By Mike Lee

CABLE, mobile and ADSL broadband are the three main ways to get on the Internet.

ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line), uses existing phone lines for broadband access. Cable broadband uses the same television cable infrastructure to pipe the bits to you, while mobile broadband rides the same airwaves as mobile phones.

If you are a newbie, how would you choose which technology to use?

First, decide whether you want a fixed or mobile broadband connection.

ADSL and cable, falling under fixed broadband, is suitable for most home users.

Mobile broadband is for users who want to stay online even when outside of the home.

Once you have decided on either fixed or mobile broadband, start comparing numbers.

Speed thrills

The first obvious one is access speed. Cable broadband services are the champs now, with speeds of up to 100Mbps (megabits per second).

While 15Mbps ADSL plans may seem slow in comparison, note that 100Mbps cable users do not always cruise at full speed - some sites may be connected to the Internet via, say, a 5Mbps pipe, which limits the speed you can download pages from them.

Ditto if any of the Internet "highways" plying between your house and the remote site happen to be congested with traffic.

Also, broadband plans with the highest speeds are meant more for households or individuals with heavy broadband usage.

For e-mail and the occasional YouTube video, entry-level plans would probably be better.

Cost issue

As expected, faster plans are more expensive. In addition, they may require more expensive modems to deliver the higher surfing speeds.

Your existing computing hardware may also have to be upgraded.

Consider whether any installation is needed for the type of fixed broadband connection you choose. For instance, additional wiring may be required.

Where you place the fixed broadband equipment in your house will affect the ease of Internet access, although this can be circumvented with Wi-Fi equipment.

Mobile broadband, in contrast, works independently of the existing phone line or cable infrastructure in your house. You just need to be where there is mobile phone signal coverage.

Simply plug in a USB modem into your desktop or notebook to start surfing.

Mobile broadband can also be a good alternative to free or paid Wi-Fi, as these may not provide the same coverage in suburban areas.

During Comex, you can expect service providers to dangle various promotional packages to lure customers.

It is not unusual for people to sign up for new service contracts because of the bundled gifts or discounts on items like desktop PCs and netbooks.

There are also deals that package services like TV and voice-calls alongside broadband connection.

Choosing from these array of deals can be a confusing task.

If you are a gamer, go for the fastest wired connection. For those on-the-go, a mobile broadband subscription is a good choice..

For the rest, a wired Internet connection with a 10Mbps speed would do fine for e-mail, watching YouTube videos or posting photos on Flickr.

Some of you may be wondering about the latest high-speed fibre-optic broadband development.

However, this will only start next year. Ninety-five per cent of homes and buildings are expected to be covered by 2012.

Until then, it is a toss-up between ADSL, cable and mobile broadband.

This story was first published in The Straits Times Digital Life.

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