I have the top tier AT&T DSL and routinely get 500-600kbps on downloads. The faster the better is important now, as watching video on the net becomes routine.
> One more comment - I noticed that most home wi fi services are now
> encrypted to prevent others from using them.
AT&T DSL gives you no choice. The modem / router automatically encrypts (and the passkey is on the bottom of it.) Right now I'm in an apartment complex that only allows DSL and I can find over a dozen home nets easily, all encrypted. Were they not encrypted then it would be easy for someone, as mentioned, to jump on another net to download porn or the latest bootlegged movie. Then RIAA slaps you with a monster fine.
>A man has been found guilty of possessing child pornography despite arguing
that his open wireless internet network meant the case against him could not
be proved.
Hmm, jumping on an open wifi net does not allow one to download files to other computers on that net.
We're moving to a gigantic home / apartment complex(12,000 homes) that has it's own apparently highly stable cable modem company and has free cable TV plus 5mbps net access for $20 a month.
Another alternative is satellite internet, but it's slow, expensive and when the weather is bad, the connection can be flaky.
I'd take the DSL. $15 a month is a rock bottom price.