Michael Russell asked:




When web surfers experienced the now worldwide phenomenon that is high-speed internet access, or Broadband, it was initially met with scepticism. Many people also felt indifferent as it really did not transpire as a technology that current infrastructure could support. However, unbeknown to the public eye, corporate giant cable companies like NTL and BT (British Telecom) in the UK for example were investing millions in network upgrades. The battle was on to remain competitive and support the forthcoming speeds that would kick dial-up access into the dustbin.

However, the future depends on accessibility. In the United Kingdom, both Scotland and Wales are beset by a rigid problem; broadband access is a real problem in many rural areas. For example, Wales is renowned for valleys, regions abounded by mountains, rolling hillsides, bad weather and all these factors influence the availability of Broadband internet as a plausible and accessible service. Restrictions in areas like Wales do throw a spanner in the works of this excellent technology, which for many is now a daily necessity for browsing web sites. The future of this technology has been threatened, as many inaccessible regions are not galvanised by the cable operators. Broadband internet speeds must become something that is shared with everyone and not just certain regions in each country. The winning service provider out of all the cable companies worldwide will be the one whom embraces every potential customer.

The usage of existing infrastructure has paved the way forward for current broadband providers. Broadband speeds to homes simply sit on the back of current power cables. This instantly bypassed any accessibility issues as far as reaching the majority of customers were concerned. Anyone can just plug in a modem, follow some instructions on the set-up and start surfing the net at high speed. This is certainly true as far as ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) which uses existing telephone lines into households for the delivery of broadband speeds up to 10 Mega Bits per second. This is a very fast speed for internet browsing and great for people who love to download files regularly, as waiting times are very short. There is though another inherent problem here affecting Broadband’s future, not all areas actually receive the full service that is being billed each month. Your ADSL contract may state a speed of 10 Megs but you may actually, most likely, receive no more than 8 Megs. Other areas may not reach 6.5 Megs. This is fallibility on current power lines that no amount of local switch upgrades can change. This is a very important aspect to check with the service provider when signing for a broadband ADSL contract. For example, under a contract with Tiscali or Pipex, the maximum speed received in many UK counties will be 6.5 Megs. That is still very fast but herein lies another issue – more restrictions. Cable is very expensive to lay down in most areas globally; wireless costs are even higher vastly restricting its ubiquity. Then of course, there is satellite coverage, which is great for your Sky TV channels but not delivering on broadband services due to changes in weather conditions causing terrible lag (time taken for signal to be sent to homes from the provider, also called latency) in many countries.

This is actually a vast subject for discussion. For the purpose of this short article, it’s clear that cost and accessibility are the two factors affecting the wide spreading broadband internet service. With speeds set to only increase and investment multiplying by the year, service providers like NTL and AT&T in the U.S. will continue to recognise potential changes in availability. Current providers know that there is a glitch here and the service must find a way to reach out to everyone to embrace the future of Broadband internet services.

William Hynes asked:




In the world of high speed internet services consumers have many choices. Consumers can choose from wireless, DSL, cable, satellite, and fiber optic. In most cases your location dictates which services will be available to you. Each service offers pros and cons but overall most work quite well in comparison to one and other.

Wireless internet service is transmitted via cellular towers in your area similar to that of cell phone service. Wireless internet speeds vary from 128Kbps up to 3Mbps. Wireless internet service is popular with business travelers and those who require internet access with their laptop while traveling. Like cell phones there are still dead areas will you will be unable to receive service.

DSL is one of the most popular ways to connect to the internet in the U.S. and abroad. DSL runs through phone lines and is usually administered by phone companies. DSL offers speeds of 128Kbps up to 9Mbps. DSL does require a phone line to be present at the site. This may be a drawback to some consumers who would rather only have a cell phone with no landline.

Cable internet service continues to grow in popularity as more and more cable companies offer service. Cable service can offer speeds of up to 30Mbps though most service providers employ some form of bandwidth cap. Normally limiting speeds from 3Mbps to 15Mbps. One drawback to cable is that if many users in your area use the internet at the same time speed can be significantly reduced. Cable though does not require any phone service and can even support VOIP services.

Satellite internet service is an alternative for those customers who find themselves in an area with only dialup service available to them. Satellite internet plans offer speeds of up to 2Mbps. Satellite internet service providers also employ bandwidth caps in the form of limiting the amount of downloading you can do per day. If you exceed this limit in most cases you are slowed down to 56Kbps.

Fiber optic internet service is a relatively new player in the high speed internet game offering speeds of up to 30Mbps similar to cable. The drawbacks to Fiber optic is simply that it is not available in most areas and the high costs due to the cost of running the fiber optic cables.

When selecting an internet service or provider it is important to know what you are getting make sure to take the time and learn about the product. After all many of the providers do require you to sign a contract for a set time period. So learn all you can and the jump on the web!