<div align="justify"><p>Broadband internet, as the multitude of adverts proudly declare, will revolutionise the way we use the internet and make everything faster. </p><p>On the surface, that's exactly what broadband is - a faster, more stable and 'always-on' internet connection. But, in typical IT fashion, nothing is that simple and there are masses of bewildering options available and hundreds of different companies touting a wide range of products. </p><p>In fact, broadband is an umbrella term. Talk about broadband and you might actually be referring to one of a number of underlying technologies like ADSL, satellite or cable, all of which work slightly differently and have their own advantages and disadvantages. </p><p>But is broadband worth buying? If so, which variety will best suit your needs? Read on to discover the answers to these questions and more. </p><p><b>What is broadband?</b> </p><p>Look up the word 'broadband' in a technology dictionary and you'll see that it's actually a deceptively general term that has come to mean something slightly different in recent years. At its most basic, a broadband transmission is the transfer of data from one source to another over a single medium (such as a wire). </p><p>In fact, this definition is a touch misleading as it could equally be applied to an ISDN connection, as it uses two 64Kbps connections over a single wire. When most people mention broadband internet these days, they are usually referring to something a little more specific. </p><p>Common consent in the UK is that a broadband connection should offer a speed of 512Kbps or above and a flat monthly fee (rather than paying per minute). Many people also associate broadband with an 'always-on' connection but this is a misnomer, as most ADSL installations have to make a short connection before they can be used. </p><p><b>What are the benefits?</b> </p><p>The most obvious benefit that broadband offers is that it is extremely fast - 10 times faster or more, depending on the package you go for. If you're used to a 56K modem connection, you will really marvel at the speed with which a broadband connection runs. </p><p>Web pages load in the blink of an eye, regardless of how much visual content they feature. Animations take a few seconds to load, rather than minutes, and files like movie trailers, music and applications take a fraction of the time to download. </p><p>There are also many other smaller gains to be had. It's a lot quicker to send and receive larger email attachments, for example. But before you go emailing your whole digital photo album to Aunt Agatha in Toronto, remember that your intended recipient must also have a broadband connection in order to benefit, otherwise you'll just clog up their email inbox. </p><p>With broadband, other web technologies are finally beginning to live up to their initial promise. Instant messaging, video-conferencing, online gaming and streaming media, for example, suddenly become much more practical and enjoyable than they ever were with a modem. For households with more than one PC, broadband makes internet connection sharing much more feasible. </p><p>Indeed, with a small home network of two or three computers, it's unlikely that you will notice any speed drop-off at all, even if all the PCs are online at the same time. This in turn opens up all kinds of possibilities in terms of wireless networking and connection sharing. </p><p><b>The web as it should be</b> </p><p>Broadband is much more than just faster web surfing - it means that the internet is finally growing up. With broadband, the internet is even beginning to shed some of its dependence on telephone lines. Most broadband packages allow you to use the phone at the same time as being online, for instance, while some varieties don't even require that you have a landline at all. </p><p>Conversely, emerging technologies are making it possible for us to make phone calls over our broadband connections at considerably reduced prices. It is early days yet but British companies such as InClarity (www.broadbandtelephony.co.uk) are already starting to take advantage of the technology. Check out the company's website to find out more. </p><p>The broadband experience is the way that the web should be: there's no waiting around or time wasted logging on, fewer progress bars and much less frustration. Because you're paying for it at a flat monthly rate, you don't have to feel guilty about spending too much time online or worry about your phone bill. </p><p>This has the side effect of allowing you more freedom with your online explorations and consequently you become more confident and more adept at navigating your way around the web. </p><p><b>What are the options?</b> </p><p>If you're already sold on the idea of broadband then you're probably champing at the bit to know how, where and when you can get it installed. Unfortunately, this is where things get a little complicated. </p><p>There are three main types of broadband connection in the UK: ADSL, cable and satellite. Each one has its own benefits and drawbacks but you might find that your choice is often made for you, simply because the biggest deciding factor is likely to be based on simple geography. </p><p>Sadly, connecting your PC to a broadband service isn't as easy as it was hooking up a cable from the back of your PC to the phone line. Not all areas of the UK are covered by the same services and providers, for example, so you'll have to start off with a bit of detective work to find out precisely which options are open to you. </p><p><b>ADSL</b> </p><p>ADSL is the technology that people most commonly associate with broadband. Without getting too technical, ADSL is a clever way of squeezing more speed out of the existing copper phone lines, so you need to have a BT line installed before you can even consider getting this form of broadband. </p><p>One hitch with ADSL (and cable too) is that it is faster to download files from the internet than it is to upload them to sites. In most cases, this doesn't generate a problem as the majority of time spent on the internet is in downloading web pages and files. </p><p>The slower upload speed only becomes noticeable when you are doing things such as putting images on your website. To give you an idea, the average ADSL connection has a download rate of 512Kbps, while the maximum upload rate is usually only 256Kbps. </p><p>One of the benefits of ADSL is that there are a lot of companies out there vying for your attention, which is finally bringing the cost of subscription down. </p><p>But not all areas have had the necessary telephone exchange upgrades to run ADSL across existing phone lines, so you'll need to find out if you live in a suitable area first by visiting BTOpenworld and