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Data rates

Broadband is oIten called "high-speed" access to the Internet, because it usually has a high
rate oI data transmission. In general, any connection to the customer oI 256 kbit/s or greater
is more concisely considered broadband Internet access. The International
Telecommunication Union Standardization Sector (ITU-T) recommendation I.113 has
deIined broadband as a transmission capacity that is Iaster than primary rate ISDN, at 1.5 to 2
Mbit/s.
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The US Federal Communications Commission deIinition oI broadband is 4.0
Mbit/s. The Organization Ior Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has deIined
broadband as 256 kbit/s in at least one direction and this bit rate is the most common baseline
that is marketed as "broadband" around the world. There is no speciIic bitrate deIined by the
industry, however, and "broadband" can mean lower-bitrate transmission methods. Some
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) use this to their advantage in marketing lower-bitrate
connections as broadband.
Technology Used
The standard broadband technologies in most areas are ADSL and cable Internet. Newer
technologies in use include VDSL and pushing optical Iibre connections closer to the
subscriber in both telephone and cable plants. Fibre-optic communication, while only
recently being used in Iibre to the premises and Iibre to the curb schemes, has played a
crucial role in enabling Broadband Internet access by making transmission oI inIormation
over larger distances much more cost-eIIective than copper wire technology.
In a Iew areas not served by cable or ADSL, community organizations have begun to install
Wi-Fi networks, and in some cities and towns local governments are installing municipal Wi-
Fi networks. As oI 2006, broadband mobile Internet access has become available at the
consumer level in some countries, using the HSDPA and EV-DO technologies. The newest
technology being deployed Ior mobile and stationary broadband access is WiMAX and LTE.
DSL (ADSL/SDSL)
DSL is a Iamily oI technologies that provides digital data transmission over the wires oI a
local telephone network. DSL originally stood Ior digital subscriber loop. In
telecommunications marketing, the term Digital Subscriber Line is widely understood to
mean Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL), the most commonly installed technical
variety oI DSL. DSL service is delivered simultaneously with regular telephone on the same
telephone line. This is possible because DSL uses a higher Irequency. These Irequency bands
are subsequently separated by Iiltering.
The data throughput oI consumer DSL services typically ranges Irom 256 kbit/s to 20 Mbit/s
in the direction to the customer (downstream), depending on DSL technology, line
conditions, and service-level implementation. In ADSL, the data throughput in the upstream
direction, (i.e. in the direction to the service provider) is lower, hence the designation oI
asymmetric service. In Symmetric Digital Subscriber Line (SDSL) service, the downstream
and upstream data rates are equal.
Multilinking Modems
#oughly double the dial-up rate can be achieved with multilinking technology. What is
required are two modems, two phone lines, two dial-up accounts, and ISP support Ior
multilinking, or special soItware at the user end. This inverse multiplexing option was
popular with some high-end users beIore ISDN, DSL and other technologies became
available.
Diamond and other vendors had created dual phone line modems with bonding capability.
The data rate oI dual line modems is Iaster than 90 kbit/s. The Internet and phone charge will
be twice the ordinary dial-up charge.
Load balancing takes two Internet connections and Ieeds them into your network as one
double data rate, more resilient Internet connection. By choosing two independent Internet
providers the load balancing hardware will automatically use the line with least load which
means should one line Iail, the second one automatically takes up the slack.
ISDN
Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) was one oI the oldest digital access methods Ior
consumers and businesses to connect to the Internet. It is a telephone data service standard. A
basic rate ISDN line (known as ISDN-B#I) is an ISDN line with 2 data "bearer" channels
(DS0 - 64 kbit/s each). Using ISDN terminal adapters (erroneously called modems), it is
possible to bond together 2 or more separate ISDN-B#I lines to reach bandwidths oI 256
kbit/s or more. The ISDN channel bonding technology has been used Ior video conIerence
applications and broadband data transmission. Its use in the United States peaked in the late
1990s prior to the availability oI DSL and cable modem technologies. Broadband service is
usually compared to ISDN-B#I because this was the standard broadband access technology
that Iormed a baseline Ior the challenges Iaced by the early broadband providers. These
providers sought to compete against ISDN by oIIering Iaster and cheaper services to
consumers.
