The internet and getting there!

[catnapper]

I was just wondering how everyone accesses the internet... dial up with standard service, dial up highspeed, DSL, cable? Are there any other choices out there? Do you like what service you have? Whats the draw back?

We have a s-l-o-w dial connection and contantly get knocked off when somebody tried to call. Its frustrating, but cheap - $9.99 a month. We were *thinking* of perhaps upgrading to their highspeed service, but when you read the fineprint, its says that it only makes some pages load faster, and won't make photos load faster... so we wondered exactly how much faster could it be?

Anyway, we want to know what is the best alternative? The $30 a month for DSL or cable? Is it worth it? Thats a 200% increase in what we're spending now!

The hisghspeed dial up connections: are they really highspeed?

[anna_66]

Well, we have cable (Roadrunner). I would never ever have anything else!
One drawback, it's $45/mo

[Randi]

Originally posted by catnapper
The $30 a month for DSL or cable? Is it worth it? Thats a 200% increase in what we're spending now!

I'd definately say it's worth it - as much as you're on.

I know a few others here have gone from a slow connection to a fast, and I'm sure they'll agree.

We're on DSL which is pretty fast.

[popcornbird]

We have DSL and have had it for many years now. The $30 a month for DSL are TOTALLY worth it. I *cannot* go back to dial up. Its pure torture.

When we moved, we had to have dial up for a few days while they transferred our DSL service to the new house. I did not even log onto the internet because I couldn't stand the dial up! Its THAT slow and frustrating.

If you get DSL or Cable, you won't regret it...for sure. It makes using the internet much more enjoyable.

[micki76]

I had Juno Highspeed for quite a while before I upgraded to DSL. I loved the highspeed, after just having had dial up for so long, except for pictures which is one of the main things I use the net for (PT). Pages DO load faster, but the pics are very distorted and you have to right click on each one and wait approximately 8-10 seconds for EACH picture to download in order to even tell what it’s a picture of. Very time consuming.

Last year, I said forget it. I called the phone company and got DSL. It's 100,000,000 times better than highspeed dial up. I absolutely LOVE DSL. Files download literally in seconds. The videos that everyone's been posting? I can view perfectly clear, whereas dial up would take a half an hour and with the highspeed, I couldn't even view them (no way to right click on it and make it clear!).

Another problem with the highspeed is that there are zillions of webpages where right clicking is forbidden. If you can right click, you can view!

Go for the DSL, it's well worth the extra $.

[sirrahbed]

We have been on DSL for about 3 years now. When I have to work on someone's computer who had dial-up, I am amazed at the diffence in speed. There is no comparison. It is really no increase in price for us since when we had dial-up, the kids were still at home and so we had two lines so there would be no busy signals. The cost for DSL is quoted as $49.95 but each year we say we are going to a different provder who offers $29.95 and they always give us the lower rate for another year. Alot of the companies say $29.95 for the first year and then it "goes up" to $49.95. When that time comes - be sure and tell them it is too expensive and you are changing...I bet you suddenly have the old rate back $30 is the going rate.
Really Kim - once you go high speed - you will be amazed and never go back. My son swears by Roadrunner. It does cost more though.

[KYS]

I also have had dial-up for years, because the price was
so good.
I finally went to DSL a month ago, because Verizon
was offering it at $29.95.
(Now I no longer get frustrated trying to see everybody's pictures.)
I really wanted cable,
(which is faster) but $49.95 was to steep for me.

If the price of cable goes down in my area,
I would probably switch
to cable so I would no longer have to use the filters
on each of my phones.

[wolfie]

We've had cable for years now. It's the best! I forget that people are still using dial up actually!

[Tonya]

I have DSL. Since I work for the phone company, it's discounted and I personally conditioned the lines to make them super fast. I had an inside buddy put a higher powered card in too, but that was a few years ago...that "high powered" card is probably what new customers get on average by now.

[Ally Cat's Mommy]

I have DSL. It's great but it costs me $158 per month

We only have ONE service provider here, so they can charge whatever they want!!!

As long as I can afford it, I will stick to DSL - it would be torture to go back to dial-up!

[Kfamr]

We pay $75 or something for Cable TV and Cable internet.

It is VERY fast (as long as your computer is fast as well) and all you have to do is click and you're there!


I think if we went back to dial-up I'd go insane.

[Pam]

Cable. If I had dial-up I probably wouldn't spend half as much time at the computer. Now maybe that might be a good thing! LOL!

[chrissycat21]

Cable. Its expensive but it works well. And if you have the cable connected to your TV you get the average package of cable TV for no extra cost!

[dogs_4_me]

We have cable, but after having dial up for 2 years we earned it lol

[carole]

I would dearly love a faster service, but my cheapie service is quite adequate for my uses really, it was free for 2 yrs, so initally it was hard to even find a spare 14.95 a mth, but we managed, I had grave fears of never being on PT again at one stage, I have 150 hrs and never use near that amount, so it does me fine for now, if I was using it for business purposes, then an upgrade would be necessary.

I actually quite like it, that no-one can ring me when I am on the internet, I hate interruptions, and like my time to myself here on PT.