What is Broadband Internet and How does it work?

High-speed internet, also commonly called broadband internet, is internet access of at least 200 Kilobits per second (Kbps).

Broadband internet speeds let users take advantage of technologies including videoconferencing via computers, voice calls over computers and streaming high quality audio and video. The major types of broadband available in Canada include DSL, cable, satellite, fiber-optic and mobile broadband.

DSL 

Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) is broadband internet delivered over copper phone wires. The lines are split into two frequencies: one for data and one for voice. Traditional DSL speeds range from 768 Kbps to as fast as 7 Mbps--but must be located within 2 miles of the phone company's central office for optimal speed.

Fiber

Fiber-optic broadband, commonly referred to as "fiber," is broadband internet delivered over fiber-optic lines--these use light to transmit data signals at far faster speeds than traditional copper wires or coaxial cable.

Cable

Cable broadband internet delivers data at broadband speeds over the same cable used to deliver television data. Basic cable internet speeds range from 6 Mbps to 18 Mbps, while more advanced cable internet can reach speeds of 75 Mbps and more. Cable Internet speeds can be affected by users within the same vicinity using the same cable connection.

Satellite

Satellite broadband uses orbiting satellites to transmit and receive broadband data. Satellite broadband is primarily used in areas where terrestrial broadband technologies like DSL, fiber and cable are otherwise unavailable. Speeds for satellite broadband are comparable to traditional DSL, ranging from 768 kbps to 5 Mbps--but data speeds can be affected by changes in the weather and satellite position.

Mobile Broadband

Mobile networks are a wireless broadband technology accessible via 3G/4G/LTE enabled cellphones and smart devices like ebook readers. Speed differs between carriers and can be affected by user location and carrier coverage. The fastest wireless technology, LTE, offers maximum theoretical download speeds of up to 150 Mbps