How To Select The Best Broadband Internet Providers

Everyone who is on the internet knows that there are a lot of choices when it comes to broadband internet providers. There are so many sources that it can be baffling to even imagine. It is a trade that continues to expand and new companies are challenging against the big companies and from time to time they can find their niche. Broadband internet providers compete against each other for a share of the countless people who make use of the internet. Some are gradually choked out of the industry and others carry on to get bigger all the time. It is a distinctive industry to be in for the reason that the costs for the different companies are roughly the same and the fee that they charge to their customers is very close too. What people should be looking for is a company that is reliable and offers good service at a reasonable price.

There are so many broadband internet providers existing that if the service isn't up to same level the user can always switch to a different provider. Some of the providers are big name companies and others might be little recognized players. The services can be just as good with a small provider and the customer might even save some cash. The other pleasant thing about using a smaller company is that the customer service might be superior with people willing to spend extra time with the customer. All of this can amount to a great experience and good internet connections.

Where To Find Cheap Broadband


For those who are still on dial-up service, it may appear that working with your old Internet service is a pain, but broadband still isn't economical enough. Those feelings are comprehensible, since fees for dial-up service are going down and broadband service all seems to be around the same price. However, that 's no reason to give up in the quest for cheap broadband service. If you know where to look, you should be able to save money on your Internet service and still take pleasure in the fast speeds of broadband. Of course, the simplest way to locate cheap broadband is to look out for sales and membership drives by the broadband companies. Frequently, if you're willing to go into a service contract for a year or more, many broadband companies will offer you a deal on the monthly cost. That alone can mean considerable savings through the year. Look into websites that evaluate broadband services and use that to easily acquire an idea of the range of broadband services. You'll be amazed just how many companies put forward cheap broadband packages.

Some Tips In Saving Money From Your Broadband Expenses

1) Try Getting A Package Deal

If you already have a mobile phone, cable TV or even a regular phone line, consider checking with your providers for these services to find if there are package deals on broadband service plus the services you already have. As so many phone and cable companies are also Internet providers, there is likelihood that they have some kind of contract to help you save. If you're keen to keep working with them for your Internet service, you'll have another way to get cheap broadband.

2) Accept Less Bandwidth

Sometimes the offer you see on the advertisements isn't always the cheapest offer. Many will attempt to advertise ou a faster Internet connection than you need. By selecting a slower, lower-bandwidth connection, you can always save on the cost of your Internet service. Think practically about what you need. If you would like faster surfing for e-mail or web shopping, you don't need the bandwidth you would otherwise require if you were watching videos over the Internet. Even slower speeds can be a considerable jump over dial-up speeds. Start at the entry-level speed and take pleasure in cheap broadband.

3) Do Away With Other Bills

If you have a dial-up service and a second phone line for it so callers don't get a busy signal, you should factor that into your Internet purchase. By getting broadband service, which doesn't impede the phones, you can chuck out that second line. When you prefer that option, it still seems as if you're getting cheap broadband service while still getting excellent bandwidth. Shop around, try to find ways to save with your other utilities, and only purchase as much as you require, and you'll realize that it 's simple to get cheap broadband services

European MPs votes on new telecoms law

A major overhaul of telecoms law across Europe is due on 24 November as the European Parliament votes on new rules.

The package comes amid controversial laws being introduced in France and the UK to cut off persistent illegal downloaders.

Protecting internet access and users' rights was a high priority for MEPs hammering out the Telecoms Package.

Many critics say the eventual compromise solution is too weak and will not prevent disconnections.

Other measures in the telecoms package include an aim to harmonise the way mobile broadband is rolled out across the EU, which would help in the push to achieve 100% broadband coverage in Europe by 2013.

It also seeks to improve co-operation between member states' telecoms regulators and make it easier for incumbent operators to both provide and buy network services.

Two other parts of the telecoms package have already been approved.

A law on citizens' rights aims to improve how quickly customers can change their mobile telephone number and strengthen personal data and privacy protection by, for example, allowing users to opt in to the use the cookies.

Fair hearing

Perhaps the most scrutinised part of the package is that which relates to file-sharing.

It comes as individual member states introduce tough penalties for those who download content illegally.

France has introduced a "three strikes" policy for those who share illegal content. If letters fail to stop them, illegal file-sharers risk being disconnected.

And the UK's Digital Economy Bill also seeks to impose technical restrictions, including disconnection, on persistent pirates.

