What do these words mean? An explanation on terminology relating to broadband.
Technical Broadband Terminology
To kick off our broadband jargon buster, here’s a look at some of the technical terminology you’re most likely to encounter, particularly when navigating through descriptions of broadband products and services.
Broadband:
Broadband is the way of connecting a computer or device to the internet using a copper, fibre, or wireless connection.
Wi-Fi:
Wi-Fi is a technology that allows a computer or other device to connect to the internet wirelessly.
Wi-Fi 6:
The latest standard in wireless technology, Wi-Fi 6 improves upon its predecessors by offering faster speeds, increased capacity, and enhanced performance, especially in crowded or dense network environments. We provide Wi-Fi 6 Pro routers as standard with our Hypersonic broadband. (A little bit like the difference between 4G and 5G, Wi-Fi 6 allows for quicker speeds than Wi-Fi 5!)
Network:
A group of devices connecting, so they can share resources, either by a cable or wirelessly.
Wi-Fi Network:
A Wi-Fi network is an internet connection that's shared with multiple devices in a home or business via a wireless router.
Bandwidth:
Bandwidth is how much information you can receive every second, while the speed is how fast that information is received or sent.
Download:
In broadband terms, download refers to the transfer of data, like an image or an Xbox game from a another device or source through the internet. Download speed dictates how quickly the files will be retrieved onto your device.
Upload:
In broadband terms, upload refers to the transfer of data from your device to the internet, e.g. backing up cloud storage. The upload speed dictates how quickly the files can be backed up!
2.4 GHz (Gigahertz):
A frequency band commonly used for wireless communication, including over Wi-Fi networks. In the context of Wi-Fi, 2.4 GHz refers to the radio frequency at which signals are transmitted between devices and routers.
Some devices can only connect to the 2.4GHz band because of how the device was built, a bit like the difference between a 4G and 5G mobile phone, or a CD player and a Blu-ray player!
5 GHz (Gigahertz):
A higher frequency band commonly utilized for wireless communication, particularly in Wi-Fi networks. The 5 GHz band offers several advantages over the 2.4 GHz band, including faster data transfer rates and reduced interference from other devices.
ISP (Internet Service Provider):
Describes any broadband supplier.
Data:
Information transmitted through your broadband, represented in 'bits.' Data is often sent as 'packets' through the internet, so if you're sending an image to a friend the image is broken into tiny pieces (like confetti) so they can whiz to where you're sending it to be reassembled on the other side.
Mbps (Megabits per Second):
A unit of measurement for internet speed, indicating the rate at which data is transmitted over a network. Mbps is commonly used to express both download and upload speeds.
Gigabits:
A measurement of the number of bits, where one gigabit equals 1000 megabits.
Traffic:
The number of users and/or devices on a broadband network simultaneously, impacting speed.
PING:
A measurement of latency or the time it takes for data to travel from your device to a server and back. Low ping is crucial for activities like gaming and video conferencing.
IP Address:
The numeric location of your device online, akin to a postcode for your broadband.
CG-NAT (Carrier-Grade Network Address Translation):
A technology used by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to address the shortage of available IPv4 addresses. CG-NAT allows multiple customers to share a single public IP address, translating their private IP addresses to the public one when accessing the internet.
Static IP Address:
The numeric location of your device online, which will remain the same and will not change. This is useful if you are using a VPN.
VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol):
A technology that enables voice communication and multimedia sessions over the internet rather than traditional telephone lines. VoIP converts analogue audio signals into digital data packets, which are then transmitted over the internet in real-time.
Hardware Terminology
Hardware refers to the physical equipment we use when setting up or using broadband.
Fibre-Optic Cable:
Cables transmitting large amounts of data at the speed of light.
FTTC (Fibre-to-the-Cabinet):
Fibre to the Cabinet broadband, typically means the connection to the cabinet that provides your connection is fibre optic. However, the connection from the cabinet to your property may be copper.
FTTP (Fibre-to-the-Premises):
Fibre to the Premises, means unlike FTTC, the connection to the cabinet and your property will be entirely fibre optic. This means much quicker speeds can be delivered to your property and you can enjoy full fibre broadband!
Fixed Line:
Broadband delivered through physical cables, covering ADSL, cable, and fibre connections, the most common option in the UK.
Ethernet Cables:
These cables, enable a 'wired' connection directly from a device to a router, offering faster and more reliable connectivity than Wi-Fi.
