Fresh off the heels of Verizon’s announcement that their FiOS 20/20 Internet service will be available to 500,000 New York City homes by the end of the year, both Cablevision (Optimum Online) and Time Warner Cable have announced that they are working to release 50/5 (50mb/s download, 5mb/s upload) service in the New York area, based on DOCSIS 3.0 architecture.

This will be both companies’ first attempt to rollout DOCSIS 3.0, a cable broadband protocol that allows for higher transmission speeds and that is currently being tested by Comcast in the greater Minneapolis, Minnesota area.

New York City customers may be just a few years away from having multiple options for ultra-fast broadband.

With FiOS TV launching in New York City last week, we wanted to take a quick look at the 3 service bundles that are being offered to New Yorkers.  Here they are.

NYC Bundle 1 - $94.99 per month

This is the entry-level FiOS bundle that was announced last week and it includes the following:

• FiOS TV with 54 HD channels (see below for the HD channel list)
• FiOS Internet with 20mb/s download and 5mb/s upload speeds
• Verizon Freedom Essentials phone service - unlimited local and nationwide calls, call waiting, call ID, voicemail

NYC Bundle 2 - $99.99 per month

$5 more per month gets you symmetrical 20/20 Internet speeds:

• FiOS TV with 54 HD channels (see below for the HD channel list)
• FiOS Internet with symmetrical 20mb/s upload and download speeds.
• Verizon Freedom Essential phone service - unlimited local and nationwide calls, call waiting, call ID, voicemail

NYC Bundle 3 - $129.99 per month

The highest end bundle offers 100 HD channels, including 42 premium HD movie channels:

• FiOS TV with 100 HD channels (see below for the HD channel list)
• FiOS Internet with symmetrical 20mb/s upload and download speeds.
• Verizon Freedom Essential phone service - unlimited local and nationwide calls, call waiting, call ID, voicemail

FiOS TV HD Channel List - New York City

The 54 channels that come with Bundles 1 and 2 are below:

(Note: There will actually be 56 channels with Bundles 1 and 2 during August, as FiOS will have 2 channels dedicated to the Beijing Olympic Games: NBC Olympic 1 and NBC Olympic 2)

1. A&E HD
2. ABC - WABC HD
3. ABC Family HD
4. Animal Planet HD
5. Big Ten Network HD
6. bio: The Biography Channel HD
7. Bravo HD
8. CBS - WCBS HD
9. CNBC HD+
10. CNN HD
11. CW - WPIX HD
12. Discovery Channel HD
13. Disney Channel HD
14. ESPN HD
15. ESPN2 HD
16. ESPNews HD
17. Food Network HD
18. FOX - WNYW HD
19. Fox Business Network HD
20. Fox News HD
21. FX HD
22. HD Net
23. HD Theater
24. HGTV HD
25. History Channel HD
26. Lifetime HD [East]
27. Lifetime Movie Network HD
28. MHD
29. My - WWOR HD
30. National Geographic Channel HD
31. NBC - WNBC HD
32. NFL Network HD
33. Outdoor Channel HD
34. PBS - WNET HD
35. Planet Green HD
36. QVC HD
37. Science Channel HD
38. Sci-Fi HD
39. Smithsonian Channel HD
40. Speed HD
41. SportsNet NY HD
42. TBS in HD
43. The MGM Channel HD
44. The Weather Channel HD
45. TLC HD
46. TNT HDTV
47. Toon Disney HD
48. Travel Channel HD
49. Universal HDTV
50. USA HD
51. Wealth TV HDTV
52. WGN America HD
53. World Fishing Network HD
54. YES HD

Here are the additional channels that come with Bundle 3:

55. Action Max
56. Action Max West
57. At Max
58. Cinemax HDTV
59. Cinemax West HD
60. Five Star Max
61. Hallmark Movie Channel HD
62. HBO 2 HD
63. HBO 2 HD (West)
64. HBO Comedy
65. HBO Comedy West
66. HBO Family
67. HBO Family West
68. HBO HDTV
69. HBO Latino
70. HBO Latino West
71. HBO Signature
72. HBO Signature (West)
73. HBO West HD
74. HBO Zone
75. HBO Zone (West)
76. HD Net Movies
77. Mav TV
78. More Max
79. More Max West
80. Outer Max
81. Sho2 HD
82. Sho2 HD West
83. Showcase HD East
84. Showcase HD West
85. Showtime Extreme East
86. Showtime Extreme West
87. Showtime HD West
88. Showtime HDTV
89. Starz Comedy HD
90. Starz Edge HD
91. Starz HDTV
92. Starz Kids & Family HD
93. The Movie Channel HD
94. Thriller Max
95. Thriller Max West
96. TMC HD - West
97. TMC Xtra East
98. TMC Xtra West
99. Versus / Golf HD
100. Wmax

