DSL vs Cable Internet

DSL internet	Cable internet
Data transmission via phone line	Data transmission via coaxial cable line
Connected through DSL modem	Connected through cable modem
Dedicated phone line	Shared cable television line
Connection speed not affected by number of users in the neighborhood	Connection speed affected by number of users in your neighborhood
Not all phone lines are equipped for DSL service	Not all cable networks are capable of cable internet service
Available to more homes than cable	Availability is limited to certain areas where two-way cable modem transmission is supported
Connection speed is affected by distance from ISP operation center	Connection speed is not affected by the distance
Maximum connection speed: up to 10 Mbps*	Maximum connection speed up to 30 Mbps*
Bundled with local phone service	Bundled with cable television service

*Although cable internet is capable of a higher connection speed, the actual speed difference between DSL and cable may be small. Most ISPs have imposed bandwidth / speed caps for residential users, which limit the maximum connection speed depending on service plans. For cable internet users, the number of people sharing the same cable line at the same time also affects the connection speed.