Despite dial up being considered “old” technology, some internet service providers still provide basic dial up plans available to those who want them. They may be inexpensive, but be prepared for slow speeds.

The Deal with Dial Up

To access the internet with a dial up connection, you must log on with a modem through a telephone line. Unlike other connections available today, the dial up connection operates on an analogue phone signal.

Because accessing the internet through dial up requires no infrastructure other than telephone lines, it is the most convenient and cost-effective way to access the internet without building additional networks.

Dial Up Speeds

Speeds for a dial up connection average between 58kbps and 128mbps. For many, there is no substitute for a broadband connection, and with such inferior dial up speed, it’s easy to see why.

Some of the benefits that were first introduced when dial up became an option for the Australian population are still available and include the following:

• Installation of a dial up connection is cheap and easy
• Many people with dial up switch their modems off at the wall, which saves electricity and ultimately money
• It is generally a lot cheaper than other connection types
• When you log in via dial up, you enter a username and password, so many people believe that this makes dial up more secure

However these days a broadband connection is just as safe. It may also prove to be just as cheap and easy to have connected.

Broadband Internet is Better than Dial Up

Although dial up had many advantages at the height of its popularity, broadband is a much quicker and reliable option in comparison.

Dial up speeds are still relatively slow, and if you want to jump on the net to quickly check out a website, or watch a video, it will take several minutes to load. That’s a lifetime compared to the split-second loading on a broadband connection!

If you're ready to upgrade you can compare a range of NBN plans online with iSelect and CIMET*.