Two of the top high-speed Internet service providers agree — in this day and age, it is almost necessary to use high-speed Internet connections rather than a dial-up modem.

“Once someone has a high-speed experience, they’ll never go back,” said Joe Izbrand, spokesman for SBC.

SBC is the leading DSL, digital subscriber line, provider — at the end of 2002, the company had more than 2.2 million subscribers. During the third quarter of 2002, 40 percent of DSL growth in the country came from SBC.

Over the past few years, use of dial-up connections has modestly declined and the modems are not seen as much as they once were. Izbrand said the common belief is high-speed Internet service is the communication platform of the future.

“We want to encourage dial-up customers to taste high-speed Internet access,” Izbrand said.

Judy Barbao, spokeswoman for the Columbus division of Time Warner Cable, said the company is approaching 100,000 high-speed Internet customers.

“More and more people are turning to the Internet for information or entertainment,” Barbao said. “Downloading pictures, watching videos and online gaming all require high-speed Internet.”

Time Warner offers six high-speed Internet services, with Roadrunner shining above the other five.

“People are now realizing the full potential of the Internet,” Barbao said. “It wasn’t as widely used before. People were not aware of all the Internet had to offer.”

Barbao said within the past couple of years, the growth in what has been made available in terms of broadband content — videos, games and pictures — has exploded.

“Before spending money on a movie, someone may want to check out the preview or the trailer,” she said.

Richie Delmont, a junior in material science and engineering said when there’s nothing else to do, he usually plays an online computer game.

“It would be impossible to access some of the servers with a dial-up connection. High-speed is the way to go,” he said.

Many people, especially college students, conduct research on the Internet, rather than going to the library.

“To download a document with a dial-up connection takes an enormous amount of time,” Barbao said. “A high-speed connection can make a world of difference.”

DSL service is offered by SBC for $34.95 a month, if the customer commits for one year. The subscription includes a free modem and self-installation kit. Time Warner Cable offers Roadrunner for $44.95 a month, with specials running all the time.

“We think that is an extremely attractive offer,” Izbrand said. “It really helps bridge the gap between the cost of dial-up and high-speed.”

Izbrand said despite the down economy, he sees a continued growth in DSL use. Roadrunner is experiencing the same trend.

“We have not experienced a slow-down,” Barbao said. “There’s been continuous growth since the launch of Roadrunner in 1997.”