What is The Fastest Internet Connection?

Great article - here in Australia,the Govt is implementing NBN, which run optic fiber cables presumably the length and breath of this vast Continent, at a cost of $ 36 B smackeroos. There have been numerous glitches with contractors, suppliers etc and not every citizen is happy with the PR exercise going on.
NBN states it will be the fastest carrier on the Planet. After reading your illuminating article, I have grievous doubts. Who is right Bob ?

I use Earthlink Dial Up connected to my telephone line.Averages 39K to 44K {That is thousands-not M , as in Million. I do not subscribe to cable or satelite or cell phone services.It is good for E-Mail only and takes about 28 to 38 seconds to move to next E-Mail while Delete is in operation.
Since this computer is a Dell-Inspiron with Wirerless Internet conection , you know I am on my patio most of the time for Vidio and Voice.Only clouds and wind affect me. 1M to 11M.

I live in Queens NY. In my building we have Time Warner and RCN, we can't get verizon DSL for some reason. I saw Verizon people instaulling FIOS cable in the street, so I asume well have that option too. However,I really don't see the point in such fast speeds. I'm perfectly happy with my 5 Mbps RCN cable modem. I'm paying $17 a month. What will faster speed give me a few seounds for a file download? I doubt it will load web pages or stream faster because the speed is more limited on the server side.

I always say stick with what you know. It's like blue ray taking over the DVD. Yikes! Plus, we don't get cab service where I live. So no thankee

I have had DSL service, since March 2000 & am VERY pleased with it. Been checking into AT&T's U-verse, not available in my area. After reading your article, I will not be pursuing U-verse, now. Plus, I have friends that have U-verse & hate it.

About the only time, I have had bad problems, with my DSL, is when my modems have been 'going out', on me. Yes, there are times, when I can't get a good connection to the Internet. No problem, I simply 're-start' my modem & that usually corrects the issue. When that doesn't do it, I will call Tech Support.

After having DSL for over 11 years, I pretty much know how to 'handle' most issues. What I like most about DSL modems, is the Firewall. I have had both Westell & 2Wire modems & both of their Firewalls are easy to set-up & personalize. I do, prefer 2Wire, since I tend to have less issues with their modems.

Bottom line, speed is 'In the eye of the beholder'. When the 'trunks' are busy, meaning that everyone & their brother is trying is use the service, speeds will be slower. I have found the best time to check your average speed, is late at night. I use BroadbandReports.com, SpeedGuide.net & Speakeasy.net for this checking. By using all 3, I get a better picture of what my average speed is.

I have Verizon FiOS here in Northern VA. Fiber is run to the side of the house and converted there to copper. It's 3:00 p.m. and I'm getting 18mbps down and 5mbps up on a local Speakeasy speed test. I get better speed in the off hours. Internet, TV and phone are all on the fiber. Had it for more than a year and it's worked flawlessly.

Whenever you mention satellite internet ALWAYS mention the onerous data restrictions that come with satellite internet. Once you meet your quota, the service is throttled, way back to it seems dial up speeds. Modern web pages take forever to load. So forget YouTube, NetFlix, Hulu, etc.

Fiber to the home is not new, I have had FIOS for about a year. Yes, it is very fast. On some websites(YouTube), the extra speed does not matter, the website is the slow part. It is the weakest link that matters.

Living in Sweden with DSL-speeds up to 28 MBit, I'm curious as to why some companies don't allow speeds over 6Mbit in the US.

I have the option of upgrading my cable from 25Mbit today up to 100Mbit when I need to (and up to 200 Mbit downtown).

Where in the states do I have to live to get that kind of speed?

Hi everyone,

I'm currently with Time Warner. I've read online how those of you who can get fios are happy with it. I wish I could, but since I'm in an AT&T area, Verizon won't come anywhere near here.

For those of you who think yes, I can get my own fiber line laid it isn't cheap. The cost is $1000 to run it from your house. Not counting the ONT Optical Network Terminal and battery. This gets higher because you have to run it in the air using power or utility poles.

The further you are from a fiber switch the more it costs. I was quoted by someone who does fiber drops $100 thousand per mile at the high end. I've told my ISP that they need to move away completely from Docsis 3 if they plan to compete and beat out FIOS.

