• Buying Guide
• What is Broadband?
• Broadband Security
• Types Of Broadband
• Broaband FAQs
• Broadband Glossary
• Broadband Usage Levels

What is Broadband?

Broadband Definition

Broadband essentially provides high-speed Internet access over a standard phone line, satellite or cable connection. Broadband comes from the words "broad bandwidth" and is also sometimes referred to as wideband transmission. It can be defined as telecommunications term used to denote the provision of a variety of channels and data over a single communication medium, such as a phone line or digital cable.

Why choose broadband over a standard dial-up service?

Speed

The main advantage of a broadband connection over a standard dial-up service is its speed, being up to 160 times faster than standard dialup. Standard dial-up modems have a maximum speed of 56k where as broadband can offer between 1MB and 8MB connections. Subscribers should be aware however that as users share bandwidth with other users in the area, this can affect data transfer speeds.

Connectivity

Once you have subscribed to broadband, it is 'always-on', meaning that once you have logged on; your PC is online until it is turned off again. There is no need to wait for your modem to dial in, make a connection and verify your password each time.

With more and more broadband providers these days offering a wireless router as standard, you have the option to connect as many devices as you need to your broadband connection. This means that someone can be on the phone, someone searching the Internet and someone else playing computer games online all through the same broadband connection. There is no need to wait your turn when you have broadband!

Flexibility

You usually pay a monthly subscription fee to use broadband rather than paying per minute on dial-up. This enables the user to have total control over their internet costs rather than dreading the arrival of the phone bill.

The market for broadband services providers is always changing, with companies now offering phone calls, and/or digital TV as well as broadband, all under one monthly bill. Keep checking back to see which services are being offered – you might be able to save more than you think.

Use our broadband comparison tool to compare broadband providers in your area