Broadband is the name given to a high-speed Internet connection that provide large bandwidth. It is a quick connection, typically "always-on" and capable of transmitting data at a much faster rate than a standard dialup modem connection. Broadband also won't tie up your phone line, allowing you to use the internet and telephone simultaneously. Broadband can be provided from a dedicated line such as Cable or ISDN, or over the top of your phone line such as ADSL.
Low-band Internet access is typically running up to 56kbps using a dial-up modem. Mid-band Internet is a phrase given to dialup that operates at 64kbps or 128kbps. Broadband starts at 512kbps (approximately ten times faster than typical dialup) and is also typically available at 1mbps, 1.5mbps and 2.2mbps. Some companies offer broadband at 4mbps and 8mbps. The maximum possible for cable is around 26mbps and 24mbps for ADSL although these speeds are not sold commercially due to the high cost required to upgrade telephone lines to be able to transmit at this speed.
With broadband you can quickly download or stream music and video. Many websites are designed especially for broadband users with intense integrated graphics, flash and video. Another popular use of broadband is online gaming. Xbox and PS2 consoles include broadband support, by subscribing to gaming packages from your ISP you can play Xbox and PS2 games live with other people over the internet. Online PC gaming has been around since the early days of the internet, but now with faster speeds there is less lag (slow or jerky response from the computer making it hard to play) and you are no longer keeping an eye on the time as you play, making it much more popular. Many recent games are released requiring an internet connection, without them you simply cannot play.
With users so keen on downloading music and video most broadband providers have introduced a maximum limit on the amount you can download. This can be as low as 1 GB up to 30 GB for power users, or unlimited for the extreme. Exceeding your ISP's download cap will result in you having a limit connection for the rest of the month or none at all.
The future of broadband is the possibility of Internet Television. Currently there is not enough bandwidth (the amount of data you can send and receive down the line) to give as good an image as of a standard television. But with ever increasing internet speeds Internet Television will soon be with us. You can already legally download clips from your favourite shows, music videos and other content you would normally find on your television, just not in real time. Another use developed because of broadband is online telephony. Software that enables you to turn your computer into a telephone and talk to people from across the world without any extra cost is not only commonplace but of a higher quality recording than standard telephone lines. It seems with ever increasing Internet speeds, Broadband will be able to replace television, telephone and will soon become a welcome addition to every home. Broadband is helping the internet become an extensive resource that's easy to access and fun to use.
About The Author:
Neil Shevlin is the owner of UK Cheap Broadband which is a great place to find broadband links, resources and articles.
For more information go to: UK Cheap Broadband
http://www.ukcheapbroadband © Copyright 2005
Please feel free to copy and paste this article and its resource information.
Often too many people get confused with all the definitions,... Read More
Are you ready to upgrade your residential service to DSL... Read More
With high-speed Internet access becoming available in more and more... Read More
The coming age of general Broadband use bearing down upon... Read More
Thanks to the transfer technologies and governments spending on military... Read More
There are so many different webmail services on the internet,... Read More
Broadband is the name given to a high-speed Internet connection... Read More
SQUID:In 1984 I was partnered with a Cable TV engineer... Read More
The revolution is just getting started and will be begin... Read More
Being on the road has its advantages; the freedom is... Read More
Getting broadband services getting easy, but research still required.Broadband Internet... Read More
Defining broadband can get complicatedThere are many different takes on... Read More
To find the best broadband provider for you takes some... Read More
Back in 1999 when we beta tested the first wireless... Read More
Internet service providers are becoming more and more present as... Read More
The State of Satellite Internet in 2005For those businesses unable... Read More
DSL ? which stands for Digital Subscriber Line ? is... Read More
The Internet, as most people know it, is history.It just... Read More
The Whois protocol is an information service not unlike the... Read More
One of the common problems among internet users is testing... Read More
Have you heard of the new Internet? It's called Internet... Read More
Consumers understand that when there is more competition in... Read More
So you're sick and tired of AOL Instant Messenger. You're... Read More
We are now well ensconced in a time when the... Read More
For anyone trying to get the cheapest internet available, there... Read More
Millions of hard-to-find books from five major libraries will soon... Read More
Are you suddenly chat-less now that Yahoo has shut down... Read More
Ka Band VSAT* satellite internet technology has enormous possibilities for... Read More
Okay, so you are finally tired of those slow dial-up... Read More
There are a number of options available for Business Class... Read More
You may have noticed the expansion of consciousness that has... Read More
Generally speaking, wireless computer connections are reliable. However, nothing is... Read More
Securing your Windows Xp computer is done by achieving two... Read More
The Internet Control Message Protocol communicates errors messages between systems... Read More
One of the most controversial topics surrounding web hosting is... Read More
Are you a dial-up user looking for a faster connection,... Read More
Dial up ISP service is the cheapest choice of any... Read More
The Whois protocol is an information service not unlike the... Read More
Telecommunication, according to Wikipedia, is the extension of communication over... Read More
There are two measured elements that determine your internet connection... Read More
Defining broadband can get complicatedThere are many different takes on... Read More
Dreams. There are two types of dreams: 1. When you... Read More
Of primary concern to all internet users is their actual... Read More
With high-speed Internet access becoming available in more and more... Read More
Getting broadband services getting easy, but research still required.Broadband Internet... Read More
DSL ? which stands for Digital Subscriber Line ? is... Read More
Are you ready to upgrade your residential service to DSL... Read More
Okay, so you are finally tired of those slow dial-up... Read More
Are you suddenly chat-less now that Yahoo has shut down... Read More
When searching for the right ISP there are a number... Read More
There are so many different webmail services on the internet,... Read More
The wireless network in my house went haywire. It worked... Read More
Well, the Internet access industry is starting to shake its... Read More
You've set up your Boingo account, you're hanging out at... Read More
Approximately 4 million people in the UK use ADSL with... Read More
Have you heard of the new Internet? It's called Internet... Read More
Securing your Windows Xp computer is done by achieving two... Read More
Hospital's and the Medical Professionals associated with them across America... Read More
Ka Band VSAT* satellite internet technology has enormous possibilities for... Read More
The State of Satellite Internet in 2005For those businesses unable... Read More
Modern Mass Transit is making it easier for commuters, especially... Read More
The "finger" protocol is used to return information on users... Read More
Consumers understand that when there is more competition in... Read More
Back in 1999 when we beta tested the first wireless... Read More
Being on the road has its advantages; the freedom is... Read More
One of the common problems among internet users is testing... Read More
Broadband Internet |