What is Broadband Internet ?

The term Broadband was introduced in the late 1990’s and it commonly refers to high-speed Internet access that is always on and faster than the traditional dial-up access (Maximum of 56kBits/s) 1. Broadband is accessed through various high-speed transmission technologies that allow the data to move faster.

High-Speed Internet is delivered with one of two Broadband technologies. The first technology is physical wire and cables to connect the networks to the Internet, and this is called Wired broadband (e.g., Fiber Optic Cable). The other is wireless technology (e.g., Cellular 5G), and it’s called Wireless Broadband. Each connection method is capable of providing high-speed Internet, but each differs in its own way.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) defines basic broadband as transmission speeds of at least 25 Mbps (megabits per second) downstream (from the Internet to the user’s computer) and 3 Mbps upstream (from the user’s computer to the Internet). Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) defines underserved broadband as an Internet speed of less than 100 Mbps downstream and 20 Mbps upstream.

Broadband or High Speed Internet 

Broadband in telecommunication means a wide bandwidth which can transport multiple signals over a “broad” range of frequencies and support different internet traffic types, allowing multiple data streams to be sent at once.

High-speed Internet is a generic term used for Internet service that is faster than the average. Traditionally, the way to determine if a connection is high-speed is to test its ability to connect multiple devices simultaneously to allow streaming and access to modern applications.

In essence, the terms “Broadband” and “High-Speed Internet” are mostly interchangeable when the internet speeds are at the FCC standards, or higher (i.e., a minimum of 25Mbps for download & 3Mbps for upload).

Bandwidth 

Bandwidth determines the amount of information that can be transmitted across a given path in a given unit of time. In other words, bandwidth is the size of the medium used to transmit data. The larger the size the more data you can transfer. 

Bandwidth Analogy 

The best way to explain bandwidth is to use an analogy (See the figure below). Think of your bandwidth like a highway, and your data as cars that travel the same speed. The more lanes you have on the highway, the more cars can travel at a time – it will take 5 cars longer to get to their destination on a 1-lane road than it would on a 5-lane highway.

Throughput & Latency

Throughput 

The amount of a data that a system can transmit over a medium within a specified time. Measured in Megabits* per seconds (Mbps).

Latency 

Network latency, sometimes called lag, is the term used to describe delays in communication over a network. It is a measurement of the time it takes to send data and receive a response. * A binary digit (bit) is the minimum unit of binary information stored in a computer system. A bit can have only two states, on or off, which are commonly represented as ones and zeros.

Causes of Network Latency

Distance 

Latency can be caused by an excessive distance between the server/system making the request and the one that responds to it.

Bandwidth & Network Congestion Network 

congestion happened when there’s a lack of sufficient bandwidth to handle the existing amount of traffic, causing delays to the transmitted data and increasing latency.

Hardware Misconfigurations & Malfunctions 

The check of hardware operation & configuration can be crucial in detecting latency causes. Malfunctioning or misconfigured equipment can lead to mis-matched connections between systems, which can add latency. 

End-User issues 

Network problems might appear to be responsible for latency, but sometimes excessive latency is the result of the end-user device being low on memory or the processing power needed to respond in a reasonable timeframe.

Physical issues 

The physical medium used for communication (wires, fiber, wireless) can also be a source of latency. Cables can become damaged and wireless signal paths can become obstructed leading to loss of data or increased latency.

source : https://broadbandusa.ntia.doc.gov/sites/default/files/2022-12/Introduction_to_Broadband_and_High_Speed_Internet_FINAL_0.pdf