index sitemap advanced

search engine by freefind

 

 

 

Your name:
Your company:
Your email address:
Your contact number:
No. of users:
Referred from :	search engine/site/referral code etc?

The following is a list of questions, which should help you pick the right broadband supplier and the right package.

What is Broadband?

In simple terms Broadband ADSL is the new high-speed alternative to the normal and much slower dial up method of connecting to the Internet - it is also much cheaper.

A broadband ADSL connection is unmetered. This means that instead of paying every time you connect to the Internet your computer is connected all the time and you pay ONE fixed monthly subscription. The amount you pay will vary depending on the broadband service provider you choose and by the speed of your connection.

In order to use broadband you must first of all live an area in which broadband is available and the availability depends entirely on the type of telephone exchange which services your area - your local exchange must have been upgraded to enable your telephone line to carry digital signals instead of the 'old fashioned' analogue signals.

According to BT over 90% of the UK exchanges have now already been updated. The upgrading program is an ongoing process with the remaining exchanges being updated on a daily basis.

Check if broadband internet and phone calls are available on your phone line by clicking here .

Do I have to have a BT line?

No. Broadband is available to both cable and British Telecom users. However, having a BT line will increase your options.

Is Broadband available in my area?

Use our broadband line checker to find out..click here.

What do you mean by different speeds?

Basically you can choose from a variety of different speeds for example..

512 kbps which is 10 times faster than a normal dial up connection.

1mb which is 20 times faster than a normal dial up connection

up to 8mb which is up to 160 times faster than a normal dial up connection

There are one or two companies that offer even faster speeds but these are usually more expensive and only recommended if you 'constantly' download very large files. Remember your speed is often affected by your distance from the telephone exchange, the quality of lines and the number of users online at peak times.

Which speed is best for me?

That depends on what you plan to use your Broadband connection for. The following will give you an idea of what speed is suited to your requirements.

512 kbps is recommended for those of you who only use the Internet for sending emails and browsing the Internet occasionally.

up to 8mbps is recommended for most users who surf the net, send emails and receive emails with large attachments, download files including music, videos etc.

8mbs plus is recommended for very high users, online gaming and business users.

Can you recommend a supplier?

The purpose of our site is to give you all the information you need in order to make an informed decision. What is right for one person may not be right for another, therefore we do not recommend one particular company.

There are over 100 companies offering broadband services however for your piece of mind we have only listed those companies that we have personally checked or used ourselves and that are approved by Oftel, the government industry watchdog.

Broadband & Jargon explained

In telecommunication

Broadband in telecommunications refers to a signaling method that includes or handles a relatively wide range (or band) of frequencies , which may be divided into channels or frequency bins . Broadband is always a relative term , understood according to its context. The wider the bandwidth , the greater the information-carrying capacity. In radio , for example, a very narrow-band signal will carry Morse code ; a broader band will carry speech; a still broader band is required to carry music without losing the high audio frequencies required for realistic sound reproduction . A television antenna described as "broadband" may be capable of receiving a wide range of channels; while a single-frequency or Lo-VHF antenna is "narrowband" since it only receives 1 to 5 channels. In data communications a digital modem will transmit a datarate of 56 kilobits per seconds (kbit/s) over a 4 kilohertz wide telephone line (narrowband). However when that same line is converted to a standard twisted-pair wire (no telephone filters), it becomes hundreds of kilohertz wide (broadband) and can carry several megabits per second ( ADSL ).

In data communications

Broadband in data can refer to broadband networks or broadband Internet and may have the same meaning as above, so that data transmission over a fiber optic cable would be referred to as broadband as compared to a telephone modem operating at 56,000 bits per second . However, a worldwide standard for what level of bandwidth and network speeds actually constitute Broadband have not been determined.

However, broadband in data communications is frequently used in a more technical sense to refer to data transmission where multiple pieces of data are sent simultaneously to increase the effective rate of transmission, regardless of data signaling rate . In network engineering this term is used for methods where two or more signals share a medium. Broadband Internet access, often shortened to just broadband, is a high data rate Internet access-typically contrasted with dial-up access using a 56k modem.

