If you’re on the market for the latest and greatest Internet connection, but are on the fence in determining which of the competing champs to choose, start by asking yourself a few basic questions. What is most important to you about your connection to the World Wide Web and the technology used to implement it?

Depending on who you talk to, either one of the two competing technologies could make sense. An Internet connection through a digital subscriber line (DSL) travels over copper telephone lines, from the residence of a subscriber to the central telephone office (CO) and back. A cable high-speed Internet connection carries transmission signals over cable TV lines. The terms broadband (cable) and high-speed Internet are synonymous. Named for carrying a high rate of data, high-speed Internet generally has the capacity for carrying a minimum of 256 Mbps. DSL download speeds commonly round out at around 128 Mbps, based on the quality of the network.

DSL customers are susceptible to more service interruptions as the data transmission is vulnerable to the constraints of telephone lines with limited bandwidths. This is why some providers of DSL will make the availability of a backup dial-up connection part of their incentive package. With a cable high-speed Internet service connection, the utilization of the coaxial cable and modem provides a significantly greater bandwidth than telephone lines and results in a brazenly fast Web connection.

Equipment necessary to connect each service will typically be a modem. Many take advantage of the hassle-free ease and convenience of leasing the modem for a nominal monthly charge. With recent advancements in technology, it has become increasingly less complex for consumers to get connected without professional assistance. High speed Internet service providers are including Self-Install kits along with their modems for a user-friendly tutorial on setting up shop. The Self-Install kits include an Installation Wizard CD which walks the subscriber through the step-by-step process of connecting and installing the required software.

As the advent of the cable TV superhighway phenomenon continues to grow, still more emerging technologies can be expected in the next generation of multimedia platforms. On deck is the bundling of voice, data and video services; the idea being to offer consumers an exceptional value and an affordable alternative to paying for each service individually.

In sum, in order to make an informed decision between DSL and cable high-speed Internet, be sure to find out which is available in your community. The choice may already be made for you if your neighborhood is rural and only one is available. Remember: DSL is not as widely available as cable high-speed Internet. If DSL is available but your residence is a great distance from the phone company’s CO, you may often experience performance degradation and other interruptions in service. And, there is also the possibility that your phone line will refuse! Rest assured, if your voice line is non-DSL-functioning, you can get a cable connection which will be faster, cheaper and ready for tomorrow’s upgrades.