DSL vs Wireless Broadband

“Mirror mirror on the wall, whose the fairest of them all.” In case you are wondering If I have been watching too much Disney cartoons lately the answer is no. I just borrowed a line from the wicked witch to illustrate a common dilemma encountered by many internet users, the ever-lasting question which Broadband internet access provider offers the best deal in town.


Well, like you, I have thought about this for a long time and I have to say the question is not as simple as it seems because each broadband internet access provider has its own up and down points. And of course the question is straight-forwardly stated, as every astute user know that examining your internet connection needs is key to finding the best one. So, I guess the question should have been “mirror mirror on the wall, which broadband internet access provider is the right one for me.”

Before I go further, let me first give a brief background on broadband internet. Broadband internet access, also known as “high speed” internet access, with typical speed of 256Kbps offers higher rate of data transfer than the regular dial-up connection. Here in the Philippines broadband internet is available through wired and wireless connection.

Wireless internet connection or wireless broadband uses radio waves instead of wires to deliver internet service. Wireless connection is broadcast from a base station to the subscriber’s home via antenna, installed near his/her location, which receives the radio frequency transmitted. The biggest advantage of using wireless connection is that it offers easy access and widespread availability especially in areas where conventional services are not available. The downside, however, is that user must be within the general vicinity of where wireless coverage is available (receiving range) in order to connect.

Wired internet connection or commonly known as the Digital subscriber Line (DSL) connection provides internet services with regular phone lines. The “unused” frequencies during telephone conversations or fax transmissions are used to broadcast the internet services. With this setup, subscriber can use the telephone and the internet at the same time, a feature not available when using the regular dial-up.

DSL offers certain advantages over wireless connection. DSL connection is securely wired directly to the internet while wireless connection operates on public “hot spots” making data interception very prone and common. DSL connection is also more consistent with the internet speed.

Now, going back to my question earlier, DSL is my answer. I’m web enthusiast and I’m always online which makes me heavily dependent on the internet. I need a very reliable internet connection, the one that doesn’t fail on me when I need to meet deadlines. I had the unfortunate experience of using an unreliable internet connection before where I got disconnected every few minutes. I had to click on the “diagnose” button every now and then just to see what exactly the problem was. After a few rounds of the diagnose routine, the screen suddenly displayed “PAGE CANNOT BE DISPLAYED”. Imagine how frustrated I was considering I was working on something that is near its deadline. With DSL that would have been less of a problem because DSL’s technology is more reliable and uses solid technology that is hard to tamper with as compared to wireless connection where big rain or turbulent winds can cause the internet service to go “KAPOOF”.

I also think DSL connection lords over wireless connection in terms of Internet speed. In my line of work, bandwidth speed is crucial as it helps me build networks faster. Higher bandwidth speed also mean less time spent on downloading and uploading stuffs and browsing sites. As a blogger and web developer, I have to do a lot of background research on certain topics, gadgets and anything that is related to my field of work. I spend most of my time online, so you could just imagine how important internet speed is to me. I open a lot of windows in the same time. I browse through different sites simultaneously. With low bandwidth speed, it will take a week to finish a one day’s work done with a DSL connection.

And of course I like to play online games and watch funny videos on YouTube. With a wireless connection, playing online games is almost like waiting for a turtle to cross the finish line and watching funny videos on YouTube is like looking at a silly photo of someone performing catatonic stunts.

So far, I think DSL connection is the right one for me that is why I am satisfied whenever I use PLDT myDSL. PLDT myDSL has 2 types of bundled plans which include DSL, landline, and a Watchpad feature. Plan 990 has all that and works up to 384Kbps while Plan 1299 offers a max speed of 768Kbps. For those wanting for more speed, PLDT introduces High-Speed Plans: XPERIENCE 999 plan with a max 1Mbps speed, 2Mbps XCITE 1995 plan, and XCEL 3000 that can run up to 3Mbps.

