What is broadband?

Broadband is a high-speed connection to the internet that long ago surpassed dial-up as the standard way to connect to the internet across the UK.

Broadband packages come in all shapes and sizes, from ADSL broadband to cable broadband and mobile broadband.

Compare deals now home broadband

In technical terms, broadband refers to high-speed data transmission, such as cable broadband, ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network), and DSL (Digital Subscriber Line). Essentially, broadband technologies offer faster connections to the Internet than traditional dial-up connections.

Broadband is the UK's most popular form of internet connection and is used by millions of people across the country. It refers to a signaling method which includes a wide range of frequencies that may be divided into channels.

Broadband is actually a relative term because it can only be understood in context - i.e. as opposed to narrowband (this is essentially 'dial up' to the layman).

The wider the broadband's bandwidth, the more information can be carried. In broadband-speak, a bandwidth of a few megabits per second can be handled by ADSL which is also a more technical way of describing broadband over telephone lines (the traditional copper type).

Broadband is often in the form of ADSL (along phone lines), though cable is also common.

What is ADSL broadband?

ADSL broadband is broadband that enters your house or business via telephone wires (often owned by BT). ADSL broadband is the most common, and most widely available broadband connection on the market. ADSL broadband comes from your local telephone exchange, owned by BT, through a fixed line access network made out of copper wires. These are the telephone lines which you see in the street.

You have a telephone line directly linked up to your house, through which you connect to the internet by using a modem attached to a telephone point indoors. At this point there is also a piece of equipment called a microfilter which separates out your telephone line from your broadband. This is how you can connect to the internet and make a phone call at the same time.

The information that you initially receive in your home is a series of digital signals which come through your modem and are decoded and recoded into usable information. Using this information, your computer lets you view your favourite websites and check your e-mails.

The speed of ADSL broadband depends on your distance from the local telephone exchange. The closer you are the higher your potential speed as speeds deteriorate as data travels along phone lines.

Because broadband works on an always-on basis, the connection is never switched off as it is with dial-up. Consequently, you can access the internet any time.

Compare all ADSL broadband packages here ADSL broadband

What is Cable Broadband?

Cable broadband is a service provided by Virgin Media and is available in 12.6 million homes across the UK. The internet data comes to you through an underground network of fibre-optic wires.

Unlike the copper wires of an ADSL connection, the cables are partially made of fibre-optic material. The reason why you can attain much faster broadband speeds on cable is that the material allows for far less signal degradation.

The other advantage of cable is that it also allows for the transmission of audio and visual signals. This is what allows you to get your landline and digital TV services from your cable broadband provider.

To find out more and compare packages see our cable Broadband?

What is Mobile broadband?

Mobile broadband is a relatively new technology that works via mobile phone networks and is designed for surfing on the go. Users are able to get online wherever there is a mobile phone signal.

Mobile broadband is offered via all the major mobile phone networks including:

• 3 mobile broadband
• Vodafone mobile broadband
• O2 mobile broadband
• T-Mobile mobile broadband
• Virgin Media mobile broadband
• Orange mobile broadband

To find out more and compare packages see our mobile broadband

For more information about broadband and to find out all the latest news see our broadband news page.

Compare broadband deals here.