:: Cable modems: suitability for business use:

Cable modems are not suitable for heavy business use. They are ideal for residential use or small businesses.

The cable network is shared which means that as the number of cable users increases, the speed on each individual's line decreases. At times of peak Internet usage, cable modem speeds decrease dramatically. Secondly, a shared network is inherently less secure than a dedicated service like DSL; neighboring cable customers can more easily intercept data or hack into another user's computer. Finally, the upstream speed on a cable modem generally is no higher than 128 Kbps. Therefore cable modems are unable to provide acceptable speed or security for most business purposes.

Moreover, cable modems and cable Internet have not become commonplace for businesses. The service would generally not be available and also would be unsuitable to larger businesses. Small and home businesses may have this service available as an alternative in some areas.

The main reasons for this not being popular for business use are the issues of security and performance degradation. These are not un-surmountable problems. The service provider could allocate a higher bandwidth to a business on his network and security issues can be attended to by installing firewall and virus protection as well as by observing prudent security practices.