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Home Comcast Speeds vs. T1 Connections

Comcast Speeds vs. T1 Connections

Deciding between a Comcast cable modem or a T1 connection can be complicated for today's Internet users, whether they use the Internet for applications from home, for small business, or larger companies. Each type of connection offers unique benefits to consider. Here's a comparison of the two.

Review of T1 Connections

T1 service providers offer 1.544 Mbps download and upload speeds to their customers via a dedicated, point-to-point, or integrated connection to a digital circuit. T1 speeds are consistent no matter what time of day it is or how many people are accessing a provider's network. This equates to consistency for T1 users - particularly for companies and small businesses that host their own websites or use VPN.

Integrated T1 connections are very popular with businesses because companies can run several services - local and long distance telephone, Internet, and VoIP - over a single circuit at the same time. T1 connections also allow for a static IP address - vital to many business websites.

However, T1 connections can be significantly more expensive than a Comcast broadband or wideband connection. Monthly service fees can range from $500 to $1,000 per month, an investment that can be worthwhile to businesses - especially considering upload speeds - but often out of range for the typical home or home office user.

Review of Comcast Cable Modem Connections

Comcast has long offered high-speed broadband connections with 6 Mbps download and 1 Mbps upload speeds; but with the advent of DOCSIS 3.0 technology, Comcast cable modems can now access the Internet at wideband speeds as high as 50 Mbps at affordable prices. Currently, Comcast wideband reaches 30 percent of its customers and should extend to a full 65 percent of its customer base by the end of 2009. And substantially faster wideband speeds are expected by 2013.

Comcast's Extreme 50 wideband package with 50 Mbps download and 10 Mbps upload speeds is priced at $139.95 per month. The company's Ultra wideband package, featuring 22 Mbps/5 Mbps download/upload speeds is priced at only $62.95 per month. Plus customers can enjoy additional savings by bundling their Internet service with Comcast's digital television and digital voice offerings. This can mean impressive savings over the cost of T1 connections.

It's important to consider, however, that cable modem connection speeds can be decreased by several factors. Since users connect to the Internet through a shared line, many people in a given area will be connected to the same Internet access line simultaneously. The more people online at any given time, the slower the connection will be. Also, most cable connection do not allow for static IP addresses, a drawback to businesses hosting their own websites.

Any More Questions?

Do you have more questions about cable Internet services? Check out our Questions & Answers area. You can also surf to our Cable Modem Message Board page to discuss your questions directly with other prospective and active cable modem users.

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