Typical Speed for a Dial-Up Connection
Dial-up Internet connections are not the fastest option, but they are still an effective way to perform Internet tasks, especially on the road. Dial-up uses a modem inside the computer, or connected externally, to access the Internet over any existing telephone line. The speed of a dial-up connection can vary, but there are limitations on how fast it can get.
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Maximum Speed
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Dial-up uses phone lines to transfer data. Copper lines used in telephone systems limit the speed by the physical capabilities of the wire. The fastest transfer rate that can be expected on a regular basis is about 48 Kbps (kilobits per second). 56 Kbps is the fastest possible rate a dial-up connection can achieve.
FCC Regulations
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Regulations set by the Federal Communications Commission limit ordinary usage to around 53 Kbps. The regulations were created to reduce line noise on the nation's landline systems. Most dial-up connections cannot reach the maximum speed for this reason.
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Accelerated Dial-Up
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Download accelerators are programs that increase the speed of a dial-up connection by handling data more efficiently. The physical barrier can never be broken, but by compressing and filtering data, these programs can seem to increase the dial-up connection speed by the way it handles the data being transferred.
Shortcomings
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Dial-up connections are having a hard time keeping up with Internet content. As high-speed Internet connections become more readily available, Internet content has increased in size exponentially. Dial-up connections are only able to access simple websites, such as email and search engines, efficiently.
Comparisons
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Cable Internet connections are typically 100 times faster than dial-up. DSL connections are typically 30 times faster than dial-up. DSL companies often inflate this number by comparing their transfer rates to a 28 Kbps modem, which is obsolete.
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References
- Photo Credit internet modem image by Dragan Stankovic from Fotolia.com
