Life has not been the same with the invention of the internet. It has changed the way we communicate and live our lives. High speed internet is so called, as it has a high rate of data transmission. Customers get connections at bandwidth of 256 kilobits or more. It is often called Broadband Internet access. These days the broadband implementations are up to 30 Mbit/s, which is several hundred times faster than those times when internet had become popular such as ISDN and 56 kbit/s. It even costs less than ISDN, and sometimes no more than the cost of 56 kbit/s; though the rate may differ from country to country.

Broadband connection means 56 kilobits/sec in at least one direction, and this bit rate is accepted all around the world. Broadband can also mean lower-bitrate transmission methods, as specifically no bitrate is defined by the industry. Some Internet Service Providers (ISP) take advantage of this and market lower-bitrate connections as broadband. Advanced technology in broadband can simultaneously carry and process a good amount of information at a faster rate. This gives greater connectivity or better web access, as well as higher download speeds.

DSL and Cable Modems:

Broadband connection is usually delivered through telephone lines or through cable networks. The two most popular consumer broadband technologies are DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) and cable modem; both transmitting 256 kilobits per second or more, and starting at approximately four times the speed of a modem using a standard digital telephone line. Cable modems use your cable line for access to the internet. They can be cheaper than DSL. VDSL and pushing fiber optic connections are some other newer technologies that are opening up the possibility of higher performance for streaming data, such as audio and video streams, as they would permit speeds 100 times faster than the typical DSL or cable broadband connection.

Dial-up Internet Access:

In dial-up internet access, the client would have to dial up the ISP using a modem and a telephone line to establish a modem-to-modem link, which would then be routed to the Internet. This is used mostly in rural or remote areas where there are no broadband connections. This can be a time consuming process. Establishing a telephone connection and to perform handshaking before data transfers take place can take time. This way, the duration of the connection would incur costs. With modern dial-up modems the maximum possible speed is 56 kilobits/sec.

Advantages of DSL over Dial-up Connections:

? DSL is faster - DSL has the advantage when it comes to speed. DSL modems are much faster than dial-up modems. DSL provides from twice as fast speed, up to 125 times faster than a 56 kilobits/sec dial-up modem. The only limit to the speed with DSL is the speed of the Internet itself and all the different computers attached to it.

? No interference - Even though DSL uses your regular phone line, it doesn't block your phone calls. You can also take and make calls while using the Internet. You do not have to log off the Internet to make a call, whereas in dial up connection you will have to log off to use the phone.

? DSL is always connectedWith DSL there is no need of a modem and you do not even need to dial up to do something online. You can check anything, browse through the web pages, check emails; your DSL connection will always be there.

? ReliableDSL is reliable as it is not dependant on your phone line, as phone networks always experience problems; unlike a dial-up connection where you cannot connect without a phone line.

In many countries now the governments have taken an active role in spurring broadband use, and help in building communications infrastructure for public utility like in highways or airports.