The most widely available broadband options leverage the copper wire networks of the telephone and cable operators. VDSL is a faster variant of the older DSL broadband offered by telephone companies. Both types of network providers are investing in bringing higher bandwidth fiber optic cables closer to homes. Cell phone and satellite carriers offer truly mobile Internet services, but generally with less reliability than cabled networks. Broadband over power lines is a new option beginning to take hold in Europe.
Actual speeds achieved vary with the technology and by the degree to which an Internet Service Provider’s capacity has been sold (or oversold). Older DSL can deliver download speeds of approximately 7M bits per second, while newer ADSL is able to achieve 24M. Cable providers typically offer businesses 50K bits per second, while offering rates of 2-10M to consumers. Cellular Internet speeds vary with the speed at which the device is moving: approaching 400K at rest or pedestrian speeds and dropping below 200K bits per second in a moving vehicle. Satellite broadband available to consumers can deliver approximately 4M bits per second, but at a higher cost and with greater latency than DSL and cable offerings.