Dial-up modems are limited to a bitrate of less than 56 kbit/ s (kilobits per second) and require the full use of a telephone line-whereas broadband technologies supply more than double this rate and generally without disrupting telephone use.

In DSL

The various forms of digital subscriber line (DSL) services are broadband in the sense that digital information is sent over a high-bandwidth channel (located above the baseband voice channel on a single pair of wires).

In Ethernet

A baseband transmission sends one type of signal using a medium's full bandwidth, as in 100BASE-T Ethernet . Ethernet, however, is the common interface to broadband modems such as DSL data links, and has a high data rate itself, so is sometimes referred to as broadband. Ethernet provided over cable modem is a common alternative to DSL.

In power-line communication

Power lines have also been used for various types of data communication. Although some systems for remote control are based on narrowband signaling, modern high-speed systems use broadband signaling to achieve very high data rates. One example is the ITU-T G.hn standard, which provides a way to create a high-speed (up to 1 Gigabit/s) Local area network using existing home wiring (including power lines, but also phone lines and coaxial cables ).

In video

Broadband in analog video distribution is traditionally used to refer to systems such as cable television , where the individual channels are modulated on carriers at fixed frequencies. In this context, baseband is the term's antonym , referring to a single channel of analog video, typically in composite form with an audio subcarrier . The act of demodulating converts broadband video to baseband video.

However, broadband video in the context of streaming Internet video has come to mean video files that have bitrates high enough to require broadband Internet access in order to view them.

Broadband video is also sometimes used to describe IPTV Video on demand .

Internet access

A Wi-Fi enabled device such as a personal computer, video game console, mobile phone, MP3 player or personal digital assistant can connect to the Internet when within range of a wireless network connected to the Internet. The coverage of one or more (interconnected) access points  — called hotspots  — can comprise an area as small as a few rooms or as large as many square miles. Coverage in the larger area may depend on a group of access points with overlapping coverage. Wi-Fi technology has been used in wireless mesh networks , for example, in London, UK.

In addition to private use in homes and offices, Wi-Fi can provide public access at Wi-Fi hotspots provided either free-of-charge or to subscribers to various commercial services. Organizations and businesses - such as those running airports, hotels and restaurants - often provide free-use hotspots to attract or assist clients. Enthusiasts or authorities who wish to provide services or even to promote business in selected areas sometimes provide free Wi-Fi access. As of 2008 more than 300 metropolitan-wide Wi-Fi (Muni-Fi) projects had started. As of May 2008 the Czech Republic had 879 Wi-Fi based Wireless Internet service providers.

Routers that incorporate a digital subscriber line modem or a cable modem and a Wi-Fi access point, often set up in homes and other premises, can provide Internet access and internetworking to all devices connected (wirelessly or by cable) to them. One can also connect Wi-Fi devices in ad-hoc mode for client-to-client connections without a router. Wi-Fi also connects places that would traditionally not have network access, for example bathrooms, kitchens and garden sheds.

Everyone seems to be talking about VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) these days. So what's it all about - could it help your business? We're going to tell you why businesses are getting to grips with internet-based telephony.
Talk is cheap so they say, but that doesn't mean it can't be a lot cheaper. And that's great news for any business which uses the phone to get things done.
VoIP, also known as IP telephony, Voice over Broadband or Internet telephony offers an alternative to traditional telephony providers. Want to know more? Well read on…

So what is VoIP?
VoIP uses the internet infrastructure to provide a low-cost way for businesses to route certain phone calls, complementing traditional phone systems. VoIP can only be used if you have broadband: it can operate in local office networks or across sites, and remote workers can use it, too.
How it works
A regular phone line transmits a speaker's voice as an analogue signal but to send it over the Internet, an extra step is needed. The sound is converted into a digital signal and then transmitted over the network. At the receiving end, the conversion process is done in reverse.

