As many people ditch dial-up and search for a new online provider, many ask themselves if they should get DSL or Cable. Is DSL, offered by a the phone company, a better deal than cable? We’ll uncover the details so you can decide for yourself.

DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) has been the connection method for millions of users on the Web; but Cable has finally edged out DSL last week. Traditionally, DSL is offered by telephone companies and cable is offered by cable companies.

There is a lot of ads, propaganda and misconceptions floating around that state DSL is better (or worse) than Cable. We’d like to help set it straight

It’s true that DSL lines are private, dedicated lines from the telephone company providing stable and constant bandwith. DSL works off the existing phone lines you have installed, and require the use of a DSL Modem. DSL typically reaches speeds of 768 Kilobits all the way up to 7 Megabits per second.

It’s also true that Cable lines are shared — though securely — with your neighborhood and bandwidth may fluctuate. Cable works off the existing cable lines and require a Cable Modem to operate. Cable typically reaches speeds of 1 Megabits all the way up to 16 Megabits per second.

Should you get cable because it’s faster? Not necessarily.

Let’s take a look at the price for performance:

Cable Vs. DSL, Cost per Kilobit

Considering the speed and the price, Cox’s 9 Megabit plan offers the best overall value. However, based on price alone and total cost, it appears the Qwest 256Kb plan is the best. As you can see, you’re not getting as much value with the 256Kb plan with Qwest, in this example.

We encourage you to compare the prices and determine what’s more important — speed, price or reliability.

If you have one or two computers and simply check e-mail, the Qwest 256Kb plan may be best for you. If you have three or more computers and are heavy downloaders, the Cox 9Mb plan may be ideal. If you live for downloading albums, movies, software and streaming content; the Cox 15Mb plan may be best.

It’s important to understand that all the “hidden” fees in the form of taxes and surcharges. Be sure to inquire how much taxes are when you are pursuing switching to a new provider.Generally, Cable is less regulated than telephone companies — but as soon as you bundle VoIP with your cable service, you will be assessed the same fees as the telephone companies.

Data provided by Cox Communications and Qwest; Arizona, 5/27/2008.