Advantages:
1. Constant data rate at 64 kbit/s Ior each DS0 channel.
2. Two way broadband symmetric data transmission, unlike ADSL.
3. One oI the data channels can be used Ior phone conversation without disturbing the
data transmission through the other data channel. When a phone call is ended, the
bearer channel can immediately dial and re-connect itselI to the data call.
4. Call setup is very quick.
5. Low latency
6. ISDN Voice clarity is unmatched by other phone services.
7. Caller ID is almost always available Ior no additional Iee.
8. Maximum distance Irom the central oIIice is much greater than it is Ior DSL.
9. When using ISDN-B#I, there is the possibility oI using the low-bandwidth 16 kbit/s
"D" channel Ior packet data and Ior always on capabilities.
Disadvantages:
1. ISDN oIIerings are dwindling in the marketplace due to the widespread use oI Iaster
and cheaper alternatives.
2. ISDN routers, terminal adapters ("modems"), and telephones are more expensive than
ordinary plain old telephone service (POTS) equipment, like dial-up modems.
3. ISDN provisioning can be complicated due to the great number oI options available.
4. ISDN users must dial in to a provider that oIIers ISDN Internet service, which means
that the call could be disconnected.
5. ISDN is billed as a phone line, to which is added the bill Ior Internet ISDN access.
6. "Always on" data connections are not available in all locations.
7. Some telephone companies charge unusual Iees Ior ISDN, including call setup Iees,
per minute Iees, and higher rates than normal Ior other services.
Satellite broadband
Satellites in geostationary orbits are able to relay broadband data Irom the satellite company
to each customer. Satellite Internet is usually among the most expensive ways oI gaining
broadband Internet access, but in rural areas it may be the only choice other than cellular
broadband. However, costs have been coming down in recent years to the point that it is
becoming more competitive with other broadband options.
Broadband satellite Internet also has a high latency problem which is due to the signal having
to travel to an altitude oI 35,786 km (22,236 mi) above sea level (Irom the equator) out into
space to a satellite in geostationary orbit and back to Earth again. The signal delay can be as
much as 500 milliseconds to 900 milliseconds, which makes this service unsuitable Ior
applications requiring real-time user input such as certain multiplayer Internet games and
Iirst-person shooters played over the connection. Despite this, it is still possible Ior many
games to be played, but the scope is limited to real-time strategy or turn-based games. The
Iunctionality oI live interactive access to a distant computer can also be subject to the
problems caused by high latency. Additionally, some satellite Internet providers do not
support VPN due to latency issues.
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These problems are more than tolerable Ior just basic
email access and web browsing and in most cases are barely noticeable.
For geostationary satellites there is no way to eliminate this problem. The delay is primarily
due to the great distances travelled which, even at the speed oI light (about 300,000 km/s
(190,000 mi/s)), can be signiIicant. Even iI all other signalling delays could be eliminated it
still takes electromagnetic radio waves about 250 milliseconds, or a quarter oI a second, to
travel Irom ground level to the satellite and back to the ground, a total oI over 71,400 km
(44,400 mi) to travel Irom the source to the destination, and over 143,000 km (89,000 mi) Ior
a round trip (user to ISP, and then back to userwith zero network delays). Factoring in
other normal delays Irom network sources gives a typical one-way connection latency oI 350
ms Irom the user to the ISP, or about 700 milliseconds latency Ior the total #ound Trip Time
(#TT) back to the user. This is Iar worse than most dial-up modem users' experience, at
typically only 150200 ms total latency.
Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites however do not have such
great delays. The current LEO constellations oI Globalstar and Iridium satellites have delays
oI less than 40 ms round trip, but their throughput is less than broadband at 64 kbit/s per
channel. The Globalstar constellation orbits 1,420 km above the earth and Iridium orbits at
670 km altitude. The proposed O3b Networks MEO constellation scheduled Ior deployment
in 2012 would orbit at 8,062 km, with #TT latency oI approximately 125 ms. The proposed
new network is also designed Ior much higher throughput with links well in excess oI 1
Gbit/s (Giga bits per second). The planned COMMStellation, scheduled Ior launch in
2015, will orbit the earth at 1,000 km with a latency oI approximately 7 ms. This polar
orbiting constellation oI 78 microsatellites will provide global backhaul with throughput in
excess oI 1.2 Gbit/s.
