Although cable broadband internet is a whole lot quicker than dialup, I usually acquired skill a slight delay when opening a webpage. Perhaps most many people do not notice the latency associated with cable internet, but as a former DSL user it got my attention right away. I noticed a clear-cut difference in speed between cable and DSL, but I realized I had to live with it in order to use internet phone accomadation in the most economical way. DSL requires a phone line, which requires telephone service - so if you want to replace your land line phone with low cost internet phone service, the only option is to use cable or T-1 for internet.

With my internet phone up and running over cable broadband, the voice quality was better than expected. I noticed no big difference between VoIP and my land line phone, but did experience "dropped" calls and "incomplete" calls periodically. This is due to the latency in my broadband connection, but since VoIP saves me over $500 a year (unlimited calling for less than $20 a month) an occasional dropped call is fine with me! While flipping through a computer magazine, I spotted an ad for the Hawking Broadband Booster. This device is planned to eliminate the "lag" in your internet connection by monitoring the data that is coming and going and re-prioritizing the packets. It installs between your cable modem and router, and acts like a "visitors cop", eliminating congestion by ensuring that both router and modem get nice even streams of data. In an attempt to decrease the latency with my cable modem, I decided to try out this device. Although it is a bit pricy (around $100), I figured I could always return it if it didnt work as claimed. The broadband booster was really easy to install (just connect two cables and restart your cable modem) and required no configuration whatsoever. The device is tiny (2" X 4") and weighs only an ounce or so. I noticed an immediate improvement in my internet connection, although there is still a very slight lag. In the past several weeks I have logged nearly 3000 minutes on my VoIP accomadation and have not experienced any dropped or incomplete calls. I am very satisfied with the Hawking Broadband Booster (HBB1), and recommend it to anyone using broadband and/or internet phone accomadation . Although I am not a gamer, the business claims it really helps with online playing as well. Many many people with satellite internet cannot make use of VoIP due to the inconsistent satellite signal. If satellite internet is your only choice for broadband, it could be assessment of value your while to give this little device a try.

2005 Debbie Jacobsen, all rights reserved