Broadband - The Future
Since the introduction of DSL (digital subscriber line) broadband. Internet access speeds have escalated massively to the point that we are at today where, in some countries, data transfer speeds of over 50 Megabits per second can be achieved. To put that into perspective, these speeds mean it is possible to download a high definition movie within a matter of minutes, compared to 10 years ago, when it would have taken possibly a few weeks! With current technologies, most countries are now reaching the limit of what their current internet infrastructure is capable of. However, replacing the telecommunications infrastructure of a country in order to improve broadband speeds is much harder than it may sound, but in order to reach speeds up to what is possible even now, an optical cable connection is needed. One particularly resourceful way of increasing broadband speeds is by using current electrical power lines to send data. Because internet data is transferred at a different frequency than electricity, the power grid of a country can be utilized to also connect people to the internet. However, there is at least one issue that needs to be overcome if it is going to be a success. Recent test have shown that when data is transmitted through overground, poorly insulated cables, the broadband data transfer can disrupt nearby radio signals, particularly those that are used by amateur radio operators. It could be possible, though, for a broadband connection to be established just by plugging into an electrical outlet and enjoying possible access speeds of up to 200Mbps. Along with the possibility of using BPL (Broadband over Power Lines) is the newest incarnation of mobile broadband, WIMAX. WIMAX, also known as 4G, will be a vast improvement on the previous versions of mobile broadband that have been available for some time now. The speeds that WIMAX could offer could possibly make broadband access through cables a thing of the past. How does 70 Megabits per second at a distance of 30 miles from a transmitter sound? Satellite technology is currently being used for many purposes, not least of which is by watching television channels. It is actually possible for broadband internet data to be transmitted and received through current satellite communication systems. Although the costs of the hardware needed to receive the data are quite high (around $3000 fitted), the possible speeds that could be produced are lightning quick even by today’s standards. The maximum advertised speeds is reported to be around 375 Megabytes per second, compared to BPL figures of a possible 25 Megabytes. If and when the cost of initiating a satellite broadband access system is reduced somewhat, the take up would surely be huge. With the aforementioned technologies on the way, the future of broadband is something to look forward to with interest.
- Tags: broadband, communications, internet, technology