PNN Online: Technology: Tech Notes: Bridging the Internet's last mile, Part Three

Oct. 21, 1999

Bridging the Internet's last mile, Part Three

By Shane Thacker

(This is the third in a special three-part report on current Internet connection services. The Oct. 19 report reviewed telephone modem and ISDN services. The Oct. 20 report reviewed cable modem and DSL connections, with price and speed comparisons.)

Conclusion

So what is the best access option for a small organization? The answer to that question depends on the needs of the particular organization and its location. Each organization will have different requirements as to the amount of bandwidth it requires as well as what it can pay. Also, geographic availability may dictate the choice for organizations not located in the perfect position to have access to all.

When choosing a form of Internet access, remember that each option is just that: one among many. There are new forms of access not covered here, such as satellite (available everywhere with a clear view of the southern sky) and high-speed wireless access (available in a few locations).

Organizations may find that older business-oriented solutions are available and affordable, such as T1, Fractional T1 (where the organization only pays for part of the bandwidth), dedicated phone lines or frame relay.

Except for cable access, many ISPs will offer some or all of these options. Talking to a trustworthy ISP, along with other organizations that have traveled a similar path already, can help make the choices more clear.

Also, after making a choice, ISPs can often make all the arrangements for the kind of service requested by an organization, even putting it all on one bill.

While the wide range of choices for high-speed access may be confusing, for many smaller organizations they may mean the difference between the Internet as a useful tool and the Internet as a time-consuming chore.

Things to remember when choosing a connection

The Internet will only get more bandwidth-intensive over time. While it is not difficult to choose a new method of accessing the Internet, it is usually best to find an option that is scalable to your needs.
Not all ISPs support all of these technologies. Check with yours.
Talk to your ISP, on an informed basis, about the connection you need. They hook people up every day.
Download and upload speeds are usually not the same. Slow upload speeds will not matter as much if you are only using the connection for Web surfing and e-mail, but if you send large files or maintain a Web site over your connection upload speed may be a concern.
Talk to others about their connections and ISPs. See if they are satisfied with their service.
The rates listed for each option are basic single-user rates. Most access providers have different plans for different organizations, and rates can vary wildly between two providers. Shop around.
The rates listed do not include the cost of equipment needed to take advantage of each option. There is special equipment required to hook a high-speed connection to a Local Area Network, for instance. At the least, many options require an Ethernet card. Check for set-up fees and equipment costs when shopping.
Fast connections can be slowed by bottlenecks in the system. As a practical matter, many computers have upper limits to the rate information can be input. Also, if your ISP does not have a high-bandwidth connection to the Internet, then you will not see many advantages in a higher speed.