High-speed Internet access is a necessity nowadays, and people are not satisfied with the slow dial-up access. Different forms of broadband Internet services are available that provide high-speed access. Access speed is usually measured by bit rate, which is the number of bits processed per unit of time. You are using a broadband Internet service if your data speed is or above 256 kbps (kilobits per second). Typical speed figures for broadband downloads can range from 1.5Mbps to 159Gbps. Therefore, broadband is an evolution over the original high-speed internet service, ISDN or Integrated Services Digital Network.
With the proliferation of mobile devices, there is increasing need for mobile broadband services that do not restrict movement with cables and telephone lines. This requirement has brought forth another contender – the wireless broadband Internet service. As its name suggests, you have high-speed access to the Internet without any cable or wires trailing your device. Consumers are increasingly demanding wireless Internet service, as they perceive its versatility and its potential for improving their productivity.
Wireless broadband service is available increasingly at home, in offices and even at the local groceries or coffee shop. Service providers are offering packaged Internet service deals that users can access wirelessly from any location within the coverage area of the service.
You generally connect to a wireless broadband Internet service through a wireless network. Setting up this arrangement of a broadband wireless network in your home or office requires several pieces of equipment – a wireless transceiver and a wireless router – all a one-time expenditure. In addition, you need to invest in a continual expenditure in the form of a broadband service. Without this broadband service, your broadband tools will not work.
The wireless devices and the broadband internet service together make up your wireless broadband network. When deployed, the network will transmit data from your broadband Internet connection via these wireless tools using a special wireless technology called Wi-Fi. Only Wi-Fi enabled devices will be able to connect to the Internet from anywhere inside the coverage area defined by the location of your wireless router.
Although Wireless broadband Internet service is popular and is increasingly being used in homes and offices, there is another wireless technology gaining ground – Wireless Internet service. With wireless broadband Internet service, you have a package deal that involves the broadband service that you have to subscribe to and the hardware for the wireless technology. On the other hand, wireless Internet service is intended for use in a much larger location outside the home or office, such as a college campus or the downtown area of a city.
The growth of cell phones has increased the popularity of wireless Internet connectivity. Cell phones now feature several mobile applications designed with advanced wireless technology. Therefore, mobile devices can now connect to a wireless broadband internet service via Wi-Fi or directly to the Internet via their own cellular phone networks.
GSM or Global Systems Mobile has introduced a technology for improving mobile connectivity – EDGE. Likewise, their competitor CDMA has introduced EVDO, which is significantly faster than EDGE. Another upcoming technology in this field is the WiMAX, which is expected to provide speeds in excess of 40Mbps by the end of next year.