Most satellite Internet providers also have a FAP (Fair Access Policy). Perhaps one oI the
largest disadvantages oI satellite Internet, these FAPs usually throttle a user's throughput to
dial-up data rates aIter a certain "invisible wall" is hit (usually around 200 MB a day). This
FAP usually lasts Ior 24 hours aIter the wall is hit, and a user's throughput is restored to
whatever tier they paid Ior. This makes bandwidth-intensive activities nearly impossible to
complete in a reasonable amount oI time (examples include P2P and newsgroup binary
downloading).
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Some systems have a FAP based on a monthly limit oI data downloaded, with download data
rates reduced Ior the remainder oI the month iI the limit is exceeded. Other Satellite Internet
oIIers have advanced FAP mechanisms based on sliding time windows. These services veriIy
download quotas during the last hours, days and weeks. The purpose is to allow temporary
excessive downloads when needed while saving volume Ior the end oI the month.
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Advantages
1. True global broadband Internet access availability
2. Mobile connection to the Internet (with some providers)
Disadvantages
1. High latency compared to other broadband services, especially 2-way satellite service
2. Unreliable: drop-outs are common during travel, inclement weather, and during
sunspot activity
3. The narrow-beam highly directional antenna must be accurately pointed to the
satellite orbiting overhead
4. The Fair Access Policy limits heavy usage, iI applied by the service provider
5. VPN use is discouraged, problematic, and/or restricted with satellite broadband,
although available at a price
6. One-way satellite service requires the use oI a modem or other data uplink connection
7. Satellite dishes are very large. Although most oI them employ plastic to reduce
weight, they are typically between 80 and 120 cm (30 to 48 inches) in diameter.
ellular broadband
Cellular phone towers are very widespread, and as cellular networks move to third generation
(3G) networks they can support Iast data; using technologies such as EVDO, HSDPA and
UMTS.
These can give broadband access to the Internet, with a cell phone, with Cardbus,
ExpressCard, or USB cellular modems, or with cellular broadband routers, which allow more
than one computer to be connected to the Internet using one cellular connection.
According to the international Organisation Ior Economic Co-operation and Development
(OECD), "Wireless broadband subscriptions in OECD countries had exceeded halI a billion
by the end oI 2010, an increase oI more than 10 percent on June 2010, according to new
OECD statistics."
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In contrast, Iixed broadband subscriptions reached 300 million in
2010.
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!ower-line Internet
This is a new service still in its inIancy that may eventually permit broadband Internet data to
travel down standard high-voltage power lines. However, the system has a number oI
complex issues, the primary one being that power lines are inherently a very noisy
environment. Every time a device turns on or oII, it introduces a pop or click into the line.
Energy-saving devices oIten introduce noisy harmonics into the line. The system must be
designed to deal with these natural signaling disruptions and work around them.
Broadband over power lines (BPL), also known as Power line communication, has developed
Iaster in Europe than in the US due to a historical diIIerence in power system design
philosophies. Nearly all large power grids transmit power at high voltages in order to reduce
transmission losses, then near the customer use step-down transIormers to reduce the voltage.
Since BPL signals cannot readily pass through transIormers, repeaters must be attached to the
transIormers. In the US, it is common Ior a small transIormer hung Irom a utility pole to
service a single house. In Europe, it is more common Ior a somewhat larger transIormer to
service 10 or 100 houses. For delivering power to customers, this diIIerence in design makes
little diIIerence, but it means delivering BPL over the power grid oI a typical US city will
require an order oI magnitude more repeaters than would be required in a comparable
European city.
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istorical "interference" issue
An historical issue was signal strength and operating Irequency. BPL used Irequencies in the
10 to 30 MHz range, which has been used Ior decades by licensed amateur radio operators, as
well as international shortwave broadcasters and a variety oI communications systems
(military, aeronautical, etc.). Power lines are unshielded and will act as transmitters Ior the
signals they carry, and have the potential to completely wipe out the useIulness oI the 10 to
30 MHz range Ior shortwave communications purposes, as well as compromising the security
oI its users.
