internet speed

[eta34]

I currently have Verizon dsl and my speed isn't too spectacular. I do not have fios in my area nor do I have cable. What are my options? Is it Verizon itself or simply dsl? Thanks.

[nick]

With DSL, the distance to the CO you connect to is what affects the speed the most. Call Verizon, give them your address, and ask them how far you are from their CO (Central Office). Another problem might be them oversubscribing.

See if you can get cable or Verizon's FIOS in your area.

ETA: just saw the part about cable and FIOS. Well, what speeds do you get?

[nick]

Basically, the idea is that you get the baseline for the actual speed you get, and the distance from the CO. If the speed roughly matches what it should be given the distance, then that's the best you can do with any DSL (any other DSL company will work through Verizon's phone lines/CO, anyway), and if you want better speed, you'll have to switch to something other than DSL.

If there's a discrepancy between the distance and speed, then there's a potentially fixable issue. It can be Verizon oversubscribing, in which case changing the provider would likely solve the problem, it could be the line noise (in which case the line can be fixed), it can be a malfunctioning filter, your PC/router issues, etc.