Internet Technology And What's Available
Currently, I am using dial-up internet, the maximum of which is 31.2kbps. It occasionally goes down to around 12, depending on traffic.I have had this blessing for the 6 months or so that I have lived here in the mountains, and after having had broadband when I was in the city, it causes much frustration - but I'm still glad I've got it.
I'm not fully sure what speed is defined in Australia as "broadband", but if we're defining it as "anything greater than" what I'm getting right now, we'll start at - 128kbps. Next up is
- 256kbps. I'm not sure what the upoad speeds are for those two. Then there's
- 512kbps, which typically will have a 128kbps upload speed. After that, I believe, there might be a
- 768kbps service with some providers. Now the existence of such a speed is logical for me, but it might not have ever existed, so don't hold me to that. Then there's the one I (Zeke) have got here at home,
- 1536kbps (1.5mbps), which is a very common speed, known as T1. My internet provider also refers to this as ADSL1. Now based on something I heard at a Sydney Cebit conference, there might be a
- 2048kbps (2mbps) with some providers. This speed is what americans define as the start of broadband. Anything lower than that is known as fraudband (!) over there. And based one something a friend once told me, there will be a
- 4096kbps (4mbps) speed with some service providers. Maybe not anymore, though. There might be a
- 6144kbps (6mbps) speed, but if there isn't, the next one up is the next faster speeed available to us through iiNet, and that is
- 8192kbps (8mbps) - an upgraded ADSL1. That's one that theres hope of being upgraded to, although its lousy 384kbps upload speed doesn't do it justice. Then, as far as I know, there's not any more until you get all the way up to
- 24,576kbps (24mbps), which is the widely-coveted ADSL2+. Who wouldn't want that?! Unfortunately though, the trouble lies with the decision of our SP of not putting up the appropriate hardware in our local exchange. As well, considering they haven't even installed it in the city, we arent likely to receive it soon.Then there's the amazing one that I can't wait 'til 10 years from now for, when it's installed in a good variety of exchanges. This one is the famous
- 250,000kbps (approximation) connection, invented by an American uni student who thought of an algorithm. (I hope he's now rich!)
Although anything listed above is better than my dial-up, if it's affordable and available to your address, go for higher speeds. If Kevin Rudd's election promise is worth anything more than air, there should be some form of broadband eventually for those like me (currently) that are challenged by living in mountainous and isolated areas.
Rhoni, with thanks to Zeke Porter