Choosing the right Internet connection is important whether you are looking to improve your home internet or the speed of your business internet. But, it can be tricky to know which connection option is the best choice for your needs. With fibre fast becoming one of the most popular options, it is important to know which option is best for your needs, and for your budget.Â
When you are working with a digital marketing company you will need to have a faster internet connection. A slow connection might cause problems when you are analysing the performance of your website or even your social media marketing campaigns. If you are confused about what option to chose, below we look at how each option stacks up in their different offerings.Â
Faster Than The Speed Of Light Fibre
Fibre is arguably the fastest and most reliable internet connection on the market today, and in South Africa, it is gaining traction, popularity, and supporters. Fibre makes use of fibre-optic cables which are installed into your home or office. These fibres emit signals using light instead of using electrical signals.Â
A fibre internet connection can work at around 66 times faster than normal electrical signals, allowing it to reach up to 500 Mbps. The reliability of fibre is why it is more preferred by digital marketing companies, especially when it comes to building and testing websites. Because fibre uses fibre optic cables, there is less chance of decay or damage, resulting in a lower chance of interrupted services.Â
Electrical Signals And ADSL
ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) is one of the slower internet connections on offer in South Africa, but it is more widely available to the different areas in the country. It makes use of copper cables to connect the internet to your home or business and uses existing telephone lines to do so.Â
ADSL makes use of electrical signals in order to send and receive data, but due to the increased demand on internet connections and with technology continuing to evolve, ADSL often fails to meet the speeds that users demand. Telephone copper cables were likely never intended to handle the traffic volume of the modern internet. However, if your business is situated in an outlying area without fibre, ADSL is still a solid option to choose. ADSL can still be effective as an internet provider if you need to update your website.Â
Always-evolving LTE
LTE or Long Term Evolution might not be as fast as fibre, but it certainly is more portable. It is a platform for accessing 4G internet, such as using your mobile phone to browse the internet. It is quick and easy to set up, has relatively good speeds, and is not limited to only one location. This makes it an ideal choice for those who need easy access to the internet away from their computers.Â
However, while it is more portable than fibre and ADSL, this can mean that it is susceptible to issues such as bad weather playing a part in lost connectivity. It is also completely wireless, which is ideal for those who might work from home and do not have the option of installing fibre or ADSL. You will be depending on the mobile network you are using, so be sure to check the connectivity and range of this network.Â
How Do I Choose?
Now that you understand the difference between fibre, ADSL, and LTE, you are likely wondering how to choose one that is best for our needs. Below we look at which options are best suited to your needs.Â
All About ADSL
If you have a landline in your home or office, then you can install ADSL. It might not be the fastest option, but it is more readily available in South Africa. If you work from home and do not live in an area with access to fibre or LTE, then ADSL is ideal for you. However, it can be a lot slower than the other options so it is a good idea to ask about the different packages that are available to you from the various providers.Â
Look At LTE
LTE is another popular option for those who might not have access to a landline for ADSL or the ability to install fibre in their home or office. It uses mobile data, which could make it expensive if you are always needing to top up your data to browse the internet or even look at your emails. It is not an ideal choice for a home business or someone who works from home as it can become expensive and the connection might be lost at some points.Â
Fibre For The Win
While fibre is relatively new to South Africa, more and more areas are having fibre installed, allowing people access to better and faster internet. Installing fibre in your home or office might be difficult at first, but the end result is certainly worth the effort. Fibre will help immensely if you need to update your website in a rush or if you need to improve your customer service and are running on slow internet.Â
For those who are interested in improving their digital marketing strategy whether you are using LTE, ADSL, or fibre, contact NetMechanic today to find out how we can help you.
