Cable modems are popular with consumers for Internet access. However many consumers are not covered by the cable networks. Indeed even when the cable goes right past the premises it is often true that a particular premises (eg. an apartment) cannot be provided with cable modem service. This is especially true with business customers, who generally cannot connect to the cable modem services.

Further, cable modem services are fundamentally consumer services and do not offer the features (such as fixed or static IP addresses) required by businesses.

Finally cable modem networks are more subject to performance degradation and (arguably) security breaches than ADSL services. ADSL provides a dedicated service over a single telephone line; cable modems offer a dedicated service over a shared media. While cable modems have greater downstream bandwidth capabilities, that bandwidth is shared among all users on a line, and will therefore vary, perhaps dramatically, as more users in a neighborhood get online.