Internet

Broadband Internet access, often shortened to "broadband Internet" or just "broadband" is a high data-transmission rate internet connection. ADSL and cable modem, both popular consumer broadband technologies, are typically capable of transmitting 512 kilobits per second (kbps) or more.

ADSL broadband and cable access is at least four times the speed of a standard phone connection and can be delivered via a standard digital telephone line, via a cable connection or across mobile and wireless networks or satellite.

Cable broadband is not yet provided by any Northern Territory supplier. Advantages for the home include:-

• Always On; and
• Always Available.

While the term “broadband” has come to largely refer to ADSL, it can also include the following technologies.

• Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) is an older telephone data service that can operate at speeds of up to 128 kbit/s. It is therefore not really considered a true form of broadband, but it does have the advantage that it can share an existing phone line, and it has no distance limitations like DSL. It should be noted that as a data connection service, ISDN has been mostly superseded by ADSL.
• Satellite broadband employs a satellite in geostationary orbit to relay data from the satellite company to each customer. Satellite Internet is usually among the most expensive ways of gaining broadband Internet access, but in rural areas it is often the only viable option. However costs have been coming down in recent times to the point that it is becoming more competitive with other high speed options. Satellite Internet also has a high latency problem caused by the signal having to travel 35,000 km out into space to the satellite and back to Earth again.