As a result, the need for speedier connections is all the more apparent. Both see DSL taking off in the next five to ten years. And because DSL works with existing copper telephone wires, it requires less upgrading of telephone companies' networks than some other broadband solutions. That's really good news, according to Gates.
Industry analysts agree.
Whereas cable modems are targeted at the consumer market, DSL will be more prevalent among businesses, largely because of the high cost. A consumer spends upwards of several hundred dollars a month for DSL, many times the cost of analog modem service. As a result, neither technology is expected to overtake analog modems anytime soon. In fact, neither cable nor DSL modems are expected to grab more than 5 percent of the Internet access market in the next five years, says Doyle. Like cable modems, ADSL modems lack an industry standard, although several are in the works.