It"s possible to download Web pages as fast over a dial-up connection as over broadband. Really.
No violation of the laws of physics is involved, just some clever optimization of old-fashioned modem connections. This "dial-up acceleration" or "Web acceleration" builds some shortcuts into the path data travel on the Internet, allowing the Web to wend its way to your screen faster than usual.
In the past year, dial-up acceleration moved from an extra-cost add-on to a bonus component of America Online"s and EarthLink"s latest software, as well as that of other companies. Both America Online and EarthLink tout it as a reason to choose them over competitors.
After timing each service"s Web speed-up features, I can attest that the technology works. Pages snapped onto the screen as fast -- sometimes faster -- than they do over my digital-subscriber-line connection.