Waiting for pages to load on the Web can be like trying to suck a thick milkshake through a small straw葉itillating, but not very satisfying. Just as prying the lid off and gulping the milkshake down is much more enjoyable, broadband Internet service can spell the end of excruciating load times and the beginning of a whole new Internet experience.

Broadband means speed
Broadband Internet service can be from 25 to 100 times faster than a standard 56-kbps modem, with a continuous, uninterrupted connection to the Internet--for not much more than the cost of a standard dial-up connection. And many of the exciting and highly-touted new technologies of the Web, like real-time video phone calls, interactive Internet gaming, video-on-demand, and streaming music and video; not to mention everyday tasks--like looking up telephone numbers or downloading files--are much quicker and better with broadband Internet access.

Currently, the two leading broadband technologies are Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) service, a technology that works over standard telephone lines, and cable broadband, which uses the same wire that brings cable television to your home. As availability of these technologies becomes more and more widespread, the question may not be whether or not to sign up, but which one to use.

Connect with cable
Cable companies currently boast Web access at speeds of up to 100 times faster than standard dial-up connections, and hooking up cable Internet access is as easy as installing cable television in your home. There is typically a one-time set-up fee, and monthly rates average around US$40 per month, including all the necessary equipment.

If your local cable television company offers Internet access, they will send a technician to install a device called a splitter that separates an Internet line from the television cable into your home. The new line plugs into a cable modem--usually provided by the cable company--which then connects to an Ethernet network card (sometimes called a Network Interface Card, or NIC) in your computer. Just like that, you are up and running.

With its low cost and easy installation, cable is currently the most-popular broadband option. There is, however, a drawback. Cable Internet service is affected by how many users are online, so as more people in your neighborhood sign up for service and begin to use it, your performance may be affected. Thus, some providers now employ limitations on service, such as how long you can listen to a streaming media broadcast, or how much data you can transmit.

Hook up with the phone company
Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) service works on the telephone line that's already in your house. Data is transmitted digitally on a different frequency than voice signals, so you can talk on the phone or receive calls, even when you're online. DSL service is either provided by the phone company or, in many cases, by an arrangement with a local Internet service provider (ISP).

As with cable broadband, you値l need a special modem that connects to a network card in your computer. Some types of DSL require a visit from the telephone company to install a splitter to separate the Internet hook-up from the voice signal, and sometimes a separate visit to install the modem and the network card. Since DSL modems can be quite expensive, and the installation somewhat complicated, many DSL providers now include free or discounted hardware and installation as an incentive to sign up.

Once you are online with DSL, data transmission rates will remain the same, regardless of how many users sign up for the service or go online at any given time.

Which one to choose?
Though cable and telephone companies and Internet service providers are all working hard to increase availability of broadband service, DSL or cable broadband access may not yet be offered where you live. Contact your cable company, your local telephone company, your current ISP, or use the resources to the right of your screen to find out what service is available in your area.

You値l be using an ISP with either option, so compare features like monthly rates, sign-up incentives and fees, and service limitations between cable and DSL, and between providers.

Whichever service you choose, you値l have much quicker Web access for only slightly more than a separate phone line with a dial-up connection would cost. Long waits and annoying time-outs will be a thing of the past, you値l find the Internet much more useful and easy to use, and you'll be ready for the next generation of Web technologies.

Mark Reed hopes to never go back to a dial-up connection again.