No matter whether you live in a tier 1 or tier 2 city, you need a high speed internet connectivity. If you are a student who has to study through online educational lectures or want to play games or a parent working from home; you might be in search of an efficient broadband connection. If you don’t know what exactly a broadband is then here I will discuss it in brief and then I will share all the points which you should consider before buying a broadband connection.
What is broadband?
Broadband is a high speed internet connection that provides you the facility to connect to the digital world. Broadband packages come in various shapes and sizes. It is of four types : DSL (Digital Subscriber Line), fiber optic, cable and satellite. The only non- broadband connection available is the old fashioned dial-up which was way more slower than the internet speed you use today and that’s the reason why many users are shifting to modern technologies.
The devices and equipment which are required to set up a broadband connection is given by ISP (Internet Service Provider). Most of the ISP have complex broadband packages which can confuse you to choose which technology you should set up in your house or in your enterprise.
To make it easier for you I have listed 10 things which you should consider before choosing a broadband connection:
Check the Availability
There are two major types of broadband connection : wired or wireless. You have to check which options are available to you at your place. But before this, you should know what exactly the two are.
Wired broadband connection includes fiber optic cable and copper cables. Let’s know more about these.
- Fiber optic cable and copper cable : Fiber optic cable and copper cable can be chosen for broadband connection but first you should know which one is more reliable over other. Fiber cables are the optical cables or strands of pure glass which are very thin like your hair and it uses infrared laser light to transfer data at high speed. Copper cables are literally made up of copper and they are the oldest technology to transfer data. It was initially meant to transfer only voice data from two connected telephones but later it became more advanced to send digital signals. When it comes to transferring data over a longer distance, fiber cables win over copper cable as fiber cables only lose very less percent of data and copper cables lose significant amounts of data.
- Wireless connection: A broadband connection with no wires! This connection includes a wireless router or Wi-Fi which means any number of devices can be connected to Wi-Fi throughout the campus, building or your home. A wireless connection is getting more and more popular because once a base station is set up it can be connected to any number of computers.
Wireless connection is most suitable in families where multiple people access the internet simultaneously and cable connection is difficult. So, if you are thinking of broadband connection at home then it can be a choice.
Now, let’s discuss the differences between wired and wireless connection.
Wired vs Wireless Broadband Connection
- Cost : Wired broadband connection is more costly than wireless broadband connection because wired broadband connection includes a lot of wires and the cost increases per foot. Wireless broadband connection also involves few wires and it is less costly.
- Physically secure: No broadband connection is perfectly secure but wired connection is likely to be broken because of bad weather.
- Security: wired broadband connection can be secure in terms of network security but wireless connection can be accessible by unauthorized users.
Contract duration
Longer the contract duration, cheaper will be the broadband package. Generally, people get a contract duration of 12 to 18 months and if you are not thinking of shifting to a new area for at least 1 year then you should consider this package only. If you are not sure about a broadband service provider then you can choose less contract duration of 1 month or 3 months.
Speed and bandwidth
Bandwidth can be defined as the maximum data transfer per second. More the bandwidth given by your internet service provider, more data can be transferred in less amount of time. So, high bandwidth is the need of the hour as no user would like to wait for minutes or hours for their files to upload or download. Bandwidth is generally discussed in terms of Gigabytes (Gbps) and Megabytes (Mbps). Bandwidth is often confused with speed but they are not exactly the same. Bandwidth is the maximum data transfer rate which can be used but speed is the actual data transfer rate. Slow internet connection is often because of insufficient bandwidth.
If you are a heavy internet user who wants connection for gaming or binge watching then you should choose the high speed internet.
Also Read : What is Bandwidth?
Bundles
Several broadband providers provide multiple services along with broadband connection. Free or cheap mobile phone calls, SMS, Digital TV connection are gaining popularity. Many providers also give free subscriptions to certain entertainment applications like amazon prime, Netflix and Disney+ Hotstar.
Extras
It is also recommended to check a broadband connection in security aspects. Firewalls, anti-spam email, anti-virus programs, firewalls, web space, parental control etc.
Brands
There are popularly known brands who have been in the market for years and there are less popular brands too. The popular brands sell their services based on quality rather than price and new brands focus on making a customer base by providing services at cheaper rates.
Support options
Check for such service providers who will be taking all your queries 24/7 and will respond quickly. Surely, you don’t want to spend a lot of bucks to get a connection and then wait for days to get your query resolved.
Reviews
Whenever you buy any product on amazon you always check for reviews first so why skip this step if you have to buy the broadband connection. The famous brands generally have a lot of positive reviews but if you are thinking of getting a broadband connection from a local service provider then you should contact the people in your nearby area who are already using it.
Comparisons
You have to choose a broadband connection based on speed, accessibility, cost and reliability. You may find similar services from different internet service providers but at lower rates. You have to do comparisons between all of them and then decide.
Bottom Line
Fiber optic cables are a popular choice when you are looking for wired broadband connection. They provide high bandwidth and use optical technology for data transfer. You can choose wireless broadband connection if multiple people have to use it simultaneously. Wireless connection provides you the reliability and is less costly because you don’t have to pay for the bulk of the wires. And last but not the least, you can check for extra services like parental control, firewalls, anti-spam email and subscription of entertainment applications.
What will you choose, wired or wireless connection?
