In general, broadband refers to telecommunication in which a wide band of frequencies is available to

transmit information. Because a wide band of frequencies is available, information can be multiplexed
and sent on many different frequencies or channels within the band concurrently, allowing more
information to be transmitted in a given amount of time (much as more lanes on a highway allow more
cars to travel on it at the same time).

Types of Broadband Connections

The term broadband commonly refers to high-speed Internet access that is always on and faster
than the traditional dial-up access. Broadband includes several high-speed transmission
technologies such as:

 Digital Subscriber Line (DSL)

 Cable Modem
 Fiber
 Wireless
 Satellite
 Broadband over Powerlines (BPL)

The broadband technology you choose will depend on a number of factors. These may include
whether you are located in an urban or rural area, how broadband Internet access is packaged
with other services (such as voice telephone and home entertainment), price, and availability.

Digital Subscriber Line (DSL)

DSL is a wireline transmission technology that transmits data faster over traditional copper
telephone lines already installed to homes and businesses. DSL-based broadband provides
transmission speeds ranging from several hundred Kbps to millions of bits per second (Mbps).
The availability and speed of your DSL service may depend on the distance from your home or
business to the closest telephone company facility.

The following are types of DSL transmission technologies:

 Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) – Used primarily by residential

customers, such as Internet surfers, who receive a lot of data but do not send much.
ADSL typically provides faster speed in the downstream direction than the upstream
direction. ADSL allows faster downstream data transmission over the same line used to
provide voice service, without disrupting regular telephone calls on that line.
  Symmetrical Digital Subscriber Line (SDSL) – Used typically by businesses for
services such as video conferencing, which need significant bandwidth both upstream and
downstream.

Faster forms of DSL typically available to businesses include:

 High data rate Digital Subscriber Line (HDSL); and

 Very High data rate Digital Subscriber Line (VDSL).

Cable Modem

Cable modem service enables cable operators to provide broadband using the same coaxial
cables that deliver pictures and sound to your TV set.

Most cable modems are external devices that have two connections: one to the cable wall outlet,
the other to a computer. They provide transmission speeds of 1.5 Mbps or more.

Subscribers can access their cable modem service by simply turning on their computers, without
dialing-up an ISP. You can still watch cable TV while using it. Transmission speeds vary
depending on the type of cable modem, cable network, and traffic load. Speeds are comparable
to DSL.

Fiber

 Fiber optic technology converts electrical signals carrying data to light and sends the light
through transparent glass fibers about the diameter of a human hair. Fiber transmits data
at speeds far exceeding current DSL or cable modem speeds, typically by tens or even
hundreds of Mbps.
 The actual speed you experience will vary depending on a variety of factors, such as how
close to your computer the service provider brings the fiber and how the service provider
configures the service, including the amount of bandwidth used. The same fiber
providing your broadband can also simultaneously deliver voice (VoIP) and video
services, including video-on-demand.
 Telecommunications providers sometimes offer fiber broadband in limited areas and have
announced plans to expand their fiber networks and offer bundled voice, Internet access,
and video services.
 Variations of the technology run the fiber all the way to the customer’s home or business,
to the curb outside, or to a location somewhere between the provider’s facilities and the
customer.

Wireless

 Wireless broadband connects a home or business to the Internet using a radio link
between the customer’s location and the service provider’s facility. Wireless broadband
can be mobile or fixed.
  Wireless technologies using longer-range directional equipment provide broadband
service in remote or sparsely populated areas where DSL or cable modem service would
be costly to provide. Speeds are generally comparable to DSL and cable modem. An
external antenna is usually required.
 Wireless broadband Internet access services offered over fixed networks allow consumers
to access the Internet from a fixed point while stationary and often require a direct line-
of-sight between the wireless transmitter and receiver. These services have been offered
using both licensed spectrum and unlicensed devices. For example, thousands of small
Wireless Internet Services Providers (WISPs) provide such wireless broadband at speeds
of around one Mbps using unlicensed devices, often in rural areas not served by cable or
wireline broadband networks.
 Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs) provide wireless broadband access over shorter
distances and are often used to extend the reach of a "last-mile" wireline or fixed wireless
broadband connection within a home, building, or campus environment. Wi-Fi networks
use unlicensed devices and can be designed for private access within a home or business,
or be used for public Internet access at "hot spots" such as restaurants, coffee shops,
hotels, airports, convention centers, and city parks.
 Mobile wireless broadband services are also becoming available from mobile telephone
service providers and others. These services are generally appropriate for highly-mobile
customers and require a special PC card with a built in antenna that plugs into a user’s
laptop computer. Generally, they provide lower speeds, in the range of several hundred
Kbps.

Satellite

Just as satellites orbiting the earth provide necessary links for telephone and television service,
they can also provide links for broadband. Satellite broadband is another form of wireless
broadband, and is also useful for serving remote or sparsely populated areas.

Downstream and upstream speeds for satellite broadband depend on several factors, including
the provider and service package purchased, the consumer’s line of sight to the orbiting satellite,
and the weather. Typically a consumer can expect to receive (download) at a speed of about 500
Kbps and send (upload) at a speed of about 80 Kbps. These speeds may be slower than DSL and
cable modem, but they are about 10 times faster than the download speed with dial-up Internet
access. Service can be disrupted in extreme weather conditions.

Broadband over Powerline (BPL)

BPL is the delivery of broadband over the existing low- and medium-voltage electric power
distribution network. BPL speeds are comparable to DSL and cable modem speeds. BPL can be
provided to homes using existing electrical connections and outlets. BPL is an emerging
technology that is available in very limited areas. It has significant potential because power lines
are installed virtually everywhere, alleviating the need to build new broadband facilities for
every customer.
Comparing DSL Types

HowStuffWorks.com

There are several variations on DSL technology. In fact, there are so many that you will often see
the term xDSL, where x is a variable, when the discussion is about DSL in general.

 Asymmetric DSL (ADSL) - It is called "asymmetric" because the download speed is

greater than the upload speed. ADSL works this way because most Internet users look at,
or download, much more information than they send, or upload.
 High bit-rate DSL (HDSL) - Providing transfer rates comparable to a T1 line (about 1.5
Mbps), HDSL receives and sends data at the same speed, but it requires two lines that are
separate from your normal phone line.
 ISDN DSL (ISDL) - Geared primarily toward existing users of Integrated Services
Digital Network (ISDN), ISDL is slower than most other forms of DSL, operating at
fixed rate of 144 Kbps in both directions. The advantage for ISDN customers is that they
can use their existing equipment, but the actual speed gain is typically only 16 Kbps
(ISDN runs at 128 Kbps).
 Multirate Symmetric DSL (MSDSL) - This is Symmetric DSL that is capable of more
than one transfer rate. The transfer rate is set by the service provider, typically based on
the service (price) level.
 Rate Adaptive DSL (RADSL) - This is a popular variation of ADSL that allows the
modem to adjust the speed of the connection depending on the length and quality of the
line.
 Symmetric DSL (SDSL) - Like HDSL, this version receives and sends data at the same
speed. While SDSL also requires a separate line from your phone, it uses only a single
line instead of the two used by HDSL.
 Very high bit-rate DSL (VDSL) - An extremely fast connection, VDSL is asymmetric,
but only works over a short distance using standard copper phone wiring.
 Voice-over DSL (VoDSL) - A type of IP telephony, VoDSL allows multiple phone lines
to be combined into a single phone line that also includes data-transmission capabilities.