How is Broadband different from Dial up

**Always Connected**

Most Broadband Internet types such as ADSL/ADSL2+, Cable and Wireless connections are always live. This means you can always stay connected to the Internet (less outages or hardware failure). Unlike broadband, Dial up accesses the Internet through dialing up to an ISP gateway. Connections often fail from latency issues or if your session lengths are limited.

**SPEED**

Dial up connection speed is generally 56k (sometimes slower). Basic entry level speed to Broadband is 256k. The obvious difference here is that the Broadband connection speed is almost 5 times faster than Dial up (Refer to ‘Broadband Speeds’).

**Connection Type**

Another fundamental difference between Dial up and Broadband is the means of which the connection is established from computer to the Internet. A Dial up connection accesses the Internet through a Modem and phone line. During this process along with general Internet activity, the phone line will be busy and unable to make or receive phone calls whereas Broadband can simultaneously allow phone and internet use.

**Cable** users access the Internet using co-ax lines via a Modem or Router.

**ADSL/ADSL2+** uses a Modem or Router along with a phone line, however Internet and phone line data can operate simultaneously without any interference as ADSL uses a proportion of phone line that is unused.

**Satellite** users connect directly to the Internet via satellite using a Modem which is connected to a roof mounted satellite dish by cabling.

**Wireless** Internet is established by using a Wireless Adaptor, Modem or Mobile Card that allows you to connect through Wireless Hotspots.

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