Is one Internet Service Provider better than the other. Can one ISP company provide faster uploads and downloads than the other companies. Sometimes it’s not about how fast a page uploads or how fast music downloads onto your computer. Sometimes it’s simply about customer service.
I have had experience with both Comcast and ATT. Both say that they are the best. So how do they stand up in comparison of price, features, speed and customer service?
Speed
When I’m talking about speed, I’m talking about Kilobytes Per Second. I’m also talking about how fast your computer can upload pictures or download programs from a website. ATT offers 4 different ISP packages. Their basic package starts with a download time of 384 Kbps to 768 Kbps. The upload time is 128 Kbps. The monthly price is $14.99. For $4 more a person can purchase the Express Package which is 384 Kbps to 1.5 Mbps for downloading. The upload time is nearly three times as fast at the possibility of 384 Kbps.
AT & T Yahoo! High Speed ISP Pro Package is $5 more. For that extra five dollars you are able to double your download time to 3 Mbps and add 200 Kbps to your uploading speed.
For an additional $10 AT & T offers the Elite ISP Package that offers a downloading speed of 6 Mbps and increases your uploading speed to 768Kbps. This would double your downloading speed and add another 200 Kbps to your uploading speed.
Comcast offers two pricing plans for it’s patrons. Though I really don’t see a difference between the ISP plans. Comcast claims to be able to offer 12 Mbps for download time. They don’t even mention what the upload time is.
At this moment Comcast outdoes AT&T; when it comes to speed. When choosing an ISP plan remember that your computer will use the highest Kbps that it is able to handle. To get the most out of your ISP, you will want to make sure that your computer is in top condition for the Internet.
Features:
AT&T;, as an ISP provider offers the ability to block pop-up advertising, firewall software that shields your computer from unauthorized access and email virus protection software. SpamGuard is used with the email address. You are able to change the access of the Internet with their parental controls.
As an ISP provider AT&T; has allowed you to travel throughout the United States. You can sign into their dial-up service. AT&T; Yahoo continues the feature of messenger.
AT&T; gives you 2GB of email storage, POP access and email forwarding. You are able to store pictures online at AT&T; Yahoo Photo’s
AT&T; give you a new IP address every time you log into their service.
My favorite AT&T; feature is The blue room. This is the place to find out about music, games, sports, and more. You can watch television on your computer screen for an additional $20 a month.
AT&T; is not the only ISP provider that has all these features. Comcast offers the same thing and a little more. Comcast offers the same pop-up blocker, firewall, spam guard and parental controls. Comcast also offers it’s version of AT&T;’s Blue Room. Only Comcast calls it “The Fan.” The only difference is that Comcast offers Rhapsody.com and Disney Connection to its patrons.
Rhapsody is a child of RealPlayer that offers thousands of music mp3’s. You can listen to them, buy them and burn them to CD’s. Disney Connection offers free games, puzzles, and comics to kids.
In this department there is a stalemate. AT &T; offers some great features and so does Comcast. You can still use Rhapsody.com with AT&T;, the only difference is that there is an extra charge. Even with the extra charge, If you add Rhapsody to the highest price AT&T; ISP package, it is still less expensive than Comcast.
Price
This brings us to pricing. AT&T; offers several different price ranges. $14.99, $19.99, $24.99, and $34.99. Comcast only offers two price choices, $43.99 and $54.99. AT&T; wins this comparison in price hands down. Even with AT&T; highest package, you could still obtain broadband service for fifteen dollars more and be within range of Comcast.
In my honest opinion, AT&T; outshines in the Customer Service department. Sure I don’t like the fact that AT&T; has shorter calling hours than Comcast ISP does. It’s just that I have never had bad Customer service with AT&T.; When I was signed up with Comcast. I never received their first bill. When I called to explain my situation with Comcast ISP, I received an unprofessional response. When I asked for a supervisor I was hung up on.
AT&T; does has it’s own flaws though. As I mentioned, AT&T; has shorter calling hours. You have to go through a bunch of pressing numbers before obtaining an actual person and at times the Customer Service computers are slow.
