| Are you shopping around for high speed | | | | |
| internet and getting totally confused? $12.95 | | | | Faster speed: $21.95-$29.95 |
| for 6 months, or $14.95 for 3 months? Upload | | | | |
| speeds of 128 kbps or download speeds of 768 | | | | Other fees: $19.95 shipping and activation |
| kbps? What does kbps stand for anyway? | | | | fee. |
| Hopefully this article will help you make | | | | |
| some sense of all the promotions out there.I | | | | $79 early termination fee.AOL:AOL doesn't |
| compared the promotions (as of May 2006) | | | | have its own high speed infrastructure per |
| being offered by most of the primary DSL and | | | | say. It provides AOL service but uses AT&T or |
| cable modem providers in Southern California. | | | | Verizon to deliver it in the Southland.The |
| It's hard to fit a giant Excel spreadsheet | | | | price is $25.90 per month for a one-year |
| into a text article, but see if you can use | | | | term. After that year, Verizon customers are |
| the information I provide to at least try to | | | | still charged $25.90 per month, while the |
| compare apples to apples. The two main | | | | service with AT&T goes up to $29.99 per |
| criteria I focused on are price and speed.A | | | | month. The speeds are generally 768 kbps for |
| few points to clear up first so you can be | | | | download and 128 kbps for upload. With |
| more educated in your choices:kbps: kilobits | | | | Verizon there is a shipping and handling fee |
| per secondmbps: stands for megabits per | | | | of $19.95 and a $79 early termination fee, |
| second. A megabit is 1,000 times faster than | | | | just as if you'd went with them without AOL. |
| a kilobit. So 1.5 megabits is equal to 1,500 | | | | AT&T (as shown above) asks for a $99 early |
| kilobits.download speed: The download speed | | | | termination fee.Summary of AOL fees: |
| is for downloading web pages, software, etc. | | | | |
| and is what you probably use most of the | | | | $25.90 for 768 kbps download speed |
| time.upload speed: The upload speed is used, | | | | |
| for example, when you might upload photos to | | | | ( for other fees see AT&T or Verizon |
| the internet (for instance to Snapfish or | | | | fees.)Earthlink:Earthlink: This company is |
| sending an attachment to an email), or if you | | | | offering a promotion of $12.95 for the first |
| have your own website and upload your own | | | | six months in certain regions of the country, |
| pages.Since you are only downloading most of | | | | with a price of $29.95 after that. This |
| the time, high speed internet companies focus | | | | promotion is for decent speeds: 1.5mbps for |
| primarily on download speeds, which are | | | | download speeds and 128 kbps for upload |
| invariably faster than upload speeds. You | | | | speeds. They also charge a $19.95 shipping |
| might want to focus primarily on download | | | | fee, and $149.95 if you break your 1-year |
| speeds as well, depending on your type of | | | | contract. (So I'd guess you'd better be sure |
| usage of course.Also, the general consensus | | | | you want to stay with them!)Summary of |
| is that the typical download speed for home | | | | Earthlink prices: |
| DSL (before all these promotions started | | | | |
| coming out recently) is about 1.5 kbps. So it | | | | Faster speed: $12.95-$29.95 |
| is worth a word of caution that the cheapest | | | | |
| promotions may or may not be the best for | | | | Other fees: $19.95 shipping fee, |
| you.Several companies are offering very good | | | | |
| prices for 768 kbps of download speed. I have | | | | $149.95 early termination fee.DSL |
| been told that this speed is adequate for | | | | Extreme:DSL Extreme offers a promotion of |
| people who mainly use email and do light web | | | | $12.95 per month for customers with SBC phone |
| surfing. So you have to think about how much | | | | service. That promotion offers speeds ranging |
| you use the internet. Do you download music? | | | | from 384 kbps - 1.5 mbps for download, and |
| Are you a web surfing addict?One thing I'll | | | | 128 - 384 kbps for upload. Those with Verizon |
| tell you is that if I, as a computer | | | | can expect to pay a little more, $14.95 per |
| consultant, had an internet speed of 768 | | | | month. Speeds with Verizon are 768 kbps for |
| kbps, I'd probably be rather unhappy. But if | | | | download and 128 kbps for upload. These |
| you're a light user, you'd probably be fine. | | | | prices don't include $15.43 for the shipping |
