Download speed varies

pnichols wrote:

So .... that central office's particular connection to the Internet is never overloaded due to too many DSL users (now working and/or schooling from home) being serviced by that particular central office??

Central office has a FAR bigger and more robust Internet "pipeline" than ANY cable company "loop" and that IS a fact that you can take to the bank.

Add in the fact that Phone companies do have fiber optic lines going in and out of the central offices are also in the mix..

Granted, older copper DSL is withing on the vine but in many places like in the case of the OP, it is what they have and most likely the fastest and most affordable Internet they can get in their area..

Cable Cos are notorious on only putting in service loops where they CAN get as many people as possible on that loop to maximize their profits per mile of wire..

Not every cable company out there has or offers fiber optic loops nor do they service the entire country..

Something else to consider, Cable Cos Internet WILL go down when the power lines servicing their loop amplifiers mounted on the poles lose power..

Ran into that only a few days ago when our power co had an outage that outlasted the backup batteries in those amplifiers.. I on the other hand have not only UPS units on my stuff, I also have a whole house gen.. DW was able to continue to work for her employer up to the point the cable co backup batteries failed after 2 hrs..

Phone company however has a huge battery backup system at each central switching station plus backup gens.. They actually are under obligation to keep the phone system alive 24/7/365..

I miss the phone DSL because of that..

If it wasn't for the need to get more speed than 6 Mbps for DW and DW work and school that was in my area I would have stayed on DSL..