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Broadband is changing the way we use the Internet. With faster Internet connections become more and more common, the types of services that are commonly available over the Internet is changing. Take, for example, the rise of video services over the Internet. A video site like yourtube.com would just not be practical if most people were using a dial-up connection. With a broadband connection, however, downloading video or other bandwidth intensive content from the Internet is practical.

WHAT IS BROADBAND?

Broadband Internet access is a term commonly used to describe high-speed Internet. Broadband is generally defined as including any Internet access service that is faster than 256 kbit/s, or at least four times faster than a user would get using a dial-up connection over a digital phone line.

WHAT KINDS OF BROADBAND ACCESS ARE THERE?

Broadband Internet access is usually delivered by one of two main methods: a Digital Subscriber Line modem, or a cable modem.

A Digital Subscriber Line modem, or DSL modem, connects to the internet over a standard telephone line. What makes a DSL connection so useful is that it sends signals over the telephone line at such a high frequency that it does not disturb the normal operation of the phone line. This means that you can get fast access to the Internet and use your phone line at the same time.

While a DSL modem uses standard telephone lines, a cable modem allows users to get a high-speed connection to the Internet over their cable television connection. Because the cable television infrastructure is already designed to carry more information that the phone system, cable modem connections can generally offer a faster connection to the Internet than a DSL modem.

While the vast majority of broadband Internet is done over a DSL or cable modem connection, a number of new services are in the works that will offer an even faster connection. One system, which is already starting to take root in Japan and South Korea, is VDSL, or Very high data rate Digital Subscriber Line. Another technology that is starting to take root is power-line Internet, or Broadband over power lines (BPL). BPL is just like it sounds – it allows broadband Internet access over high-voltage power lines. While this technology is exciting in terms of its potential reach – it’s very hard to find a location that is not services by a power line – there are still some concerns over signal strength that need to be addressed before BPL can be used widely.

WHAT KIND OF BROADBAND IS BEST FOR YOU?

As a general rule, connections with a cable modem are faster than connections with a DSL modem. However, this does not always mean you should get a cable modem. If there are going to be a lot of people on the same network, a DSL modem will handle the crowd better than the cable modem. Also, you have to consider the total package; because cable modems are often provided by existing cable companies, you often have to subscribe to cable packages just to get an Internet connection.
 

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