To respond to that concern, the IEEE P1901 standard speciIies that all powerline protocols
must detect existing usage and avoid interIering with it, and continue to monitor radio
interIerence and back oII Irequency ranges that appear to be used by analog radio. As the
standard was based on the HomePlug AV technology, it is reasonably certain that there is no
interIerence issue, as HomePlug had no such issues when deployed indoors.
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Wireless IS!
This typically employs the current low-cost 802.11 Wi-Fi radio systems to link up remote
locations over great distances, but can use other higher-power radio communications systems
as well.
Traditional 802.11b was licensed Ior omnidirectional service spanning only 100150 meters
(300500 It). By Iocusing the signal down to a narrow beam with a Yagi antenna it can
instead operate reliably over a distance oI many kilometres (miles), although the technology's
line-oI-sight requirements hamper connectivity in areas with hilly and heavily Ioliated terrain.
In addition, compared to hard-wired connectivity, there are security risks (unless robust
security protocols are enabled); speeds are signiIicantly slower (2 50 times slower); and the
network can be less stable, due to interIerence Irom other wireless devices and networks,
weather and line-oI-sight problems.
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#ural Wireless-ISP installations are typically not commercial in nature and are instead a
patchwork oI systems built up by hobbyists mounting antennas on radio masts and towers,
agricultural storage silos, very tall trees, or whatever other tall objects are available. There are
currently a number oI companies that provide this service..
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Fiber to the home
By Iiber-optic cables connected directly to buildings will deliver broadband speeds up to 100
megabits per second. Australia has already begun rolling out the network over the country
using Iiber-optic cables to 90 percent oI Australian homes, schools and business.
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Google has been working Ior a while on testing their own ultra high-speed Iiber-optic system
in an attempt to improve the way the average person's internet works. They have Iormed a
google blog about this and asked communities across the country to nominate their towns to
test the project. They currently have huge plans Ior the project. TechCrunch and FoxNews
have posted announcements about this project hitting possibly as many as 50,000 people with
1 Gbit/s Iiber-optic internet.
Broadband implementations and standards
O Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), digital data transmission over the wires used in the local
loop oI a telephone network
O Local Multipoint Distribution Service, broadband wireless access technology that uses
microwave signals operating between the 26 GHz and 29 GHz bands
O WiMAX, a standards-based wireless technology that provides high-throughput
broadband connections over long distances
O Other wireless technologies, including IEEE standards (802.11b, 802.11g, and 802.11a)
and many proprietary wireless protocols. In 2008, with WiMAX still at the top oI the
learning curve in terms oI price, these technologies dominate the market Ior Iixed
wireless broadband.
4 Proprietary technologies such as Motorola Canopy have had particular success in
penetrating rural markets hard to reach with Wi-Fi or WiMax.
O Power line communication, wireline technology using the current electricity networks,
via the P1901 and older BPL-based standards
O Cable modem, designed to modulate a data signal over cable television inIrastructure
O Fiber to the premises, based on Iiber-optic cables and associated optical electronics
O High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA), a new mobile telephony protocol, sometimes
reIerred to as a 3.5G (or "3G") technology
O Evolution-Data Optimized (EVDO), is a wireless radio broadband data standard adopted
by many CDMA mobile phone service providers
O 802.20 MBWA (Mobile Broadband Wireless Access)
Wi-Max and 3G/4G technologies in North America are sometimes deployed with usage
based billing making them impractical Ior some main applications.
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Satellite Internet access is inherently high latency Ior physical reasons and thus cannot satisIy
all deIinitions oI broadband. It is always described by satellite vendors as high speed,
evading latency concerns.
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edit] Future broadband implementations
O Bonded DSL #ings a ring topology at the remote end that enables 400 Mbit/s over
existing DSL
O White Spaces Coalition a group oI technology companies aiming to deliver broadband
Internet access via unused analog television Irequencies
O High-Speed Downlink Packet Access
edit] Broadband applications
O Voice over IP
O Broadband radio
O Online shopping
O Internet television
O IPTV
O SoItware as a service

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