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Activation
Activation is the process by which your existing phone line becomes enabled or activated to receive broadband data and voice calls simultaneously. Broadband activation takes place at your local phone exchange by your broadband provider. |
ADSL Broadband
ADSL means Asynchronous Digital Subscriber Line, which is a form of data communications technology that allows faster data transmission over traditional copper telephone lines. It is limited in the distance that high speed broadband services can be provided and is typically optimal to about 3km. ADSL Broadband provides speeds of between 2Mbs and 8 MBs. |
ADSL2+ broadband
A faster version of ADSL providing broadband speeds up to 20Mbps. |
Always On
A Broadband connection to the internet that is always ready for use, |
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Bandwidth
The capacity of your broadband internet connection to transmit and receive data. Bandwidth is usually measured in bits-per-second. Imagine your broadband connection is a pipe, the bigger the pipe, the faster the information can flow through it. Broadband is many multiples faster than old fashioned dial up connections. |
Broadband
Broadband is a fast, permanent internet connection. Not only is it 10 to 100 times faster then a dial-up account, it doesn't tie up the phone line so you can make and receive calls normally while you use the internet. |
Broadband Availability
Broadband services are subject to availability – that is to say, whether you can receive broadband in your area as as what broadband speed or broadband bandwidth you can get on your telephone line. |
Broadband Bundle
More and more ISP's these days are providing a bundled Broadband service. Some offer the big four - Broadband, Telephone, Mobile and TV. Currently the more common bundle is Broadband internet and fixed line telephony. |
Broadband Router
A broadband router combines the features of a traditional network switch, a firewall, and a DHCP server. Simply put, a broadband router is designed as a convenient way of setting up home networks, especially for homes with high-speed ADSL Internet services. |
| Broadband Service Provider
Sometimes called ISP, a broadband service provider is the company to which you subscribe in order to gain access to the internet. Broadband speeds start at 512kbit/s and can reach 24mbit/s. The speed depends on the quality of your copper telephone line and the distance you are located from the local telephone exchange. The shorter the distance the higher the potential to subscibe to higher broadband data speeds. |
Broadband Speed Test
A broadband speed test will tell you how fast your broadband internet connection is running (i.e. the amount of data that can be transferred over your internet connection at one point in time). Many factors can affect the results of broadband speed tests, including congestion on the network, whether there are other users on your connection, and whether other downloads are in progress. |
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Contention Ratio
This is the number of users sharing the bandwidth on the Broadband connection between your local exchange and your Broadband provider. |
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DHCP
DHCP means Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol. allows a computer to join an IP-based network without having a pre-configured IP address. DHCP is a protocol that assigns unique IP addresses to devices, then releases and renews these addresses as devices leave and re-join the network. Home network equipment like broadband routers offers DHCP support for added convenience in joining home computers to your LAN. |
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Internet
a worldwide network of computers that allows the "sharing" or "networking" of information at remote sites from other academic institutions, research institutes, private companies, government agencies, and individuals |
Internet Service Provider (ISP)
Sometimes called broadband service provider, is the company to which you subscribe in order to gain access to the internet. Broadband speeds start at 512kbit/s and can reach 24mbit/s. The speed depends on the quality of your copper telephone line and the distance you are located from the local telephone exchange. The shorter the distance the higher the potential to subscibe to higher broadband data speeds. |
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Kilobit per second (Kbps)
A measure of your broadband bandwidth capacity or transmission speed, representing a thousand bits per second. |
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MAC Code
A MAC code means "Migration Access Codes", and is a code that allows you to change from one broadband provider to another |
Megabit per second (Mbps)
A measure of your broadband bandwidth capacity or transmission speed, representing a million bits per second. |
Mobile/Broadband Bundle
A single package combining your mobile phone service with Broadband. |
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Satellite Broadband
Broadband connectivity supplied from a satellite located in orbit around the planet. |
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Wireless Broadband
Wireless Broadband is simply connecting your PC's together into a wireless home network that then use a common Broadband connection to the internet.
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WWW
The World Wide Web allows interaction with the Internet through the use of small images called icons and hypertext links. It is often referred to as the "graphical side of the Internet," due to its heavy use of images and other graphics.
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