We all love the ability to access the internet quickly. The days of dial-up connections that took a long time to load even the simplest of websites are long gone for the majority of internet users today, now that broadband internet technology is the norm. Despite the rising popularity of broadband though, there are still many that don’t really know how it works, or of the different types of broadband internet that they could access. If you are curious as to how the technology behind your high speed internet connection functions then read on!

What is broadband?

First things first, let’s consider what broadband actually is. Broadband internet is used by millions of people across Australia and is a means to transport data at a very high speed. A simply analogy of a broadband internet connection is that of a busy road. Imagine a narrow road with a lot of traffic; there will inevitably be traffic jams as many cars try to fit through the narrow gap at one time. This narrow road represents narrowband internet or dial-up as it is better known.

Now instead picture a freeway with many lanes for the traffic. Suddenly the speed can increase because more cars can travel on the road at any one time. Although traffic jams can still occur, they happen more rarely than if the same amount of traffic were to try to fit on a one lane track. The freeway in our analogy represents a broadband internet connection, as more information can be carried at any one time. You may have heard of the bandwidth of a broadband connection; this bandwidth represents how much information can be carried or, if you like, how many lanes the freeway has.

How does broadband work?

There are several different types of broadband internet connection, so let’s consider how each of the most popular methods work:

• ADSL broadband. Do you have a telephone line connected to your house? If so, you are the perfect candidate for an ADSL broadband connection, as this type of connection uses pre-existing phone lines in order to carry the information. All that you need to do, when signed up to a broadband package, is plug a modem into your phone line along with a microfilter that allows you access to the telephone and the internet at the same time.
• Cable broadband. Another option when it comes to connecting to the World Wide Web is known as cable broadband. Cable broadband is typically faster than ADSL, because the cables used to carry information are made of a fibre-optic material, instead of the traditional copper wiring suitable for a phone signal. Telephone and television signals can also be transmitted via a fibre-optic network, allowing you to combine your services.
• Mobile broadband. If internet on the move is important to you then mobile broadband could help. Mobile broadband allows you to access the internet by using the same network that is used to make calls on a mobile phone. The 3G mobile phone network is constantly improving due to the increasing popularity of this particular method of accessing broadband internet.