Technology comparison
Fiber, cable, and DSL are categories—not performance guarantees
Compare the actual plans available at an address, their written terms, and repeated measurements. Do not substitute a generic technology ranking for address-level evidence.
FCC sources reviewed July 10, 2026.
FCC technology definitions
| Common label | FCC Broadband Data Collection category | Definition used here |
|---|---|---|
| DSL / copper | Copper Wire, code 10 | Fixed wireline service using copper wire; FCC examples include asymmetric or symmetric DSL and Ethernet over copper. |
| Cable | Coaxial Cable / HFC, code 40 | Fixed wireline service using coaxial cable or hybrid fiber-coaxial; FCC lists DOCSIS as an example. |
| Fiber to the premises | Optical Carrier / Fiber to the Premises, code 50 | Fiber extends to the home or business end user. The FCC definition explicitly excludes fiber to the curb. |
These categories identify last-mile technology for FCC reporting. They do not establish the price, actual throughput, latency, support quality, contract term, or reliability of a particular address and plan.
Use address-level sources
- Check the FCC National Broadband Map. The FCC says the fixed map displays availability reported by ISPs and can be filtered by technology and maximum advertised download/upload speed.
- Open each provider's current address-specific offer and retain the service disclosure, price, fees, data policy, contract term, advertised speed, and any minimum or typical-speed language it supplies.
- Confirm the exact last-mile product. A provider brand may sell different technologies at different addresses.
- Compare the documented terms with the applications and simultaneous uses that matter to the household.
Comparison worksheet
| Field | Plan A | Plan B |
|---|---|---|
| Service address and technology | From provider disclosure / FCC map | From provider disclosure / FCC map |
| Advertised download and upload | Record exact current offer | Record exact current offer |
| Provider-published typical/minimum figures | Record source and date | Record source and date |
| Monthly price, fees, term, and post-promotion price | Record written terms | Record written terms |
| Data allowance or traffic-management disclosure | Record written policy | Record written policy |
| Equipment and installation | Record model/cost/ownership | Record model/cost/ownership |
| Measured results after installation | Repeated matched tests | Repeated matched tests |
Measure after installation
Use a provider-approved method for contractual support and a separately documented independent method for comparison. Record the device, wired or wireless path, endpoint, time, and other traffic. A browser-to-edge result cannot by itself prove which last-mile component caused a difference.