But what you might not know is how to decide which plan is right for you. Bundles can save you a bundle if you know what to look for. Here are some quick and easy service bundle shopping rules that can maximize your discount and minimize the hassle

Bundle Basics

The most common bundles are Triple Play bundles that combine phone, Internet and TV service (3 services, hence Triple Play). Providers may offer multiple bundles at different price points, but they generally have 1 bundle that they advertise more heavily than any others and it’s usually in the $85-$120 range. This generally means a savings of $15-$30 a month off of the regular price of the services.

Expect that most bundles in this price range will include the following:

• Unlimited telephone service with all of the major options (voicemail, caller ID, call waiting, etc.)
• TV service with all basic cable, some HD channels and possibly a few premium movie channels
• Internet service with download speeds from 3mb/s – 20mb/s and upload speeds from 512 kb/s to 5mb/s.

Telephone service offerings are generally the same for most bundles, but TV and Internet offerings can be very different depending on the provider.

For TV service, some providers include many more HD channels than others and there also can be major differences in the number of Movies On-Demand titles that are available. Make sure you read the fine print if HD offerings are important to you or if you’re a big watcher of On-Demand movies and shows.

Internet service speeds can also differ greatly (just look at the ranges above), so make sure you read the fine print and this article on Internet connection speeds. As we’ve mentioned before, Verizon FiOS offers the fastest Internet speeds of any major provider, with 20mb/s download and 5mb/s upload speeds as part of their Triple Play deals in some locations.

Comcast is also offering faster speeds than other cable providers with their Powerboost technology, so look for a Comcast bundle if FiOS isn’t available in your area but speed is still a top priority. If they are both unavailable, then it may take a little digging to figure out the fastest available connection that is part of a bundle (see below for bundle deal websites).

Know Your Needs

Bundles can offer a ton of savings, but do you need everything that’s included in the bundle like home telephone service? If you don’t, then you should consider whether or not a bundle is right for you.

In the past we would have said that if you don’t need all of the bundled services, don’t get the bundle (i.e. you use a cell phone and have no need for a home phone). It was a relatively easy decision because even though there were bundle savings, it was probably cheaper to just get the 2 services you do need at regular price, rather than 3 services at a discount.

Amazingly, this is not always the case now. Broadband Internet and TV service have become so competitive that bundle deals of 3 services are often comparable in price to 2 services at full price. If the price of the bundle is within $5-$10 per month of the cost of 2 services at full price, then consider getting it, especially if the 3rd service is home phone.

You may decide that you can use unlimited home phone service to cut back on your cell phone minutes, which can reduce your cell phone bill and get you back to your original cost basis.

Can You Commit (and Should You)?

Many bundle deals now require a 2 or even a 3-year commitment, so find out if there is a length of service requirement before you sign up. We much prefer month to month service agreements, so if that is available, even at a slightly higher price, you might want to consider it, especially if you are waiting for a newer technology like Verizon FiOS in your neighborhood.

On the other hand, if a bundle is available from the provider you want and you know that you will be in your home for the length of the commitment, then it’s probably not that risky to take on a service requirement.

It’s not likely that costs for bundles will drop much beyond the $100 threshold, so you won’t be getting burned on price. Additionally, if your provider rolls out new services that weren’t available to you when you signed up, there’s a good chance they will go into effect for all customers, existing and new.

Find the Best Deals

Deals can vary by provider, so spend a few minutes checking for the best deals in your area. Here are the bundle deal pages for most major providers:

ATT
Brighthouse
Charter Cable
Comcast
Cox Cable
Embarq
Mediacom
Optimum Online
Quest
Time Warner Cable
Verizon
Windstream

Some offers may include introductory rates that increase after the first 6 months to a year. Definitely take advantage of the cheaper rates, but know what you will be paying after they expire before making a decision to sign-up.

***

With Verizon’s announcement of their first FiOS TV and Internet bundles for customers in NYC, it’s a great time to take a look at the best triple play deals available right now to New Yorkers. As you will see below, Time Warner Cable is going to have to step up their current offerings in order to match Verizon’s new FiOS deal, as right now it’s not even close.

