This Web site has been
designed to answer some of our most frequently asked questions about
broadband. While much has been written about broadband lately, many
consumers are not sure exactly what it is, what it can do, and what is the
potential.
What is Broadband?
Broadband refers most commonly to a new generation of high-speed
transmission services, which allows users to access the Internet and
Internet-related services at significantly higher speeds than traditional
modems. It has the potential technical
capability to meet consumers’ broad communication, entertainment,
information, and commercial needs and desires.
Are There Different Types of Broadband?
There are several types of broadband services:
What are the Advantages of Broadband?
You can access the Internet without the nuisance of dialing up your
Internet service provider over a telephone line. Broadband facilitates
advanced telecommunication capabilities.
The speeds at which information is downloaded into your computer are
sometimes 50 times faster than a dial-up modem's. Users can go online
without tying up their telephone lines. Businesses can use broadband
networks for videoconferencing, for example, and to let employees
telecommute. It can tap into an expanded number of entertainment
resources. Links can often be established in even the remotest parts of
the country.
What Are Some of the Options with Broadband?
Broadband technology will potentially allow users to download more
information, including new multimedia applications, streaming news, music,
games, video conferencing, telephony applications, and eventually video
programming similar to current television and cable services.
What is Narrowband?
Narrowband PCS uses a smaller portion of the spectrum than broadband
PCS. It is broadly defined by the FCC as a family of mobile or portable
radio services that may be used to provide wireless telephony, data,
advanced paging, and other services to individuals and businesses, and
which may be integrated with a variety of competing networks. For example,
advanced paging systems may become equipped with a small keyboard allowing
the subscriber to both retrieve and send complete messages through
microwave signals (e.g. wireless E-mail). Narrowband licenses will most
likely be used to provide such new services as voice message paging,
two-way acknowledgement paging, and other text-based services.
Test Your Speed
There are several sites that offer free speed tests for your Internet
connection.
* http://www.zdnet.com.au/supercentre/broadband/speedtest/
* http://tech.msn.com/internet/speedtest.asp
* http://bandwidthplace.com/speedtest/index.html
More information on
FCC and Broadband.
What
Can Communities Do to Ensure Broadband rollout?: An interview with FCC Bureau Chief
K. Dane Snowden, iCommunity, August 2002.
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