Fiber Optic connections that are 100 mbps or 1 gbps symmetric are starting to appear in some parts of the US, but not here. They're mainly useful for online backups. Since with the best conditions you can transfer 1 gig of data in 10-25 seconds as opposed to 3-5 hours on dsl or some time less on 5 mbps upstream cable.

To not give everyone in the US access to 100 mbps symmetric at the least needs to be done or else we in the US will fall further behind other countries.

I live in NJ and I have Optimum Ultra from Cablevision. It costs me $100/month, and I get 100mbs down and 15mbs up. My download speeds rarely get over 90mbs, but my upload always hits the full 15mbs. There are no data caps and I consistently use over 20GB/month. The only downside is they throttle P2P activity, although they say they don't.

Verizon has had FIOS in the area for a couple of years now but still not on my street yet. But even when (if) they do offer it, it'll cost me twice as much to get 50% more speed.

Here in the UK Virgin Cable has been using fibre optic for several years now, and once they started offering internet the junk mail started. Once a month regular as clockwork they offer me this month's special deal, and it always involves taking at least one other service, home 'phone, mobile 'phone, or cable TV.

I have a home 'phone, I get more than enough TV through the analogue aerial, and I do not want a mobile 'phone. Obviously the fibre optic internet is the big draw here.

We've had our EPB fiber optic since November and love it. Everyone we know that has it raves about it! We are so lucky!

Lil ol Dunnellon, FL is putting in fiber optic cable and says they'll offer the full package. The conduit's being installed in front of the house now. With your analysis Bob, I'm looking forward to giving it a try. ATT's DSL is OK, but not the greatest, especially trying to download from Netflix on Fri. eve.

My initial internet connection was a DSL line; I was not happy with it...lost the connection quite often. About three years ago Verizon contracted with the owners of the apartment complex where I live and wired all the apartments for FIOS. Of course,getting the service was optional. It took a while before FIOS was available, but I signed up the minute it was. I have never been happier!
The best feature is the customer service. I had a problem, called and in no time I was up and running. And my call was not outsourced to a foreign country!

Yes, Verizon Fios is fast, but having to deal with the company.....omigod....I can't wait to get rid of it...the FAST connection does not make up for the TIME WASTED pressing numbers to reach automated messages, etc etc... beware--oh and they take over ALL you stuff...I had to fight them to keep them away from my cell phone...And thank goodness I did...there have been times when my only contact with the outside is my cell.

I've had FIOS anywhere from 6-8 years now...new? No.

Cable modems precede DSL, actually.

DSL is point-to-point, not a loop like cable modems, so it is not affected by how many subscribers are in the area. It's slow no matter how many people have it.

Cinergy Metronet started in Seymour, In. and is expanding throughout southern Indiana. I hooked up immediately and find it is much faster than the DSL I had through Verizon, though what another said about the weakest link is still true. If your sender is on dialup, your download will be slow no matter what you have...but in situations like updating Ubuntu, I routinely hit 2000 kb down...It WILL spoil you...

Beware! There have been some truly GHASTLY Horror Stories about how FIOS providers (no names provided here!) have RIPPED OUT all of the copper cabling in a home, supposedly -- SUPPOSEDLY! -- to "make room for" the fiber optic cables, thereby rendering the switch PERMANENT and IRREVOCABLE, absolutely without any advance notification or warning that this would happen. Yes, apparently they really are (or, at least they really WERE) as Slimy and as Unscrupulous as all that! Caveat Emptor!

EDITOR'S NOTE: That sounds totally bogus to me. The FIOS box is installed outside the home, and is connected to the home's existing telephone wiring. The Internet/TV connections are made via coax or ethernet cable from the FIOS box to the inside of the home. You'd have to open existing walls to remove the inside phone wiring. There is NO FIBER OPTIC CABLING going into the building, and it wouldn't even make sense to do so.

in ireland we have upto 100meg speed
i was paying for €42 for 30 mb and €56 for the tv
total €98
now i just got a deal where i get 50 mbps the same tv channels and a home fone with free world landl-ine and home land-line calls after 6 pm all for €93 ($130) so now i get the phone and 20mbps extra for €5 less