Price - Advantage: Verizon FiOS

FiOS Bundle - $94.99 a month
TWC All-In-One - $119.95 $99.95 a month

Right now the new NYC FiOS triple play offers $25 $5 a month in savings over Time Warner’s comparable package. $300 $60 in annual savings is not an insignificant sum of money, and if TWC wants to continue to compete in New York, it’s obvious that they’re going to have to drop their bundle prices.

# of HD Channels Included - Advantage: Verizon FiOS

54 - Verizon FiOS
28 - Time Warner Cable

This is another clear victory for Verizon, as FiOS TV offers nearly twice the number of HD channels as TWC. This is an area where Time Warner will struggle to match Verizon, as the bandwidth of Time Warner’s cable network may limit the number of HD offerings.

Internet Speeds - Advantage: Verizon FiOS

Up to 20 mb/s download and 5 mb/s upload - Verizon FiOS
Up to 10 mb/s download / 512 kb/s upload - Time Warner Cable

Again, this really isn’t closely contested and the actual speeds differences are probably even more extreme. Cable Internet connections are prone to bogging down due to their shared connection structure, which is compounded in a population dense area like New York City. FiOS’ Fiber-To-The-Home structure offers much greater bandwidth per user, which not only means higher top-end speeds, but less of the speed fluctuations that are so frustrating with cable.

# of On-Demand Programming Titles Available - Advantage: Verizon FiOS

400 (increasing to 1000 by the end of the year) - Verizon FiOS
100-150? - Time Warner Cble

We struggled to get firm numbers on Time Warner Cable’s On-Demand programming, but we believe that this range is accurate. Verizon FiOS’ 400 titles is definitely greater than Time Warner’s offering and includes much more HD On-Demand programming. So if you’re really into VOD, you’ll get way more of it with FiOS TV.

NFL Network Channel - Advantage: Verizon FiOS

This one is easy: FiOS has it, TWC doesn’t. If you’re not a football fan it may seem like a minor issue, but with more and more important NFL games being featured exclusively on NFL Network, many New Yorkers are exasperated with Time Warner Cable’s inability to get a deal done to carry the channel.

Both Dish Network and Direct TV have it, but satellite is not always an option in Manhattan and the other boroughs for residents of large apartment buildings. Even if you live in a smaller building with roof access, there’s a good chance your Southwestern sky view is obscured by larger buildings.

Availability - Advantage: Time Warner Cable

Well Time Warner had to win one, didn’t they!? This is an important advantage for TWC in the near term, as FiOS TV and Internet are only available to 20% of New York City households. But it may not hold for long as Verizon has pledged to be accessible by another 200,000 households by the end of the year and to completely wire all New York City homes with fiber by 2012.

The Bottom Line

Verizon’s FiOS bundle for NYC is a compelling offering that beats the best from Time Warner Cable on pretty much all fronts. It’s an exciting entry into a market that Time Warner has dominated for years. New Yorkers will surely benefit from Time Warner Cable’s competition with Verizon.

Here are the highlights of the announcement:

• FiOS TV in the New York metropolitan area will feature 100 HD channels as of yesterday’s launch. That’s 46 more channels than their current offerings in other parts of the US and includes 11 new HD channels from Cinemax, 13 new channels from HBO and 13 new FiOS TV Movie Package channels, including the Movie Channel Xtra, Starz Edge, Starz Comedy, Starz Kids and Family, Showtime, Showtime Showcase, Showtime Extreme and Showtime 2.

• Other Non-Movie HD channel additions include Outdoor Channel 2, World Fishing Network, Fox Business Network, QVC, The Travel Channel, Planet Green, the Disney Channel and Toon Disney.

• 400 HD Video On-Demand titles will be available to subscribers each month, which will increase to 1000 by the end of the year.

• 800 MDU’s (multi-dwelling units) or buildings in New York City have been wired for FiOS as of launch day, meaning 300,000 New York City households now have access to FiOS. Verizon stated that this number should jump to 500,000 by the end of the year. All of these customers have access to both FiOS Internet and FiOS TV service.

• The introductory New York City FiOS bundle deal will be $94.95 per month and include FiOS TV with 54 HD channels, FiOS Internet with 20mb/s download and 5mb/s upload service, and Verizon Freedom Essentials telephone service with unlimited local and long-distance calling.