Oh, have I mentioned how useful the Watchpad feature is, especially for those who do not have a TV at home. PLDT Watchpad allows live streaming of 20 premium channels such as National Geographic, History Channel, CNN, CNBC, Channel V, Animax, etc…


Now that I have thrown in my two cents, you might think I am all for DSL connection. The truth is I use both wireless and wired connection. I’m still using Smart Bro as my Wireless Broadband ISP, PLDT MyDSL XCEL 3000 as my main wired ISP, and BayanDSL as my backup wired ISP. I also use Globe Tattoo whenever I go out or when all of my other ISPs are acting weird or sometimes not available.

I prefer to use wireless when I am outdoors or in areas where DSL services are not available. Wireless connection comes in handy whenever I attend blog events. Wireless connection is advisable for those people always on the go but then of course they’ll have to pay in terms of the broadband service performance.

Just to provide a little back up for my argument, I read on different forums about broadband provider. Indeed, many people agree with me that DSL connection is still better than Wireless connection. Common complaints are intermittent disconnection, congested internet, and slow connectivity. Of course, there are also few drawbacks for DSL connection but in my observation, people still opt for the DSL connection. A common complain people have is usually related to their customer service and the installation waiting time but in terms of internet reliability and performance, PLDT myDSL still ranks number one in users lists.

I hope what I have written above was helpful for you dear readers but more important than that I surely hope you guys enjoyed reading it. Just remember the rule number one in choosing the type of Broadband internet access provider will depend on your internet usage need. Different type of user will have to look into different factors to consider. Some will find wireless connection more convenient and practical while others may favor DSL connection for its reliability, speed, connectivity, and overall performance. Perhaps, asking around and doing a little research on your own will save you from being “trapped” in a ugly deal between you and your broadband internet provider.

As for me, I am cool with PLDT myDSL and I think I have to discontinue my other ISPs and stick to PLDT MyDSL because it’s faster, more stable and more reliable. I am really thankful that, so far, I haven’t encountered any major problem with PLDT myDSL. While there are a few drawback with PLDT myDSL, the long term benefits generally outweighs it all.

DISCLAIMER: This is a sponsored post from PLDT.

145 thoughts on “DSL vs Wireless Broadband”

  2. I prefer a wired connection (DSL) over wireless, marami na kaming nasubukan na ISP sa office. Na try namin ang smartbro (3 accounts), ok naman sha but after 4 years of subscription tila madalas na mawala ang connection, so pinadisconnect namin ung dalawa, ung isa pinarelocate namin sa ibang building, gumana ulit.

    Ang problema ko lang sa exisiting na DSL namin laging pinuputol ung wire, iwan ko kung sinong gumagawa nun hehe. pero ok naman kasi mabilis ang action ng mga tech support.

    ps: may pumunta na dalawang marketing agent ng sun broadband sa office namin, sabi nila masmabilis daw ung dala nilang kit, (usb) kisa sa DSL line namin, hehe linait pa nga nung sinabi kung ang CIR namin is 256kbps, pero nung pinatry ko ung dala nilang kit di nila mapagana, napangiti nalang ako.

    Reply

  5. Thank you for this very useful info Jehz. indi masyado ako knowledgeable what ISP is suitable for which area or Internet usage. I just wonder why smart and Globe are more popular than PLDT DSL in households,cafes,offices, etc… I wonder why they prefer these two rather than PLDT.

    Anyway, so mas mabilis pala ang wireless than wired connection? hmm whatever… I think I’ll shift to PLDT DSL coz I’m really having problems with mmm, basta with my current provider. hehe;-)

    Reply

  7. I also ask that when I was in the end where there are two roads to choose. A DSL or a Wireless connection. For me, DSL still rules but it still depends on the provider. I think GLobe DSL and PLDT DSL on my area serves very well.