Earlier this month, MEPs agreed on a compromise solution to protect user's rights which read: "A user's internet access may be restricted, if necessary and proportionate, only after a fair and impartial procedure including the user's right to be heard."

What the fair and impartial procedure will mean in practice is, as yet, unclear.

MEPs also agreed that restrictions on a user's internet access can only be taken "with due respect for the principle of presumption of innocence and the right to privacy".

But an earlier amendment which ruled that any application for cutting off internet access must go through a judge was rejected.

Some critics say the compromise is too weak while some lawyers argue that it could put the UK's newly introduced Digital Economy bill at odds with the Telecoms Package.

Meanwhile protests over the UK bill have grown, with 11,000 signing an e-petition against it while others predicted "civil unrest" as a result of the bill.

Three Technology Necessities For The Online Student

So, you've made the decision to return to school and finally finish that degree. Great! With the abundance of online degree programs available today, there is no reason that you shouldn't be able to find something that not only helps you achieve your goals but also is fun at the same time.

Regardless of which school or program you choose, technology will play a significant role in the ability to complete all the coursework and degree requirements. Now, while it is not necessary to have the latest computer and equipment, the student experience will be significantly enhanced with use of at least some of the most up-to-date tech advancements available.So what technology might be considered a necessity for that student experience?

Broadband Internet Service -

Now, this may seem to many to be a "no brainer", but the reality is that many people online today are still using dial-up service. While dial-up will work in some cases, your online degree program may very well require that you have high-speed internet access. This will make downloading class material and participating in live, online discussions much faster and enjoyable. Once you see for yourself, going back to dial-up will scare you.

Internet Phone Service -

I know many of you may be thinking that this one is not a necessity. However, I would disagree for two main reasons. First, with the increasing utilization of broadband internet service, the use of internet phone service has continued to increase in popularity both here and abroad. With services such as Skype, more and more people will be using the internet as a medium for 2-way voice dialogue. If you are attending an international-based online degree program, this may very well be a necessity.

Secondly, the use of internet phone service is relatively inexpensive. Again, with services like Skype and Vonage, you can talk as long as you want for one low flat rate. In fact, you can even call many international locations with no extra charge. For a student who is financially strapped, the ability to talk long-distance for very little is quite a necessity.

Digital Audio Player -

One of the advantages of an online degree program is that you can often tailor the program to fit into your schedule. Because of the fact that you can go to class almost any time and do the work when you want, it is important that you be diligent in proper time management. One significant part of that is maximizing "down time". Many online courses utilize audio and video files that can be produced by the instructor and then downloaded by the student. Using an mp3 player (or something similar), you have the ability to download the course material and then listen to it when you want to. This could include in the car, at the gym, etc. The point is that with use of a digital audio player, you can stay in control and yet maximize your learning opportunities.

Please understand that while we have listed the above technology as necessities, it 's availability and/or affordability to you will not determine your online education success alone. These three technology necessities will greatly enhance the educational experience, but your success will also depend on your ability to stay focused, study hard and effectively manage your time. As with many technological improvements designed to make our lives easier, it is not difficult to become distracted and spend countless hours focused on things such as entertainment. However, your job as a student will be to minimize the distractions and accomplish the goal of obtaining your degree.

Let technology aid you, not hinder you.

Understanding Streaming Video

There are two ways to view media such as video or audio on the internet and that is downloading and streaming video.

Downloading

When you download a file the entire file is saved on your computer 's hard drive, which you then open and view at your leisure. The one major advantages is having quicker access to different parts of the file once downloaded, but it has the big disadvantage of you having to wait for the whole file to completely download before any of it can be viewed. If the file is quite small this may not be too much of a problem for you, but for large files it can tax your patience.

The easiest way to provide downloadable video files is to use a simple hyperlink to the file on your site or server. A slightly more advanced method is to embed the file in a web page on your site using special HTML code.

Making video files available this way is known as HTTP streaming or HTTP delivery. HTTP means Hyper Text Transfer Protocol, and is the same protocol used to deliver web pages. For this reason it is easy to set up and use on almost any website, without requiring additional software or special hosting plans.

Streaming

Streaming video works a bit differently, you or your visitors, the end users can start watching the file almost as soon as it begins downloading. The file is sent to the user in a constant stream, ideally, and the user watches it as it arrives. The main advantage with this method is that no waiting is involved, depending on the download speed of your service. Streaming media has additional advantages such as being able to broadcast live events, sometimes referred to as a webcast or netcast.

