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Like any industry, the world of computers, telecommunications, broadband and the internet has a language of its own. Here are the definitions for some of the terminology we use:
ADSL – Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line
Fair Usage policy (also known as Acceptable Use policy)
FTTC – Fibre To The Cabinet also known as Fibre To The Curb
I-Plate – also known as a BT Broadband Accelerator
ISP – Internet Service Provider
Router (also known as hubs, gateways or base-stations)
SDSL – Symmetric digital subscriber line
VoIP – Voice over Internet Protocol
3G
3G is a mobile phone technology. It allows fast access to the web, as well as the ability to use other services. Unfortunately, 3G signal coverage can be patchy – particularly in rural areas. If you are in one of these poor coverage areas, web browsing would be slow as the phone would automatically revert to using an earlier, lower standard technology to connect to the web.
4G
4G is the next generation of mobile phone technology and deployment is now underway. The technology is capable of delivering superfast speeds but the actual speed will depend on how many other people are using the service near you. Current projections suggest that 98% of the country will be covered by 2017.
Activation
Activation is the process by which your existing phone line becomes enabled to receive data over the internet and telephone calls simultaneously. The activation takes place at your local phone exchange. So, when you subscribe to a broadband package, your broadband service will not be in place until activation occurs.
ADSL – Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line
This is the most common type of basic broadband internet connection. It is delivered over a standard telephone line and allows you to still make and receive telephone calls while the internet is in use. Unfortunately, the broadband speed that you can receive is very dependent on two factors:
- The length of the telephone line from the telephone exchange to your property
- The quality of the line itself
For example, if you are far away from the exchange the speed of the broadband may drop to a poor level. This is known as a “slow spot”. Eventually, the distance becomes too great and a broadband signal isn’t possible. This is known as a “not-spot”.
You would still be able to receive and make a normal telephone call though – the effect distance has is not as much of a problem for voice calls. BT and other telecoms companies are constantly experimenting to see how far it is possible to extend the reach of broadband. Most broadband connections are currently asymmetric. This means that the broadband connection speed TO you is much higher than the speed FROM you. TO you is known as “downstream” or “download”, FROM you is known as “upstream” or “upload”.
This split makes sense for most web users. Most users browse the web, download files etc, but tend to only send emails and perhaps attach the occasional file or upload images to a website. There is naturally more demand for a faster download than upload.
Anti-virus software
Viruses are malicious computer programs, often sent via email but sometimes infecting web sites. They can cause serious problems for you by damaging your computer. You could also inadvertently spread them to other people’s computers too.
The BBC tried an experiment in 2007. They connected a PC to broadband, with no firewall and no anti-virus software protection. The PC was infected by a virus within 8 seconds of being connected to the Internet. After 30 minutes, it became unusable due to the infection.
Click this link to the BBC for the full story.
Any computer, (including Apple Macs), is potentially vulnerable. It is vital that you have anti-virus software installed on your computer and that you keep it up to date – preferably using automatic updates.
Bandwidth
Bandwidth is the capacity of your broadband to transmit and receive data: you can view it as the speed of your internet connection. It’s measured in bits per second, with 1 bit being one “bit” of data.
With broadband being so fast, we normally now measure in “Mega-bits per second” – or Mbps. If you measure your connection speed and actually have 2Mbps download, this means that you are receiving 2 million bits of data per second. When you subscribe to a broadband provider, you often see details such as “up to 4Mbps download” in their advertising. The upload figure is likely to be much slower.
“Up to” is also an important phrase: you may only actually receive 2 Mbps. The 4Mbps advertised speed is what would be achievable in perfect conditions. It is also possible to bond two or more ADSL connections together. For example, if your ADSL line can receive 2Mbps downstream speed and 0.5 Mbps upstream, bonding three ADSL lines together would give 6Mbps downstream and 1.5Mbps upstream bandwidth.
You may encounter talk of SDSL connections – this stands for Symmetric Digital Subscriber Line. This service differs from ADSL in that both upload and download speeds are at the same level – e.g. 4Mbps. Typical users of this sort of connection might be businesses that have to both receive and transmit large data files such as drawings or those that use video conferencing. This is a premium service and is even more distance-dependent than ADSL.
