The same network that brings you dozens of TV channels can now bring you millions of web sites. The problem is that the cable network was designed to
move information in one direction, from the broadcaster to you. Downstream speeds
are impressive—the line can theoretically bring you data as fast as 30 Mbps, much faster
than your computer can handle it—but upstream speed depends on line quality. Large
cable companies are spending money to upgrade their networks to hybrid fiber-coaxial
(HFC) to better handle two-way traffic. Smaller providers can’t afford the upgrade, so
they have you use a phone line at 28.8 Kbps for upstream data.
From a large company with an HFC network, expect downstream speeds of 1 to
2 Mbps or more, and upstream speeds between 500 Kbps and 1 Mbps. These numbers
aren’t exact, because you share digital cable capacity with your neighbors. If more of
them are online, you compete with them for bandwidth.
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