Business owners in Texas usually have a wide selection of Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to choose from. However, most ISPs do not provide broadband service in Texas, which is much faster than a traditional phone line and is now easily affordable.

DSL services in TX provide a download rate of at least 512 kilobits/second and it is usually much more than this, whereas a regular telephone modem only operates at a maximum transfer rate of about 50 kilobits/second, rarely attained in practice.

Texas DSL service is normally limited to a very small number of providers for a given area. The cost for DSL in Texas depends on the maximum connection speed, which can vary greatly depending on the service package.

DSL service requires a DSL modem, which is normally the only hardware required if the user already has telephone service. You can purchase DSL modems from the DSL provider or a third party or rent from the DSL provider. Many DSL services also include a DSL modem in the package for little or no extra charge.

In order to best use your DSL service in Texas:

1. Find a locator service suitable for your needs.

2. Compare the prices between services in Texas.

3. Determine the reliability of broadband Texas services.

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

Locate Texas DSL providers

Identify all of the Texas DSL services in your city. You will want to compare packages between all of the available providers to ensure you get the best deal for your business needs. Your telephone company will usually offer DSL, especially if you live in a metropolitan area, but there may be other DSL providers as well.

I recommend: Enter your search criteria at DSL.com to get a list of every Texas DSL service provider in your area. A zip code is best, as it is more specific and less ambiguous than the city name. EMBARQ, AT&T, Verizon and TimeWarner offer Texas DSL services.

Compare prices between broadband Texas services

DSL Texas service is generally slower and therefore cheaper than other broadband services like cable. However, all types of broadband access are frequently bundled with other services so you will want to consider all of the components comparing bundles.

I recommend: Get a list of prices of all the DSL Texas services providers in the state at dsl.broadbandnational. You can then check selected providers for access in your area.

Determine the level of support you can expect from your broadband Texas service

Technical support and downtime varies considerably among DSL providers in Texas and some providers guarantee a maximum amount of downtime per month or provide compensation for service outages. If they provide this metric, consider this when choosing a DSL service.

I recommend: Go to dslreports.com to find out what customers of DSL in Texas think about their service providers. This site does not endorse any DSL provider and permits frank discussion of their services.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Sometimes you need to upgrade telephone wiring to DSL standards, especially in older houses built before the 1990s. Your DSL service provider should check the quality of your line before activating your DSL TX service.