cable and wireless options. The difference in cost between a dial up modem vs. a DSL connection was narrowing, such that ISPs were losing dial up customers who were willing to pay the nominal difference for a faster web surfing experience. The dial up connection has also acquired a certain negative image, as an outdated type of service suited only to old fogeys or unsophisticated users. As a result, plenty of people have switched to faster connections, based only on this up-to-date idea, without regard to actual needs.
In fact, the dial up modem may well suffice for your purposes. Here's how you can make a determination based on your internet usage. You could save quite a bit of money!
If you access the net on a daily basis, but you are only online for a few hours at a time, taking care of email communications and a little light web surfing, this usage falls into a 'personal use' category. It's unlikely that you'll find it annoying if a website page takes a bit longer to load. Keeping in touch with friends and family, exchanging photos, reading the news and visiting online shops will work just fine with a dial up modem connection.
On the other hand, if you or other family members use the net for extensive research, maintain your own website, or frequently upload or download large files, the faster connection will save you time. The dial up connection can result in many hours of wait time, as the transfer rate is slow. You may also lose your connection and have to start all over again, unless you have a 'smart' download manager which will pick up where you left off.
If you intend to watch movies, view video clips or listen to music, the dial up modem connection won't be satisfactory. Before you jump into a DSL account, be aware that you'll need a DSL transfer of about 20 Mps for a crisp picture and uninterrupted audio. DSL offers always advertise the slowest rate, typically 1.5 Mps and the sales people seldom advise you of this caveat. Once you sign up, you may find yourself committed to a plan for a year or more, being not much better off than with a dial up modem!
Consider all these factors when making the choice between connection options. Happy web surfing!
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