| nternet is an astonishing entity, allowing us to be | | | | Internet service that they can usually handle, the |
| connected to every corner of the world in order | | | | bandwidth that they promote is rarely available. |
| to communicate, seek out information, do | | | | Right now, there are three basic types of |
| business, and even have fun. Years ago, our | | | | broadband Internet access available to the general |
| connections to the Internet were limited to dial-up | | | | public. The first one, known as DSL, is the |
| access, which hogged our home telephone lines | | | | standard broadband technology available. DSL |
| and uploaded and downloaded information at a | | | | (digital subscriber line) originated in 1988, when the |
| snail's pace. Today, though, we have the fortune | | | | Internet as a public entity was still in its infancy. It |
| of being able to connect at what seems like | | | | is still widely available today, mostly through |
| breakneck speed in comparison with our old 28.8 | | | | telephone companies, as that is the technology |
| Kbps modem, with the arrival of broadband | | | | that is required for DSL. |
| Internet access. | | | | On the coattails of DSL in broadband Internet |
| Basically, broadband Internet access provides the | | | | popularity is the cable modem. Cable modems |
| user with a high data-transmission rate Internet | | | | provide comparable data transmission rates to |
| connection. Any connection of 256 Kbps (kilobits | | | | DSL, though uploading data is usually a bit quicker |
| per second) is considered broadband Internet. | | | | still with DSL. However, the advantage of cable |
| Because of the high rate of data transference, it | | | | modems is that is does not tie up your home |
| is also commonly known as high-speed Internet. | | | | telephone line. Cable modems can also be used to |
| This is ideal for uploading large files including | | | | provide telephone service (VOIP), and more cable |
| pictures and music, as well as downloading larger | | | | companies are jumping on that bandwagon all the |
| files in a fraction of the time it used to take with | | | | time. Often, though, cable modem service comes |
| dial-up. | | | | at a price. Cable companies are frequently |
| The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) | | | | hesitant to offer broadband Internet access |
| identifies broadband Internet access as 200 kbps | | | | without the customer subscribing to a certain level |
| in one direction, and advanced broadband Internet | | | | of cable television programming as well. For most |
| as 200 kbps in both directions (uploading and | | | | people, this isn't usually a big issue. |
| downloading). There is not a single standard rate | | | | One major obstacle of broadband Internet access |
| of transmission that has been set industry wide, | | | | is that it is often difficult to provide the service to |
| however. Therefore the term broadband can | | | | rural areas, due to technological constraints. The |
| mean much lower transmission speeds, depending | | | | costs to connect outlying areas is high, therefore |
| on the ISP (Internet Service Provider). Some | | | | the technology is often slow to reach the regions |
| ISP's take advantage of this, unfortunately, and | | | | outside of more densely populated urban areas. |
| promote slower transmission rates as broadband, | | | | There is a solution, and technology has looked to |
| unbeknownst to the customer oftentimes. In | | | | the sky to provide yet another means of |
| addition, because ISP's often allow more | | | | providing broadband Internet access to the |
| customers to subscribe to their high-speed | | | | masses. |