10 Factors: When looking for a new internet provider
If you’re on the market for a new internet provider, you’ll certainly come across a few strange terminologies. Their implications may not be evident. But knowing them is vital to understanding what you’re giving out your hard-earned money.
We’ve been in your shoes, and we understand that looking for an internet provider isn’t the most interesting way to spend your time. So, in the hopes of making things a little simpler and quicker for you, we’ve put up a list of 10 fundamental internet words and meanings. Knowing these terminologies and their definitions should make comparing your alternatives fast and straightforward.
Recommended: how to find the best internet providers in my area.
Key Internet Terms You Need to Know
Bandwidth
Whether you’re streaming your favorite TV program, sending an email, or surfing online pages, everything you do on the internet can be summed up into one action: transmitting data.
Bandwidth is how we measure how much data can be sent to our computers each second from the internet.
Think of your internet connection like a garden hose, only instead of water pouring through the hose to a watering can; there’s data coming to and from your computer. In this case, bandwidth is governed by how fat the hose is.
The larger the hose, the more data that can be sent at once (or the quicker you can fill up your watering can) (or the faster you can fill up your watering can). If you have a thinner hose, you’ll still be able to fill up your watering can; it’ll simply take a bit longer as less water can go through the hose at once.
Broadband
The FCC defines broadband as internet with at least 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload. Relative to prior modes of accessing the internet (dial-up), broadband is distinguished by fast speeds and a consistent connection.
There are several different ways to get broadband-level internet speeds. Cable internet, satellite internet, DSL, fixed wireless internet, and fiber may all possibly deliver you speeds that fulfill the FCC’s definition for broadband. However, not all forms of internet and not all internet service providers can attain such speeds in every country’s location.
Because internet infrastructure is costly, regions with large population density tend to have the quickest connections and greatest alternatives. More prospective clients are there, making it simpler for the supplier to get their money back.
But that method leaves many rural-area families and companies with no access to or extremely limited access to high-speed internet. And as our internet consumption expands day by day, that’s becoming more and more of a difficulty for folks in less crowded places.
If you’re in a remote region, you may not have a provider that delivers broadband-level service. However, fixed wireless internet is out to alter that.
Because the infrastructure for fixed wireless is far less resource-intensive than cable or fiber, selected wireless carriers may cover locations with lower populations, giving broadband-level possibilities where there may not have previously been.
Bundling
Many internet service providers aim to give their clients the most services they can. Therefore they also provide television and phone services. To sweeten the offer, they’ll bundle internet services along with television and phone plans for one monthly fee.
Including all of these services together is known as bundling. If you want cable or satellite TV plus a landline, these packages might occasionally be a decent price. However, if you intend on streaming your entertainment and have a different mobile phone carrier, these packages might be irritating.
Sometimes, businesses that bundle make selecting only the internet look like a horrible bargain. You could obtain television and phone service for only a few dollars extra a month. So whether you truly want it or not, shouldn’t you have it anyway? But if you don’t want these services, how can they supply them for such a tiny fee? This makes us wonder what you’re paying for.
Coverage Map
Not all providers offer service to all locations. And even if the provider does cover your area, there’s no assurance you’ll be able to obtain the quality of service you desire.
Speeds and packages will vary from region to area, and the package you truly desire may be out of reach for your particular location.
Some internet service providers will want you to fill in your zip code. Street address, and other information to evaluate your eligibility.
At Upward Broadband, we attempt to decide whether or not we can serve you as straightforward as possible. Check out our service coverage map. However, to be sure we can help you. We’ll come out and make sure we can have a straight line of sight from one of our towers.
Data Caps
You may recall from the explanation of bandwidth that anything. We do on the internet needs data moving from one place to another. Some internet providers restrict the amount of data you may transmit each billing cycle. To continue our hose metaphor, that’s like limiting the quantity of water you can suck from your hose.
What happens if you go over your data cap?
One alternative is that your internet service provider will charge you overage costs, dependent on how much you go over. This is typically considered a “hard” data limit.
The second alternative is that they’ll throttle your bandwidth. Slowing the flow of data which might make your internet appear sluggish. Some internet companies that limit your connection may declare they don’t have a “hard” data cap. Which might lead you to assume that there’s no data cap.
At Upward Broadband, we don’t have any data limitations. Meaning you have unlimited data and won’t be charged overage fees or have your speed throttled.
Download Speeds
Download speeds measure how rapidly data can move from the internet to your device. It assesses how fast a web page will load after you click on it. Or how smoothly a movie will play from your streaming provider.
Download speeds don’t simply relate to items you physically download. Such as saving an email attachment to your desktop or downloading a song from a music website. They apply to whatever you access on the web from your device.
Upload Speeds
We strayed a bit off of alphabetical order here! But download speeds and upload speeds go hand-in-hand, so for the sake of clarity, excuse us!
Upload speeds evaluate how fast data moves in the other direction—from your computer to the internet. This impacts how fast you can upload a photo from your mobile phone to your social networking page. Or how quickly you can move a file over from your desktop to a cloud storage site like Dropbox.
Both download and upload rates are measured in megabits per second or Mbps. You’ll typically see them as a pair separated by a slash, like 25/5 Mbps or 50/10 Mbps.
Download speeds will be the first figure, while upload speeds will be the second. Internet service providers purposefully make upload speeds slower. This enables them to devote more to download speeds. Which we’re more likely to require for a seamless and pleasurable experience.
Latency
A Latency connected to bandwidth, but it’s not the same thing. Latency is how long it takes for data to move from the internet to you, or vice-versa.
For example, every time you click on anything on a webpage or in an app. A signal is sent to the website’s or app’s server. Then, the server replies by providing back the data you requested.
In our home comparison, it’s the length of the hose. The longer the hose, the longer it’ll take to receive your water. The greater your Internet connection’s latency, the longer it will take to retrieve your data. For internet that feels quick and responsive, you require minimal latency.
Modem
A modem is a very modest electrical device that effectively connects the internet from your provider. Into your house or office. To be technical, your internet service provider delivers the internet using an analog transmission. But your devices require digital internet signals. A modem transforms the analog to digital and then passes it to a router.
Many internet service providers enable you to rent modems from them for a monthly charge. However, you may purchase your own, as long as it’s a model that will operate with your internet provider.
Depending on your internet service provider, you may not require a modem. You may need a router.
Router
A router is another very tiny electrical device that connects to the modem. Once clicked, it will send that digital internet signal to your devices using Wi-Fi and ethernet cords.
Like modems, you may rent routers from your internet service provider or purchase one from their authorized list.
A modem and router might seem a bit extra. At Upward Broadband. You’ll need a router to connect the devices in your home or company to our fixed wireless internet.
Now You’re a Master at Internet Terminology
Congratulations! You made it through our collection of internet terminology and its meanings.
Hopefully, this will make your browsing for internet providers in your region a bit quicker and smoother.
If you’re in Central Pennsylvania, consider adding Upward Broadband to your list of available providers! We deliver broadband-speed fixed wireless internet to households and businesses.
We believe in exceptional customer satisfaction, limitless internet, and up-front, gimmick-free pricing. And our internet comes unbundled, so you have to pay for what you want.
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