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You have to feel sorry for modems; they have been around for ages, longer even than the Internet, putting in sterling service. Every time people thought modems were at their fastest they were proven wrong. From a paltry 2.4 kbps up to 56kbps the speed of our modems have improved with the inflation of more complex ideas being implemented on websites. Gone are the days when the internet was just dull old text, we are presented with explosions of flash animations and the ability to download everything from movies to music.
These days even the 56k modem has a hard time cutting the mustard. The new buzzword is “Broadband”. Broadband has a variety of meanings, but it is really a means of high speed Internet connection. Whether it be ISDN, ADSL, Cable, Wireless or satellite there is a means of getting high-speed connection for everyone.
Recently we have seen a crash in the price of broadband, making it more affordable to the home user, gone are the days when only a business could get high-speeds from leasing expensive lines. In fact it is possible to install it yourself using a self-install kit which has been made recently available, saving in cost and inconvenience of getting an engineer out.
The installation of broadband Internet can revolutionise the way you see the Internet, and play games online. With speeds at least ten times faster than your modem the days of lag are a forgotten nightmare, no longer do you need to settle for postage stamp sized screens, full screen videos await you now.
However the world of broadband is not quite so rosy. Cable modems are ‘contended’ meaning that the bandwidth is shared between as many as 50 users. If your street is full of net junkies you may be faced with a pretty weedy wedge of the broadband pie.
However the more prevailing issue is availability. The major telecom player BT is increasing its spread of broadband veins around the country, however the progress is slow, the major concern of the telecom companies is money. To be economically viable in a non-urban area, 50 customers must show sustained interest 40 residential and 10 business. In smaller villages this is quite a strain. Where I live I doubt it will ever be enabled.
Fortunately however even rural users have an option. Satellite or wireless will be your only option. However the only advantages with these services is that you will definitely get connected. This service is easily the most expensive way to access broadband, with installation costs being as much as £900! Moreover there is only so much bandwidth available meaning at peak times you could be bogged down. Even more frustrating is that the service is affected with bad weather, and with the recent bad weather the future could be looking bleak. Coupled with the fact that there are still delays when using the service, you’re online gaming plans will have to take a backseat, or even end up in the boot.
Whilst the greatness of broadband Internet cannot be denied, its limited availability is a limiting factor in the future of online gaming. I feel that BT could play a more supportive role, trading profit for choice, after all it is their responsibility to ensure the nation can get connected. The choices in rural areas are costly and of questionable quality, meaning we will continue to lag behind the broadband giants for quite some time.
Thanks for reading.
These days even the 56k modem has a hard time cutting the mustard. The new buzzword is “Broadband”. Broadband has a variety of meanings, but it is really a means of high speed Internet connection. Whether it be ISDN, ADSL, Cable, Wireless or satellite there is a means of getting high-speed connection for everyone.
Recently we have seen a crash in the price of broadband, making it more affordable to the home user, gone are the days when only a business could get high-speeds from leasing expensive lines. In fact it is possible to install it yourself using a self-install kit which has been made recently available, saving in cost and inconvenience of getting an engineer out.
The installation of broadband Internet can revolutionise the way you see the Internet, and play games online. With speeds at least ten times faster than your modem the days of lag are a forgotten nightmare, no longer do you need to settle for postage stamp sized screens, full screen videos await you now.
However the world of broadband is not quite so rosy. Cable modems are ‘contended’ meaning that the bandwidth is shared between as many as 50 users. If your street is full of net junkies you may be faced with a pretty weedy wedge of the broadband pie.
However the more prevailing issue is availability. The major telecom player BT is increasing its spread of broadband veins around the country, however the progress is slow, the major concern of the telecom companies is money. To be economically viable in a non-urban area, 50 customers must show sustained interest 40 residential and 10 business. In smaller villages this is quite a strain. Where I live I doubt it will ever be enabled.
Fortunately however even rural users have an option. Satellite or wireless will be your only option. However the only advantages with these services is that you will definitely get connected. This service is easily the most expensive way to access broadband, with installation costs being as much as £900! Moreover there is only so much bandwidth available meaning at peak times you could be bogged down. Even more frustrating is that the service is affected with bad weather, and with the recent bad weather the future could be looking bleak. Coupled with the fact that there are still delays when using the service, you’re online gaming plans will have to take a backseat, or even end up in the boot.
Whilst the greatness of broadband Internet cannot be denied, its limited availability is a limiting factor in the future of online gaming. I feel that BT could play a more supportive role, trading profit for choice, after all it is their responsibility to ensure the nation can get connected. The choices in rural areas are costly and of questionable quality, meaning we will continue to lag behind the broadband giants for quite some time.
Thanks for reading.
½pint wrote:
> 56K modems are theoretical. And impossible. Telephone lines are made
> of copper. Copper can only transfer up to 30Kb per second. Hence, no
> faster transfers. Now, about broadband, I'm not sure, but they
> transfer data at a different frequency which is why they don't clog up
> the phone.
>
> And don't get confused with Kilobyte and Kilobit.
So you are saying that my internet speed of 42,000kbps is impossible?
I wasnt getting them confused 56kbps and 56k are to all intents and purposes the same, they are just phrased longer and shorter respectively.
> 56K modems are theoretical. And impossible. Telephone lines are made
> of copper. Copper can only transfer up to 30Kb per second. Hence, no
> faster transfers. Now, about broadband, I'm not sure, but they
> transfer data at a different frequency which is why they don't clog up
> the phone.
