An internet connection helps you to stay connected to the world and with your friends and family as well. Not only that, but it is also a medium for helping you work, study, and entertain yourself. It is a crucial tool that makes our lives much easier. So, let’s dig a little into the details and find out how the internet reaches our homes.
There are different types of broadband connections that you can choose from and these will send and receive data on the internet. Of course, your options will be somewhat limited since the type of connection is dependent on a bunch of factors like the ISP, their serviceability, their plans, and more. For example, CenturyLink internet offers two connection types: DSL and Fiber, and AT&T offers IPBB and Fiber.
Just like this, other ISPs offer internet through a hybrid connection like Spectrum offers internet through a fiber-coaxial cable. So, now you must have gotten an idea that you have a variety of connections. Today, we have decided to focus on CenturyLink’s DSL and Fiber connection. Let’s get started!
About CenturyLink
CenturyLink is a well-known ISP available to most residents and businesses across 36 states. It ranks among the top 5 ISPs in America for its Fiber and DSL internet services. CenturyLink provides internet and home phone services and its strength lies in rural America. It has managed to keep DSL a relevant option for suburban and urban communities.
The most widely served states by CenturyLink are Arizona, Colorado, Washington, Minnesota, Florida, North Carolina, and Oregon. Other than these states, you can find CenturyLink most commonly in:
| AlabamaIowaIndianaMichiganMontanaNew JerseyOhioSouth CarolinaTexasWisconsin | ArkansasIdahoKansasMissouriNorth DakotaNew MexicoOklahomaSouth DakotaUtah | GeorgiaIllinoisLouisianaMississippiNebraskaNevadaPennsylvaniaTennesseeVirginia |
So, that is some basic information about CenturyLink that you should know about. Let’s move on to the difference between fiber and DSL connections, so you get a better idea of which CenturyLink internet plans or connection to choose.
Difference between DSL and Fiber
DSL is short for Digital Subscriber Line and it uses a pair of copper wires to transfer data. Usually, if you have a phone line, DSL is going to use the very same copper wires from the phone line to transfer data. This is how you receive and use the internet via a DSL connection. The good thing about this connection is also that the internet data is transmitted at a different frequency as compared to your phone service, so there will be no interruptions.
Fiber internet uses fiber optic cables that are made of thin glass strands. The internet data is transmitted as light pulses and extremely fast. This is the reason for low latency and higher bandwidth with fiber internet. This is also the reason why fiber internet is so popular with everyone, however, due to expensive infrastructure, fiber internet is limited to some areas only.
DSL vs Fiber Speeds
So, now you know the basics of fiber and DSL internet and how the internet is transmitted through these connections. It’s time we dig into some more detail then. Let’s talk about internet speeds. You must know that Megabits per second (Mbps) is the standard unit of measurement used by ISPs. And it basically means that it represents the capacity to transfer 1 million bits per second. In simple words, it means transferring a small photo per second.
When it comes to internet speeds, there are two kinds: download and upload speeds. The download speed is used to bring data to your home allowing you to stream movies, check email, surf the net, and more, whereas, the upload speed sends data from your computer to the server allowing you to upload documents, attach pictures, and send emails, etc.
Unless you are subscribed to a fiber plan, don’t expect to get the same upload and download speeds. Fiber connection is the only internet connection type that provides symmetrical speeds. For other connection types, you get more download speeds than upload speeds as download speeds are much more important.
Now, let’s move on to the actual speeds for DSL and fiber. Usually, DSL internet speeds are from 5 to 35 Mbps and upload speeds are from 1 to 10 Mbps. On rare occasions, the internet speed can go up to 100 Mbps as well. CenturyLink DSL internet speed goes up to 100 Mbps.
Fiber internet speeds, as we mentioned before, are symmetrical and can go from 250 to 1000 Mbps for both download and upload speeds. For households with multiple devices and smart devices, this is the ideal internet connection as you won’t experience any lags.
Which is the Best: DSL vs Fiber?
A lot of people would say the best option is obviously fiber and while it may be true, that does not hold for all situations. We mentioned in the beginning that fiber has limited availability, despite its popularity. The reason for this is the infrastructure for fiber internet. Not only is the equipment and installation super expensive, but it is also difficult to start over and completely replace already-existing networks for cable and other options.
So, let’s look at the question again, under these conditions. Which is the best out of DSL and fiber? First and foremost, it depends on your location. If you have both fiber and DSL available in your area, we recommend going for fiber. However, there are additional conditions to reach this conclusion as well like, “What is your internet usage rate?”
Depending on the number of people living in your home, and the level of internet usage, you might not even need fiber internet. While you could subscribe to a fiber plan, it would be a waste of money if your usage level is low. Make sure about the usage level before subscribing to any plan.
CenturyLink DSL or Fiber
Well, what should you choose? First of all, as we promised, we have attached a table with the internet plans along with their pricing. You can see that CenturyLink DSL is not as slow as traditional DSL plans and the reason is the fiber network. In a way, CenturyLink’s DSL connection is like a hybrid connection that makes use of the fiber network for half of the way to your home, thus the speed.
| CenturyLink Internet Plans | Internet Speeds | Data Allowance | Plans pricing |
| Simply Unlimited Internet | 15 – 20 Mbps Speed availability is reliant on your area. | Unlimited | $50/mo. Rate entails paperless billing. Further fees, taxes, and surcharges apply. |
| Simply Unlimited Internet | 40 – 100 Mbps Speed availability is reliant on your area. | Unlimited | $50/mo. Rate entails paperless billing. Further fees, taxes, and surcharges apply. |
| Fiber Gigabit | Up to 940 Mbps Speed availability is reliant on your area. Maximum download & upload speed of up to 940 Mbps via a wired connection. | Unlimited | $65/mo. Rate entails paperless billing. Further fees, taxes, and surcharges apply. |
To Finish with
Well, we’ve already reached the end of the blog now! After giving this a read, we hope you have been able to better understand the connection types and their speeds. And if you have found yourself interested in CenturyLink plans or curious about any other provider’s plans, BuyTVInternetPhone is your one-stop website to find more!