following the links through to the details of the Home 500 package. </p><p>If you don't currently live in an ADSL-enabled area then you can register your interest on the website. When enough people in the area do the same, it triggers BT's engineers to make the upgrade. This process is in place because current regulations mean that BT is not currently allowed to make a loss on ADSL, as this could be perceived as an attempt to put the squeeze on smaller companies. </p><p>Another point to bear in mind, however, is the quality of your line. If you live too far from your ADSL-ready telephone exchange, for example, then it might not be possible to get a fast internet service. </p><p>Most ADSL services behave as any other internet service provider would and provide you with a range of features including email, technical support and web access. Some providers also offer broadband-exclusive content such as AOL's access to live Big Brother webcams and Robbie Williams videos. </p><p>The price of ADSL is comparable to cable, although there will usually be an activation/engineer charge and the cost of the modem to factor in, which can cost anything from £50 to £250. For an in-depth and up-to-date overview of all the other ADSL providers and packages, check out the ADSL Guide website. </p><p><b>Cable</b> When it comes to cable broadband, you'll find that you are confined to either NTL or Telewest as providers (although AOL is now available in some NTL areas). </p><p>Between them, they cover roughly half the homes in the UK, mainly in built-up areas. If your neck of the woods isn't covered by cable TV, then you won't be able to subscribe to cable broadband - it's as simple as that. </p><p>You can check to see if you're within a cable catchment area by visiting the respective company's website (www.ntl.co.uk or www.telewest.co.uk) and typing in your postcode. </p><p>If you can get it, then cable broadband has some distinct advantages over ADSL. Since cable is entirely independent of telephone systems, you don't need a phone line to subscribe. It uses more modern fibre optic cabling, which offers potentially faster, more stable data transfers compared with the old copper wires of the phone network. </p><p>Indeed, both Telewest and NTL are already offering high-speed (600Kbps, 1MB and 2MB) packages and are planning to go even faster. </p><p>Most cable TV set-top boxes already have a cable modem built in that has a network connection, so if you already subscribe to a cable TV service it's unlikely that you'll need any extra hardware except for a network card for your PC (available for around £15). </p><p>This can take the sting out of setting yourself up with broadband, both in terms of cost and hassle. Telewest Blueyonder, for instance, offers a £12.50 self-install package. </p><p>The network port also means that it's a lot easier and cheaper to share a connection using a broadband router. You will also find that NTL and Telewest often offer discount rates if you choose to lump in a subscription to one of their cable TV packages and/or any phone services that they offer in your area. </p><p>Curiously, most cable packages still work in the same asymmetric way as ADSL. NTL's 600Kbps service, for example, only allows for upload speeds of 128Kbps. </p><p><b>Satellite</b> </p><p>If neither of the above options are available to you then satellite broadband is your final option. Working in a similar way to satellite TV, satellite broadband is available through several independent companies in the UK and provides (in theory, at least) 100 per cent coverage. </p><p>It also offers potentially much higher download speeds than ADSL. SatDrive, for example, claims a possible maximum figure of 16Mbps per second, although subscription to faster services costs more than the standard £15 per month for its 512Kbps service. </p><p>While that last figure sounds pretty competitive, remember that installation of satellite broadband is a much more complex process, involving an engineer to rig up the dish and point it in the right direction. </p><p>Start-up costs, therefore, can reach prices of £400 and upwards, plus you may also need to check with your landlord or local council to see if you need permission to erect a satellite dish on your premises. </p><p>Also, the difference in upload versus download speed is even greater with satellite broadband than ADSL. This is because the fast web access only works one way. For transmitting data (such as sending emails, playing games or transferring files from your PC to the web), you'll still need a phone line over a standard 56K dial-up service. </p><p>Finally, because your downloads are being beamed into space and back, satellite is generally unsuitable for applications that need to send small bits of data frequently, such as telephony and online gaming. </p><p><b>Fast track option</b> </p><p>Broadband is certainly the next step forward for the internet because it's fast and convenient. Ultimately, the type of broadband that you choose will come down to location but, where possible, we recommend staying away from satellite due to its many drawbacks. </p><p>ADSL and cable are directly comparable and offer almost identical services, although cable currently has the advantages that it is more flexible and offers faster speeds. </p><p>Sadly, things seem to be moving at a frustratingly slow pace in the UK compared with the rest of the world, both in terms of download speeds and national coverage. </p><p>Hopefully this article has shown you that despite these restrictions, there are ways to get a fast internet connection. Once you make the upgrade you will wonder how you ever survived on a dial-up connection. </p><p><b>Share and share alike</b> Broadband internet is so fast that it can be shared between several PCs without any noticeable dent in access speeds during normal usage. This makes it perfect for home networks, although most packages (particularly ADSL) will require further hardware and a little bit of tinkering to set up properly. </p><p>In theory, it's also possible to share your broadband connection even further. If, for example, both you and your neighbour use compatible wireless networking equipment, you could share a broadband connection wirelessly and split the cost. </p><p>However, while most of the broadband companies we spoke to were perfectly fine about sharing an internet connection within one household, they were all quite firmly against public redistribution of their services, pointing out that this contravenes the terms and conditions set out in their respective contracts. </p><p>Only one company, MyZones, positively encourages this, and offers the appropriate guidance and security to allow users to set up a shared wireless network properly.</p></div>