(or, all that jazzy jargon that comes along with broadband)

For many of us, it’s like learning a whole new language. The very young take to it like a duck to water. The older one is, the harder it gets so a glossary of terms is always a good idea. Here’s something you can print out and stick up somewhere – take a sneak peek whenever the broadband guy comes around and sounds like he’s talking in Double Dutch!

3G

Short for 3^rd generation, it stands for International Mobile Telecommunications-2000 (IMT-2000) and it means faster access.

ADSL

Stands for Asymmetric digital subscriber line and it means you can get broadband at home through the traditional telephone line.

ADSL2+

It comes with double the speed of regular ADSL.

Annex M (or ADSL2+M)

Even faster than ADSL+ and it is only offered by BE Broadband.

Bandwidth

The amount of data that you can transfer on an Internet connection.

Bit

This refers to one unit of the data that is transmitted. A kilobit or Kb is 1000 bits and an Mb or Megabit is 1,000,000 bits.

Broadband

Internet connections that are much faster than the old dial-up, where the data is transmitted through an ADSL connection or cable.

Bundle

When offers for the broadband, TV and the phone are bundled together it is called a bundle or a package.

Cable Broadband

You get Internet connectivity through a cable that comes into your home, not the telephone line.

Data

Anything that it sent or received through your Internet connection. This could be text as in emails, pictures, video or audio.

Dialup

Internet connection that uses the telephone line – it is slow and cheaper than the faster broadband packages.

Downloads

Taking data from the Internet and putting it onto your laptop or PC. Most companies have a restriction on the amount of data you can download.

DSL

Stands for Digital Subscriber Line or the technology through which your internet connection works.

Ethernet

Data transmission network standard usually used in offices as a Local Area Network or LAN.

Exchange

The area that your Internet connection services. Outside that range, you will not be able to get a connection.

Free Broadband

It’s only free when you pay for a package and it comes as a part of a TV and/or phone/mobile deal, so don’t get misled.

IP Address

Every computer has its own unique identification number.

ISP

Stands for Internet Service Provider or the provider of your Internet connection.

Landline

The fixed telephone line in your home.

LLU

Stands for Local Loop Unbundling where a provider rents out bandwidth from the local exchange and then resells this space to his customers.

MAC Number

Stands for the Migration Authorisation Code. Your current provider has to give this unique code to you when you want to switch providers. Each number is valid for just 30 days after which you will need a new one issued to you.

Modem

This is the connector device which links your PC up to the Internet through the telephone line.

Quad Play

This combines 4 services – broadband, television, landline phone services and mobile phone.

Router

It enables you to set up a network system with one Internet connection.

Satellite Broadband

This uses the satellite to connect to the Internet.

SDSL

Stands for Symmetric Digital Subscriber Line which speeds up the Internet connection, with speeds up to 3 Mbps.

Speed

This is the rate of download speed – it varies from 256kbps to 24Mbps.

Upload

Transferring data from the computer to the internet.

VoD

Stands for Video on Demand where an interactive television service makes it possible for you to stream or download content.

VoIP

Stands for Voice over Internet Protocol which basically routes voice through an Internet connection.

Wireless Broadband

This is actually a wireless LAN which allows connectivity without wires.