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Broadband, Do You Really Require It?

By: Adam White If you don’t use broadband then you should. Take a quick gander at what it is and how it operates.

Broadband normally means a high-speed internet connection. The American Federal Communications Commission (FCC) defines a broadband connection as “data transmission speeds exceeding 200 kilobits per second (Kbps), or 200,000 bits per second, in at least one direction: downstream or upstream.”

A downstream connection is when data is sent from the Internet to the user’s computer and upstream is the opposite – data being sent from the user’s computer to the Internet.

If you have ever used the internet from a dial up service and then moved to broadband, as I have, you will be blown away at the increase in speed.

This is because broadband provides data transmission at a higher speed thus allowing more data to be carried through the channel.

High speed internet connection allows you access to the new internet services, like other interactive services, streaming media, VoIP phone. most of these new technologies need to move large amounts of data which could not have be done with dial-up service.

Thus, a broadband internet connection will be increasingly needed to access the full range of opportunities and services that the Internet has on offer.

A great thing about broadband is that it is always on.

Broadband encompasses a few different technologies. These technologiesinclude Wireless; Satellite; Fiber; Digital Subscriber Line (DSL); Cable Modem; Broadband over Powerlines (BPL).

Which broadband technology you decide on will depend on a number of issues. Including availability; how the broadband is packaged with other services (like telephone); whether you live in a rural or urban area; price.

Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) is a technology that sends data over the traditional copper telephone lines already installed at your home. It is faster then a dial-up service but it’s speed and availability will depend on the distance of your telephone exchange from your home.

DSL encompases Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) which characteristically provides faster speedin the downstream direction than the upstream direction.

Cable Modem uses the same coaxial cables that delivers pictures and sound to your TV set.

Users of cable can access their cable modem and still watch cable TV while using it. Transmission speeds vary depending on the type of cable modem; traffic load; cable network but are similar to DSL.

Fiber technology changes electrical signals that carry data into light. It then sends this light through transparent glass fibers about the thickness of a human hair.

Fiber optic technology sends data much much faster than DSL or cable.

Wireless broadband connects your computer to the internet using a radio link between your external antennaand the service provider’s facility. Speeds are commonly similar to cable and DSL. Wireless broadband can be mobile or fixed.

Satellite broadband is another variety of wireless broadband. The speed of data transfer is commonly slower than cable and DSL but 10 time quicker than dial-up.

Broadband over Powerline (BPL) is the delivery of data over your existing low and medium voltage electric power line network. The delivery speeds of BPL are similar to cable and DSL.

With You in Technology
Adam White