How should I connect to the internet today?
Cost effective solutions. - Summary
This article includes details of Internet Service Providers based upon a UK audience. Other territories may vary.
There are a number of connection methods on offer today, ranging from fixed (eg cable), mobile and even satellite, in
much the same way voice communications can be offered. Which one or ones are best for you, depends on your location, and the most appropriate method may vary
according to your need for mobility. This report is not aimed at determining which type of connection method is best, as this is really down to your
location - and any need for movement in that area, rather this report looks at the options for connection speed, as there is a shift towards even faster
connection speeds on the internet - and greater emphasis on additional content, like streaming video or digital photographs, rather than just text in recent years.
So, what is connection speed ? Well, in order to see information on your local computer, which is originally stored on another
computer across the internet, there needs to be a connection set up between the two computers, and the transfer of data needs to be managed in order to avoid errors and to maintain an appropriate rate. This
happens through the IP or 'Internet Protocol'. The speed at which this happens is dictated by a number of factors - these can be summarised as :
(1) the number of computers requesting information
from the "host" computer (where the particular information has been stored) at any given time, and
(2) the local connection speed between your computer and the internet network (eg Internet
Service Provider (ISP) connection speed).
The biggest factor is the speed of the connection between your local computer and your ISP.
As suggested at the beginning, there are a number of methods for connecting to the internet, depending upon your location. In terms of speed,
the fastest broadband connections generally are available when you are physically close (within a mile) of your Internet Service Provider's access equipment. The further
you are away from this, generally, the slower your connection speed will be. Therefore an advertised speed of 8MB/s will in reality be lower than this theoretical maximum.
This is a generalization, which applies mostly to ADSL broadband connections. To date,
mobile access may not have the same speeds available as fixed (cable) connections, although the capability for faster mobile connections, particularly using "3G" networks
is coming. Mobile broadband is also beneficial where there is no existing phone line available at the premises.
We advise you do not choose your connection speed purely on "fashion" or "marketing hype", but consider your particular needs, in relation to what you use the internet
for, before deciding on the connection speed to go for. Remember however, that internet "content" is changing rapidly, and the trend is for providing access to larger file sizes (such
as streaming video), requiring faster connection speeds - and so narrowband solutions will limit your
ability to access this new content, if ever you wish to do so in the future.
The speed you require depends on what you use the internet for. As more and more people have
the ability to connect at faster speeds over time, the internet is changing, to become a multimedia environment, where you can watch TV or a film!
So, consider if you .......
- only require to access text and a limited amount of pictures, from websites, and you similarly use e-mail for mainly
text without large attachments: Then a narrowband
connection speed (e.g. 56kb/s ) through a modem is perfectly
adequate, and will provide all the basic features of the internet, without too much latency. Depending upon your chosen
ISP, particularly if you can access the internet at specific hours, rather than "anytime", this might also be the cheapest
option for you.
- if your usage of e-mail and/or the internet
results in regularly receiving or sending large attachments or you download or
upload
multimedia files, particularly music or video files or large number of pictures: You will need a faster
connection
speed - which is known as broadband. You will also need broadband to operate webcams or Voice over IP satisfactorily.
Broadband can come in two flavours from ISP's in UK, "always on" or "connect on demand". Generally, they are charged at a monthly fixed fee,
with "always on" connections likely to cost a little more than "connect on demand". Speeds can vary, from just 256kb/s to over 8Mb/s - a very wide range indeed. Note
that upload speeds (where you are sending data (files) to the internet) is often considerable slower than download speeds (when you are requesting information/files from the internet).
Prices can also vary considerably, and the slower speeds are not always the cheapest.
There are many ISP providers of broadband in the UK, for home use we recommend UKOnline,
who currently provide a 2MB/s download (256kb/s upload) service with good contention ratio for £14.99 per month (UK residential customers or business customers, and needs a BT line, 12 month contact, Other terms and conditions apply).
Contact us directrly, to receive a discount on your first month's charge. Those in the UK without a BT line, will find equivalent deals for broadband with a cable or OLO operator. For business use, where a higher level of service may be required, there are internet access
packages specifically designed for heavier use from both UKOnline and other providers. We are also looking to provide direct links from this page to the recommended
narrowband and broadband suppliers shortly.
News Item SWITCHING YOUR BROADBAND PROVIDER :new rules from Ofcom.
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2006
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