Broadband Bills On the Rise?

You might just wonder where Internet usage is heading if online video continues to capture a wider audience. Think YouTube and podcasting.

With social networking and video services gaining popularity, there are rumblings from telecoms companies that the new demand could place a heavier load on broadband usage.

And what does that mean? For starter, broadband bills would rise as more and more users turn to online video sites to transfer data. This is hypothetical at the moment but it could become reality.

According to reports, some telcos "want to charge websites for the speedy delivery of streaming video, television, movies and other high-bandwidth data to their customers."

Writing in his Popular Science column on CNN.com, Tim Folger indicates that some Internet service providers (ISPs) are lobbying Congress to block laws that would prevent a two-tiered Internet. Which means a fast lane for those who can afford it and a slow lane for the rest of us. Crumbs!

Internet video still represents a small percentage of web traffic but it's still growing. Just imagine if there's an explosion of usage somewhere down the Internet highway...

That will be the day.

Making Sense of a Broadband Speed Check

By Kris Barnes

So you have done your test and you know your speeds, but what do those digits actually mean? Broadband speed is measured usually in Megabits per second. This is usually abbreviated to Mb, Mbps or Mb/sec. These are all the same thing. Its important not to get Mb's (megabits) mixed up with MB's (megabytes) as MB's are about eight times as big as Mb's. If you download anything you will notice that file sizes from things like music and movies are measure in MB's.

Dial-up internet is so much slower than Broadband that it is measured in Kilobits per second. This is usually abbreviated to either K, Kb, Kbps or Kb/sec. There are 1000 Kilobits in a Megabit.

So some useful things to know are roughly how much big downloads can be-for instance a single music track would be around 4MB and an album would be anywhere between 40MB and 5MB.A feature film would around 700-000Mb, although the DVD quality ones can be in the Gb's (Gigabytes).

If you want to game online - World of Warcraft is the most popular online game but also games like Splinter Cell are widely used- then you can expect to download between 4 MB and 40MB an hour. Keep this in mind when you are selecting your broadband package as many service providers will limit downloads.

For some people 2GB a month is plenty to browse with, however if you are gaming or downloading then you should look at a higher limit. Otherwise your speed may be capped by your provider once you have exceeded your limit. For instance if you have a 20Mb connection you may find it capped to 512Kb once over the download limit. Other providers will charge per Mb downloaded in excess of your cap.

Now what about the speeds? These days your line speed can be anything from 512Kb to a whopping 24Mb. This is what is advertised by broadband service providers. You have to do a broadband speed check to make sure that your area can receive this high speeds though, otherwise you may be paying for it and not using it.
About: Broadband Wise Is The Premier Resource for UK Broadband Comparisons. With in depth comparisons of ADSL Broadband in your area.

Article Source: EzineArticles

Broadband: Going Wireless with Satellite Internet

By Elijah Gardena

Satellite Internet access is the only reliable answer for the more than 30 million people that want to go wireless but still can't receive high speed Internet access through DSL or cable broadband.

There are many advantages of going wireless when you are using an Internet service. It's much easier to network your home or office computers with this system.

One of the greatest benefits of wireless access is that you are no longer attached to a router with a cable. You can move your desktop or laptop computer anywhere around your office or home within the broadcast range of the wireless router.

One of the other major benefits is the fact that multiple computers can access the Internet at the same time. The entire office staff or members of your family can have simultaneous Internet access. Many people that work from home or run home-based businesses prefer wireless access. Imagine a work day spent lounging by the pool while you tap away on your keyboard from the comfort of your favorite deck chair.

After subscribing to satellite service for Internet access, you need to purchase a wireless router and hook it up to the satellite modem. Satellite services are normally broadband services. For the most part these work seamlessly with wireless networking equipment that has most often been used to create wireless networks for land-based broadband internet services.

The next step to take is to outfit your computer with a wireless networking card if did not already come with the built in capability.

photo credit: ~scorp

Once you have your Satellite Internet system has been set up and tested by an installation technician you will be ready to connect your wireless network. You can now connect your satellite Internet modem to the router by following the instructions that came with the router. The router will then begin to transmit signals to your desktop or laptop computer via infrared signals. You will need to configure your router according the instructions that came with your router. Once this is done, you are free to start surfing the internet with no strings (or wires) attached.

About: For more Satellite Internet news and answers, check out http://www.satelliteinternetquestions.com for more resources.

Article Source: EzineArticles

Broadband Internet: Save Time and Money

By Judith Earl

In today’s world, people have become so dependent on the Internet that to find any useful information, they tend to go online. It is a huge network of computers with tons of information.

If your area offers a broadband connection, then there is nothing like it. People are now increasingly switching over to broadband, which is offering higher speed and cost effective solution over dialups. With broadband, you have an always-on connection with no need to dial to connect to the Internet.

It also saves you an incredible amount of time with the loading of web pages taking not more than just a few seconds. If you are still wondering if it is worth switching to broadband or not, compare both the services and you’ll definitely not give a second thought to opting for a broadband connection.

If you are looking for speed, then broadband is significantly faster that dial-ups, taking half the time that dialups take. Broadband is a huge help for people downloading movies, songs, and games to their computer.

Another advantage of broadband is that your phone lines will not remain engaged anymore. These days, many vendors are offering incentives such as reduced cost for service, free equipment, rebates on installation charges and other perks for a high-speed broadband service.