| | | | and handling of the modem.As with the others, |
| OK, now you can read about the different | | | | you're in for a 1-year contract. But if you |
| offers and see for yourself:AT& T (formerly | | | | renew before it expires, you can lock in the |
| SBC):Their lowest promotion prices are $12.99 | | | | price DSL Extreme is offering returning |
| per month and $17.99 per month. You also have | | | | customers at the time. That price is not yet |
| to pay a $12.95 shipping and handling fee. | | | | determined:Watch out, though. The early |
| (And you have to pay $49.99 up front for a | | | | termination fee if you decide to end the |
| modem, but you get a mail-in rebate of $49.99 | | | | 1-year contract is a whopping $250!Summary of |
| as well.) | | | | DSL Extreme prices: |
| | | | |
| The $12.99 price is for download speeds of | | | | Lower Speeds: $12.95-$1495 |
| 384 kbps - 1.5 mbps. The $17.99 price is for | | | | |
| download speeds of 1.5 - 3.0 mbps.Those | | | | Other fees: $15.43 for shipping and handling |
| prices are good for a 1-year contract, but | | | | of modem, |
| beware. If you don't call AT&T before the | | | | |
| year is up (I believe they send you a letter | | | | $250.00 early termination fee.I also talked |
| to remind you), the price goes up to $50 | | | | to a couple of companies that offer cable |
| month. Once you call, though, AT&T will offer | | | | modem:Comcast:The prices for cable modem tend |
| you whatever promotion they have at the time. | | | | to be a bit higher, but the two cable |
| There is a $99 termination fee if you break | | | | companies I called offered faster speeds than |
| your 1-year contract.Summary of AT&T prices: | | | | the DSL promotions I looked at.Comcast is |
| | | | offering a promotion of $26.95 for the first |
| Lower speeds: $12.99 | | | | three months with download speeds of 4mbps |
| | | | and upload speeds of about 386 mbps. But |
| Faster speeds: $17.99 | | | | after your honeymoon the price goes up to |
| | | | $45.95 if you have cable TV with them or |
| Other fees: $12.95 shipping and handling, | | | | $56.95 if you don't. One good thing - there |
| | | | is no contract, so that means there's no |
| $99 termination fee.Verizon:This company is | | | | early termination fee.You also have to either |
| offering a base price of $14.95 for download | | | | buy a cable modem at an electronics store |
| speeds of up to 768 kbps and upload speeds of | | | | (Comcast doesn't sell them) or rent one for |
| 128kbps. The first month is free, however | | | | $3 a month. So be sure to include that fee in |
| there is a $19.95 shipping and activation | | | | your calculations!Adelphia:To begin with, |
| fee. This $14.95 offer is good only if you | | | | Adelphia offers a basic package which happens |
| order via the internet though (a little Catch | | | | to be very basic. Both its upload and |
| 22 there). If you call and speak to a live | | | | download speeds are 256 kbps (kinda slow if |
| person instead, it'll cost you $17.99 a | | | | you ask me). This package's price is $24.95 |
| month. Ha!For heavier internet users, Verizon | | | | per month.The company also offers a more |
| has another, slightly more complicated | | | | reasonable package that costs $24.95 for the |
| promotion. For download speeds of up to 1.5 | | | | first three months, then goes up to $43.95. |
| mbps, you get the first month free. Butttttt, | | | | The speeds with this package are pretty fast |
| for the second and third months it will cost | | | | - 4 mbps for download speeds and an upload |
| you $21.95, and $29.95 for months 4-12. | | | | speed of 384 mbps. |
| (Where'd they come up with that plan?) Upload | | | | |
| speeds are about 384 kbps.These Verizon | | | | As with Comcast, Adelphia's packages are |
| promotions come with one-year contracts and a | | | | month-to-month, with no contract and no |
| $79 termination fee if you break it. You also | | | | termination fee. But, also like Comcast, you |
| need to call before your term is up to get | | | | have to either purchase your own modem or |
| decent rates for the next 12 months. (for the | | | | rent one for $3. Also, you don't need to have |
| second offer you can stay at $29.95.)Summary | | | | Adelphia TV cable service to get those |
| of Verizon prices: | | | | prices. The prices are the same for both |
| | | | cable TV and non-cable TV customers alike. |
| Lower speed: $14.95 | | | | |