Internet Connection: Broadband or Dial-up?

A broadband connection is an Internet connection that is always on and is
capable of transmitting data very quickly. Broadband services can be deliv-
ered over the telephone lines, by way of a private network, by way of a cable
modem, or in a wireless network. A dial-up connection is one that literally
dials a telephone number whenever you connect with the Internet. This
type of connection operates over the telephone lines. The only advantage of
a dial-up connection over a broadband connection is the cost. At $10–$30
per month, dial-up service costs half as much as broadband service, which
is much, much faster. In fact, if you’ve surfed the Internet using a broadband service, it’s hard to go back to the slower dial-up method. What’s more, you can simultaneously talk on the telephone while you surf the Internet if you have broadband service. With a dial-up connection, the phone line is occupied, so you can’t make a phone call while you’re online — nor can anyone call you.

A modem (the term stands for modulator/demodulator) is a hardware device
for connecting a computer to the Internet. Data transmission rates for Inter-
net connections are measured in megabits per second (Mbps) or kilobits
per second (Kbps). Table 1-1 describes the different Internet connections
(these are top speeds, not necessarily the speed at which the connection
really runs). The first two entries in the table are dial-up connections; the
others are broadband.