Broadband
Broadband is a connection to the internet that is always on, allowing for constant access without the need to dial up. It is normally provided at a fixed cost per month, and has a much larger capacity to send and receive data to and from the internet than the old dial up internet connection.
Most broadband circuits are shared between multiple users. This is known as the “contention ratio”. For example, if you have a 4Mbps connection with a contention ratio of 50:1, at peak times of day you could be sharing this with 49 other users. You would only get a fraction of the speed.
However, this makes sense for telecom companies in terms of providing the service. Sharing the capacity means that the cost of providing the service to you is cheaper. The main issue is that your broadband speed may be lower at peak times.
Contention ratios do vary between providers, 50:1 being common amongst domestic providers, with 20:1 being more common amongst business ones.
If you are looking for a broadband provider, look for one who uses the smallest contention ratio. You are less likely to experience slow speeds at peak times on a 20:1 ratio than a 50:1 ratio.
Uncontended internet connections, (i.e. 1:1) are possible, but are very expensive compared to the contended services.
There are a great many different types of broadband, based on how the service is delivered.
Here are some of the ways broadband is delivered in our local area:
- ADSL available in most areas via telephone line
- SDSL in some limited areas
- Cable modem in some urban areas
- Publicly accessible Wi-Fi wireless connections in town and city centres
- High-speed fibre optic cable in a very limited area
- Special leased lines, run by some firms
- 3G & other mobile connectivity
- Satellite
Satellite broadband is available across almost the whole country, but can be expensive for faster speeds and has other issues which may limit it as a choice.
As the internet becomes more important in business and domestic life, fast broadband connectivity becomes vital. Broadband packages can now include internet access, telephone and multi-channel TV.
The government is committed to delivering broadband access to everyone in the country, with minimum speeds of 2Mbps and using as great a proportion of superfast solutions as possible. Superfast broadband has been clarified to mean at least 24Mbps.
Cable broadband
As an alternative to ADSL or other services, some of the urban areas in our sub-region are wired for cable broadband provided by Virgin Media. Cable broadband is delivered via fibre optic cable, which allows for very high broadband speeds – up to 50Mbps with plans for upgrading this to 100Mbps. Cable broadband also allows Virgin Media to incorporate digital TV and landline calls into the package you subscribe to. This is known as a bundled service and may also be available from your ADSL supplier too.
Extranets and intranets
With the growth of broadband, many firms are looking at ways to help serve their customers, partners and suppliers more effectively.
An extranet is a type of website that is accessible to invited or registered users but not accessible to the general public. Often, it integrates into the internal office computer systems of a firm. For example, an extranet might allow the progress of an order to be checked by a customer.
An intranet is a web site for internal company or organisation use. Often, authorised users can connect into these from a remote location, in order to get access to company information and files.
Fair Usage policy (also known as Acceptable Use policy)
Fair Usage policies are part of the contract that you sign up to when you subscribe to a particular package with an Internet Service Provider (ISP).
Fair Usage policies may restrict what you do online. For example, many state that you can’t send spam emails or use the internet connection for illegal purposes. Some also insist that you maintain adequate anti-virus systems on your PCs. If they determine that your PC is spreading a virus infection, they can switch off your connection immediately.
For the majority of users these restrictions are fair. However, one issue that does sometimes cause problems is that of excessive bandwidth usage – i.e. very large quantities of downloads. Many ISPs will “throttle” connection speeds for (what they consider) very heavy users. This means that they will deliberately reduce your broadband connection speed. This is to make sure that other users get their fair access to the internet.
Although you may have subscribed to an “unlimited download” package, “Fair Usage” policies will still apply. There are very few totally unlimited packages available in practice. For example, many ISPs may reduce your connection speed between 4pm and midnight if you consistently download large files between those times.
Typical users who may run across this problem are those who:
- Download lots of films or music
- Play online games
- Work from home and connect remotely to their office
- Any other heavy downloaders
If you run into this problem, your ISP may email you and suggest that you subscribe to another package offering a larger download capacity. It is always worthwhile reading the Fair Usage policy before signing up to subscriptions with ISPs.
