internet types

It is a Saturday night and you have planned a movie night with your friends. While everyone is excited to binge watch some horror or romcom movies – your internet keeps messing up the mood. Sounds quite frustrating, right? Should have gone for the Spectrum Channel Lineup when you had the chance too, no? 

It would not have been frustrating if you have good know-how as to what sort of internet best suits your needs. Be it from wanting to use the internet just for the sake of studying or entertainment to needing the internet to stay connected globally – every user needs a certain type of internet. Sometimes, even when you need the fastest internet connection – it might not be available in your area so how do you settle for the ones that are actually present? You understand which internet type offers what!

Localcabledeals offers you a chance to enter your zip code and just compare the ISPs in your area. You can compare different internet providers as well as the packages of the same ISP. 

Types of Internet

First, let us understand the difference between the various internet networks available out there.

Cable Internet:

Cable internet is provided to you through the same cable network your cable TV provider uses and therefore is widely available. It is a fast internet connection available at reasonable prices but because the whole neighborhood possibly shares the same line, you will face slower speeds in times of network congestion.


DSL Internet

DSL stands for Digital Subscriber Line and is provided through the telephone lines already distributed throughout the country. It is much faster than a dial-up network and has wider coverage than cable internet since telephone infrastructure is more established than the cable network. DSL internet is economical as well but speeds vary according to the distance between your house and the telephone exchange. The more the distance the slower the speed. You may also face outages during storms.

Satellite Internet

Satellite internet is great for rural areas because it does not require any wires or cables to access the connection. Rural areas usually lack cable or telephone infrastructure; therefore, satellite internet is quite popular in such areas. Satellite internet uses a dish antenna installed on the rooftop or balcony to provide internet signal to the house. However, it is quite slow and can get very expensive. On top of this, any sort of obstruction to the satellite signals can hinder the internet inaccessible.

Fiber Optic Internet

This is a very fast and reliable type of internet connection but is available in select areas of the U.S for now. The fiber optic internet signals are transferred through cables made of optical fibers that allow the signals to be transferred at extremely fast speeds. It is worth checking if fiber optic internet has reached your area yet because even though it can be a little higher on price the speed and reliability offered are worth it.

Mobile Internet

This is an internet connection similar to your cell phone data and is provided by the same carriers. You can use it either through your cell phone’s hotspot function or through a special wireless modem or  that has a slot for the mobile SIM to be inserted. It is a great option for people always on the go. Speeds are usually excellent and there is no installation required. However, it is highly dependent upon the cell phone coverage at your location, has smaller data caps and can get quite expensive.

5G Home Internet

5G home internet is quite similar to mobile internet but is offer wireless point to point made to cater to houses. The cell phone companies providing this form of connection would install a small cell tower nearby wherever there is a fiber line available and from there you will receive internet signals on your devices through the 5G modem & router. This internet connection is economically priced, with no installation required and up to 1 Gig speed capability. However, it is still available in limited areas and therefore there is not much feedback available to form an opinion on its performance.