For the past several years, both Steve and Jim have been working in an environment where they felt like some form of backup for network access is mandatory. And, since customers can purchase both DSL and cable modem basic access for roughly the price of an ISDN line, it made all the sense in the world to simply use both. And if one fails you can switch the router (or switch) to the other service. However, as noted in the last newsletter, both services have become much more reliable and both services also have increased in speed (and, to a certain extent, price). So Steve found himself with three ISPs - DSL, cable modem, and a dial-up service - plus the possible need for a fourth, a cellular data service. So the question was how to decide what to do away with.

Here are the results:

1) Getting rid of the dial service was a no-brainer if the cellular service would be available.

2) Cable vs. DSL was a tough call. Both work well. DSL won simply because it was a roughly equivalent price, and, for whatever reason, the performance seemed non-scientifically to be a bit better at the very high speeds. (Subsequent investigation has shown that perhaps a new modem was needed for the higher cable speeds.)

3) The cellular modem performed well, with throughput equivalent to a “lite” service from either – which was what was already in place for a backup.

4) The cellular backup could be used in a mobile environment as well as the primary fixed environment.

5) Even though this has not yet been an issue for Steve or Jim due to their good fortune, the cellular service is not dependent on physical lines or on line-power, making it usable in the event of a power outage (for as long as the notebook can stay charged.)

Of course, the cellular modem is not without its drawbacks. The most significant ones for the moment are that Steve’s current carrier of choice has a maximum monthly data throughput of 5GB, with traffic counted in both directions (transmit and receive). Consequently, it is primarily a backup and mobile option.

Nevertheless, with the increasing number of corporate workers who need always-on broadband connection from anywhere, including home, this provides a great option.

Steve Taylor is president of Distributed Networking Associates and publisher/editor-in-chief of Webtorials. Jim Metzler is vice president of Ashton, Metzler & Associates.