FTTC – Fibre To The Cabinet also known as Fibre To The Curb
With increasing demands on broadband speed, many telecoms companies worldwide are looking to improve how they can deliver broadband as well as other services like TV. In the UK, most broadband is delivered via the old telephone lines made from copper. Fibre optic cable offers the possibility of huge improvements in speed.
BT are rolling out “BT Infinity”, a programme of changing copper cables to fibre optic in some of their cabinets that you might notice at the side of the road. This connects back to their exchanges and will allow them to deliver high broadband speeds.
The connection from the cabinet to your property would still be via copper cable though. This would limit the possible speed gain, but would still offer a much improved broadband speed to users.
BT is likely to only deliver this service in populated areas that are commercially viable for them, as part of a planned roll out across the UK.
FTTH/FTTP – Fibre To The Home/Premises
This is an extension of the above service, whereby the fibre optic cable runs all the way to the property, not just to the roadside cabinet. Removing the final section of copper wire helps guarantee very high broadband speeds, as well as offering the chance for delivery of TV channels too.
Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC) and Fibre to the Home (FTTH) are both part of what is known as Next Generation Access (NGA). This just means high speed internet connections, normally delivered via fibre optic cables.
This will shortly be made available through commercial providers and is outside the scope of the CSW broadband project. There will be additional costs for this service
Firewall
A firewall acts as a barrier against unauthorised access to your computer by hackers via the internet. All information to and from your computer to the internet has to pass through the firewall. Suspicious or unauthorised traffic that may present a risk is automatically filtered out.
If you are connected to the internet via broadband, it is essential for your computer’s security that you have a firewall in place. Firewalls come in two main types – a software version and a physical hardware version, or sometimes a combination of both.
Microsoft has software firewalls built into their recent operating systems. Many providers of broadband also have firewalls built into their systems too. This may be at the point where they access the wider internet and receive traffic into their systems before passing it along to you.
Often, your modem connection to the broadband line or your router will have a type of firewall incorporated too. However, many people also prefer to buy software firewalls as part of their anti-virus protection.
For more information about firewalls, click this link.
Intervention Area (State Aid)
Broadband providers will deploy into areas where there is sufficient return on investment (ROI) for them to build a profitable business. This creates a digital divide which disadvantages the population in areas where no provider considers it worth investing. These areas are eligible for State Aid funding to build a sustainable wholesale network which any ISP can use to deliver a service.
By following the European State Aid regulations we have classified postcodes into three types according to how many companies are planning to provide a superfast broadband service and these are shown on the maps
- Black – Areas where there will be two or more superfast broadband providers
- Grey – Areas where there will be only one superfast broadband provider
- White – Areas where there no commercial superfast broadband providers
The Intervention Area is then defined as the postcodes classified as White or a subset of them.
IP Address
This stands for Internet Protocol address, and is the unique internet address of your computer, similar to your postcode. IP addresses are numeric, e.g. 237.112.129.65. You may have noticed them appear occasionally in the bottom bar of your web browser.
An internet service called DNS (Domain Name System/Servers) translates a web address into its corresponding IP address. An IP address is also assigned to your connection to the internet by your Internet Service Provider (ISP). There are two types – dynamic and static.
A dynamic IP address is assigned to you by your ISP every time you connect to the internet. So, if you switch off your system when you go away on holiday, you are very likely to be assigned a new IP address when you switch back on upon your return.
This is the normal way that IP addresses are assigned to domestic customers, and allows ISPs to manage their connections efficiently. It doesn’t affect how a domestic customer uses their broadband connection.
A static IP address means your ISP permanently assigns your connection to a particular fixed IP address. This may be important for businesses who want staff on the road to access internal computer systems remotely, or who have staff working from home. If the IP address of the office constantly changed, (as with dynamic addressing), it would be impossible for a staff member to know what address their computer needed to reach.
Some ISPs charge a small monthly fee for a static IP address; others include it in their services. Either way, if you want staff to remotely access your office system, you will need a static IP address.
IPv6
Internet Protocol version 6 is the latest revision of the Internet Protocol, the communications protocol that provides an identification and location system for computers on networks and routes traffic across the Internet.