Why use it?
Two words: cost savings! Given the amount of time businesses spend on the phone to clients, suppliers etc, the savings are substantial, especially if you make regular long-distance calls.
If your business has broadband connection, any calls made using your VoIP connection will effectively be free. Your VoIP supplier may charge you a small amount for each call but this will be minimal.

The costs
Although the calls are low cost, or even no cost at all in a lot of cases, there are initial set-up costs such as the telephone sets and connection fees. In most cases these costs can be quickly offset by the amount you save on calls.
Sound quality
It is acknowledged that the quality of most VoIP services doesn't yet quite match that of a traditional phone line. There are challenges in sending a voice stream over the Internet but it is getting better all the time. Most people using a VOIP phone don't notice any difference.

Compatibility
Some VoIP providers require both caller and the receiver to be signed up to their service and have the same software installed. Shop around, though, and you can identify service providers that allow you to call anyone, including from your computer to a regular telephone, and even phone to phone.

The bigger picture
VoIP is part of a larger technology - IP telephony which itself is part of a larger trend towards the integration of computer, telephone, television, security monitoring, home automation, and related technologies.
As the cost of high speed internet connections continues to fall, VoIP is now within your reach. Some telecoms and internet service providers are offering packages specifically targeting smaller businesses.
It's worth taking a look at your future telephone and IT network needs. Making all your telephone calls over the Internet and avoiding high charges is an attractive proposition for any budget-conscious manager.

Advantages
" Flexibility. Unlike traditional phone lines, with VoIP you can add telephones and increase call capacity on your computer network without running additional cabling.
" Reduced costs. Because the system runs on software rather than hardware, it costs less and is easier to manage and maintain. Typically, an international call costs no more than a local one with a traditional phone line.
" Enhanced customer service. By simply adding some software and linking up with your office PC, incoming calls can be set up to automatically trigger screen pop-ups with the caller's account information, notes and details of previous conversations.
" Talk 'n' go! VoIP allows you to make or take calls on the move no matter where you are in the world, if you have a mobile device such as a lap top, PDA or pocket PC.

Disadvantages
" It's new! VoIP is fairly new, having only been around for a few years, and it will take time for adoption to take off. However, due to the advance in technology, especially high-speed internet connections, popularity is on the increase.
" Your number's up. At the moment, if you change to a VoIP system, you may not be able to keep your company's present telephone number, although some VoIP companies can arrange for your number to be ported to your VoIP system. Check with your VoIP provider.
" Quality. Sound quality was always an issue for VoIP users, but again, with advancement in technology, many users don't actually find any noticeable loss in sound quality.
" No 999. Presently, you can't make an emergency call using VoIP but this is set to change in the future.

Five VoIP facts
1. Industry estimates predicted that by 2007, three quarters of international calls would be carried over the Internet.
2. If you use a cheap, long distance telephone service, you're probably using IP telephony already without knowing it.
3. Internal calls to everyone connected to your network are free, even if they're at different locations or on the road.
4. You don't need an international dialing code if calling a number on the same VoIP network abroad.
5. There are no monthly fees with VoIP providers - only an annual payment which works out on average 85% cheaper than a traditional phone provider.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Do you need broadband to use VoIP
A. Yes.
Q. Do you use a headset through your PC or a phone?
A. You can use either, or both. Your VoIP company can supply you with a phone which fits into one of your computer's USB ports.
Q. Does your PC need to be switched on to use VoIP?
A. No, but your high speed internet connection does.
Q. Can I use my PC while talking on the phone?
A. Yes.
Q. Can I use VoIP with a laptop?
A. Yes, as long as it's plugged in to a high speed internet connection.
Q. If the power fails on my PC, will the VoIP phone still work?
A. Probably not, unless your modem is still on but this is unlikely if you have a power failure.
Q. Can I call any number using VoIP?
A. You can call most phone numbers but not emergency numbers or some directory services.
Q. Where can I find a VoIP phone provider?
A. See our Business Telephone section