What is broadband?

Broadband 'splits' the telephone line so that both voice and data can be transmitted along one line. This is done in the home via a broadband modem and filters, and at the telephone exchange for ADSL broadband or at the cable network for cable broadband.

Other technologies for receiving broadband are also available, such as satellite, mobile, radio, digital TV and fibre technologies. However, these methods tend to be quite expensive or not widely available. For these reasons, the uSwitch.com broadband comparison and switching service does not yet include them.

Most home users receive broadband via the following two methods:

ADSL broadband
Your analogue BT line is converted into an Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line via a modem at your home and at the BT phone exchange.

Cable broadband
Your home computer is connected to the internet via a high-speed cable modem using a cable network.

A standard dial up modem has a connection speed of 56kbps, broadband can be significantly faster than this. There are many broadband speeds available to suit different kinds of broadband users. The slower broadband speeds tend to be more suitable for users who simply want to browse the internet or use it for online banking and emailing. The faster broadband connections are ideal for users who wish to take part in online gaming and download large files such as movies. Faster broadband also tends to be more expensive than the slower connections.

You will need a new modem when signing up to broadband for the first time. Modems used for dial up are different from those used for broadband. If you already have a broadband modem from a previous broadband provider you may not need to get another modem to run your service. The uSwitch.com broadband comparison and switching service will give you the option of viewing broadband packages with or without modems.

If you are connecting to broadband via your BT phone line you will also need a microfilter. A microfilter is needed to 'split' the telephone and internet data as it comes into your home via the telephone line. This must be the first device that is plugged into your BT socket. Some broadband providers include microfilters as part of their packages. Alternatively you can buy microfilters from numerous equipment providers.