True streaming video must be delivered from a specialized streaming server.

Progressive Downloading

There is also a hybrid method known as progressive download. In this method the video file is downloaded but begins playing as soon as a portion of the file has been received. This simulates true streaming, but doesn't have all the advantages.

HTTP Streaming Video

This is the simplest and cheapest way to stream video from a website. Small to medium sized websites are more likely to use this method than the more expensive streaming servers.

For this method you don't need any special type of website or host, just a host server which recognises common video file types (most standard hosting accounts do this). Bear in mind you can't stream live video, since the HTTP method only works with complete files stored on the server. This method is very popular and will be used on this site and video syndication sites such as YouTube.

Create a Streaming Video File

There are many streaming video formats and the main one are probably familiar to you already. The most popular are Macromedia Flash, RealMedia, Windows Media, Quicktime and MPEG.

Each format has its pro and cons and people have their own preference. Ideally you should have files in all formats but this is far from practical and it is best to choose one or two at the most. Flash is the format recommended on this site and the Flash Player is usually found on the majority of computers connected to the internet.

There are two ways to create stored streaming video files

Once you have created you video in, let 's say, .avi format then you need to prepare it for uploading to your web site ready for streaming by one of the following methods.

1. Use a conversion utility program. This takes an existing digital video file (avi) and converts it into the streaming format of your choice, in this case Flash video.
2. Export streaming files from video editing software such as Adobe Premiere or Ulead Video Studio.

Conversion Utilities

A conversion utility is a stand alone program which imports a video clip and exports it in a different format. Examples include RealNetworks Real Producer External Link and Sorenson Squeeze External Link. There are simpler, cheaper and even free software programs for converting videos into Flash format which are perfectly adequate for the scope of this web site.

Basically, you simply open a file and select which which format to save it as. You can set various parameters to optimise the final video. The program will then chug away for some time while it makes the conversion.

How To Protect your computer in A World Of Computer Viruses

To stay healthy in a computer virus world, there are several steps to take. First, be careful with all email. If you use Outlook or Outlook Express, turn off the scripting feature. Make sure that anti virus software checks all of your incoming and outgoing email, and don't open an email with attachments unless you know for sure who sent it to you and why. It is always better to be safe than sorry, so if in doubt, don't open the attachment. Viruses and worms will attach themselves to your address book and replicate themselves by sending copies of themselves to everyone you know and commonly email, and they won't know not to open it because it will look as though it comes from you. Next, keep the anti virus software up to date. There are many good programs out there to stop viruses. McAfee 's , Norton, AVG and others work well. But, you need to keep them up to date. Most anti virus programs allow you to go to their web site and download updates on a regular basis. Some of them in fact can even be set to do the downloading and updating for you automatically on a regular basis. Viruses change all the time and the updates are set for the new viruses to keep you safe so be sure to update. Use a router for safety 's sake. A router will block your IP address and prevent many viruses from reaching you or any other computers on your network. This will work very well if you are on a cable modem or DSL, but is also useful for those who are on dial up. Routers are low in price, ranging from 25 pounds for a cable modem or DSL router to 100 pounds for a dial up router. Switch to software that is not as commonly used. Microsoft makes great products and is in common use, but Microsoft is also the biggest target out there for hackers. Also, if you switch to another browser, Netscape Navigator,Firefox or Chrome for example, you will avoid some virus problems. Switching from Outlook to something like Thunderbird or Calypso for your email or using web based email like Gmail, Yahoo or Hotmail from Microsoft, which keeps the email storage away from your computer and also includes virus checking software is worth considering. There are many good email programs out there and many good browsers. Try several and see which you are most comfortable with. Next use a firewall. There are many good firewalls out there. Windows XP comes with a built in firewall. Zone Alarm has a free version. Other good firewalls are available at reasonable costs and many have thirty day free trials so you can check one out and see if it works well for you. A firewall can be your first line of defense against computer viruses. Install one, especially if you have broadband, like T1, cable or DSL access to the internet. Going on the Internet without a firewall is like walking into combat without a Kevlar helmet and a flak vest to protect your self. Next, backup everything you do. Get yourself a CD or DVD burner if you don't have one already, or a portable external hard drive. Get in the habit of backing your system up on a regular basis so that, if you are hit by a virus, your data is not permanently lost. You'll have a good backup copy of it handy and ready to reinstall. At the very least, email files that you cannot replace, to a friend to keep for you or to a free web based email account for storage. Finally, here 's the bonus tip of the day. Use common sense. Think when you surf. If you don't know someone, be leery of accepting the files they might want to transfer to you. If you want to download software from a site make sure that the site has proper security protocol. Read the instructions. Don't just automatically click from reflex. The brain you have is much smarter than your computer, but you have to use it properly. Use your brain, use your common sense and think. Having anti-virus installed though may not be enough. You may have installed some software that is causing your computer to run more slowly than before, or with time your machine is appearing to be running more slowly
than before , it may be time to give your computer a checkup and remove annoying software a good tool to fix your computer registry settings is Registryfix !
Registryfix will scan your system registry and
hard drive for invalid file and system references.
You can run a free system check by clicking here!
These invalid references may cause system instability, PC errors, constant crashes, and general system slowdowns.

