Anne Cowan, Senior Vice President, Communications
Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing (CTAM)

Consumers are bombarded with messages about cable vs. DSL broadband services, making it hard to separate the truth from the tall tales. The reality is that broadband is a term used loosely, often referring to any high-speed Internet access service that isn’t plain old “dial-up.” But I suspect most consumers would like to be better informed.

Even if I’m told in an ad that a product is comparable or equivalent to another, I still take time to understand the differences. In fact, most of us want to be smart shoppers and make educated purchasing decisions. For example, I don’t think anyone would buy a Porsche, if they discovered that it had a Miata engine. So why would anyone subscribe to a broadband service that runs on a lower quality engine?

The bottom-line: Not all broadband is created equal. In most markets, cable offers the fastest, most reliable high-speed Internet experience available, and it does it regardless of where you live or how far you are from the source. I’m sure there are many DSL customers that wish they could say the same for their Internet experience. They’re learning some hard lessons, at slower speeds.

So, why this relentless focus on consistent broadband speed? Well, everyday more applications are being developed that rely on accessing the full power of the Internet. The newest MP3 players, mobile video devices and gaming boxes all depend on speed. Plus, simpler activities, such as video email, downloading photo albums and shopping online can be painfully tedious if you can’t put the pedal to the metal. Simply put, consumers should kick the tires, know what’s under the hood and buy smarter – broadband services from their local cable company.