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The Cost For Broadband

When comparing broadband speed there is more than meets the eye. In addition to the monthly charges there could be usage charges, taxes, tariffs, and other fees. For example, telephone lines are subject to a $5-7 per month "Federal Subscriber Line Charge" making shared DSL or cable an attractive alternative to a separate dial-up line.
 

Connection Type

Set-up and Monthly Costs

Connection speeds are shown in Kilobytes (K); the higher the K the faster the connection.  An Internet Service Provider (ISP) is required regardless of the type of connection.

Dial Up
Speed Up to 53k with a 56k modem but often slower.
Setup $50-100 for the line, $30-50 for a dial-up modem.
Monthly

$15-25 for the line, $5-7 Federal Subscriber Line Charge.

ISP $15-25 per month, cheap or free if you don't mind advertising or a limit on your usage. Some free services can alter your system configuration rather drastically so beware.

A dial-up line can take up to a minute to connect.  The modem may disconnect when idle for 5-10 minutes and must re-connect as needed.

Residential
ISDN

Speed 56k or 64k (single channel) or 112k or 128k (dual channel).
Setup $100 and up for the line; $100 and up for a CSU/DSU.  
Monthly

$30-90 depending on "free" minutes plus Federal Subscriber Line Charge. Plus per-minute charges. Daytime rates may be higher.  
ISP $15-25 per month, depending on the carrier.  Not all ISPs support a dual channel connection and some charge extra for ISDN.

ISDN connects quickly and disconnects when idle. You may be charged for each re-connection. Per-minute charges can mount up quickly. 

Residential
DSL

Speed Typically 384k or 768k; sometimes above 1,000k (1mb).  
Setup $100-200 for a line and a DSL "bridge" plus a $30 Ethernet card, however, setup charges are often waived. 
Monthly $40-60 and higher, depending on speed.
ISP Included.  

DSL is not available in all areas or at all speeds. The quality of service can vary depending on your provider.  If you are on the fringe for DSL service you may qualify for IDSL, which runs at 144k and costs considerably more than regular DSL.

TV Cable

Speed Ranges from .5 Mb to 1 Mb and often much higher.
Setup May be free to $100 or more for installation. Cable mModem may be rented or purchased separately.
Monthly $40 and up if you have a cable TV account, more if you do not.
ISP May be included. You may pay more to use your own ISP.

Cable service can be blazingly fast but can degrade drastically if many users are on line. Consider renting your cable modem from the cable company. If your modem cannot be updated by the cable company you will have to replace it.

This information is provided for your convenience. We make no claims for its accuracy, its reliability, or its completeness. Please use your discretion and common sense when making any type of buying decision and when dealing with computer professionals, retailers, and service providers.

www.PlanetEagle.Com   08/21/2002