subject: Broadband Technology - What Changes Can We Expect In The Future? [print this page] Over the last 10 years, broadband internet access speeds have increased so dramatically that it is hard to believe that it used to take a few minutes to open simple web pages. In some countries, like Japan and France, internet access speeds of over 50 Megabits per second are the average. A few years ago, in Sweden, the fastest internet connection speed was recorded at an astonishing 40 Gigabits per second.
With these speeds it is difficult to imagine a time with only dial-up connections available. With current technologies, most countries are now reaching the limit of what their current internet infrastructure is capable of. However, replacing the telecommunications infrastructure of a country in order to improve broadband speeds is much harder than it may sound, but in order to reach speeds up to what is possible even now, an optical cable connection is needed.
One direction that internet broadband access may be utilizing in the future is via overhead or underground electricity cables. Although it is technically possible as broadband data and electricity flow on different frequencies, recent research has shown that when data is transmitted through overhead, under-insulated cables it can interfere with some radio wave bands.
However, if a solution is found to this problem that does not require the replacement of electrical power cables, then people in the future may be able to enjoy broadband access speeds of up to 200 Megabits per second just by plugging into an electrical outlet.
One of the most hotly anticipated technological advances in broadband access is WIMAX, also called 4G. WIMAX could potentially offer users a maximum data transfer rate of 70 Megabits per second, a vast improvement from 3G standards. and something that could eventually instigate the demise of plug-in broadband.
One other route that users may be able to take in the future in order to access broadband at a higher speed is by satellite. There are currently millions of people around the world that utilize satellite technology to watch television programs. T
hese connections could also be used to transmit internet data at speeds of up to 3 Gigabits per second, that is 3000 Megabits per second (around 375 Megabytes per second). There are 2 problems facing the use of this technology, the weather and the cost. As most satellite television viewers know, bad weather can play havoc with signal reception and in some cases disrupt it totally.
The cost of the equipment for receiving broadband internet access via satellite could also cost in excess of $2500, and would also be charged on a monthly basis, which is much too expensive for the majority of users even with the huge attainable speeds. T
o sum up, dont worry if you are still finding that your broadband connection is not quick enough for your needs, the future holds some impressive advances in technology that will mean the end of blank white screens and video buffering.
Broadband Technology - What Changes Can We Expect In The Future?