“’The commission has adopted a set of principles that protects consumers access to the Internet,’ the commission chairman, Kevin J. Martin, told The Associated Press late Thursday. ‘We found that Comcast’s actions in this instance violated our principles.’”

“‘If they [Comcast] are going to put limits on individual customers if you use a certain amount of bandwidth per month or per hour, they have to be willing to tell their customers more about how it works’,”

Throttling is when a provider slows the Internet access speeds of particular users. Most of the controversy stems from the selective nature with which it is often applied, as providers rarely shed light on how or what causes someone to be selected for throttling.

This was the case with Comcast, as they were found to be slowing users of the BitTorrent method of downloading and uploading files, regardless of the size and frequency of their uploading and downloading.

Providers continue to describe throttling as “network management techniques” that are necessary in order to ensure that small groups of high-demand users aren’t hogging large amounts of the available bandwidth. Skeptics say that cable and phone Internet providers feel that their pay television businesses are threatened by free online video services, and that they use throttling as a way to punish people for using them.

Critics also say that throttling may result in a 2-tier Internet where the privileged few (i.e. Fortune 500 companies, etc.) receive unfettered super fast access, while the vast majority of individual users are relegated to a throttled slow lane.

The push for net neutrality (i.e. no throttling) is a delicate one as it could cause broadband providers to implement metered Internet access, where users would be charged based on the amount of data they upload/download, rather than the unlimited access that is common today.

Verizon FiOS and other Fiber-To-The-Home technologies appear to be better positioned to deal with the increasing bandwidth demands of today’s Internet users, as their end-to-end fiber connections provide much greater bandwidth per user (FiOS offers 20mb/s upload and download). This may render throttling and other controversial network optimization techniques employed by cable and phone networks unneccessary.

There will be more to come on throttling for sure, but this is an important first indication as to where the U.S. Government stands.

Am I some sort of freakish athlete or super hero? Nope. I’m just a regular guy who happens to have unmatchable speed when the conditions are optimized for my running style. Conditions like when the 2 billion or so people who are actually faster than me simultaneously decide that they don’t want to race. When that happens, I’m simply dominant.

If my claim seems like a stretch given the ridiculous circumstances it requires, well… it is. Chances are that my optimal conditions will never be met, so it’s not really accurate to say that I’m an Olympic hopeful, let alone a favorite.

A similar scenario exists in the world of broadband and the results are often frustrating for users. The advertised speeds promised by many broadband providers are not the average, real-life speeds that you can expect to achieve from your computer. They are top-end, all-of-the-stars-properly-aligned, best-case scenario speeds and are generally only achievable under optimal conditions (broadband companies may phrase it slightly differently by saying “speeds UP TO 5mb/s,” etc.)

But much like my conditions for achieving Olympic glory, the optimal conditions required to hit advertised broadband speeds are not generally achievable for sustained periods of time. And although they are not quite as ridiculous as my running example, they can certainly be labled a stretch: less than 5 people in your neighborhood using the Internet at the same time, etc.

You may have 5 or more people using the Internet just within your own home, so what can you do about discrepancies between advertised and actual broadband speeds? Here’s 3 tips that can help you get a better handle on speed:

1) Ask Around – Find a nearby neighbor who already has the service you want and ask them what actual speeds they get during notoriously high-traffic times like 6-10pm. They can measure their actual speed by clicking on the “Speed Test” link on the right side of each page on High Speed Experts. This will give you a good idea of the speeds you can expect.

2) Read Reviews – Check out our Service Provider Reviews for accurate information on the actual speeds you can expect from providers in your area.

3) Talk To Us – Send us your information on the speeds you are getting with your service provider. We maintain a database of actual speed information which will soon be accessible to everyone, and the more data we get, the better analysis we can provide to readers.

Well cheer up DSL, because today we’re coming to your defense and setting the record straight by addressing the top 5 DSL myths! Go DSL!

MYTH #1 – DSL Requires Land Line Telephone Service

FALSE! DSL no longer requires that subscribers also have land line telephone service. Qwest, Verizon, ATT and all of the other major players now are required to offer what is called “naked” DSL, which sounds racy but simply means DSL without local phone service (it is also called “dry-loop” or stand alone DSL).

This has always been the biggest knock against DSL, especially for cell phone users who don’t want home telephone service. Now it’s a 100% non-issue, you can get DSL service as a stand alone, just like you can with cable. Plus, when you order it, you get to say “I want NAKED DSL! Errr… please.”

