I'd like your oppinions on what counts as broadband, and if 1mbps can be desribed as "full-speed broadband" and lesser speeds as "full-speed service".
My oppinion is that broadband is a wide-ranging term which includes T3 and other super-fast technologies, therefore describing a 1mbps service as full-speed is misleading because "broadband" can go faster, even if (possibly) ADSL can not.
On the other hand, some may define anything above 1mbps as something else, such as wideband or superband, and therefore not classify as broadband.
Here is a clip from the averts: "you can select the full-speed broadband service which suits your needs", they also describe some of their products as having "full security", I'm not sure how misleading that is.
Now, you could argue that the "service" as in everything that is not broadband is what they are calling full-speed, as in "top-quality customer support" could mean only supportfor top-quality customers, or top-quality support for all customers. I would like your interperatation. If asked I will provide the full texts of their adverts.
But, even if they are not technically telling a lie, they could still be misleading.
I cannot give any evidence, however Im quite sure a "broadband" connection is a T1 or T3 connection (the terms from usa I believe) ... meaning at least 1,5 mbits (T1) is a "true" "broadband" connection.
However as the name itself is not a registered standard executives and sales departments can rape the term any way they see fit. Here in Denmark the former national telephone company uses the term for any ADSL connection they offer (starting at 128 kbits speeds).
A side note. ADSL is actually capable of speeds up to 11 mbits, you just have to live very close to your central and the cables must be of good quality (and an ISP must offer the speed of course). Here in Denmark a internet company called Cybercity offers speeds up 2,5 mbits and the option to upgrade your connection up to 3 days to 8 mbits (allthough they clearly state most customers will experience a speed between 4 and 8 mbits).
Pete Nattress Cheesy Bits img src/uploads/sccheesegif
Registered 23/09/2002
Points 4811
17th April, 2004 at 10:52:43 -
as far as i interpret it, broadband is anything that is not narrowband... e.g. anything about 56kbps. so 128kbps is broadband, and is marketed as such (NTL and tiscali do 128k "broadband" packages).
so the name broadband is probably derived from the technology behind it: analogue signals are narrowbond, digital is broadband.
well i think "full speed" would be whatever was the fastest availalbe service that company supports.
and the name broadband was probably given because the technology has a larger bandwidth than what was common at the time. more bandwidth = more data per second.
"Say you're hanging from a huge cliff at the top of mt. everest and a guy comes along and says he'll save you, and proceeds to throw religious pamphlets at you while simultaniously giving a sermon." - Dustin G
Dual-Channel ISDN(whatever that is...) is 128kbps.(~12kb/sec max) My Mom's office computer downloads 5.4kb/sec(INSANE 56k!). Both are slow though, so I'd define broadband as anything at or over 256kbps.
Pre-Broadband: 0 - 128kbps
Slow Broadband: 256 - 768kbps
Normal Broadband: 1.5 - 4mbps
Fast Broadband: 5 - 9mbps
In Canada though the slowest broadband ADSL connections are 1.5mbps(with options up to 4mbps). Cable connections vary greatly, from 512kbps to 6mbps.