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The "World Wide Wait" is over. Small- to medium-sized businesses can get Internet access that’s 10 to 100 times the speed of their standard telephone modems at a fraction of the cost of a fiber-optic line, which just a short time ago was their only alternative.
The Internet has become an integral part of day-to-day operations for businesses large and small. But it’s common for small- to medium-sized businesses to connect to the Internet via standard telephone modem and a dial-up account. Unfortunately, these Model-T type connection speeds are maddeningly slow in a world of instantaneous communications.
Today cable modems, DSL (digital subscriber line) technology and satellite systems all provide speedy access for under $150 a month. And in addition to speed, you eliminate that aggravating dial-up. All three alternatives can be "always on." Following is a discussion of the options available and the costs involved.
The Cable Access Alternative
Cable Internet access is obtained through the same coaxial cable that delivers the television signal. Theoretically, a cable system using a high-speed digital modem can transmit data more than 100 times faster than a 56 kilobit per second (kbps) telephone modem. Practically speaking, the top speed is 8 megabits per second with users most likely to experience speeds in the 400 kbps to 700 kbps range. But that’s still more than 10 times faster than an analog telephone modem.
However, the top speed usually is achieved only downstream — when downloading data. When files are being uploaded from a computer, the top upstream speed is 768 kbps, with users typically seeing about half that speed, roughly 300 to 400 kbps.
Cable access in San Diego County is offered by Cox Communications/Cox@Work (www.cox.com/SanDiego/BusinessServices/), Time Warner Cable/Road Runner (www.rr.com/ — click on Member Services) and Daniels Cablevision/I-Net Express (www.dciexpress.com/). Those with a home office and an existing cable television account can add Internet access for about $40 to $50 a month.
Here's how Cox@Work gets businesses on the Internet.
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Basic business service begins at $80 to $100 a month for a single computer, and includes cable television service. For more computers, the cost goes up accordingly. Installation runs $100 to $400, depending on whether you purchase or lease the cable modem. (Note: The Daniels Cablevision system is limited to download only and requires a standard telephone modem for uploading e-mail and data files.)
Cable is a good value, if it’s available. However, most commercial buildings are not wired for it. Those who want the service but work in an unwired office must pay some or all of the installation costs. That can run anywhere from a few hundred dollars to several thousand. (Contact your local cable company to evaluate your specific situation.)
The Rush Of DSL
Digital subscriber line technology, or DSL, enables high-speed data transmission over ordinary copper telephone lines. Speeds of up to 7 megabits per second (mbps) are possible. Depending upon the setup, the same phone line also may be used simultaneously for telephone calls or fax transmissions, eliminating the need for multiple lines.
In San Diego, DSL is available from a number of providers. Atop the heap is Pacific Bell (www.pacbell.net/), which controls most of the county's telephone infrastructure. Competing providers, which typically lease lines from Pacific Bell and may co-locate their equipment in Pacific Bell's central offices, include Rhythms Net Connections (www.rhythms.net), CTSNet (cts.com), ADNC (adnc.com), A+Net (abac.com), ConnectNet (connectnet.com), CTSnet (ctsnet.com), Covad Communications (covad.com), Internet Express (internetexpress.com) and others.
As with cable, availability is not ubiquitous because telephone system upgrades are not complete and because DSL is limited to a radius of roughly three to four miles from a central office. Beyond that, data transmission speeds can slow to 128 to 384 kbps.
Availability is not a problem in the central San Diego area, but in the outlying areas DSl service may be restricted or unavailable until Pacific Bell completes its upgrades.
For a small business, the cost of basic DSL service, including Internet access fees, can be under $100 a month for a 384/128 kbps connection. Higher speeds are available at greater cost. Installation fees start at about $300 and may exceed $1,200, depending on the level of service. Discounts and fee waivers are given for multiyear contracts.
When evaluating the various DSl services, be sure to consider all the features being offered, as well as the price differences. For example, are Internet access fees included or are they extra? Is domain hosting available? If so, how many e-mail accounts are included? Is Web hosting included? If so, how much disk space is allotted?
Also, determine whether the service is ADSL (asynchronous) or SDSL (synchronous). With ADSL, the upstream speed is significantly lower than the downstream speed. With SDSL, the upstream and downstream speeds are identical. SDSL will cost more, but if you need the upstream capacity it may be worth it.
DSL Vs. Cable
Those with the luxury of being able to choose between cable and DSL should note there are significant differences. The cost of DSL compared to cable is likely to be higher based on the actual transmission speeds. That said, because of the heated competition in the DSL arena — unlike cable, which currently is a monopoly — expect continued pressure to reduce prices and/or expand services.
Also, there are advantages to DSL over cable. Chief among them are that DSL uses existing copper telephone lines, it has consistent data transmission speeds, and it may be used for private point-to-point networks that bypass the public Internet network.
In addition, a DSL connection is a private virtual circuit, whereas cable access functions like a local area network and is shared with one's neighbors. Data transmission speeds slow down as more people come online.
DSL, on the other hand, is a dedicated connection and the speed is unaffected. In fact, DSL providers are required by law to maintain their published minimum speeds, reports Maurice Luque, a Pacific Bell spokesman. The cable companies are not similarly regulated.
Bill Geppart, vice president and general manager of Cox
Communications in San Diego, acknowledges the potential for slowdowns in the cable system. If it becomes a problem, he says, additional nodes will be installed to increase the system's capacity.
Cable system architecture also raises security issues, because the same signal is sent to all subscribers tied to the same node. DSL does not carry this security risk because the connection is dedicated, not shared.
That said, Cox Communication's Roger Kain says the problem is moot because the typical Motorola cable modem is now equipped with 48-bit DES encryption and the deciphering keys are only shared between the cable head and individual modems.
On The Satellite Beam
If neither cable nor DSL service is available, a business or home with a southerly exposure can consider satellite Internet access. However, it has a maximum download speed of 400 kbps and has no upload capability. For that users rely on a telephone modem.
Hughes Network Systems' DirecPC (www.direcpc.com) may be the most practical supplier. The business service starts at $130 for 200 hours per month. The DirecPC satellite dish and PC Card receiver costs about $299, but may be less with rebate offers.
Making The Final Decision
What’s best for your business? First, determine which options are available, then do some shopping around for the best deal. Just remember to compare apples to apples. Where DSL is concerned, this will likely take some digging and number crunching, but it'll be worth the time invested once you are spending less time doing the "World Wide Wait."
Larry M Edwards is a new-media consultant and the author of the "Official Netscape Internet Business Starter Kit." He can be reached online at: larry@larryedwards.com
or www.larryedwards.com
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