Note that some companies do not heavily advertise naked DSL, so if you don’t see it on a providers’ website, just call and ask (Earthlink DSL advertises it here).

MYTH #2 – DSL Isn’t “Always On” Like a Cable Modem and Requires You To Log In Each Time You Use It (Like Dial-Up)

FALSE! In most cases, DSL is actually always on just like cable. There was a time, pre-2004, where DSL Internet access required a login sequence, but the vast majority of DSL providers now offer always on service through DSL.

MYTH #3 – Cable Speeds Blow DSL Away, ESPECIALLY If You Live Far Away From the DSL Provider

FALSE! There’s certainly a sprinkling of facts in this rumor, but they’ve been totally distorted and DSL’s reputation as a “Slowsky” (clever, Comcast) is not at all deserved.

When some snooty cable modem-type says something like “DSL speeds depend on the distance from the provider’s central office, while cable is fast all the time… blah blah blah”, it’s simply not accurate. DSL signals can and do diminish in strength over distances because the twisted copper wire used to carry DSL (and telephone) signals is vulnerable to data loss due to a phenomenon called attenuation.

But the distance between your home and the actual headquarters of your provider is not the distance that matters anymore. What does matter is the distance between you and what is called the DSLAM.

A DSLAM is a DSL user’s gateway to the ultra high-speed lines that form the Internet’s backbone. It’s a device that takes many DSL signals in a given area (from homes, offices, schools, etc.) and combines them into one signal that is then broadcasted over the high-speed Internet backbone lines.

At the inception of DSL in the early 2000’s, DSLAMs were located exclusively at telephone company offices. This meant that DSL users living more than a few miles away experienced slower connection speeds due to attenuation.

BUT, DSL providers quickly realized that if they deployed many remote DSLAMs near neighborhoods, schools, etc., they could reach TONS more customers. And that’s exactly what they’ve been doing since that time. Too bad nobody bothered to update the rumor!

If you live in a heavily populated suburban or urban area, there’s a very good chance that you now live quite close to a DSLAM. That means that your DSL speeds would be on par, or even FASTER than cable!

How does 7 M/bits per second download speeds sound? Who’s the Slowsky now, eh cable?

MYTH #4 – You Can’t Get Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Phone Service With DSL

FALSE! This one is just plain wrong and probably stems from a general misunderstanding of what VoIP really is. You can absolutely get Vonage or any other VoIP-based broadband phone service with a DSL connection. All broadband phone requires is a fast connection, and with naked DSL now available, you’re all set!

MYTH #5 – DSL Providers Want To Switch To Fiber Optics, So They Won’t Be Servicing Their DSL Infrastructure

FALSE! While Verizon (pretty much the only player in fiber internet currently) definitely has an incentive to push their FiOS service to customers given the money they are investing in deploying fiber to homes, they are still actively marketing DSL. They realize that it will be a while before their FiOS infrastructure is equal in breadth to their phone network, so many customers will not be able to get FiOS anytime soon. And for many customers, DSL is quite fast enough.

Additionally, Verizon is just one of a number of DSL providers, all of whom will continue to dutifully service and upgrade their networks.

So don’t you worry about good old DSL! It’s a technology that still has and will continue to have legs.

One of the biggest questions about cable internet today is “Are cable connections ‘fiber optic’ connections just like Verizon FiOS?” The simple answer is “no”, but it is slightly more complicated than that.  Here’s a quick and simple summary of how most cable networks work and how they differ from Verizon FiOS.

Cable networks are actually comprised of 2 different types of cable: fiber optic and coaxial. Fiber optic cable is like the Cadillac of cables: it’s far superior for transmitting data than coaxial cable, offering much greater bandwidth, higher top-end transmission speeds and higher quality data transmissions.  Note: This is fairly basic description of the differences between coaxial cable and fiber.  Check out our Verizon FiOS page for more detail.

Historically, cable companies’ have used fiber optic cable for the main transmission lines that form the backbone of their network, and coaxial cable for connecting individual homes to those lines.  This setup is known as FTTN, or Fiber to the Node (or Neighborhood), because fiber is run from the cable company headquarters to neighborhood communications boxes that are in turn connected to many homes via old-school coaxial cable.

But… Why Not Go With Fiber For the Entire Network?

