5 Qualities of a Good Broadband Connection

[ParamouR]

There have been a lot of improvements to the type of technology we use, especially with how people access the internet. Making use of a broadband internet connection can be a faster and more effective way to access the internet, however, there are some things to consider before choosing the broadband connection. This article will be explaining 5 major qualities of a good broadband connection.


1. Speed

The number one reason why an internet connection is referred to as “broadband connection” is because of its speed. Many internet service providers make many claims in their adverts only to end up disappointing you on the long run. If the broadband service provider you’re using does not deliver your required speed then there is no point using it. Even though you don’t need the fastest internet connection in the world, it is important to know what speed you need and make sure the broadband service you’re using is capable of delivering such speed.

2. Consistency

It is also important to consider the consistency of a broadband service before you use it. If a broadband service is very fast but inconsistent there is every possibility that you won’t get your money’s worth at the end.

There is no point in using a service that won’t be available when you need it the most, your broadband internet service should not be like its available today and then unavailable tomorrow; it must be consistently available.

Also, make sure the speed and quality of your broadband internet service is always consistent, it shouldn’t be fluctuating from 10mbps to 200kbps; if you’re promised an average speed of 1mbps then your broadband internet connection should be able to deliver an average speed at that rate.
3. Reliability

One quality that makes a good broadband internet connection better in comparison to other forms of internet connection is its reliability. A solid broadband internet connection is highly reliable and is always available irrespective of the weather/climate condition. A good broadband internet service isn’t weather dependent and the user is always assured of the quality of service anytime he/she uses it.

4. Abundance

Since a broadband internet connection is characterized by speed, your ISP shouldn’t restrict your access to the internet by placing you on a “very small” quota because this will only end up wetting your appetite and making you wish you didn’t get the broadband internet connection in the first place.

Most good broadband internet service providers offer unlimited access to the internet with a fair usage policy at peak times and if you can’t find a provider who offers unlimited internet access you should try choosing one whose quota meets your needs.

5. Cost

The price you’re charged for a broadband internet service is also a major factor when it comes to choosing a good broadband internet connection. A broadband internet service shouldn’t cost you a fortune but should be available to all and sundry. If a broadband internet service is too expensive and unable to justify its price with the service it provides you will be better off looking for another ISP. Even though the price might look too high, what matters most is whether it justifies the service it offers or not.

5 Qualities of a Good Broadband Connection - best broadband connection, broadband, broadband tips, guest-post, high speed internet - Technically Personal! (http://techpp.com/2010/12/21/good-broadband-connection/)

[anonftw]

At least mine has 2. Consistency and 3. Reliability, but I pay too much for the slow upstream that I get. :(
On a Positive note, my connection never goes down unless there is a power outage and they don't cap me or complain about my usage. :)

[anon]

Speed: it's a 3Mbit line and I've been mostly getting what's advertised - in the best cases, downloads from file hosters stay pinned on 380kB/s. Sometimes it's a bit slow or not as fast as that, but it's fine for an oversold Cable service. They do limit P2P speeds at times, however. :dabs:

Consistency: see above.

Reliability: very good if I don't count a couple of blackouts that took place some weeks ago. I got disconnected for using a VPN once, though (abuse of the service, they called it :stupid:), and it took around a week to regain connectivity.

Abundance: unlimited plan with no monthly traffic caps.

Cost: quite cheap for my country, very cheap if your currency are US dollars or the euro. :wgrin:

[slikrapid]

There have been a lot of improvements to the type of technology we use, especially with how people access the internet.

thats a rather bold statement, i'd say there wasn't enough core improvement, especially in areas where ISP monopoly or control comes into play, a few simple examples: the highly differing definition of a broadband connection (or more correctly its interpretation from various ISPs), continuous significant disproportion between download and upload speeds, reluctance to switch technologies from adsl to fiber related, lack of competition between countries (in terms of keeping up with neighboring countries and/or pushing ahead), focus on profits as opposed to improvements

speed: usually the lower speed packages are as good as advertised, the higher ones can fluctuate a lot, heavy users may get punished for keeping high speed transfers for too long (temporary or permanent capping) at a time or during a certain period of time (same goes for the amount of traffic/total data transfer, the two go 'hand-in-hand')

consistency & reliability: covers pretty much the same things, they mixed some speed related elements and forgot to mention latency, packet loss

abundance? what kind of a factor is that, broadband fanboys getting too excited? :P more correctly: traffic (limits)

cost: depends whether one even has the possibility to switch to other ISPs (rural areas, small towns), the transfer process may take more than expected due to incompetence/unprofessional ISP behavior, the ISP may be an inexperienced company, maybe running their service over major ISP lines/infrastructure (ie. not even having their own lines/equipment), major ISPs tend to behave like being a godsend, smaller ones tend to lack in overall quality or personnel in many areas, medium sized 'hotshot' ones may be the best choice or any one that has a solid reputation

[grebetu]

For me most important thing is "3. Reliability", I don't want for my net to break when I'm in a poker hand :)

[yoco]

At least mine has 2. Consistency and 3. Reliability, but I pay too much for the slow upstream that I get. :(
On a Positive note, my connection never goes down unless there is a power outage and they don't cap me or complain about my usage. :)
Exactly the same with my case!

[Master Razor]

Speed: I have 5.5MB dowbload and 3.4MB upload (advertised as 50 MB connection)
Consistency: Never had a problem.
Reliability: Very good. It works fine regardless of weather conditions.
Abundance: No restrictions.
Cost: Quite cheap if have the full package (phone and cable tv)

In short, I never had any problem with it.

[wordreader]

I wonder if anyone here use a VPN. My building uses opendns to block sites, i.e piratebay,demomoid and anty/proxy sites I use expressVPN and found that my speed are reduced ab two-thirds. I tried all their different servers and that is the best I can get.I realize that will be some degradation of speeds, but two-thirds...

[anon]

My building uses opendns to block sites, i.e piratebay,demomoid and anty/proxy sites

Then just replace their DNS IPs with, say, 4.2.2.1 and 4.2.2.2? Or do they make you use a forced proxy?

I used Psilo.fr's service to get through my college firewall. Speeds were OK, but the building's connection already wasn't very good.

[Mihai]

Mine is cheap, not as fast as the best ISP in my country but stands on second place. Also it's very reliable and consistent, I usually get disconnected once 2-3 months for a couple of seconds at max. And it's cheap. Less than 10 euros:top:

[yoco]

Speed: I have 5.5MB dowbload and 3.4MB upload (advertised as 50 MB connection)
Consistency: Never had a problem.
Reliability: Very good. It works fine regardless of weather conditions.
Abundance: No restrictions.
Cost: Quite cheap if have the full package (phone and cable tv)

In short, I never had any problem with it.
So jealous right now! God only knows when am I gonna have this kind of speed!