I-Plate – also known as a BT Broadband Accelerator
An I-Plate is a cheap and easy to install device that fits into the telephone wall socket. It reduces electrical interference at the point where broadband enters your property, and may significantly improve your broadband speed. To find out other ways to increase the speed of your existing broadband connection, visit our How to improve your broadband speed webpage for some helpful tips and advice.
ISP – Internet Service Provider
An ISP is simply the company providing your connection to the internet. Some ISPs also provide other bundled services such as TV and telephone too, for example Virgin Media with their cable service.
There are many potential providers of broadband services, each of who offer different deals and packages. It is worthwhile researching the market to identify which deal best suits your needs. The below websites have tools which compare the features and prices offered by different ISPs:
LAN – Local Area Network
A LAN is a network of connected computers. This may be by cabling or via a wireless connection. A LAN is often used by businesses, where the computers can use the same internet connection. Many homes now have a LAN too – this lets several PCs and laptops share the same broadband connection and perhaps other devices such as printers.
A Wireless LAN uses Wi-Fi to connect these devices without the need for wiring. You can also connect other devices such as Nintendo Wii game stations, Apple iPhones and even Amazon Kindle e-readers to the internet via wireless connection.
Many ISPs provide a wireless, Wi-Fi router as part of their package. Alternatively, you could buy one yourself for around £50-100. If you do use Wi-Fi to create your own network, it is important that you set security measures such as password protection on your Wi-Fi connection.
LLU – Local Loop Unbundling
Local Loop Unbundling is the regulatory process of allowing multiple telecommunications operators to use connections from the telephone exchange to the customer’s premises. The physical wire connection between the local exchange and the customer is known as a “local loop”.
In the UK, this is seen where BT has allowed competitors the use of their telephone networks for providing telecommunications and internet services. A benefit of LLU is that it has allowed competing companies to offer land-based broadband services (e.g. ADSL), thus driving down prices.
Micro-filter
A micro-filter is a small device that inserts into your phone socket and splits the socket into a broadband connection and a telephone connection. It prevents interference from an ADSL connection on phone extensions during telephone or fax calls. It is important that a micro-filter is installed on each of the extensions if you have more than just the single telephone socket. If you don’t do this, your broadband speed is likely to be poor or non-existent.
Modem – modulator-demodulator
When internet connection took place via a dial-up connection, a modem converted digital data from your computer to analogue signals that could be sent down a normal telephone line. This was known as modulation – the demodulator was the reverse side, i.e. converting analogue signals back to digital when they arrived from the internet. Modem was just an abbreviation of modulator-demodulator
If you have used a dial-up connection, you will be familiar with the very odd screeching noise that modems made while establishing connection!
Broadband uses frequencies above where the normal voice messages travel. This is why you can now use a telephone on the same socket as a broadband connection. The modem actually creates channels at different frequencies to pass the signal as digital data all the way from your computer to the internet and back.
The two main types of modem are:
- ADSL modems – for use on ADSL telephone line broadband
- Cable modems – for cable-based broadband.
They are not interchangeable as the technology used is very different. They are normally provided as part of your subscription package with your ISP. Many modems now incorporate a wireless router, so you can connect several PCs and other devices to the internet via Wi-Fi.
NGA – Next Generation Access
Next Generation Access (NGA) is a term describing the significant upgrade to the existing telecommunication access network by replacing some or all of the copper cable with optical fibre. Since optical fibre is capable of sustaining higher data transmission rates over longer distances than twisted-pair or coaxial cable, NGA is an important enabler for faster broadband internet access.
Not all premises connected to an NGA network that utilises FTTC connections will be able to achieve superfast speeds. For example, 58.9% of premises in the intervention Area will be connected to the NGA networks by the project and 54.4% are projected to receive superfast speeds.
Router (also known as hubs, gateways or base-stations)
A router sits between your computer and the modem connecting you to the internet. They are normally used when more than one computer or other device is sharing a broadband connection. They “route” the information received from the internet to the right computer or device.
