photo credit: ....Tim
Here in western Colorado, we still have pockets of folks who can’t get any high speed at all. And some can only qualify for 256K DSL access. At it’s best, 256K runs only about 5-7X faster than dialup…and in today’s multimedia rich Internet, that might as well be dialup. Heck, even 1.5mb (1500k) DSL is starting to feel slow.
Thankfully, new wireless technologies that can be more quickly deployed are rolling out. Prices are reasonable, and speeds are great (usually starting at around 3000k).
Internet speeds are becoming more and more important as we move an increased load of work onto the web, and spend more time viewing and listening to content online as well. Some computer users are forgoing cable or satellite subscriptions and instead get their TV show fix online. With fast enough Internet speeds, it also becomes extremely viable to use computers for phone calls, music, and even watching movies.
I see 2010 as a big year for increased web speed and decreased or stabilizing costs. If you are currently using an Internet connection that is less than 1500k download speed, seriously consider doing some investigation as to what high speed Internet alternatives are available in your area, then sign up!
No related posts.
Loading ...
,
I think it should be “1500k is the new dial-up”
I got 3 times that via my iPhone
(of course, I am not using AT&T here in Europe)
I have to say that you are correct in that statement Thomas…even 1500k feels slow these days. Amazing how technology rarely seems to converge where everything feels in sync.
Rick, as an avid follower of your site, I was very interested in the bit on the pockets of folks who are running 256k dsl. We just became rep’s for the Stelera broadband folks and would really appreciate you take on this type of service. They specialize in rural areas and have a pretty effective coverage area for the valley. They are tied into the same towers as cell service so if you can get phone service you most likely can get Stelera. On average I would say that the speed seems to be quite a bit faster than dsl but like I said, we just started. Would really like to hear or see what you think about this.
Hello Dave. I really like Stelera and the service they offer. I was able to meet with the CEO of the company and many of their techs and find the service to be a solid alternative to DSL and even cable. Because its wireless, it tends to be a little more touch than a wired connection, but overall the speed and consistency is excellent…and I really like their vision and continuous upgrading.
[...] 256K DSL is the new dialup | Castellini on Computers – Computer … [...]
Yes 256k is slow. Useless if you want to view utube, but the cost. Such a shame that you utilize the internet because of the high price and fees involved. Isn’t America behind as it is compare to other countries such as Japan and the UK?
Hey Rick!…I am wintering here in south Texas and they have 40 Mbps for under 90 bucks a month. That relates to a 2 gig movie download in under one minute. It makes my 1 meg service seem like a dinosaur! Enjoy the cold…im going biking…