Definition of Broadband
These days, "broadband" is a word that is thrown around
easily in telecommunications and internet lingo, but the
average consumer may not have a clear understanding of the
definition of broadband. It's easy to understand why; the
technology industry defines it in different ways as well.
The online Webster's dictionary defines broadband as "A
class of communication channel capable of supporting a wide
range of frequencies, typically from audio up to video
frequencies. A broadband channel can carry multiple signals by
dividing the total capacity into multiple, independent
bandwidth channels, where each channel operates only on a
specific range of frequencies." Let's take a look at each part
of the definition.
The first part of the definition of broadband describes a
"class of communication channel." So, it is different from the
normal class of communication channel that we use - our regular
phone lines. Phone lines, also called baseband lines, normally
carry 29.6kbps of analog data when used for voice
communications. But with the advent of the internet, people
began to demand faster data transmission. A regular, baseband
phone line can carry up to 56kbps of data with the help of a
high-speed modem, but without additional technology, that is
its maximum capacity.
That wasn't nearly fast enough to keep up with the average
person's demand for and dependency on the internet. Which
brings us to the next portion of the definition of broadband; a
broadband connection is capable of carrying a wider range and
type of frequencies, meaning different types of data. Not only
that, it can carry it faster. I
f you imagine your connection to the internet as a tunnel
that links your computer to the internet, a regular phone line
can allow only a small amount of data to pass through at a
time. In comparison, a broadband is a wider (or broader)
tunnel, allowing a greater amount of information to pass
through your connection at one time. With broadband service,
you can download different types of frequencies as well, such
as audio and video files.
The FCC's (Federal Communications Commission) definition of
broadband is any internet connection with a download speed that
is greater than 200 kbps. However, some companies don't
consider a connection to be broadband unless it runs at a
minimum of 256kbps.
Also, many companies only consider a connection to
officially be broadband if it is always connected. In other
words, if you don't have to "dial-up" to make the connection.
Usually, the connection is made with either DSL technology,
which runs over your existing analog telephone wire, or by a
cable connection, which runs over the same coaxial cable that
your cable television service does.
So the definition of broadband, while somewhat debated by
industry professionals, does include some agreed-upon points.
It allows you to use the internet to its potential by
permitting you to download a wider range of data types. And
because the download speed with a broadband connection is
faster than a regular, baseband connection, it is also called
high-speed internet service. So you'll also be able to use the
internet faster and more efficiently.
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