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In the United Kingdom, broadband Internet connection is provided to subscribers through different technologies. Let's take a brief look at some of these variants on offer to UK subscribers. Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) - This uses a land line phone connection to deliver broadband services. This connection allows users to receive and send large volumes of data at high speed. It's useful for offices and businesses. Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) - ADSL is also delivered via a phone connection and the technology used is similar to DSL, except that in ADSL, the download speed is much faster than data upload speed. As people primarily use the Internet to download web pages, audio and videos, only uploading relatively small amounts of data, this type of connection is ideal for households. Speeds of up to 24 MBPS are offered over ADSL. Symmetric Broadband The technology used here is similar to ADSL but the speed of upload is as fast as that of downloads. Many business enterprises will find this kind of connection useful. It however requires an extra phone line. Cable Broadband Apart from phone lines, Internet is also delivered through cable. Cable broadband operators offer television and telephone services bundled with broadband. About 45% of UK subscribers get their Internet through cable broadband. One shortcoming is that if cables have not been laid in your area, it is not possible to get this Internet service. Satellite Broadband To receive broadband through satellite you need a dish antenna. This antenna can be installed in any part of the country. Satellite broadband is particularly useful in remote and rural locations with a low population density. Installation cost is high. The latency time for upload and download is longer, making it unsuitable for online gaming. Bad weather can affect satellite communications and impact Internet services. Mobile Broadband - Mobile broadband connections have become extremely popular with the arrival of smart phones, tablets and other mobile devices. Cellphone towers transmit broadband signals. As long as there is access to a mobile signal, you will be able to use the Internet services. Orange, Vodaphone, Three, T-Mobile and O2 offer 3G and the next generation 4G mobile broadband services. Speeds ranging from 7.2 to 21 MBPS are offered by these providers. Despite the different broadband technologies available, most UK households get their broadband services through an ADSL or ADSL2+ connection. As almost every home has a BT telephone, setting up an ADSL connection is easy and fast. Since the technology uses separate channels for voice and data, it is possible to continue using the Internet while on the phone. ADSL connection needs a modem, and if more than one device needs to be connected to the Internet, then you need a router too. Most broadband providers offer modems for free during installation. You can also buy one at a local computer hardware store. Through Local Loop Unbundling (LLU), ADSL broadband is now available from providers other than British Telecom. You still need to pay a line rental fee to BT. Not all parts of the UK have this facility. You can get broadband services at competitive rates when there are more players. Use your postcode to check out the broadband plans and packages in your area at price comparison websites. Speeds up to 24 MBPS are offered with ADSL connections. ADSL connection speed may be affected by the number of subscribers using the same line, the time of the day, the distance from the exchange, the traffic on the line and quality of the telephone cable. Another popular broadband Internet technology is cable broadband. Fiber-optic cables are used to transmit data. The main providers are Virgin Media, Sky, Plusnet, BT and TalkTalk. Cable connections need cable modems that can be hooked up to TV and telephone lines. Speed over a cable connection is as high as 120 MBPS. Fiber-optic cable offers the best broadband experience in terms of speed and reliability. There are also mobile broadband Internet connections. 3G services offered through mobile phone towers have become ubiquitous. Speed can vary depending on your provider and the type of device or dongle you use, the time of the day and distance from the nearest mobile tower. 4G mobile broadband is being offered by one provider and will soon be rolled out by others, promising even higher speed Internet services. Author Sam Jones recommends that the best uk home broadband can be found by visting leading UK comparison site uSwitch
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Best broadband uk, Broadband providers, Broadband comparison, mobile broadband,
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