The web provides unprecedented access to a wealth of information, but not all internet services are created equal. Cable internet providers have developed a wide variety of different methods to get you online, each with unique benefits and drawbacks for your business. One of the most common methods on the market is cable internet access, which involves connecting to the internet over coax cables. This method can provide your business with secure, reliable web access at competitive speeds.

What is Coax Internet?

Coaxial cable internet is a broadband web service that takes advantage of the infrastructure originally used to send television signals. Coaxial cables are electrical cables with conductors in the center, which are surrounded by insulating material, conduction shields, and external insulating jackets. Because the conductors are spaced so precisely, coaxial cables are able to carry signals at a high level of efficiency. This leaves them perfectly suited to link you to the internet.

Coaxial cables first developed as a way to provide last mile connections between cable television providers and consumers. When cable companies began offering web access, they were able to re-purpose this technology as internet coaxial cables. Originally, cable broadband providers used coax cables alone for this service. Increasingly, however, many are combining them with fiber-optic technology, providing hybrid fiber coaxial connections to maximize cable internet speeds.

What are the Benefits of Coaxial Cable for Internet?

Coax internet has a number of advantages over digital subscriber line (DSL) and other web access options. These include:

• Speed - Typical cable internet speeds range anywhere from 50 MB to 1,000 MB. While this represents a large range, cable internet speed has a higher upper limit than some other forms of internet. DSL service, for example, varies from 512 Kbps to 8 Mbps. Satellite internet access is usually no higher than 400 Kbps.
• Reliability - In addition to cable internet for business speeds, business owners enjoy that coaxial cable internet also tends to be more reliable. It doesn’t have to compete with other forms of telecommunication, and unlike with satellite internet, it isn’t subject to disruption due to weather. Signals do not drop, and remain relatively consistent at all times; cable broadband operates at 99 percent of its advertised speed, compared to 85 percent for DSL.
• Data Volume - Cable broadband is able to handle a large volume of data at once from a wide variety of applications. This is ideal if your company designs or tests games, frequently engages in large VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) conference calls, or regularly performs any other activities that require large amount of data to be transmitted at once.

Download Infographic

Get a quick overview of the benefits of coaxial cable internet for business when you download this easy-to-read infographic from Cable ONE Business.