Broadband internet access is a high data-transfer rate. Because of this, it is often called high-speed internet. Broadband can be left connected to the internet permanently. It is usually 10-100 times faster than a dial-up account. It does not tie up the phone line so you are able to make and receive calls whilst you are surfing the internet.

The most common way to get broadband is via ADSL. Firstly, you must check whether ADSL is available in your area. Most telephone exchanges should now handle it. If you already have a dial-up account, it is worth speaking to your current provider to see if they can upgrade you to broadband and offer a good deal.

What to look for?
The first thing is the speed. Connection speeds can vary and you need to pick the one most suited to your surfing habits.
A 512kb connection will be fine for normal browsing, emails, sharing photos and downloading music. A 512 kb connection is about 10 times faster than a dial-up connection but is the slowest broadband option available.
A 1-2 Mb connection will be about 20-30 times faster than a dial-up connection. This is currently the most common speed. Music downloads will be a lot quicker and will be suitable for most online gaming.
A 4-8 Mb connection will allow you to watch and record TV and movies on your PC. It will also be excellent for online gaming. This is also a good option if you are going to have several machines sharing the same internet connection as each computer will be able to access the internet simultaneously at a good speed.

The second thing is the hardware. To connect to the internet, you will need a modem or a router. Most of the time, ISPs will provide the hardware as standard – watch out for any additional charges over the standard connection charge.

The third thing to look for are ‘capped’ services. Some providers will let you download as much data as you like. Others will set a limit as to how much data you can download in one month – data here refers not only to music and games, but also to the data required to to show you each webpage.

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