Telephone landlines are quickly becoming a thing of the past for most home users. You no longer need to use a landline to connect to the Internet because there are several other ways to access the Web.
Although some Internet service providers, like dial-up and some DSL providers, still offer Internet access via a phone-line connection, other ISPs have discontinued this service due to the high number of home residents without a landline.
Traditionally, Internet access was available through a dial-up Internet connection, which required your computer modem to dial a server–this, in turn, connected you to the Internet. When you were connected, the entire phone line was taken up by Internet use, forcing you to wait to make calls. Dial-up connections were, and still are, slow and unpredictable when it comes to sharing large amounts of information via the computer.
Maximum speeds of dial-up Internet remain around 56Kbps, or less, in many cases. The significance of this first connection to the Internet has forced many to find cheaper and faster methods in which to connect. This has led us to the creation of DSL, cable modems, satellite modem, and even Wi-Fi. All of these methods allow you to get the Internet with or without a phone line.
DSL Broadband
First, there is DSL, which does require a land line phone line, but unlike the dial-up connections, it does not interfere with incoming and outgoing calls. DSL broadband connections use the same copper wire the phone company sends to your home for voice communications.
However, the difference with DSL — and thus, the reason you can use the Internet and telephone at the same time while connected — is that DSL broadband uses the extra bandwidth, or range of frequencies in the copper wire, to connect you to the Internet.
Though consumers have always assumed you need to have a phone line in order to obtain a DSL connection, this principle no longer applies.
DSL companies have devised a way to separate the actual Internet portion of DSL broadband from the phone line, even though the same copper wire is used to deliver the Internet connection to your home. But because you can now order DSL broadband without a phone line, this is known as “naked DSL” and allows you to save money over traditional DSL with a phone line subscription.
Cable Broadband
Second is cable, which is provided by your cable company on the same coaxial wires that run your cable television stations. Nearly 100 times faster than dial-up and speedier than DSL, cable broadband work by placing both downstream and upstream data on the same coaxial cable as your TV programming.
When you’re looking at a coaxial cable, Internet data appears just as any other television station because both downstream data and television channels can fit into a 6 Megahertz channel on the cable. Upstream data takes up even less room.
If you want cable broadband, you’ll pay anywhere from $20 to $50 on average, depending on who your cable provider is and the speeds you’re paying for. All of your cable Internet can be delivered without a phone line, however, so paying for a phone subscription is not needed. Still, most cable broadband providers offer to “bundle” their Internet service along with digital TV programming and/or a phone package for a lower price than if you paid for each service separately.
Satellite Internet
Last is satellite, which requires a dish to be installed in your yard or on your roof. You can subscribe to satellite Internet without a phone line as well. Major providers of satellite Internet in the United States include WildBlue and HughesNet. Satellite Internet is usually very costly, around $30 to $50 on average for only around 1.0 to 1.5Mbps in download speeds.
Wireless Internet
Wireless broadband Internet may also be an option if you don’t want a phone line. For example, an increasing number of local WiMAX providers are offering residential wireless broadband into the home, a purported faster connection method than both DSL and cable broadband. On your laptop or mobile phone, you can use a free WiFi Internet connection at an available hotspot.
If you’re using a mobile device or notebook computer with a built-in WiFi feature, you’ll be able to access the Internet in a variety of places. Many coffee shops, airports, public libraries and hotels offer free or paid access to a high-speed Internet connection through WiFi.
You can also purchase a WiFi subscription service through your mobile phone carrier. For a specific fee, a service agreement and a compatible Internet plan, you’ll have the chance to browse the web and perform many of your regular online tasks. Buy a WiFi mobile PC Card from your cellular provider and insert it into your notebook computer. Depending on the coverage area, you’ll have access to the Internet on the go and in your home when you need it.
Choosing an Internet Service
When considering how you want to connect to the Internet and if you plan on having a land line phone, weigh the pros and cons as well as the costs associated with each. When calculating the total cost, include any upfront fee as well as ongoing fees or add-on products. For example, subscribing to satellite Internet without a phone line might involve upfront installation fees so that a technician can install the dish outside your home.
Make a decision as to what type of Internet connection you’d like to have. You’ll still be able to select a high-speed Internet connection that doesn’t require a standard phone line. Depending on your location, you’ll be able to subscribe to a cable Internet plan or even naked DSL if you want Internet without the phone line.
In areas that don’t have this type of service available, you may also get a satellite Internet service. Satellite Internet connections do have their drawbacks, however. Satellite Internet works just like your satellite television connection, however, you may experience a loss of signal during storms or other bad weather.
When it comes right down to it, a variety of ways exist through which you can get the Internet without a phone line. In addition to weighing the pros and cons and costs of each type of service, you need to consider your specific location. The best way to approach it is to conduct thorough research and write down all the Internet Service Providers in your immediate area.
Then, you must narrow it down in terms of the quality of Internet packages, comparing the speeds that each provider offers against the package prices. Once you’ve decided, you can simply call the customer service number for the Internet provider you’ve selected, order the service and set a date for installation.
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