For example, if you’re browsing holiday websites on one PC and your partner is buying a book online on another, your router ensures that the right information from the right website is delivered to the right person! Often, routers are now incorporated into the modem. Often, routers are now wireless – they use Wi-Fi to distribute the information to a computer or other type of Wi-Fi enabled device.
SaaS – Software as a Service
SaaS is a new way of using computer applications. Instead of having to buy and install software on individual computers, with SaaS you access it from the internet whenever you need it.
Companies provide a whole range of computer applications via the internet on an outsourced, “pay as you go” or monthly basis. This is becoming popular for smaller firms who need specific computer applications, but don’t have the finance, skilled personnel, or time to install and manage the applications themselves.
The solution: rent the application you need from a SaaS provider and access it through your fast internet broadband connection. The software is hosted online, on the SaaS provider systems and can be accessed by clients through their internet browsers like Internet Explorer, Firefox and Chrome.
Applications might include Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software, accounting and payroll software, Supply Chain Management software, email marketing and e-commerce applications. A good example of this sort of service is Google Apps, whereby all your emails, calendars and other company documents are kept online, accessible from anywhere via any computer or smart phone with broadband access.
Satellite broadband
It is possible to receive broadband via a satellite and you are almost guaranteed to be able to get broadband by this means. You will need a satellite dish and a subscription to a satellite ISP. They normally set the dish and equipment up for you as part of your installation fee.
Building, launching and operating satellites is very expensive, and these costs are necessarily passed on to people using their services. Satellite broadband tends to be more expensive than ground-based technologies and have much stricter limits in terms of how much information you can send and receive.
The distance to the satellite also creates another problem. The signals have to travel very far both there and back – around 46,000 miles. This gives rise to a problem called latency – slight time delays as signals traverse the distance. You may have noticed this slight time delay effect if you have made telephone calls to Australia, the USA or other long distance routes via satellite.
Latency accounts for about half a second of delay on a broadband signal travelling to the satellite and back. For normal web browsing and sending emails, this is unimportant.
However, some computer applications find this a serious problem. Latency makes using video conferencing, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephone calls, Virtual Private Networks and online gaming at best difficult and often impossible.
You also need to have a clear line of sight from the satellite dish installed on your property towards the satellite – trees and other obstacles can restrict or block signals. Weather, in particular rain and snow, can also degrade the signal.
Satellite broadband technology has improved enormously over recent years, and will continue to do so. Two new satellites – HYLAS 1 and Ka-Sat – have been launched. They may offer cheaper and faster broadband via this route.
Low orbit satellites are a new technology planned for launch in 2013. They won’t suffer as badly from the latency issue, but won’t have such high broadband speeds as the other two launches. Satellite broadband is therefore likely to remain the last choice option for most people.
SDSL – Symmetric digital subscriber line
SDSL has upload speeds almost the same as its download speeds. The principal difference between ADSL and SDSL is that the “upstream” and “downstream” pipelines have different capacities. While SDSL supports the same data transfer rate for sending and receiving data, the ADSL “pipeline” for sending data is much smaller than the pipeline for receiving data.
Currently, for residential and basic business applications, SDSL is available on special request from some providers, but costs considerably more than regular ADSL. It’s only usually used for larger businesses that need dedicated high speed internet access.
SLA – Service Level Agreement
A Service Level Agreement details the terms and conditions for the service provided by your ISP. This will be part of your subscription contract with them and will state what service they will provide – and what happens if they don’t.
For example, it might say that your broadband connection is guaranteed to be available at least 99.9% of the time. If the service level drops below this, it should say what they will do to recompense you.
This may be particularly important to businesses, many of whom cannot function without good internet access. If this is relevant to your business, you should check before signing any subscriptions to an ISP.
Unlimited download packages
Although many companies advertise “unlimited download” packages, in practice they also have “Fair Usage” policies in place which restrict usage in some cases. There are very few totally unlimited download packages on the market.
These policies ensure that other customers aren’t disadvantaged in their usage of their broadband by your online activities. If your ISP considers your use to be excessive at certain peak times, they may reduce the speed of your broadband connection during those peak hours: this is called “throttling”.