Router:
A device enabling internet access for your devices via Wi-Fi or a wired ethernet connection, varying among ISPs in handling different speeds. We use the Wi-Fi 6 Pro router on our 1000Mbps package (more on that later!)
ONT (modem):
Optical Network Terminal. This is a device that brings your full fibre connection into the property. We will hook up your router and ONT with an ethernet cable so your broadband operates correctly!
Mesh Network:
A wireless network topology that consists of multiple interconnected nodes or devices, working together seamlessly to provide extended and reliable coverage. Mesh networks are particularly effective in larger spaces or homes where a single router may struggle to provide consistent coverage. We offer our Connect Mesh service as an add-on to our full fibre.
Phone Line:
The older copper wire connected to a property, used for ADSL and part of a fibre broadband connection.
Dongle:
A USB device that can be plugged into a device to establish a portable mobile broadband network.
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Types Of Broadband
Next up is a run through of all the different types of broadband available via UK providers. This will help you better understand what services are out there.
4G Broadband:
Delivered wirelessly via the 4G mobile network, offering average download speeds of up to 100Mbps.
5G Broadband:
Delivered wirelessly via the 5G mobile network, faster than 4G with theoretical average download speeds of up to 1Gbps.
ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line):
The oldest broadband type, delivered through copper cables of the phone network, with average download speeds around 10Mbps.
ADSL2+:
An upgraded version of ADSL broadband, providing slightly faster speeds of around 24Mbps.
Cable Broadband:
Commonly refers to broadband delivered via an independent cable network, such as Virgin Media's broadband and TV offerings.
Fibre Broadband:
Delivered partially via fibre optic cabling, faster than ADSL due to the higher speed of fibre cables. Average download speeds range from 30Mbps to 100Mbps.
Full Fibre Broadband:
What you receive with Connect Fibre. This is broadband delivered through fibre optic cables directly from the local exchange point to the building, providing huge average download and upload speeds of as much as 1000Mbps.
Gigabit-Capable Broadband:
A broadband connection capable of delivering average download speeds of 1000Mbps, the likes of which Connect Fibre provides.
Mobile Broadband:
Broadband, usually 4G or 5G, delivered wirelessly without physical cables via a mobile phone network.
Social Tariff Broadband:
Broadband of a lower speed offered at a discounted rate to those in receipt of benefits.
Standard Broadband:
Sometimes used interchangeably with ADSL broadband connections.
Superfast Broadband:
A term used to describe fibre broadband connections between 30Mbps and 300Mbps.
Hyperfast Broadband:
Describes Full Fibre and gigabit-capable broadband connections with exceptionally high speeds, such as the 1000Mbps offered by Connect Fibre.
Broadband Deal Terminology
Some of the terminology you may encounter when it comes to the nitty gritty of your deal.
Pre-order:
A term referring to placing an order with a company while the full fibre network is still being built in the area. With Connect Fibre our Pre-orders are no obligation!
Bolt-On:
A term used by providers for optional extras or additional services that can be added to your current broadband deal for an extra cost. We offer phone, TV, and mesh services as add-ons
Cooling Off Period:
A period, typically two weeks, offered by some ISPs after switching providers or starting a new broadband contract. During this time, you can cancel or change your tariff if unsatisfied.
Contract Buyout:
Connect Fibre offers a Contract Buyout offer to help make the process of switching from a current provider easier from a financial perspective with support of up to £300 credit.
Exit Fee:
Also known as a 'penalty' or 'early termination fee' this is a cost paid to your ISP if you wish to terminate your contract early. Not all providers include exit fees in their service agreements. Our Contract Buyout is designed to help ease the pressures of an exit fee when switching.
Line Rental:
At Connect Fibre, we don't do line rental. It's a charge, typically included in your monthly bill, covering the maintenance cost of the copper phone line servicing your property. Found primarily in ADSL and fibre broadband deals.
Set Up/Installation:
Refers to any work, whether in your property or by a visiting engineer, required to establish your broadband connection.
Speed Guarantee:
A contractual guarantee from certain ISPs that your broadband will not drop below a specified average download speed. Potential compensation may be offered if this guarantee is not met.
Streaming:
A method of viewing television or visual content through your broadband.
UHD (Ultra-High-Definition):
A commonly referred-to streaming resolution used by ISPs to showcase the capabilities of certain broadband speeds.
4K:
A screen resolution of approximately 4,000 pixels often used in broadband to indicate the level of streaming quality a connection can provide.
Upfront Fees:
One-time charges paid before receiving your broadband, covering aspects like installation, new connections, or postage of your new router.