>
> And don't get confused with Kilobyte and Kilobit.
So you are saying that my internet speed of 42,000kbps is impossible?
I wasnt getting them confused 56kbps and 56k are to all intents and purposes the same, they are just phrased longer and shorter respectively.
56K modems are theoretical. And impossible. Telephone lines are made of copper. Copper can only transfer up to 30Kb per second. Hence, no faster transfers. Now, about broadband, I'm not sure, but they transfer data at a different frequency which is why they don't clog up the phone.
And don't get confused with Kilobyte and Kilobit.
And don't get confused with Kilobyte and Kilobit.
You have to feel sorry for modems; they have been around for ages, longer even than the Internet, putting in sterling service. Every time people thought modems were at their fastest they were proven wrong. From a paltry 2.4 kbps up to 56kbps the speed of our modems have improved with the inflation of more complex ideas being implemented on websites. Gone are the days when the internet was just dull old text, we are presented with explosions of flash animations and the ability to download everything from movies to music.
These days even the 56k modem has a hard time cutting the mustard. The new buzzword is “Broadband”. Broadband has a variety of meanings, but it is really a means of high speed Internet connection. Whether it be ISDN, ADSL, Cable, Wireless or satellite there is a means of getting high-speed connection for everyone.
Recently we have seen a crash in the price of broadband, making it more affordable to the home user, gone are the days when only a business could get high-speeds from leasing expensive lines. In fact it is possible to install it yourself using a self-install kit which has been made recently available, saving in cost and inconvenience of getting an engineer out.
The installation of broadband Internet can revolutionise the way you see the Internet, and play games online. With speeds at least ten times faster than your modem the days of lag are a forgotten nightmare, no longer do you need to settle for postage stamp sized screens, full screen videos await you now.
However the world of broadband is not quite so rosy. Cable modems are ‘contended’ meaning that the bandwidth is shared between as many as 50 users. If your street is full of net junkies you may be faced with a pretty weedy wedge of the broadband pie.
However the more prevailing issue is availability. The major telecom player BT is increasing its spread of broadband veins around the country, however the progress is slow, the major concern of the telecom companies is money. To be economically viable in a non-urban area, 50 customers must show sustained interest 40 residential and 10 business. In smaller villages this is quite a strain. Where I live I doubt it will ever be enabled.
Fortunately however even rural users have an option. Satellite or wireless will be your only option. However the only advantages with these services is that you will definitely get connected. This service is easily the most expensive way to access broadband, with installation costs being as much as £900! Moreover there is only so much bandwidth available meaning at peak times you could be bogged down. Even more frustrating is that the service is affected with bad weather, and with the recent bad weather the future could be looking bleak. Coupled with the fact that there are still delays when using the service, you’re online gaming plans will have to take a backseat, or even end up in the boot.
Whilst the greatness of broadband Internet cannot be denied, its limited availability is a limiting factor in the future of online gaming. I feel that BT could play a more supportive role, trading profit for choice, after all it is their responsibility to ensure the nation can get connected. The choices in rural areas are costly and of questionable quality, meaning we will continue to lag behind the broadband giants for quite some time.
Thanks for reading.
These days even the 56k modem has a hard time cutting the mustard. The new buzzword is “Broadband”. Broadband has a variety of meanings, but it is really a means of high speed Internet connection. Whether it be ISDN, ADSL, Cable, Wireless or satellite there is a means of getting high-speed connection for everyone.
Recently we have seen a crash in the price of broadband, making it more affordable to the home user, gone are the days when only a business could get high-speeds from leasing expensive lines. In fact it is possible to install it yourself using a self-install kit which has been made recently available, saving in cost and inconvenience of getting an engineer out.
The installation of broadband Internet can revolutionise the way you see the Internet, and play games online. With speeds at least ten times faster than your modem the days of lag are a forgotten nightmare, no longer do you need to settle for postage stamp sized screens, full screen videos await you now.
However the world of broadband is not quite so rosy. Cable modems are ‘contended’ meaning that the bandwidth is shared between as many as 50 users. If your street is full of net junkies you may be faced with a pretty weedy wedge of the broadband pie.
However the more prevailing issue is availability. The major telecom player BT is increasing its spread of broadband veins around the country, however the progress is slow, the major concern of the telecom companies is money. To be economically viable in a non-urban area, 50 customers must show sustained interest 40 residential and 10 business. In smaller villages this is quite a strain. Where I live I doubt it will ever be enabled.
Fortunately however even rural users have an option. Satellite or wireless will be your only option. However the only advantages with these services is that you will definitely get connected. This service is easily the most expensive way to access broadband, with installation costs being as much as £900! Moreover there is only so much bandwidth available meaning at peak times you could be bogged down. Even more frustrating is that the service is affected with bad weather, and with the recent bad weather the future could be looking bleak. Coupled with the fact that there are still delays when using the service, you’re online gaming plans will have to take a backseat, or even end up in the boot.
Whilst the greatness of broadband Internet cannot be denied, its limited availability is a limiting factor in the future of online gaming. I feel that BT could play a more supportive role, trading profit for choice, after all it is their responsibility to ensure the nation can get connected. The choices in rural areas are costly and of questionable quality, meaning we will continue to lag behind the broadband giants for quite some time.
Thanks for reading.