What is the broadband?

The term broadband refers to the wide bandwidth characteristics of a transmission medium and its
ability to transport multiple signals and traffic types simultaneously.
The medium can be coax, optical fiber, twisted pair or wireless. In contrast, baseband describes a
communication system in which information is transported across a single channel.
Prior to the invention of home broadband, dial-up Internet access was the only means by which one
could access the Internet and download files such as songs, movies, e-mails, etc. It would take anywhere
from 10–30 minutes to download one song (3.5 MB) and over 28 hours to download a movie (700 MB).
Dial-up Internet was also considered very inconvenient as it would impair the use of the home
telephoneline, and users would contemplate whether or not to get a second line, and if doing so was
worth the cost.
In 1997, the cable modem was introduced, although the common use of broadband didn't begin rising
until 2001. Having a broadband connection enabled one to download significantly faster than on dial-up.
As with many new technologies, most consumers were unable to afford the cost of faster Internet
service.
In telecommunications, broadband is a wide bandwidth data transmission with an ability to
simultaneously transport multiple signals and traffic types. The medium can be coaxial cable, optical
fiber, radio or twisted pair.

In the context of Internet access, broadband is used to mean any high-speed Internet access that is
always on and faster than traditional dial-up access.

Types of Broadband Connections

Broadband includes several high-speed transmission technologies such as:

 Digital Subscriber Line (DSL)

 Cable Modem
 Fiber
 Wireless
 Satellite
 Broadband over Powerlines (BPL)
DSL Broadband
 Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) is a technology that delivers broadband over your phone line to be
used in the home or office.
 With DSL technology, large volumes of information are sent over a copper cable at rapid speeds.
 DSL allows you to download web pages, text, graphics, music and video in real time.
ADSL Broadband
 Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) – Used primarily by residential customers, such as
Internet surfers, who receive a lot of data but do not send much. ADSL typically provides faster
speed in the downstream direction than the upstream direction. ADSL allows faster downstream
data transmission over the same line used to provide voice service, without disrupting regular
telephone calls on that line.
 Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) is a technology similar to the DSL technology.
 With ADSL, information is downloaded more rapidly than it is uploaded.

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  ADSL is particularly useful for homes and businesses as it can download web pages and files at
fast speeds.
 ADSL2 and ADSL2+ are new technologies offered by some providers offering speed up to
24Mbps. One provider offering this service is Be.

Symmetric Broadband (SDSL)

 Symmetric broadband (SDSL) is a technology similar to ADSL broadband.
 SDSL broadband downloads information at the same speed as it uploads information. Whereas
ADSL broadband downloads the information faster than it uploads it.
 This type of broadband requires an extra telephone line.
 SDSL broadband is particularly suitable for businesses that send large volumes of information.
 Symmetrical Digital Subscriber Line (SDSL) – Used typically by businesses for services such as
video conferencing, which need significant bandwidth both upstream and downstream.
 Faster forms of DSL typically available to businesses include:
 High data rate Digital Subscriber Line (HDSL); and
 Very High data rate Digital Subscriber Line (VDSL).
Local Loop Unbundling
 Local Loop Unbundling (LLU) is where ADSL or SDSL broadband technologies are provided
without using the British Telecom’s exchange system.
 This means that LLU providers can offer broadband features at a competitive price.
 LLU is only available in certain parts of UK. Providers include Bulldog and Be.
Cable Broadband
 There are several ways in which broadband can be delivered to your PC, this type of broadband
is delivered through a cable.
 Cable companies also offer television and telephone packages as well as broadband Internet
services.
 Cable companies provide broadband, television or phone packages to about 45% of homes and
businesses in the UK.
 You can only get cable broadband if a company has cabled your street.
 Cable modem service enables cable operators to provide broadband using the same coaxial
cables that deliver pictures and sound to your TV set.
 Most cable modems are external devices that have two connections: one to the cable wall
outlet, the other to a computer. They provide transmission speeds of 1.5 Mbps or more.
 Subscribers can access their cable modem service by simply turning on their computers, without
dialing-up an ISP. You can still watch cable TV while using it. Transmission speeds vary
depending on the type of cable modem, cable network, and traffic load. Speeds are comparable
to DSL.

Satellite Broadband
 There are several ways in which broadband can be delivered to your PC, this type of broadband
is delivered through a satellite.
 To receive satellite broadband you must have a dish antenna, and can be used almost
everywhere in the UK.
 There are 2 types of satellite services:
 One-way satellite services download information via satellite and upload information via a
telephone or IDSN line.
 Two-way satellite services download and upload information via satellite. This provides an even
higher bandwidth and a faster speed.

