Buckling Up for High DSL Bills: Slow Internet Becomes a Costlier Affair
Sluggish Internet Connections escalate in cost
In a rather unsettling turn of events, spending on DSL contracts with modest bandwidths has taken a steep hike, shows a survey by the comparison portal Verivox. As reported on Tuesday, DSL customers with lower download rates are now footing a third more than they did back in 2023. "Browsing at higher bandwidths of up to a whopping 500 megabits per second has ironically become more wallet-friendly during our two-year comparison, and often even cheaper than sluggish internet," explained the Heidelberg-based company.
In stark contrast to DSL, cable internet prices no longer offer a favorable edge over the traditional DSL connection, according to Verivox. "However, now, DSL is increasingly taking a back seat even to fiber optics," the company addressed. New customer tariffs for DSL at 100 megabits per second cost an additional 90 cents per month, on average, compared to a typically faster fiber optic tariff. Faster tariffs then see a significant drop in prices via fiber optics.
According to sources, ntv.de and AFP have covered this story.
While specific details about the current cost comparisons between DSL, cable internet, and fiber optics weren't available from Verivox as of March 2023, here's a quick rundown of these connections:
- DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) Internet: Historically cheaper than fiber and often more affordable than cable internet, especially for lower speeds. Offering speeds up to around 100 Mbps, but with varying speed and reliability based on distance from the provider's central office.
- Cable Internet: Prices can vary and may be more expensive than DSL but can offer higher speeds. Capable of speeds up to several hundred Mbps, even gigabit speeds but less common. Widely available, primarily in urban and suburban areas, with speeds affected by neighborhood usage.
- Fiber Optics: Initially pricier than DSL, but prices are increasingly competitive. Offering the fastest speeds and symmetrical upload/download speeds, ideal for heavy users and large households. Limited availability compared to DSL and cable, but expanding rapidly.
To put it simply, despite being more costly, fiber offers superior performance, albeit not as readily available as DSL or cable in many areas. Cable internet may be more affordable than fiber but might not match its speed or reliability. With this DSL price hike, stepping up the speed ladder seems to be the more economical route.
The Commission has also been consulted on the following issues: the rising costs of DSL finance, and the potential impact of technology advancements on the availability and affordability of fiber optic internet services. Despite being more costly, it seems that investing in faster DSL or fiber optic services may be a more economical route due to the recent increase in DSL prices.
