Cable internet broadband uses cable television infrastructure to deliver high-speed internet and grant internet access to homes and offices. Similar to the digital subscriber line (DSL), cable internet uses copper cables that deliver data by converting them into high-frequency electrical signals and transmitting them with low loss.
Advantages and disadvantages of cable internet
Benefits
- Easily accessible
Location or distance from a service provider is not a constraint with cable internet as it uses already existing TV infrastructure. Many states across the country already have an impressive cable infrastructure that boosts connectivity. Therefore, you can get reliable and fast connectivity through cable internet at almost any location.
- Higher internet speed
With the present technology, cable internet provides uninterrupted, higher, and better internet access, supporting relatively high upload and download speeds.
- Low latency
cable internet provides a steady and fast internet connection, considerably reducing latency and connectivity issues. With the elimination of location constraints, data connectivity is much faster than fixed wireless or satellite internet.
Limitations
- Affected by electromagnetic interference
Electrical signals are used to transmit data in cable internet, which can be easily affected by any electromagnetic interference, especially in an industrial area. This could repeatedly result in connectivity problems and slow internet connection. Furthermore, it uses coaxial cables, which may not be a viable option as modes of data transmission evolve in the future.
- Lower availability of internet providers
With coaxial infrastructure being replaced with better connectivity options, the number of internet service providers offering cable internet services has drastically reduced. This leaves you with a very small number of reliable service providers.
Difference between fiber internet and cable internet
- Structure
cable internet uses coaxial cables that transmits data by converting it into high-frequency electrical signals. The coaxial cable consists of a copper core insulated with an outer plastic layer, a copper shield, and aluminum on the inside. On the other hand, fiber-optic connection uses fiber-optic cable that consists of plastic or glass that transmit data as modulated light. Data is transmitted at a high speed over long distances through these thin strands of fiber. Owing to the complexity of installing a fiber-optic connection, it is expensive. On the other hand, cable internet is easier to install and cheaper as it leverages existing infrastructure, making it popular among the two. However, a fiber-optic connection provides better connectivity and higher speed with low latency.
- Availability
The coverage of cable internet is approximately 89% across the country, making it easily accessible almost anywhere. A television network is all it takes to have a cable internet connection. Fiber connection is perfect for businesses in metropolitan cities, as you have high usage as well as availability. However, it is currently available only in approximately 25% of locations across the country. Therefore, even if you have the pockets to afford it, there’s a slim chance that you will be able to find an internet service provider that offers fiber-optic connection.
- Reliability
While electromagnetic interference affects cable internet, you will experience problems with it only if you live in a locality where there are frequent electricity problems or power outages. However, a fiber internet connection uses modulated light to transmit data and is unaffected by electromagnetic interference. This makes it more reliable than cable internet, providing uninterrupted and high-speed internet at all times.
- Speed
Speed is one of the decisive differences between cable internet and fiber-optic internet connection. While the former provides you with a download speed ranging from 10 to 500 Mbps, the latter gives you a download speed ranging from 215 to 1000 Mbps. Similarly, cable internet provides an upload speed between 5 and 50 Mbps, while fiber-optic internet connection gives you an upload speed between 250 and 1000 Mbps. Furthermore, if the internet connection has too many users on board at the same time, then a reduction of about 25% in speed can be expected for a cable internet connection. However, a fiber internet connection guarantees unperturbed, consistent high-speed internet connectivity, no matter the number of people using the network at any given time.
- Cost
cable internet is cheaper, and this is one of the biggest reasons why it is very popular as compared to fiber internet. Although fiber-optic prices have come down considerably of late, it is still expensive as compared to cable internet. Moreover, with cable internet, one can opt for a combined television and internet package, which further brings down the cost. In the case of fiber-optic internet, the cost of internet connectivity depends on several factors such as location, usage, and speed. Additionally, installation and activation fees may also be charged separately.
Businesses should opt for fiber-optic internet connection as they need faster, reliable, and uninterrupted internet connections. However, for home users, cable internet is the best choice for its ease of installation, consistent good speed, and affordability. While its internet speed is highly incomparable to a fiber-optic connection, it is sufficient for the data demand of a household.
Pros and cons of cable internet for the consumer
Pros:
- It uses existing TV infrastructure, reducing the complexity of installation, which further reduces cost.
