Cable modems are used to deliver broadband Internet access in the form of cable internet and takes advantage of unused bandwidth on a cable television network.

The local cable TV line will be connected to your PC and receive data at about 1.5 Mbps. This data rate far exceeds that of the 28.8 and 56 Kbps telephone modems and the up to 128 Kbps of ISDN and is about the rates available to people who use Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) telephone service.

The main difference is regarding speed. Cable Internet is much faster than the one from telephone modem.