In practice, many ISPs quote a figure of less than 0.1% of users who may be affected by this. If your business is heavily reliant on broadband, this might be an issue you wish to explore with a potential supplier.
Video conferencing
Video conferencing allows users to speak and see each other, to share data, documents, images and sound when they are not physically present in the same location. The systems use the internet to transmit the data back and forth.
High speed broadband makes it possible to transmit more data, making the video and sound much better quality. From small one-to-one site conferences, through to multi-point sites with several different groups of people at each site – there is a system to suit the majority of business needs.
Individual consumers need not miss out either – Skype allows very straightforward video calls to other Skype users too. These are ideal for keeping contact with distant relatives. Good broadband connectivity allows video conferences to be set up easily. You will however need to purchase a webcam unless your computer, laptop or mobile device has one already built-in.
VoIP – Voice over Internet Protocol
VoIP is a technology that allows you to make telephone calls using your broadband internet connection instead of your analogue phone line. Your voice is broken up by special software into small packets of data, sent through the internet, and reassembled at the other end. This happens almost instantaneously, with no discernable time lag and at good quality – as good as a landline call.
VoIP can offer substantial savings on ordinary call costs, as well as having a range of other features that make it attractive to businesses. For consumers, there are several systems, but probably the most commonly-used is Skype. A PC-to-PC call anywhere in the world is free. If you want to phone a landline, you can still make very significant savings over using your ordinary telephone line. For example, buying Skype credits and calling a landline in Australia would cost less than £1 for an hour! This could substantially reduce call costs to friends and relatives overseas. VoIP operates best with a fast broadband connection.
VPN – Virtual Private Network
A Virtual Private Network is a secure means to allow businesses to give remote access to their main office computer network. This might be to other branch offices or to people working at home or in other locations (e.g. sales staff on the road).
Unlike linking your branch offices back to the head office through leased phone lines, a VPN uses the internet and secure encryption technology. This means that VPNs are extremely secure and comparatively cheap and easy to set up. VPNs have fast become a major networking technology over the last few years because of these advantages and the growth of good quality broadband.
WAN – Wide Area Network
A WAN is a geographically widespread network that might include many linked Local Area Networks (LANs) as well as individual PCs. A typical user of a WAN may be a business with several area offices in different locations, all of which are linked back into the head office’s computer systems.
This gives the business advantages by having up-to-date information from all its local offices, making business decisions more informed. Fast broadband makes WANs much easier to put in place for smaller firms. They previously tended to be in place in larger organisations only.
Wi-Fi
With a high speed broadband connection, you can easily share connection to the internet amongst several PCs or other devices in your home or business. By setting up a simple Wi-Fi (wireless) network in your home, all family members will be able to access the internet via a range of devices. Businesses can also create a Wi-Fi network to link their computers too.
Wi-Fi routers are commonplace and inexpensive. Many ISPs incorporate a combined modem/Wi-Fi router into their subscription package. Wi-Fi is also often available to use in public spaces such as hotels, railway stations and coffee shops.
The range of most home or office Wi-Fi systems is up to 100 metres – so you may be sharing your internet access with a neighbour or even a hacker. If your Wi-Fi doesn’t have a password, anyone could access this route.
It’s easy to stop this – just give your Wi-Fi a password that all devices that connect to it need to automatically give to gain access. It’s not as complex as it sounds – this link to the BBC website details how to do this easily.
Wireless broadband
Fixed Wireless is actually a range of technologies, based on differing standards. The common core of all services is using radio frequencies to transmit back and forwards from a fixed base-station – e.g. on a tall building or radio mast, to the end user – business or consumer.
The range of such technologies varies considerably, but the common methodology has a viable radius of about 15 km. It is important that there is nothing in the way to block the signal, e.g. hills.
It is also possible for ISPs to “daisy-chain” these base-stations together – using one base-station to transmit to another before physical connection to the internet itself. This increases the range that this technology could penetrate into rural localities. Other technologies have much larger radii – and some technologies much smaller.
No physical connection to a network is needed by your business, just a receiver/transmitter unit on your building, aligned to your local base-station. The receiver/transmitter outside of your premises sends the signals through to a connection point inside via wires. The connection point then links to your computer or router.