- It provides internet speed that can rival fiber-optic internet connection, thus being an affordable alternative
- Its installation, as well as subscription cost, could come down significantly if one opts for a TV + internet package
Cons:
- Speed could reduce drastically if too many users are online at the same time, especially during peak hours
- Upload speeds are not comparable to download speeds and thus, the preference can be usage-based
- Connectivity is affected by electromagnetic interference resulting in unreliable and at times reduced internet speed
Top cable internet providers in the country
Although there is a wide range of cable internet providers in the market, picking the one that best suits your requirements can be difficult. It happens very rarely that an area has only one internet service provider, this can make arriving at a conclusion a bit of a task. So, here’s the list of the top internet service providers in the country to help you pick an internet service provider as per your home or office space requirements.
- Xfinity
Xfinity Internet Services by Comcast has a presence in over 41 states in the country. It provides an internet speed ranging from 15 Mbps to 2 Gbps and the monthly charges start from USD 39.99. To get the most economical plan by this internet service provider, you can go for their USD 39.99 plan, which gives internet speed of 200 Mbps. This plan is more economical than the USD 49.99 plan, which gives internet speed of 15 Mbps. Also, you can opt for Xfinity’s mobile subscribers. For its mobile subscription that offers unlimited talk time, texts, and data at just USD 45/month.
- AT&T Internet
AT&T is among the oldest telecom companies in the country. It offers three simple plans named Internet 100, Internet 300, and Internet 1000. The plan names are based on the internet speed these plans offer. With the Internet 100 plan, you get an internet speed of 100 Mbps. Similarly, with the Internet 300 plan, you get an internet speed of 300 Mbps, and with the Internet 1000 plan, you can enjoy an internet speed of up to 1 Gbps. With the top plan, there is a capping of 1TB data and for the first year, all the plans are available at USD 49.99. Therefore, customers can enjoy high-speed internet in the first 12 months at no additional costs. Customers can also opt for the AT&T Prepaid Mastercard, which is offered at USD 100 along with plans that offer an internet speed that is above 25 Mbps when ordered online. AT&T is also the best option for people who do not wish to spend a lot on internet connectivity. Such customers can easily opt for plans that provide an internet speed of up to 5 Mbps. The company has been consistently and zealously providing its cable internet service to almost 15.7 million customers.
- Charter Spectrum
Charter Spectrum offers just one internet plan that costs USD 49.99 per month and offers an internet speed starting at 100 Mbps along with a free modem. However, it offers no capping whatsoever on your data usage. If you wish to triple your internet speed to 300 Mbps, then you will have to shell out an extra USD 20 per month. You can go further and avail of internet speed of up to 940 Mbps, with an additional cost of USD 60 per month. No matter which internet plan you opt for, Charter Spectrum has no cap on your data usage. Moreover, every plan is inclusive of a free modem and antivirus.
- Frontier communications
Setting its foot into the rural areas of the US, Frontier Communication offers cable, fiber, and DSL internet connections. It offers its services to regions that do not have good internet service providers. The monthly plans start at USD 27.99 and offer internet speed of up to 6 Mbps. The plan goes up to USD 44.99 a month and offers a maximum speed of 45 Mbps.
- Verizon
Verizon Fios became one of the first internet providers that offer fiber-optic connections in the US. It has only three plans for its customers. These are available at USD 39.99, USD 59.99, and USD 79.99 a month. At these costs, the internet speeds offered are 200 Mbps, 400 Mbps, and 940 Mbps, respectively.
Every plan comes with additional bonuses. For a small duration, all plans offer Disney Plus for free. In addition to this, the 940 Mbps plan also includes a router for free. If you go for the wireless plan by Verizon, you can end up saving USD 20 a month. In addition to providing a reliable internet connection at competitive prices, Verizon Fios has also been able to manage to keep its customers satisfied.
- CenturyLink
If you have been looking for a comparatively cheaper option, you can go for CenturyLink. It offers lucrative packages that combine TV and internet subscriptions. However, that does not mean that it is compulsory to shell out extra money for subscriptions that you don’t want. Customers who want to go for internet-only packages can get plans that offer high Internet speeds of up to 1 Gbps. The prices start at USD 49 a month and offer 100 Mbps speed. You can opt for the USD 65 internet plan, wherein you get internet speed of up to 940 Mbps. One additional benefit offered with the 100 Mbps plan is that the customer can stick with the pricing for the entire duration of the plan.
- Cox Internet
Cox Internet offers multiple internet connection packages with varying internet speeds and subscription costs. The USD 19.99 per month plan offers an internet speed of 10 Mbps, which can be further increased to 50 Mbps at an additional cost of USD 20. If you opt for the USD 59.99 per month plan, you get an internet speed of 150 Mbps. On adding an extra USD 20 to this plan, you can get internet speed of up to 500 Mbps. Cox Internet further offers a 1 Gbps internet speed plan for USD 99.99 a month.
