Advantages of Cable Internet Technology

Many people swear by their cable Internet service and would never dream of changing. What's so good about cable broadband, and why do people love it so much? Here are eight advantages of cable broadband Internet that keep its users coming back for more month after month and year after year:

Availability

Cable Internet service is available in many areas – particularly larger metropolitan areas – making it a common-sense choice for many. Cable broadband is said to be available to between 80 and 85 percent of Internet users.

Speed

While actual speeds tend not to be nearly as high as the theoretical speeds claimed by cable Internet providers (for a number of reasons), cable broadband technology offers upstream (upload) speeds that are comparable to DSL and downstream (download) speeds that can be somewhat higher than DSL. (DSL speeds can, however, vary and are dependent, to a certain degree, on whether the service is symmetrical or asymmetrical.)

Convenience

Most households already have cable TV services installed, making it that much easier to use the same cable technology for Internet access. While many customers pay for professional installation, that fact might be considered part of the convenience of the service, since it means they don't have to figure out how to install the service themselves.

Another aspect of convenience is that cable technology allows simultaneous use of both cable Internet and cable TV services (just as DSL technology allows simultaneous use of DSL Internet and the telephone line to which the technology is connected). Anyone who has used dial-up knows what a godsend simultaneous use can be.

Continuous Access

Cable broadband offers a continuous connection to the Internet. It isn't necessary to log on and off, a factor that can considerably increase the speed at which data can be accessed and/or downloaded since it is always on. This can also maximize the value and practicality of real-time monitoring of social media, news, personal and business communications, and other online information about real-world events.

Non-Dependency on Telephone Technology

With the widespread use of cell phones today, many people consider a landline to be redundant and unnecessary, and they enjoy the freedom of foregoing that extra monthly expense. Because cable Internet service is not dependent on a telephone line for access, as DSL broadband is, cable is the Internet service of choice for many.

Reliability

Because it is not affected by changes in weather (as satellite service might be affected) or by radio-wave interference (as fixed or mobile wireless services might) or by the distance away from the central office (as DSL service might), cable broadband Internet service is a highly dependable method for accessing the Internet.

VoIP Capability

Like other forms of broadband, cable Internet service offers VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) capabilities, allowing users to access the Internet for voice communications, which, traditionally, were only available through conventional telephone services.

Price

While professional installation can sometimes be required, cable service pricing is comparable to DSL and can sometimes be less expensive than other broadband Internet service types when bundled with other cable TV services.

Cable broadband Internet offers subscribers many advantages that make it one of the most popular Internet technologies available to the general public today.

  Sam Jones

About the Guest Author:

Sam Jones, the author, has been researching broadband without phone line options as he doesn't really need to pay for a phone line as well.