Web browsers can put foot down with Slingshot's Xcelerator

By PETER GRIFFIN

Dial-up internet is slow, tediously so.

We're used to the fact that if we want lightning-fast downloads and seamless web browsing we have to buy an ADSL modem (around $200) and upgrade to Jetstream Starter - or partake in some sneaky web surfing at the office, which is hooked to the web via a fat pipe.

But a growing number of internet providers now say there is an alternative, which uses our existing dial-up modems and copper lines.

Enter Slingshot with Xcelerator, a service which promises "speeds up to three times faster using your normal dialup connection". A bold claim.

Xcelerator requires a small software download, but other than that no more setting-up than a regular dial-up connection.

A download test at PC Pitstop returned a pretty average result for Xcelerator.

But that is because Xcelerator doesn't deliver faster speeds for file downloads. It is designed for web pages made up or images and text.

With stopwatch in hand, however, we timed how long it took to load a number of popular web pages, clearing the cache and deleting our browsing history between tests.

Using Xcelerator, the relatively graphic-heavy CNN took 13.1 seconds to fully load, beating Xtra dial-up (20.4 seconds) and Clearnet dial-up (25 seconds).

The dial-up-friendly Yahoo! loaded in 4.3 seconds using Xcelerator. Xtra managed 8.2 seconds and Clearnet took 9.5 seconds to load the front page.

Good old Amazon took 11.6 seconds to load. On Xtra it took 13.8 seconds and on Clearnet, 15.5 seconds.

Overall, Slingshot emerged the web-browsing winner.

So how does it squeeze more speed out of dial-up? Compression and caching technologies allow for the slightly speedier surfing.

Slingshot uses compression technology from SlipStream Data, a company that claims to have tweaked compression algorithms to better compact "bits" of data during transit to your computer.

In addition, parts of sites that are commonly accessed are cached on Slingshot's servers for speedier access, a common technique among internet providers.

For those downloading PDF files, streaming audio from online radio stations, however, you're out of luck. Xcelerator is tailor-made for general browsing so consummate web surfers are the target market.

Xcelerator offers all the trimmings of Slingshot's flat rate accounts - 5MB of personal web hosting, up to 7 email accounts and access to phone toll call deals.

Online support is free, but calling the help desk costs $2 a minute.

The Xcelerator software sits in the desktop tray and can be switched on and off with the click of a mouse.

All of that for $24.95 a month, $8 more than Slingshot's standard, low-speed, flat-rate dial-up offer.

Web surfers would be well advised to stump up with the extra $8.

However, those who deal with file transfers regularly may want to save their money or spend a bit more and take the broadband plunge.

Slingshot Xcelerator

$24.95 a month.

Pros: loads web pages on average twice as fast as other internet provider services.

Cons: Compression technology does not apply to file downloads, such as music-swapping services.

Rating: 7.5/10

PC Pitstop

CNN

Yahoo!

Amazon