Once you switch to broadband, you will yourself realise the truly astounding service of broadband. You’ll never want to go back to a dialup service.

Even if you opt for the minimum broadband speed, it will offer you much more speed than dialup. The remarkable speed of broadband has made Internet usage more convenient and has also improved the quality of online activities like shopping, gaming, etc. saving money as well as your valuable time.

With broadband offering more bandwidth, you can do more with the connection. Different computers can share it at home or in a small office network, wherein two people can surf at a time.

With a broadband connection, Internet has become a much more valuable tool. When comparing broadband service, be sure to check the amount of upload and download bandwidth that each service is providing. Cost of equipment and installation may also vary. Most of the companies charge for the rent of the modem, which is included in the monthly fee.

So, if you can afford that extra cost, and want your work done easily and quickly, broadband is sure to make you smile. It is truly the solution for businesses and consumers who want a reliable internet connection.

Webmaster: http://www.xpert4u.co.uk

Article Source: EzineArticles

Get On The Broadband-Wagon

photo credit: Laughing Squid

By John J Stockwell

'Broadband' is the general term used to refer to high-speed information transmission over networks, and nowadays is used increasingly to mean a fast Internet connection.

The term has more to do with the electrical waveform (‘signal’) being transmitted. The signal can come to you through a variety of physical arrangements: a DSL line, a T1 line, a TV cable, a wireless link and even your utility power line.

Which physical arrangement is best for you depends a great deal on what is available in your geographical area and the price of each arrangement. You should do a comparison of speeds and costs and choose what is optimal for you. Just be sure you do not choose an ISDN line (because it is getting obsolete) or power line (because the technology is not mature, and it will be some years before the bugs are ironed out).

Live in a large city and want free wireless broadband Internet? Your wish is or will be granted! Almighty Google is busy fixing antennae to lampposts in major cities so that your computer can access the Internet much in the same way your mobile phone accesses your cellular network: almost anywhere in any city. Not only will you get driving directions to that restaurant you are going to, the maitre d’ will appear on a small screen and take your order as you drive.

Broadband’s Bag of Goodies

Broadband has brought a slew of valuable capabilities to the Internet:

1. Good Video

First of all, you can download smooth, non-jerky video. Consequently an increasing number of sites are including rich graphics, Flash and video to enhance the appeal of their messages. You can now download feature films from over 200,000 Web TV stations and watch them as they stream into your computer (“stream them”). No more trips to the video library and no more renting DVDs!

You can share your screen and talk with co-workers located at far-flung locations (or just relax and play Xbox or PS2 games with them). You can interact with them from the convenience of your home computer, and the need for a physical office can be dispensed with. This implies less travel in your car, less gasoline consumption and less pollution of the atmosphere by engine exhaust gases.

You can search online video archives with specialized search engines. This means you can download video that matches your chosen phrases. Examples would be “Nick Lachey singing ‘My Everything’ to Jessica Simpson”, “Oprah visiting Katrina victims” or “how to toss a thin pizza shell”. There is no longer a need to wait for your subject to be broadcast.

2. Cheap Long Distance

Broadband has enabled miracle of low-cost long-distance Internet telephony. This application is based on the renowned technology, VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol). You can now speak to your loved ones or business associates in most other parts of the world for 2 cents a minute!

No more waiting for late nights or weekends to get those “free minutes”… you can afford to call anytime. Additionally, the sound clarity is several times better than that of a conventional phone call… voices are loud and clear with little or no background noise.

This means you can stay in touch more often. You can get news faster and offer advice without delay. For instance, a timely observation about a certain medical treatment could very well save the life of the person at the other end!

3. Always On

With Broadband, you are always connected to the Internet. No more dialing up and waiting to connect. The dialing time is freed up for you to use for other things.

In most cases, you get a telephone connection with the broadband connection, so you can simultaneously speak on the phone and surf the Internet. Your phone line will not be busy when you surf so that people can reach you even if you are online.

One important user of this constant connectivity is security. You can have inexpensive webcams mounted in various locations of your home or office and connect them to the Internet. Since your broadband connection is always ‘live’, you can monitor your house from anywhere, anytime. No more worrying when away from your desk or living room!

Conclusion

The day is not far when dial-up connections will be a rarity. If you have not yet upgraded to broadband, start working at doing so NOW. You will definitely not regret it.

About the author: John J Stockwell is an engineer with considerable experience in Internet technologies. Get even more information n broadband from his website at http://broadband-aa.info

Broadband - The New Wave

The surge towards cheaper broadband continues unabated as more and more Internet users start to switch from 56K modem usage to the broadband technology.

In some areas especially in Third World countries, the broadband wave has yet to make its presence felt but this won't last forever. Meanwhile, developed countries are enjoying greater broadband usage.

The main issue with broadband is cost of usage and the razor-sharp competition in the marketplace to capture the consumers.

This site will report on the progress and development of broadband. We will look at the implication that comes with broadband usage and how companies around the world are preparing themselves to meet the challenge of this new wave of communication.

The profound impact of broadband on Internet users worldwide is an interesting subject and BroadbandWave.com will be keeping watch on the trends that's taking place in the world of broadband.

Related topic:
BT Broadband Internet: Looking Into The Future