Broadband Internet service truly is the most used form of Internet
access because of its high access speeds; it is offered in four
different forms, DSL (or Digital Subscriber Line), also fiber-optic,
cable, and satellite. The old
dial-up
connection is the only non-broadband internet service available, and
even though it is cheaper, most Internet users are moving towards the
faster broadband Internet connection.
DSL
The DSL (or Digital Subscriber Line)
internet service makes its connection by utilizing unused telephone
wires that cause no interruption to your telephone service. The speed
you experience with a DSL connection varies with your distance from the
switching station. Your speed will be slower the further away you are
and faster the closer you are to the switching station and this may be a
deciding factor when you attempt to select between a DSL line and a
cable connection.
Cable
The broadband cable connection is
provided by the local cable TV provider. Here the cable Internet
connection speed varies with the number of users on the service at a
specific point in time. Given a specific geographical area, users of the
broadband cable service share the connection bandwidth which slows the
speed the more users are on the system. This will occur at the peak
times for example late in the evenings after the work day is over when
many people will be accessing the Internet. Somewhat misleadingly, often
the cable company would estimate connection speeds that are based on
the thinking that you are using the service. But that is clearly not the
case.
Fiber-Optic
The newest broadband service
is fiber-optic, which is the fastest Internet connection thus far.
However, this type of Internet service is still in its infancy as its
service areas are quite limited and because the laying down of the
fiber-optic cable takes a while to complete. Wherever it is available,
the cost not only competes with that of DSL and cable, but it provides a
much faster connection than both of those services.
Satellite
The last and slowest broadband
service is provided by satellite. Although this is a good replacement
for dial-up for those people living in remote rural areas, the
installation costs are quite high, but the ongoing monthly charges are
competitive to both cable and DSL.
There are many
advantages to the DSL and cable broadband service. It provides greater
bandwidth than other Internet access forms, and that makes it easier for
the computer user to multitask with several applications performing in
the background while you surf the web. It is possible for you to surf
the web while listening to audio.
The networking of computers in the home is made easier with a broadband connection, by either using wireless or wired modems.
The
cost of broadband service is higher annually than the cheaper dial-up
version by $100 to $500, but given the advantages and ease of a
broadband connection, it is well worth the cost.
A broadband connection allows you to play many popular computer games that rely on a fast Internet connection.
Broadband
connection, unlike the old dial-up internet connection, will not engage
your phone line when in use. In fact, having a broadband connection
makes it possible for you to obtain an Internet phone service so you
will no longer need the traditional phone line at all.
Another
great benefit of a broadband connection is that you are constantly
connected to the Internet. You are quickly able to connect with your
work's intranet and email in a matter of seconds.
Many
people considering between these broadband Internet service options
generally narrow the search to the most popular services which are DSL
and cable. A good approach when researching your options would be to ask
those in the area you are considering, which service they are using and
how it is working for them.
Even though cable
broadband Internet service offers a speedy internet connection, this
fast speed will not be realized if the connection itself cannot be
relied on. For example, the cable connection you receive depends on the
shared bandwidth, the number of users on the system at any time, and the
latency on the network.
The bandwidth is just one
factor that determines the Internet connection's speed. It is a measure
of the quantity of data that enters the network over a period of time,
and is measured in bps, or bits per second. The greater the data flow,
the better the network Internet connection. In broadband connections the
supported data rates are generally 300 Kbps and higher, as opposed to
the old dial-up maximum of 53Kbps.
Latency is another
factor that affects the cable Internet connection's speed. Latency
refers to delays incurred in the network data processing. A network is
described as low latency if it experiences only small delay times, and
high latency if it suffers with long delays. When the latency becomes
excessive, data transmission causes a bottleneck that prevents addition
data from coming through and this effectively reduces cable's Internet
connection bandwidth. So even though the cable bandwidth of your
Internet connection is set, its effectiveness can be reduced by
bottlenecks of data and a high number of users on the system .
Again,
with a broadband DSL connection, the connection speed of the Internet
can be severely reduced by the distance a subscriber is located from the
switching station. The further away the subscriber is from the
switching station, the slower the Internet connection.
Once
installed, a broadband connection is always on. The connection is
maintained with the use of a cable or DSL modem. These connect the
computer to the cable outlet on the wall, in the case of the cable
internet connection; or the DSL modem to the phone line. Only when these
connections become unplugged, will the Internet connection be lost.
Unlike
the old dial-up service, you will not be dialing a specific phone
number to gain access to the Internet. With a broadband service, access
to the Internet is given by simply double clicking your Internet browser
icon of choice (this is usually on your desktop - Internet Explorer,
Firefox, Netscape etc.); your default web page will open and you can
immediately start surfing the web. The whole process should take no more
than about 10 to 15 seconds, depending on the computer's speed itself
and baring any issues of slowness.
[--------------]
