The Diverse Broadband Technology Services is Adding Innovation to Education

Broadband, sometimes referred to as high-speed, is a network connection that enables a large amount of bandwidth to be transmitted, which allows more information to be sent in a shorter period of time. Without broadband people using the internet cannot view videos or listen to audio, such as podcasts, synchronously or at a high quality. Broadband is offered in four different services. Broadband is becoming increasingly popular, not only because of it's benefits over dial-up internet, but also because broadband companies tend to have a monopoly over the communications market.

Broadband Technologies offered to end users

The four types of broadband services are DSL, cable, fiber-optics, and satellite

Digital Subscriber Line, better known as DSL, is an internet service that connects by taking advantage of the unused telephone wires that do not interrupt the phone services. The speed of DSL all depends your location, if you are close to the provider's office then it will be very fast, but if you are far away from the service provider's office then your speed will be much slower. Like everything DSL has its advantages and disadvantages. For instance, it is faster than a regular modem, you can use the internet and telephone at the same time, and there is no new wiring that is necessary when installing DSL services. On the other hand, DSL connection is not as fast for sending data as it is for receiving it over the internet and the service is not available in all areas.

Cable internet is provided through your local television provider, many people like to get cable because is has a clear picture and provides a variety channels. The speed of cable connection depends on how many people are using the service at that time because in specific areas users of broadband cable share the same bandwidth connection. This connection issue can be solved if the company would add a new channel, that way the users are split into groups so there will not be as many people on a single line. Unlike DSL though, the speed of your connection does not depend on your location away from the central cable office. 

Even considering how new it is, fiber-optics is considered the fastest internet connection so far. Fiber-optics can send information through extremely thin glass carrying light for about one hundred miles without a device that helps boost the signal. Fiber-optics are generally less expensive than than cable or DSL, which saves not only your money, but it also saves your provider money. Fiber-optics has a higher carrying capacity because the fibers are so thin, so they can be bundled together. Unfortunately, because of how new this service is, there are limited service areas because laying down the fiber-optic cables take a long time to finish.

The last form of broadband services is satellite, which is also the slowest service that broadband offers. Satellite internet requires a satellite dish, modems, and cables to connect the dish and modems; satellite is very expensive to install. While satellite is better than dial-up internet for those living in a rural area, but some satellite services still require you to have cable or dial-up connection for sending data over the internet. 

Overall, cable and DSL are the top choices if deciding between the different broadband services, they are faster and have more access. Broadband allows you to use your phone and the internet at the same time, you are also constantly connected to the internet which allows you to connect with others quickly.  

Broadband is expanding into helping students learn outside of the classroom

Broadband is no longer just something to entertain us when we are bored, it now is helping educators expand their instruction outside of the physical classroom. The FCC, Federal Communications Commission, is launching a programs that supports wireless internet, off campus, for mobile learning devices. These mobile devices are not only high quality, but they are relatively low cost and very accessible, which helps digital equity among students, especially those from disadvantaged communities. Broadband provides customized learning for students with high-quality and personally relevant material. Broadband improves the information flow among teachers and parents to help them make better decisions about their students' needs. 

In the past if a course is not offered at the student's school then they are just out of luck, but now with the new plan for involving broadband in education a teacher can instruct the student online. The teacher and student can communicate through online lectures, e-mail, and instant messaging, the teacher could also show the student tools online that are interactive to help him learn more about the subject. Broadband is helping the education system expand outside of the classroom, not only can students now take their work home on a mobile device and actually be interested in it, but students at a small school that does not offer a certain subject can still learn about things that they are interested in.