Business owners in California have many Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to choose from but most ISPs do not provide broadband service in California. However, DSL is much faster than a traditional phone line and should be available from at least one provider.

DSL services in California will allow you to download at least 512 kilobits/second and many packages offer download speeds that are much higher. A regular telephone modem can only download data at a maximum rate of 50 kilobits/second and the average throughput is usually much less than this.

The number of providers of California DSL service for a given area is normally limited and the cost for DSL in California depends mostly on the connection’s maximum download rate and other features in the service package. There is normally not a great deal of price difference for basic service between providers.

The only hardware DSL service normally requires is a DSL modem if the user already has telephone service. You can purchase the modem from any source including the DSL provider in most cases.

In order to best use your DSL service in California:

1. Find a locator service suitable for your needs.

2. Compare the prices between services in California.

3. Determine the reliability of broadband California services.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Locate California DSL providers

Identify the DSL providers in your area so that you can compare all of the available packages. Your telephone company will usually provide DSL services but other DSL providers should also be able to provide service to you.

I recommend: Enter your search criteria at DSL.com to get a list of every California DSL service provider in your area. A zip code is a better best search criteria than the city name because it is more specific than the city name. You will also need to check your phone number at some point to ensure that a DSL provider can service your specific phone line. Verizon, AT&T and Covad offer DSL internet service in California.

Compare prices between broadband California services

DSL services in California are frequently bundled with other services, making it more difficult to compare different bundles. Be sure that you are taking all of the features into account when deciding which bundle is the best one for you.

I recommend: Get a list of all the DSL California services providers at dsl.broadbandnational. You can then check the packages of specific providers.

Determine the reliability you can expect from your DSL service in CA

Downtime varies considerably among DSL providers in California but this metric is not commonly available to the public. Current customers are frequently the best source of information on a DSL provider's service outages.

I recommend: Go to dslreports.com to read what actual customers have to say about their provider of DSL in California. This forum does not endorse any DSL provider and contains posts by actual DSL customers in California.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  The listed rate for DSL services is usually the maximum rate at which you can download data. The actual throughput can be substantially less and involves some factors that may be outside the control of your DSL CA service.