The 2-cable approach was adopted mainly because, when cable companies were replacing their legacy networks with fiber optic cable in the 90’s, it was much cheaper and less labor intensive to replace just the main transmission lines with fiber, rather than replacing both the main transmission lines and every single cable that runs between people’s homes and the main lines.

It was in the best interest of the cable companies to upgrade as much of their network to fiber as possible, and the main transmission line approach was good way to do it at a lower overall cost. Also, demand for higher-bandwidth internet/TV features like song and movie downloads, video conferencing, HD television on demand, etc., was much less.  So FTTH, or Fiber to the Home, seemed like expensive overkill at the time they were upgrading their networks.

This has left cable companies with what is now known as an 80/20 network: 80% fiber optics and 20% coaxial cable.

So getting back to our original question “Is my cable network a ‘fiber’ network?”, the real answer is “yes” cable companies utilize fiber optic cable for part of their network, but “no” they are not truly fiber optic networks like Verizon FiOS.

This could definitely change as cable companies seek to compete with the increasingly popular Verizon FiOS, so make sure to check in frequently with High Speed Experts for the latest on FiOS, cable internet and more.

How easy? Well, despite what you may have heard, there are really only 6 categories that matter when it comes to selecting the right broadband plan:

• Cost - How much money do I want to spend?
• Location - What technologies are available in my area?
• Extras - Are there features that one provider or technology offers which are absolute must-haves for me?
• Speed - How fast of a connection do I need?
• Service - Are there major differences in the quality/service amongst providers in my area?

And that, really and truly, is it! Cost, Location, Extras, Speed and Service, or “C-LESS” for short. C-LESS is actually pronounced “See Less”, as in:

• See less of your time being wasted worrying about how to find the right broadband plan.
• See less of your money flowing out the door for unnecessary broadband services.
• See less of yourself frowning in front of the mirror as you try to make sense of everything broadband!

The C-LESS approach is about simplicity and helping you to make an informed decision with minimal wasted time. So spend just 6 (maybe 7) minutes learning the basics of broadband shopping below and you will be well on your way to broadband bliss! And with that, lets dive right in.

(Note: We will soon be launching a price comparison tool that will help you to quickly find the best deals for broadband in your area. Look for an update to this section when the tool is fully up and running.)

Cost is actually one the easiest broadband categories to quickly evaluate. Although cost can depend on different factors like taxes and discounts for service bundles that combine other services like TV and phone, your best bet is to start with a simple comparison of the costs for just broadband service by itself.

Your basic cost will always depend on your location, but you can expect that basic service will be anywhere from $25 to $65 a month (and up to $150 for ultra-high speed plans). Know that many providers offer an introductory monthly rate that will be raised after 6-12 months, so make sure you factor that into your comparison. Here are some links to the pricing pages for some of the largest providers to help get you started:

Comcast
Verizon DSL
Verizon FiOS
Time Warner Cable (aka Road Runner)
Brighthouse
Quest DSL
ATT DSL
ATT U-Verse
Earthlink DSL
Optimum Online

Note that while a handful of DSL providers may offer broadband access in your area, usually only 1 cable provider will offer access. So if you know that Comcast is your area’s cable provider, there’s no need to go to any other cable provider websites to check prices. Conversely, it’s a good idea to quickly check all of the DSL providers since multiple companies may offer service in your location.

Once you have an idea of basic service costs, get firm numbers on the costs for installation and any required equipment rentals (modems, etc.) by calling the providers. Installation is one area where providers have traditionally offered deals.

It may feel strange, but don’t be afraid to ask for a discount on installation if one is not being offered. Broadband is very competitive right now and with new technologies like FiOS and U-verse offering a 3rd alternative to cable and DSL, you might be surprised at how quickly you can swing a deal by simply asking for one.

The final cost step is to see about getting a service bundle or package, which are increasingly popular amongst service providers. Most bundles combine phone, TV and internet service, and offer have an introductory price for the first 6-12 with significant savings (30-40%) and then a longer term rate that offers savings of 10-20% over buying the services individually.

The trick with bundles is to refrain from purchasing services you don’t need just to get the bundle pricing. So if you don’t need/want landline telephone service, don’t buy a bundle that requires you to get a landline phone, etc. Also, get out a few months worth of bills for the services you are consider bundling to ensure that the bundle price will save you money.