New to Broadband

What is broadband? Broadband is a method of connecting to the Internet. It is called broadband as it provides a high-speed Internet connection when compared with older traditional methods of connecting which are generally termed narrow band (Dial-up). Why are the benefits of broadband ? The benefits of broadband are mainly related to the speed of the connection. If you're used to using dial-up Internet access, you will know that webpages generally take 15 seconds or more to load and downloading e-mails can take a few minutes depending on the size and if there are any attachments. With a broadband internet connection all these things happen much more quickly! You will be able to do many things at once with broadband. Allows instantaneous Internet access due to broadband's "always-on nature". There are no delays due to dialing up and logging in or from having to redial due to busy signals. So how fast is it? The speed of the connection varies based on many different things including where you live and what broadband provider you use. Generally the speed will be in the region of between 512k (512 Kbps) and 10 meg (meg is an abreviation used to mean Mbps - Megabits per second), although faster connections are possible in some areas. How do I get broadband? The first step to getting broadband is to see what is available to you. The most common technology used for a broadband connection in the UK is ADSL (a form of DSL) which is provided using the BT telephone network. This is available to 99.9% of premises in the UK, so you'll more than likely be able to get it. How to choose a Broadband Service Provider Unlike dial-up, broadband is very rarely charged based on the amount of time online. There are two main types of charging schemes used. The first are generally fixed-speed services that are based on the speed of the connection. The other is usage based charging, where you are charged by the amount of data you transfer. Be aware that different broadband providers offer a different quality of service. The adage, "you get what you pay for" is often true. How much data will I use? Downloading lots of music or viewing a lot of video content will increase your usage. The amount of data you transfer depends on what you do. Video is probably one of the main causes of high usage on the Internet. This includes watching movie trailers (or even entire movies), home movies posted on websites like YouTube, or viewing TV over the Internet. Peer-to-peer (P2P) programs such as eDonkey, Kazaa, Limewire and BitTorrent can also be high bandwidth mis-users. So what else do I need? A modem or router is required to connect to the Internet. A modem is a device that connects your computer to the Internet usually using a phone line. A router allows several computers to connect at the same time and can facilitate wireless access. If the ISP you choose offers a modem or router, it might be recommended to get one from them as they can usually assist in configuring the device to work with their service. Check with them to see what level of support they offer before signing up. If you are using broadband over a phone line (ADSL), you will also need a microfilter for each device plugged into a phone socket (This includes fax machines, sky box, everything!). This is a small device that plugs into the phone socket and filters the broadband signal from the telephone signal so that you can use both the phone and broadband at the same time. What now?

If you are new to Broadband or are thinking of getting connected, it may now be a good time to give your computer a checkup and remove annoying software a good tool to fix your computer registry settings is Registryfix !
Registryfix will scan your system registry and
hard drive for invalid file and system references.
You can run a free system check by clicking here!
These invalid references may cause system instability, PC errors, constant crashes, and general system slowdowns.
To summarise,
* You usually need a BT phone line.
* Pick an ISP and a package that suits you
* Choose what hardware to use and where to get it from
* Sign up!
Speed check

What Should I do there’s an unknown Broadband ISP in my house?

You've just moved into your new flat or house and naturally you want to get your PC up and running with Broadband so you can keep in touch with the rest of the world. But when you try to sign up for Broadband, you find that the previous occupant had Broadband already and that your chosen ISP is unable to connect you until the previous occupant's ISP is disconnected and a ‘marker’ removed from the line. Worse, you have no idea who the previous occupant was let alone who that ISP might be. What do you do?
You might think that BT (who still at least provides the physical connection to your house) would be able to help. