Everything Great and Grand.

Broadband Internet access is a high-speed Internet connection that transfers data faster than a dial-up connection. With dial-up, your data transfers through a 56k modem, which utilizes a slow rate of 56 kilobits per second. For people who work with large files, this rate can negatively impact your online experience. When you use a 56k modem to download a media file or a large photo, you may find the slower connection speed causes issues with the clarity of the file. Media files may skip over sections, get stuck in one place, or look pixilated. Photos may also appear with distortions.

Instead of waiting for a slow connection to make mediocre progress, consider upgrading to broadband. While the cost is more expensive, more people now use broadband than dial-up. If your financial situation is keeping you from making the upgrade, there are a couple things to consider. First, you can find broadband deals that reduce the cost of the service for new users. This can bring the price down to a range comparable to dial-up service. Second, consider the value of your time. If you telecommute, you could use the minutes you spend waiting for files to download or for web pages to load to make more progress, translating into more money in your pocket.

While broadband is an option for Windows-based browsers, such as Internet Explorer, you can find broadband that works with other types of browsers, including Linux-based ones. Most broadband Internet access will work with older operating systems, dating as far back as 1998. If you use an older browser, you may not see as much of an increase in speed as you want. This is because many web designers create web pages for newer browsers. Regardless of the type of browser you use, broadband can have you surfing the web at much faster speeds.