Anybody with DSL in Baltimore? Verizon vs Earthlink

[letterbox]

I've seen a few threads on whether dsl or cable is better, but none addressing high speed internet specifically in Baltimore.

I'm curious if anybody has either verizon or earthlink DSL in Baltimore city, or if they did have it and switched to comcast.

I won't be having cable tv so the cost of cable internet is kinda high for me.

Thanks,
Jay

[Chip NoVaMac]

Cable can provide greater speed depending on your neighborhood than DSL.

[applekid]

Well, I live in Columbia, MD and I have Verizon DSL. I get about 90 KB/sec download and 16 KB/sec upload (don't know what that would be in Mbps or Kilobits per second). I hear Comcast gives people a 4 MBit line, but I'm pretty sure you share that with the neighborhood.

Any particular reason you need a high-speed connection? I think 20 KB/sec download is sufficient if you're doing some web-surfing and e-mail. Of course for gaming, you'd probably want my speeds or better.

BTW, I hope you know Verizon DSL may go under. They say they have about 2 million customers currently, but require 4 million to create revenue. If you plan on getting it, you'll have to enjoy what's left of it, that is if it really does go under. I may end up going Comcast or SBC Yahoo! DSL if Verizon DSL goes under.

[Chip NoVaMac]

Originally Posted by applekid

Well, I live in Columbia, MD and I have Verizon DSL. I get about 90 KB/sec download and 16 KB/sec upload (don't know what that would be in Mbps or Kilobits per second). I hear Comcast gives people a 4 MBit line, but I'm pretty sure you share that with the neighborhood.

Any particular reason you need a high-speed connection? I think 20 KB/sec download is sufficient if you're doing some web-surfing and e-mail. Of course for gaming, you'd probably want my speeds or better.

BTW, I hope you know Verizon DSL may go under. They say they have about 2 million customers currently, but require 4 million to create revenue. If you plan on getting it, you'll have to enjoy what's left of it, that is if it really does go under. I may end up going Comcast or SBC Yahoo! DSL if Verizon DSL goes under.

I have Cox in Fairfax County Virginia, and get upto 700K....

[letterbox]

I primarily need it to be able to download software updates and to be online w/o tying up my phone. I will be a graphic design student, I'm not sure how much this will affect things though. As it is, dial-up renders my iDisk practically useless as it takes an age to upload even smallish files (as expected).

[Chip NoVaMac]

Originally Posted by letterbox

I primarily need it to be able to download software updates and to be online w/o tying up my phone. I will be a graphic design student, I'm not sure how much this will affect things though. As it is, dial-up renders my iDisk practically useless as it takes an age to upload even smallish files (as expected).

If you are on Comcast, they are a rip-off IMO. the way they do things, DSL is not much better.

[applekid]

Originally Posted by Chip NoVaMac

If you are on Comcast, they are a rip-off IMO. the way they do things, DSL is not much better.

How so? The schools in the county use Comcast. People I know that have digital cable and HDTVs all use Comcast (crazy upper-class kids. Meh.). They were making a big deal when Comcast installed 4 MBit lines everywhere. But downloads range from 200 KiB to 400 KiB. Seem like a popular rip-off.

I don't know of many broadband services in the neighborhood, so I really can' tell.

But, I will say Comcast gets outages often. That partly convinced me to get Verizon. Even though, I heard Verizon had some problems early on.

Check Broadbandreports.com.