    In our office lan, I have two internet providers setup and running simultaneously. The PLDT which is the main ISP and the bayantel that serves as our backup. I just observed that eventhough both are in 3Mbps subscription still the PLDT Dsl is more faster although I have to say that the bayantel doesn’t give me intermittent connection.

    Another point I want to raised , A client of mine is located in Antipolo. Two times their DSL connection was cut due to theft on cable wires. As a solution we need to divert and use Smart Broadband.

    So i guess it still up to the lifestyle of the user.

    Nice post.

    Reply

    • Thanks Melardenio! :mrgreen: Yah depende talaga sa lifestyle and budget of the user. :mrgreen:

      Baliktad sa akin, minsan nag loloko BayanDSL ko, pero so far ok naman. Di talaga iwasan ang down time. 😳

      Yun din mahirap sa DSL, pwede ka nakawan. Sa wireless broadband mahirap ka nakawan, kasi hindi nila nakikita ang connection, walang cables eh. hehe.. Nice point! :mrgreen:

      Reply

  8. Yoh Yoh Idol, Ako ang gamit ko sa haus ay Smartbro yung may canopy. Sayang nga eh, ang bagal kase ng agent ng PLDT DSL kaya smartbro na kinuha ko. Ok naman sya ang mabilis, sa totoo lang may kahati pa ako sa kapitbahay pero naka wifi sya .. Tinanong ko nga kung mabagal, hindi naman daw ayos daw.

    Swempre hati sa monthly bill.. para di hussle… 😆

    Reply

    • hehehe.. yeah.. ok din smartbro. Matagal na ako nag smasmartbro. Mabagal nga lang, pero stable naman. Backup ko din smart bro in case nag loko mga DSL connection ko sa bahay 😆

      Sana may fiber optic na dito kagaya sa Singapore 😆

      Reply

  9. Me you could just imagine whats my life b4 started using dial-up, using cards..super gapang talaga..and incoming calls are X.. the suddenly now into DSL. parang from pajak speed to MRT ..jejejej I prefer DSL now..tnks for that write up..im learning a lot jehz.. 😀

    Reply

  12. I agree that DSL is still faster. I do wish they’d roll out fiber optic cables for home use. But to be quite frank though, PLDT DSL has the worst customer service, the worst information dissemination, and the slowest manpower deployment when it comes to supporting their subscribers. I have been using PLDT DSL since back in 2001 and one would expect that having been a subscriber for that service for this long, PLDT would value us as a subscriber but no. CSRs who answer their hotlines are idiots who don’t know what to properly answer MOST of the time (there were some rare instances that the person who answered my call when my DSL went down actually knew what was going on). They have horrible coordination between their mobile support crew and their call centers. And it takes almost forever for them to get things resolved. When I needed my modem replaced, it took them over a week to do so. I am within close driving distance of both the Novaliches and Fairview PLDT facilities but it took them a week to get there? And then some CSR from the call center calls me asking if my DSL has been restored when not a single PLDT rep has visited my house since I had first posted my call.

    I honestly wish that PLDT would work more on improving their customer support because they absolutely suck at it. Yes, their DSL service is more reliable than the others at present but their customer service is really painting them in a bad light.

    Reply

      • Sana. But I wouldn’t really bet on it. I don’t recall my mom mentioning any rebates showing up on our phone bill for the weeks that we did not have internet. So even in customer loyalty retention, PLDT SUCKS BALLS.

        And if upper management has turned a blind eye to all this the whole time, then I doubt they’d be making any improvements anytime soon. 😛

      • wooooot! Buti pa ang Globe may rebates. Kasi sa land lady ko dati, nililista nya kung anong araw sila nawawalan ng internet… Tapos binigay nya sa Globe yung list. Halos every other day nawawalan ng internet eh. Kaya binigyan sila ng Globe ng 4 months free internet. Hanep no? :mrgreen:

  14. as an internet user for the longest time, i believe DSL connections are faster vs. the wireless counterpart, but the truth is,DSL connections encounter lots of downtimes! sad but true… 🙁

    Reply

  15. PLDT din ang first choice ko sa wired broadband pero di available dito sa place namin.

    Kung sa bahay lang gagamitin, talagang mas maganda ang wired keysa sa wireless.

