Considering the essential role the Internet now plays in our everyday lives, it’s easy to see why every telecommunications company in your area might promote new offerings for improved data connectivity and capacity. However, before making any changes to your Internet setup, it’s important to know exactly what you stand to gain.
Because light moves quickly, at around 186,000 miles per second, fiber optic connections aren’t restricted by the same limits imposed by cable and DSL Internet connections. If you’re looking for speed and improved capacity, fiber optic Internet is often the way to go. But your Internet decision-making doesn’t stop there. You’ll also need to determine whether your Internet access should be broadband or dedicated. Let’s take a closer look at the differences between these two options in an effort to make your choice much easier.
Broadband Internet Access (BIA)
Broadband Internet connections refer to shared networks. With broadband, you’ll essentially be sharing your Internet access with your provider’s other customers. While you won’t be required to sacrifice your security with this option, you may very well have to put up with slower speeds (particularly during times of the day when Internet use is more prevalent). This is because the bandwidth for broadband Internet that’s offered to you represents the maximum. In other words, there are no promises that your Internet will actually meet this threshold. Upload speeds also tend to be slower with broadband Internet access. Both of these factors can be immensely frustrating for customers. In addition, broadband Internet service availability can vary greatly based on location, which can make obtaining the proper data connectivity and capacity a challenge for both residential and commercial users.
The upside of broadband, of course, is the cost. Because broadband is extremely affordable, many Internet users are willing to sacrifice potentially higher speeds for greater financial accessibility. Another important point to note is that business customers may experience better results over residential customers with this type of Internet connection. In addition, broadband Internet access can be achieved through a variety of methods; aside from fiber optic connections, options like wireless, satellite, cable, and DSL can also be used, making this a slightly more versatile option for some customers.
Dedicated Internet Access (DIA)
Standing in contrast to broadband access is dedicated access (DIA), which refers to bandwidth that’s specifically set aside for a specific connection. Rather than sharing that connection with others who use the same Internet provider, dedicated Internet customers have their own separate connection — and, therefore, improved and more secure capacity connectivity.
With dedicated access, the amount of bandwidth you’ll receive is guaranteed by your service agreement. In other words, you’ll always have access to the data connectivity and capacity you were initially promised instead of dealing with slow speeds under a maximum cap. Not only will you have a streamlined connection, but you’ll also experience synchronous speeds (which means your download and upload speeds will always be consistent, also called symmetric).
Although dedicated Internet access is a bit more expensive than broadband Internet access, you’ll get a lot more for your investment. Overall, dedicated Internet is far more reliable and secure than broadband. This means that, instead of being held back by Internet limitations, commercial customers can easily teleconference with clients, download important files in less time, and be substantially more productive on a daily basis. And when using a dedicated Internet connection at home, you won’t ever be interrupted or frustrated by slow loading speeds — even during peak usage times.
Fiber Optic Internet Service Providers
With either of these connectivity options, fiber optic Internet can readily be used to access the world wide web. While the choice is entirely up to you, it’s clear that speed, reliability, and security are a major concern for most users. Contact us today to learn whether dedicated Internet access is right for you.
Sources:
https://linkrel.net/r/?A54D4B
https://linkrel.net/r/?55E171
https://linkrel.net/r/?004F5A
