Nothing to do with digital imaging really, except that it's part of my system to maintain this web site, but I thought you might like to hear my comments about the Telewest high-speed cable modem service.
I had a Telewest high speed cable modem service installed during July 2001. The service is in fact a branch off the digital TV service cable, not the telephone cable. Connection to the modem is via a F-type screw connector and a JR45 CAT5 network lead connected to the computer (plugged into a 10 base T network card). A third lead to the modem provides a mains supply.
Setting up the hardware is utter simplicity by running WINIPCFG.EXE in Win98 and selecting the network card, clicking the "release all" button then the "renew all" button. Windows XP users should run the IPCONFIG utility from within a DOS window (run "command") using /release, /all and /renew switches.
After altering browsers to use the LAN connection instead of dial-up networking, the system is ready to use. If you additionally have a multi-media keyboard with a "WWW" symbol on it, this can be set to point to your favourite browser and a single key-press will then provide instant connection and load your home webpage in about one second.
With no dial-up delay, no additional phone charges, no disconnection and ten times the speed of a normal 56k modem I can now use the Web as a fast and reliable search tool. In fact trying to previously download large update files from Microsoft and Creative labs, I aborted these attempts after staying up to the early hours, only to find the line had dropped after about 75% download each time. Now I can download files with ease, a 15Mb taking around 4 minutes.
The Internet Service Provider (ISP) with the Telewest service is Blueyonder, which is also used by NTL.
I only have praise for this cable modem service and hope that the share prices of Telewest recover when everyone realises how much time you can actually save for a payment of £25 per month.
Update Nov 2002
I've now upgraded to the even faster 1 Mbit Telewest higher speed Internet service.