Upgrading to Broadband

November 21, 2008

Essentially, broadband is a faster connection to the internet. There are different types of broadband, but the main ones are ADSL and Cable. ADSL uses your existing phone line and converts it into a high speed connecting line. Cable broadband uses a different line and can also run cable TV on the same wires.

As well as a faster speed, there are many more benefits of broadband installation. You can pay a fixed amount per month, so instead of clock-watching to make sure you havent spent too long online, as with dial-up connection, you can be online as long as you need to and it wont cost you extra.

Another feature of broadband is that it doesnt clog up your phone line. When you sign up for most types of connections, broadband providers send you a modem and microfilter, which is a small box that plugs into your phone socket. Your modem and phone then plug into this, and it effectively splits your connection between your phone and modem, allowing both to use the connection at once. This set-up is great if you work from home, as you have your phone line free and dont need to compromise on your internet.

Broadband will enable the user to take advantage of the many video sites that have now cropped up on the internet, as the faster connection allows faster streaming of media. No more waiting 20 minutes for a 2 minute clip to buffer over a dial-up connection. You can even watch TV on your computer with broadband, if you get a TV card installed.

The costs will vary but cheap broadband is now much more widely available than it was in the beginning, and the fact that its a flat monthly fee makes it much easier to budget for. With a dial-up connection, many households found they had to limit the browsing time, and this was frustrating as pages took so long to load you could often only get half the surfing done that you wanted to. Now, with broadband, limits arent needed unless you want to set one for your childrens usage.

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