If you are trying to speed up incoming, i.e., what you find when browsing and incoming email, then dsl should help. Not sure what you computer's got, there is nothing wrong with an emachine, what processor and how much RAM do you have. This tells the tale that could be related to slow virus checking, if that's a problem. We had a 512 MHz W98 system that I shut off email virus scanning because it slowed it down too much.

As for the package, $139 sounds high. And with "light" dsl, that's the low-cost and slowers dsl, I believe. Most cable companies and I think Verizon here in NJ offers the package of three for under a hundred, i.e., $99.99.

I have Verizon "light" DSL and like it very much. I got it on a special deal last year for $15+ /month. I've forgotten what I paid initally. I got the wireless also because I have a laptop that I wanted to use. I have broadband at work and I can live with the light DSL (but not the dial-up anymore).

I don't know what this means but it's what I found on my computer 3.33 Ghz, 384MB of RAM.
I bet on the 99 dollar deal the tax is not added in. The quote they gave me is tax included. At present we have satellite tv for 44.99. We have the neighborhood with mci and with taxes it comes to around 78. per month. I have dialup that I pay for by the year and it's only 99. But the same company wants 32. for their DSL. I've checked the light DSL on someone elses computer and it seems much faster than my dialup but I'm concerned that the MCAfee will slow it down. Thanks!

I too, got tired of Dial -up. Went to Bellsouth DSL ultra version . On average it's about 30 times faster on downloads
and 10 times faster on ''send'' even with the Norton scanning incoming and out going. Day and night difference.
No more Sloooooow Dial up for me. Grady

Avoid signing a long term deal until you try dsl at your location. Speed depends on several variables, including conditions of phone lines and distance from the phone companies substation.

yesican,
The "numbers" on your computer are all good, and I assume you're using XP Home for your operating system. The only improvement you may want to consider is upgrading your RAM to 512 Mbytes or even 1 GBbyte. This will not been seen/felt, however, doing email/web browsing. If you're doing hi-tech "gaming" and graphics and/or you keep a lot of process up at the same time, you'll benefit from additional memory.

I did not intend to imply that dsl would not increase you data transfer rate with the ISP (AOL or whoever), I said that may not be your total problem. You've got plenty of computer power, so I again suggest you go online and do web browse to anything big, say a news story from the AOL home page, then click on it and bring up your data (dial-up) status and see if data if smoothly flowing. If is is not, then dsl will not be a "total" fix. And too, what is your dial up data speed? The dial-up status will show you that too, it is in the top portion of the display. Looking I see mine is now running at 46.6 Kbps, down from the usual 52.0 Kbps, but I'm on a different phone line than normal. As noted just above, the speed depends a lot on the condition of the phone wire all the way to the central office and the distance, I am about 5 miles form the telephone office and last time I checked they were not providing dsl service to my location. I haven't checked lately and technology keeps improving, but being at or past the maximum distance would put my service at the lower level of the offered service.

Speaking of dish/satellite t.v. are your happy with the t.v. service? I'm thinking about dropping my cable t.v. (Patriot Media) because I consider it overpriced. Some have told me satellite t.v. doesn't work in heavy weather: rain for example. What's your experience?

I pay $17.99 a month for Verizon DSL in NY.

Altho we are fairly close to Atlanta, just checking on line we don't seem to have many options in the 19.00 range like some of you have. We can't get Verizon and Bell South seems to be the cheapest. The computer I checked on was right next door so I would think it would be the same here.
Jerry, I'm not so sure what you are talking about but I'll see if I can figure it out. We haven't had any problem with satellite tv.
Thanks to all!

Jerry, I've had Direct TV for several years and love it. A good installation is very important. I went through a local merchant, and his installer did a poor job. It was very exasperating at first. However, the merchant eventually hired a different installer who corrected the problem. It may be better to deal directly with the satellite company. I've had very few weather related issues.

Snow on a TV satellite dish can be a real bummer...wish mine wasn't roof mounted now.

Very heavy rains or storms will throw it out a bit too...usually during one of my very favorite shows it seems.

Sue...who is in the boonies where DSL is not offered.