    Reply

  17. I currently use Globe’s Wimax and for almost a year now, I still haven’t encountered any problems with my connection. Advantage of my wireless connection is that I can use it anywhere. My only issue with MyDSL is when cables are disconnected due to typhoons, it will take a long time to fix the problem.

    Reply

  18. I agree that DSL is still faster. I do wish they’d roll out fiber optic cables for home use. But to be quite frank though, PLDT DSL has the worst customer service, the worst information dissemination, and the slowest manpower deployment when it comes to supporting their subscribers. I have been using PLDT DSL since back in 2001 and one would expect that having been a subscriber for that service for this long, PLDT would value us as a subscriber but no. CSRs who answer their hotlines are idiots who don’t know what to properly answer MOST of the time (there were some rare instances that the person who answered my call when my DSL went down actually knew what was going on).

    Reply

  19. DSL FTW! We use PLDT myDSL at home too, but we use BayanTel in the office. On which of those two is better, my friends say it depends on what’s more prevalent in a specific area. If there are more PLDT users in an area, chances are you’ll get better service if you join that bandwagon. I don’t know how much (or if any) of that is true. But if there’s one thing I’m sure of, users always complain about broadband. Haha.

    Reply

  22. Me too. At times medyo mabagal ung PLDT but overall ito ung pinakareliable and stable sa lahat.

    how bout bayantel? I heard sobrang bilis daw ng net nito but any experience?

    Reply

    • Aw.. mabilis bayantel, pero not sobrang bilis. Ok din customer service nila, kinabukasan may technician agad na dumating isang tawag lang :mrgreen: Or baka swerte lang ako that time.. hehe

      Reply

  23. BayanTel works effectively, too. Have you ever evaluate or use the Sun Wireless Broadband? I think mabilis rin siya kasi kunti palang ang subscribers so hindi masyadong marami ang nag-aagaw sa connection 🙂

    Reply

  24. to have eerrr… a stable connection i think it is better to subscribe to 2 dsl lines then have a load balancer, in case the other line breaks, the backup will take over..

    Reply

  33. Mabagal naman po ang click..try ko po sana yun kasi minsan nagkaproblema ang globe ng halos kalahating buwan. Try ko sana ang click kaya lang ang mahal 2000 ang pa connect nila at may 1 month advance pa. Di naman worth na bayaran sila dahil hindi naman ganun kabilis ang connection secondly they use the traditional wire kaya mabagal di gaya ng globe. Pero okay naman na ang globe ngayon at binawan ang bayad ko dahil sa 1/2 months nilang walang net..

    Reply

  36. Haha! The best parin po DSL ata kesa sa mga broadband though ung convenience outdoor lng tlga.. based on my experience.. sa speed tlga eh.. pero parang may maganda na bagong dumating..Wi-Tribe ata..haven’t sure about the performance.. hehe 😀

    Reply

  49. magandang umaga po sa inyong lahat… Hehe isa po pa lang na bubuhay na alamat si kuya jehz… Hehe kakatapos ko lang basahin ulit yung about niya. May bago kasi akong nakitang mga larawan… Hehe kung naging bida pala si kuya jehz sa naruto magiging siya pala si ika-apat na hokage. Ang genius na ninja… Ang lupet bilib na bilib ako. Pwd b mag tayo ng fans club para sakanya?

