Question
What is broadband?
Answer
Broadband technology is the always-open gateway to a new world of Internet-connected services delivered at lightning-fast speeds to homes, offices and businesses. Think of a broadband connection to the Internet as a fat pipeline running into and out of a home or business. In most cases, that pipeline has been laid by a cable, telephone or independent service provider.

Question
How does broadband work?
Answer
Digital and fiber-optic technologies are key elements in powering the broadband concept. Digital applications compress vast amounts of voice, video and data information that are broken down into what are called "bits." The pipeline, in turn, can ferry a lot more bits -- they become words, pictures and other components on our computer screens -- than regular cable, telephone or wireless connections. Think of the difference between broadband and dial-up service -- often referred to as "narrowband" -- as the difference between a fire hose and a garden hose.

Question
What kinds of broadband service are there?
Answer

• Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), which transforms copper telephone lines into powerful carriers of digital data. DSL uses the same copper wires that carry voice traffic to your telephone to carry high-speed data. Your PC's connection to the DSL network is usually done through a "router," which is placed next to your computer.

• Cable modems, which tap into the same cable TV company lines that deliver TV pictures and sound to your TV set. Modems usually are placed next to your computer.

• Wireless vehicles developed by satellite-service providers -- usually direct broadcast satellite (DBS) companies like DirecTv and EchoStar -- and on-the-ground, antenna-to-antenna systems, commonly called "fixed-wireless" systems.

Question
Why do I need broadband service?
Answer
Broadband's blazing speed eliminates the so-called "world wide wait" that users encounter with dial-up services. Cable modem, DSL and wireless connections to the Internet are at least 10 times faster than a dial-up connection made through a 56-kilobits-per-second or 28.8-kbps link.
That speedy connection can open up a new world of audio, video and games, among other applications, that can be tedious going using a slow dial-up connection. Web pages that take minutes to summon up with a dial-up connection pop up instantly with a cable modem, DSL or wireless broadband connection. A broadband link also can make such work-oriented chores as accessing databases less frustrating, because you can move from Web site to Web site in a click of the PC's keyboard.

Question
Are there any other kinds of broadband service?
Answer
Telephone companies also offer ISDN and T-1 and T-3 services that can carry voice, data and Internet-based transmissions. These broadband connections are more popular among businesses than households due to their relatively high cost and technological complexity.

Question
Are there any other advantages to broadband?
Answer
A cable modem or DSL link to the Internet is always on; there's no need to dial in to an Internet service provider (ISP). Simply click on your browser and you're on the Internet. No more waiting, no more busy signals. The fact that the broadband connection is never turned off as long as your PC is on lets you "snack" on information whenever you like.

What's more, cable and DSL users can go online without tying up their telephone lines, which means no more missed calls while surfing the Web.

Question
How many broadband connections are there today in the U.S.? How many will there be tomorrow?
Answer
The Yankee Group, a telecommunications research firm, estimates there will be over five million broadband connections by the end of 2000. Forward Concepts, another research firm, estimates broadband connections could hit the 35-million mark by 2005 in the U.S.

Question
Why haven't I heard more about broadband?
Answer
Building the so-called "information superhighway" is a mammoth undertaking that involves major industries and thousands of companies. Cable and telephone companies have been slow to upgrade their networks with fiber-optic and other expensive technologies. Independent DSL enterprises have had trouble winning access to the telephone companies' lines so that they can deploy high-speed Internet-access service. And wireless companies continue to deal with an array of technological and marketing issues before they can win large subscribership. But this is all changing.

Question
Who offers broadband service?
Answer
On the cable modem front, Excite@Home and Road Runner are the most popular ISPs. They're marketed by such cable TV operators as MediaOne, Time Warner Inc. and AT&T. DSL service is sold by the major regional telephone companies like SBC Communications, Ameritech, Bell Atlantic, BellSouth and U S West. Independent players such as Rhythms NetConnections, Covad Communications and NorthPoint also sell DSL service.

Question
Anyone else?
Answer
DirecTV, which offers satellite-signal TV service, has been marketing its DirecPC broadband service for several years. It can deliver fast download speeds of about 400 kbps. But sending something like an e-mail or Web page over the network will go slowly, because a dial-up telephone connection still must be tapped. DirecTV and its prime competitor, EchoStar, are working with America Online and Microsoft, respectively, to try to clear out that bottleneck. Other satellite-based services also are being launched by AstroLink, iSky Inc., Skybridge and Teledesic.

So-called "fixed wireless" services developed by TeraBeam, WinStar, Teligent, Sprint and smaller telephone companies, among others, deliver broadband capabilities over a variety of ground-based, antenna-to-antenna systems, primarily in urban markets.

Wireless technology's major plus is the fact that it can deliver high-speed, broadband-based services over large territories. But it's generally more expensive than DSL and cable modem service.

Question
How much does a broadband connection cost?
Answer
For cable modem service, expect to pay up to $150 for installation, and from $19.95 to $50 a month for service. For DSL, installation costs run roughly the same. The monthly charge for service varies depending on how fast your line is. But expect to start at $19.95 a month and head toward $100, depending on the carrier. Again, if you can get both cable modem and DSL service in your neighborhood, it pays to compare the prices. The same goes for several DSL carriers. Wireless and satellite-delivered service can cost $100 and up a month, as well as carry stiff installation fees.

Question
What's the difference between upstream and downstream speeds?
Answer
Information passes between your computer and the Internet in two directions: upstream and downstream. Info that flows upstream is sent by your computer to the Internet. An example: using a search engine to find directions to a restaurant. After the search engine finds what it's looking for, it sends the results downstream to your computer. Generally, more information is passed downstream. So, for the average user, a fast downstream speed is more critical than a fast upstream speed.

Question
What can broadband do besides give me fast downloads of Web pages and files?
Answer
Broadband technology is fostering a new class of consumer- and business-related services such as Internet Protocol-based telephone and videoconferencing services; viewer-customized TV feeds; e-mail with audio and video components; and home-networking capabilities. You're also beginning to see more sophisticated online games and distance-learning applications.

Question
How long does it take to install a broadband connection in a household or business?
Answer
It depends on your service provider. The multi-step process is being streamlined every month, but it is still a complex undertaking. Considering that DSL and cable modem installations must be done by trained technicians, it can take several days to a few weeks to schedule a visit.

Question
How secure is my computer using an always-on Internet connection?
Answer
Good question, because your local broadband service provider probably won't bring up security issues. Any connection to the Internet ?especially an always-on connection like a DSL or cable modem link ?carries the risk that a sophisticated "hacker," or computer thief, could break into your files. It's worth asking your broadband service provider whether you should install a "firewall" ?software that keeps out intruders ?to protect your computerized information.

Question
What kinds of firewalls are on the market?
Answer
A number of affordable firewalls can protect your computer's data. The easiest to-use and least-expensive solutions are personal firewalls that you install on your computer. Among the most popular are Norton Internet Security 2000 (www.symantec.com), ZoneAlarm (www.zonelabs.com) and BlackICE Defender (blackICE.com).




BROADBAND - FAQ