BROADBAND
The term broadband has several uses. In the retail market, it means an internet connection faster than dial-up. (Technically, the term is used to mean two or more signals sharing a medium, regardless of the actual data rate.)
Connection Options
| dial-up | 0.02 - 0.05 MB/s | low cost, slow, can use any phone line can't use the phone while on dial up |
| ADSL | 0.1 - 6 MB/s | low cost, slow to moderate speeds uses phone line while allowing other calls must be close to phone exchange |
| cable | low cost, good speeds very limited areas, eg Wellington and Christchurch |
|
| wireless | limited areas, eg within sight of Auckland skytower |
If it is available for your area, ADSL offers much improved connection speed, and it doesn't block out normal phone calls on your line.
Advantages
- Fast download and upload speeds. Pages load faster, and this is particularly noticable when accessing large images or files.
- It is on all the time. You don't need to wait while the computer dials up. Your email client can periodically check for new mail, so your inbox is up to date. You don't have to wait on dial up while patches and updates are downloaded.
- The phone line is not blocked. You can ring out while on line, and won't miss calls because the computer is accessing the internet.
- Several computers can simultaneously access the internet.
- You can do things that aren't possible or practical on dial up; get large files or images, interactive gaming, log into work system, VOIP.
Disadvantages
- Connection to the internet exposes your computer to threats. Being connected all the time increases this risk (because of the time exposure and because connected computers are more attractive targets).
- Additional costs are normally involved for broadband plans, compared with dial up plans.
- Monthly data caps can be restrictive. If your plan incurs penalty for going over these, it can be very expensive. If your computer is compromised, the trojan may cause a lot of traffic, invoking data charges.