Broadband -

Home
>
Broadband Internet
>
Broadband

Broadband

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

Please feel free to copy and paste this article and its resource information.

In The News:

ChattahBox
Low-Income Americans Don't Want, Don't Need Broadband Internet
eFluxMedia - Jul 3, 2008
By Alice Turner The Pew Internet Project looked at how widespread broadband Internet is among Americans today and found out that there is a large portion of ...
Study: Price, Not Availability Keeping Dial-Up Users From Broadband AHN
Flashing VCR crowd speaks, no broadband for them Coolest Gadgets
Many Dial-Up Users Don't Want Broadband Digitaltrends.com
BetaNews - Mediapost.comall 204 news articles

Anthony Doesburg: Fast internet still a pipedream in the country
New Zealand Herald, New Zealand - 12 hours ago
By Anthony Doesburg City slickers who complain incessantly about their broadband internet options (that's me - I admit it) should spare a thought for their ...

Vint Cerf Comments on Government's Role in Internet Broadband Access
CircleID, Canada - 15 hours ago
The idea is to provide new incentives for broadband Internet providers to keep the system open to new applications and to promote substantial competition, ...

Companies propose ultra-fast broadband for Palo Alto
San Jose Mercury News, USA - Jul 5, 2008
By Kristina Peterson After more starts and stops than a dial-up connection, ultra-high-speed broadband Internet may soon be feasible in Palo Alto. ...

Safaricom extends broadband internet service to Mombasa
Daily Nation, Kenya - Jul 3, 2008
Residents of Mombasa will enjoy broadband internet access after mobile phone firm, Safaricom, extended its services to the coastal town. ...

Telefonica cuts broadband internet prices by up to 30% in Colombia
Telecom Paper (subscription), Netherlands - Jul 3, 2008
Telefonica Telecom has launched a new broadband internet offer, providing customers in the capital Bogota with internet speeds of up to 16 Mbps, ...
Movistar Colombia to launch 3G network in Q2 Telecom Paper (subscription)
all 2 news articles

GameSHOUT
Weekly News Roundup: 30th June- 5th July 2008
TechShout!, India - 19 hours ago
Itâ€™s been quite a while since Broadband internet has been serving many of us dedicatedly. However, there are still a few who are apprehensive to accept the ...
Game console sales in slo-mo San Jose Mercury News
all 186 news articles

Vint Cerf: The Internet Is Killing Innovation
InformationWeek, NY - Jul 1, 2008
Most American consumers have at most two options for broadband Internet access -- their local telephone company for DSL, or their cable provider for a cable ...
Nielsen Report: Viewers Still Prefer TV Sets to Websites World Screen News
all 2 news articles

NEWS.com.au
Internet radio tunes in to the next generation
NEWS.com.au, Australia - Jul 1, 2008
Dial-up internet access isn't fast enough for a reliable data stream. Whether via cable, ADSL or wi-fi, internet radio requires access to broadband internet ...

Broadband project's fees waived
Baltimore Sun, United States - Jul 3, 2008
The Board of Public Works yesterday approved a wetlands license and waived the applicable fees for a project that will allow greater broadband Internet ...
Md. wetlands license approved for broadband effort Forbes
Wetlands license approved for high-speed Internet effort Baltimore Sun
all 19 news articles

broadband internet - Google News