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Common Broadband Terms

Bandwidth: Represents the amount of data that can be carried from one point to another in a given time period (usually a second).  This kind of bandwidth is usually expressed in bits of data per second (bps).

Broadband:  Telecommunication, in which a wide band of frequencies is available to transmit information, allowing more information to be transmitted in a given amount of time (much as more lanes on a highway allow more cars to travel on it at the same time).  

Cable Modem: Is a device that enables you to hook up your PC to a local cable TV line and receive data at rates between 368Kbps and 6Mbps, depending on your service.

Download: The act of transferring data to a more nearby computer or device from a more distant computer or device.

DSL (Digital Subscriber Line): A technology for bringing high-bandwidth information to homes and small businesses over ordinary copper telephone lines at rates between 128Kbps and 6Mbps.

Ethernet: Is a widely-installed local area network (LAN) technology, usually called 10BASE-T, which provides for data transmission speeds of up to 10Mbps.

Fast Ethernet: 100BASE-T LAN technology that provides for data transmission speeds of up to 100Mbps.

ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network): Technology used for delivering internet over normal copper telephone lines, usually at a rate of up to 128Kbps.   

Kbps: Refers to a data transfer rate in terms of Kilobits (1000 bits) per second.

LAN: A local area network (LAN) is a group of computers and associated devices that share a common communications line or wireless link.

Mbps: Refers to a data transfer rate in terms of Megabits (1000000 bits) per second.

Network: Is a series of points or nodes interconnected by communication paths.

Packet: A packet is the unit of data that is routed between an origin and a destination on the Internet or any other packet-switched network.

Router: A router is a device or, in some cases, software in a computer, that determines the next network point to which a packet should be forwarded toward its destination.

Satellite: A specialized wireless receiver/transmitter that is launched by a rocket and placed in orbit around the earth.

Upload: The act of transferring data from a nearby computer or device to a more distant computer or device.

WAN: A wide area network (WAN) is a geographically dispersed telecommunications network.

Wireless: Telecommunications in which electromagnetic waves (rather than some form of wire) carry the signal over part or the entire communication path.


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