    Reply

  51. @kuya csseyah.. Mali naman ai halojin po o supladong alipin na lng.. Hehe ibumulong mu na lang.. Naririnig ka nyan haha.. Pero puwede naman eh.. Fans club… Yung tip0ng titili kay kuya jehz kapag may malltour at gig sya… Haha

    sb ng mga fans.. ”papa jehzlau! Ang gwapo gwapo mo” hehehe

    peace po kuya

    Reply

  52. Kuya…sa wakas yung kulitanngpinoy.blogspot.com ko ay kulitanngpinoy.com na he he he..nga pala kuya jehz bakit nawala yung lahat ng details ko sa alexa?? Pero kapag enter ko nman yung sa blogspot meron?? Help po!

    Reply

  53. hooooo, grabe naman ang globe almost one month na wala paring internet, nakakainis sila. napipilitan tuloy gumamit ng tattoo, evil marketing plan ata nila ung pag cut ng wired broadband nila para ma dispose nila mga wimax at tattoo nila. 😈 😈

    Reply

    • Sorry to hear pero kasi sa amin mga 1/2 months din silang may problem sa connection..pero ngayon okay na po sila..pero ang alam ko po may deduction po yun sa one month payment nila..nakuha nyo po ba??

      Reply

      • ang problema kasi since na nagpakabit kami wla pa diretsong one month stable connection, laging nawawala. at ngaun ang pinaka worse kasi one month na ala parin, sa office kasi namin napaka vital ang internet connection dahil kilangan naming magpadala at tumanggap ng communication via email and upload memo sa website.

        pati mga office mates ko nagrereklamo narin, nahiya pa ako kasi ako nagrekomenda na magpakabit sila sa globe.

        tsaka kawawa naman ung mga internet cafe na umaasa sa net para kumita, kahit may rebate, malaki parin ang kawalan nila diba.

        sana nga maayus to, dami na rin ako nababasa na nagrereklamong mga bloggers hehe, open letter 😳 😳 with 80% “mura” and laman ng post.

        phew, anyway chow. enjoy blogging. ➡

      • Ganyan talaga ang globe! Laging hassle sa mga connections nila. Kapag may angal ang mga customers ilang linggo bago puntahan. Lagi nilang sinasabi kasi kailangan pa daw ibato sa pinakamain daw sa Manila etc etc. Nakailang balik na nga ako dito sa amin kasi gusto ko na papalitan ang modem ko. Inabot na ng 1 taon hanggang ngayon wala pa din. Pero ang galing ng mga yan kumuha ng bayad!

  57. Magandang tanghali po sa inyong lahat… 🙂 ating po abangan ang susunod na post ni kuya jehz! Anu kaya ito? Contest kaya ulet? O panu bagong dagdag ka alaman! Sana contest ulet pang pasko at bagong taon! Ü

    Reply

  61. Sobrang helpful nitong post. Subscriber ako ng Sun Broadband, okey lang sila sa first 3 months. After that, sablay na laging nadidisconnect. nagiisip ako ngayon kung san ako magsusubscribe. Ano ba mas maganda kung ang lagi kong gamit ay Skype?

    Reply

  63. Grabe yung pldt september pa kami nagpadisconnect tapos may bills pa rin ngayon. One day lang kasi namin natest yung dsl nila 34kbps ba naman. Medyo mahal pa kasi 512 offer nila 1299 yung bill.

    Reply

  65. T1 is better than anything. natatawa na lang ako sa mga nagmamarunong na DSL ang pinakamabilis. pwe! tae nyo, matagal nang hari ang T1! 1990’s pa! so magsitigil kayong mga DSL fanatics! ano? DSL = 2mbps, T1 >= 20+mbps. so anong pinakamabilis? dumbasses.

    Reply

  67. T1/DS1 Connection for Personal / Household? pede kung kaya mong magbayad 20k++ a month depende pa ang price sa ISP and it ended as a corporate plan for most isp.

    In fact, may mas mabilis pa sa T1/DS1 and also, the topic is DSL vs Wireless Broadband. Di leased lines connection.

    Lastly, i dont think umaabot ng 20Mbps connection ang T1. Maybe T2, pede pa.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.