High Speed Internet Options

For much of the world, high speed Internet access has made surfing the Internet both faster and more fun. The ability to use the Internet without tying up a phone line is the key to success for many businesses. High speed Internet allows computers in the same home to share a connection with no noticeable degradation of performance.

History

Broadband Internet first became popular during the mid-1990s. Technology such as ISDN was among the first developed for public high-speed Internet access.

Function

High Speed Internet options vary in functionality. ADSL service operates through phone lines, while cable modems operate through existing television cable infrastructure. There are also wireless options.

Time Frame

The first high speed Internet options attained speeds of roughly 64 kilobytes per second, and they could download a one megabyte file in 2 1/2 minutes. Just over a decade later, high speed options--such as fiber optic connections--approach speeds in excess of 500 times greater than those first offerings.

Benefits

The benefits of a high speed Internet connection are obvious to anyone who has used it. Files can be downloaded in a fraction of the time, and Websites open almost instantly.

Potential

The next high speed Internet technology is transmission over standard power lines. Problems such as background noise prevent its widespread use today, but technologies are being developed that may allow its feasible use within the next decade, bringing high speed Internet access to rural areas.

Resources

• The Broadband World Forums