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  Satellite transmission may be affected by weather conditions.
 The cost of installing and running satellite broadband can be quite expensive compared with
other types of broadband.
 Satellite broadband generally has quite high latency (ping times) compared to other broadband,
and so is unsuitable for certain types of Internet Access such as online gaming.
Wireless Broadband
 Wireless broadband is one of the ways in which broadband can be delivered to your PC.
 This type of broadband requires an antenna to be installed to get connection to the Internet.
 Wireless broadband is particularly suitable for distributing information between buildings and
for homes where access to ADSL or cable broadband is unavailable.
 Wireless broadband connects a home or business to the Internet using a radio link between the
customer’s location and the service provider’s facility. Wireless broadband can be mobile or
fixed.
 Wireless technologies using longer-range directional equipment provide broadband service in
remote or sparsely populated areas where DSL or cable modem service would be costly to
provide. Speeds are generally comparable to DSL and cable modem. An external antenna is
usually required.
 Wireless broadband Internet access services offered over fixed networks allow consumers to
access the Internet from a fixed point while stationary and often require a direct line-of-sight
between the wireless transmitter and receiver. These services have been offered using both
licensed spectrum and unlicensed devices. For example, thousands of small Wireless Internet
Services Providers (WISPs) provide such wireless broadband at speeds of around one Mbps
using unlicensed devices, often in rural areas not served by cable or wireline broadband
networks.
 Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs) provide wireless broadband access over shorter
distances and are often used to extend the reach of a "last-mile" wireline or fixed wireless
broadband connection within a home, building, or campus environment. Wi-Fi networks use
unlicensed devices and can be designed for private access within a home or business, or be used
for public Internet
access at "hot spots" such as restaurants, coffee shops, hotels, airports, convention centers, and
city parks.
 Mobile wireless broadband services are also becoming available from mobile telephone service
providers and others. These services are generally appropriate for highly-mobile customers and
require a special PC card with a built in antenna that plugs into a user’s laptop computer.
Generally, they provide lower speeds, in the range of several hundred Kbps.
 Satellite
 Just as satellites orbiting the earth provide necessary links for telephone and television service,
they can also provide links for broadband. Satellite broadband is another form of wireless
broadband, and is also useful for serving remote or sparsely populated areas.
 Downstream and upstream speeds for satellite broadband depend on several factors, including
the provider and service package purchased, the consumer’s line of sight to the orbiting
satellite, and the weather. Typically a consumer can expect to receive (download) at a speed of
about 500 Kbps and send (upload) at a speed of about 80 Kbps. These speeds may be slower
than DSL and cable modem, but they are about 10 times faster than the download speed with
dial-up Internet access. Service can be disrupted in extreme weather conditions.

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Fiber
 Fiber optic technology converts electrical signals carrying data to light and sends the light
through transparent glass fibers about the diameter of a human hair. Fiber transmits data at
speeds far exceeding current DSL or cable modem speeds, typically by tens or even hundreds of
Mbps.
 The actual speed you experience will vary depending on a variety of factors, such as how close
to your computer the service provider brings the fiber and how the service provider configures
the service, including the amount of bandwidth used. The same fiber providing your broadband
can also simultaneously deliver voice (VoIP) and video services, including video-on-demand.
 Telecommunications providers sometimes offer fiber broadband in limited areas and have
announced plans to expand their fiber networks and offer bundled voice, Internet access, and
video services.
 Variations of the technology run the fiber all the way to the customer’s home or business, to the
curb outside, or to a location somewhere between the provider’s facilities and the customer.

Broadband over Powerline (BPL)

 BPL is the delivery of broadband over the existing low- and medium-voltage electric power
distribution network. BPL speeds are comparable to DSL and cable modem speeds. BPL can be
provided to homes using existing electrical connections and outlets. BPL is an emerging
technology that is available in very limited areas. It has significant potential because power lines
are installed virtually everywhere, alleviating the need to build new broadband facilities for
every customer.
What is a Protocol?
 A protocol is a set of rules that governs the communications between computers on a network.
In order for two computers to talk to each other, they must be speaking the same language.
Many different types of network protocols and standards are required to ensure that your
computer (no matter which operating system, network card, or application you are using) can
communicate with another computer located on the next desk or half-way around the world.
HTTP, FTP, SMTP and DNS (Session/Presentation/Application Layers)
Several protocols overlap the session, presentation, and application layers of networks. There protocols
listed below are a few of the more well-known:
 DNS - Domain Name System - translates network address (such as IP addresses) into terms
understood by humans (such as Domain Names) and vice-versa
 DHCP - Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol - can automatically assign Internet addresses to
computers and users
 FTP - File Transfer Protocol - a protocol that is used to transfer and manipulate files on the
Internet
 HTTP - HyperText Transfer Protocol - An Internet-based protocol for sending and receiving
webpages
 IMAP - Internet Message Access Protocol - A protocol for e-mail messages on the Internet
 IRC - Internet Relay Chat - a protocol used for Internet chat and other communications
 POP3 - Post Office protocol Version 3 - a protocol used by e-mail clients to retrieve messages
from remote servers
 SMTP - Simple Mail Transfer Protocol - A protocol for e-mail messages on the Internet

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