This category is unique in that it may actually help you make your broadband choice easier. Some newer broadband technologies are simply not available in all areas like Verizon FiOS and ATT U-verse, so you may be able to narrow your choices simply due to availability. Use the links in the “Cost” section to explore which broadband technologies and providers are available in your area.

If your idea of a location isn’t one fixed point, you might want to check out the wireless broadband plans that are offered by cell phone companies. While the speeds offered currently can’t match cable or DSL, they are still faster than dial-up, and can offer a nice compromise for broadband users on the go.

There’s nothing here that should be a deal breaker, so you can move through this category pretty quickly. Despite advertisements to the contrary, there aren’t a lot of “features” that are different amongst broadband plans. Some companies may throw in a free wireless router as part of their service, and while that’s a good deal and could serve to break a tie between 2 plans that seem equally attractive, it shouldn’t be a main deciding factor.

Know that cable companies are still claiming a lot of “feature” advantages over DSL that are simply not true anymore (read more about that here). Also know that most claims of security advantages by individual providers are bogus. If you are connected to the Internet and your computer is not properly protected with a hardware/software firewall and anti-virus/spyware software, it is at risk, despite the safety features claimed by your provider.

The only feature that is certainly important and different amongst the various providers is called “throttling”. Throttling is when a provider limits the speeds of certain high-bandwidth users. Providers who engage in this activity claim it is because they want to optimize their network and make sure that a few individuals aren’t hogging most of the available bandwidth. That logic is debatable and it is not clear how a provider determines who is a high-bandwidth user and who is not, so in general you don’t want a provider who throttles.

Though some providers have been identified as using a throttling (i.e. Comcast), not enough is known about which service providers throttle and which do not to use this as a deciding factor in selecting a broadband plan. Just be aware of it and check back here frequently for more information.

Lets just go ahead and get this out of the way: if you want the fastest broadband connection available regardless of any other factors, you want Verizon FiOS. Done deal, end of story.

The top end Verizon FiOS speeds for just their basic service are 10mb/s up and 2mb/s down, which just blows away cable, DSL and even ATT U-verse. And if you are willing to pay up, 20 mb/s in both directions is available.

Conversely, if you don’t really care about speed and just want cheap service that’s faster than dial-up, you should go with entry-level offerings from DSL providers. Entry level DSL is generally 756kb/s up and 250kb/s down, which is comparatively slow, but will probably only run you only $20-$25 per month.

If you’re somewhere in between wanting super fast (FiOS) and super cheap (entry-level DSL), then both cable and DSL providers usually offer multiple speed levels at different price points. Before FiOS, cable had become the preferred choice for speed over DSL, but the truth is that they can both offer comparable speeds.

They can both be good choices, and selecting cable over DSL and vice versa may have more to do with the type TV service you have (cable or satellite) and whether or not you have a landline phone. Obviously cable TV users are often interested in cable Internet for bundling purposes and landline phone users are more often more interested in DSL for the same reason

For both cable and DSL, speed levels for downloads are usually 1.5mb/s, 3.0mb/s and 6.0mb/s respectively, with uploads ranging from 756kb/s to 1.5mb/s. Note that these are advertised speeds, and that there sometimes is a big difference between what you’re paying for and what you’re getting (for more on that discussion, click here).

Although it’s important to select a speed level initially, it’s more important to monitor the actual speed you’re getting for a few days once your broadband is up running. That way you can ensure that you’re not overpaying for a speed level that, due to a high number of Internet users in your area, you never achieve. Use the Internet Speed Test link on each page of High Speed Experts to test your actual connection speed and call your provider to adjust your plan accordingly.

Just like with Extras, you shouldn’t spend nearly as much time here as you do on Cost and Speed. However, it is important that you don’t sign-up for the broadband equivalent of a lemon. Ideally your broadband Internet connection should require very little interaction between you and the service provider after it is up and running.

Unfortunately, as with many other services and products, that is sometimes not the case. We do our best here at Experts to stay on top of who does a good job with installations and handling problems and warn you if we know of companies that are providing poor or less than reputable service. We also have some tips to help you get the best, most prompt service in the event that things are not working as they should.

Know that for the most part, quality of service can be hard to predict. People will evaluate a company based on their own experience and rightfully so. We will continue to keep our ears to the ground to look for patterns of bad experiences and do our best to keep you informed.

So now you have the basics on C-LESS and know what to look for with broadband. If you’re thirsting for my knowledge on the different broadband technologies, check out our detail pages here: DSL, Cable, FiOS, Wireless.