DSL Routers vs. Cable Routers

DSL Routers

By Anne Ahira

Anytime you are reviewing two competing technologies because you are interested in purchasing a product that runs on these technologies, it is important to read reviews and compare them head-to-head.

In this article we are going to compare DSL routers with their mortal enemy, cable routers.

Though DSL has been around for a bit longer, cable modems have become a viable alternative. There are several reasons for this.

The first and often the most appealing one is speed. Cable routers are said to be faster than DSL routers. Is this true, or is it simply a rumor?

But before we take the tale of the tape, it is important to note that DSL and cable routers are similar in many respects. They are both the next step in router technology and provide vastly superior speed, service and reliability when compared with earlier technologies.

Not to mention the fact that as technology has improved and competition has increased, prices for these products and services have come down.

And now let us take out our magnifying glasses and compare DSL routers with cable models. Where were we? Oh, yeah…speed. Cable is said to be faster than DSL, not by much, of course, but faster.

Is this true? Well, from everything we could find the statements regarding superior speed seems to be a lot of hot air. That does not necessarily mean that it is false. But what we do know is that their claims are almost entirely based on theory, rather than field tests or side-by-side comparisons.

And the fact is that many consumers are reviewers have disputed these claims. They maintain that cable is actually about the same speed as DSL routers, maybe even a bit slower, when it comes to practical use.

Have these theories or rumors translated into increased sales? The answer is no. Currently, DSL routers and their cable foes are locked in a dead heat, with each of them claiming superiority from year to year, even month to month.

Again, reports are sketchy and rumors abound, but we do know that Cable routers are slightly more popular in the US, while DSL routers are more popular everywhere else. Of course, it is a two-horse race with the competition several lengths behind.

Probably the biggest gap we discovered between these two worthy adversaries when it came to reviews had to do with customer satisfaction. DSL routers hold an irrefutable edge, as cable customers consistently complain about high and unstable prices as well as reliability issues.

This is a fact in the US and abroad. How do we know? The customer services surveys tell us unequivocally that DSL is on top when it comes to customer satisfaction.

So, if DSL routers customarily receive higher ratings, why are they less popular in the United States? This is a difficult question to answer. Of course, we will try.

But we must first preface by saying that the following is only an opinion and that it is not supported by much evidence. Still, we do believe that the slight edge cable holds in the US is mainly due to the perceived speed advantage, which again has never been proven.

However, in the past year DSL routers have quickly closed the gap in the United States, as it appears that savvy consumers are finally catching on. That is why we said cable holds only a slight lead in the US.

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