Understanding Broadband Technologies and Speeds to Make the Best Choice

The very fact that you are reading this article on an Internet site like Hub Pages suggests that you recognize that the world-wide-web has become a primary source of communication. No wonder internet service providers now play such a major role in our lives. We are constantly updating our vocabularies to include terms like 4G, LTE, Uverse, smart phones, broadband, fiber optic, optical cable --- the number of changes made as technology evolves is endless.

Today individuals with advanced web know-how have a marked advantage over those who are still trying to catch up.Making the right choice when you choose a company to provide you with these technologies is increasingly important. To maximize the benefits that are available to you, it's important to do some homework and find out what is out there. What benefits are provided by a really good Internet Service Provider? Let's take a few moments and examine this question.

Speed Requirements

In the future fiber connections and other technological advancements promise to boost Internet speeds up to 1,000 times faster than today's speeds! Of course this will prove necessary as applications and web pages become more and more sophisticated. While this means that your internet experience will continue to improve, it also means it will be increasingly bandwidth-hungry.

Today, while you may be promised a fast connection speed, actually receiving it is another matter. A recent study done by the FCC evaluated the connection speeds of thirteen major Internet service providers. On average, during peak hours, they delivered 80% of what they promised. While that is not a sterling recommendation, it was an improvement over the previous study that resulted in an average delivery rate of just 50% of the speed promised.

Within this group, some companies did much better than others. You must know what type of service you are being provided. Is it DSL? Are you getting cable service? Is your signal being delivered over copper wires or fiber? These are all considerations that will ultimately determine if your connection speed will be fast and dependable.

DSL:

DSL is a high-speed connection that uses a regular telephone line. With DSL you can have a 24 hour open Internet connection and still use the phone line for voice calls.

The speed is higher than a dial-up modem and it can use your existing phone line. Generally the provider will offer you a DSL modem at the time of installation. The problem with DSL is that the connection weakens the farther away you get from the provider's central office. Therefore DSL is often only provided in highly populated areas.

Cable Internet

If you have cable TV there is no doubt you can receive a high-speed Internet connection. Cable modems connect at your cable box and can offer very fast and dependable Internet connections. About the only down side to cable is that the connection may slow during peak hours if there are a lot of users in the area that are drawing on the same cable. Also, cable is not available in every area.

Satellite Internet

If you live too far from a phone company office to receive DSL, and there is no cable service in your area, what do you do? Satellite Internet may be your answer. It's used mostly in rural areas for folks who want broadband access. Satellite Internet doesn't use phone lines or cable networks, but utilizes a satellite dish for two-way that both receives and transmits data. The problem with satellite Internet is it tends to have lag times while the signal is transmitted back and forth through space.

Fiber Optics

Fiber-optic lines are actually strands of optically pure glass that is as thin as a human hair. These strands are designed to carry digital information over long distances. More and more companies are replacing copper wires with fiber-optic lines which improve reception and clarity. The problem is installing fiber optic networks is an expensive proposition that is time consuming. Therefore this service is not available everywhere.

Our discussion of internet technology wouldn't be complete without mentioning mobile broadband access. Anything you can do with a wire is becoming a reality through radio signal technology. Watch innovations like WiMax technology, which creates one giant geographical hotspot, to enhance our dependency on the worldwide web.

Great customer service means that your ISP will not only deliver what they promise, but they will do it consistently. When a difficulty arises you want the company to be attentive to your needs and fix the problem. Good customer service ultimately means keeping the customer happy. In reviewing Internet service providers, it is always a good idea to read comments from others regarding customer service issues.

Getting Your Money's Worth

If you are going to be happy with your broadband connection, select quality internet service providers to get the best value for your money. Of course faster connection speeds generally cost more money. But there are other tangibles that should be considered as well. Some ISPs will offer services in addition to the Internet such as digital television and telephone service. Others may provide discounts for your first six months of service, while others may give you free hardware when you sign up. All of these should be factored into the equation when you are determining the best value.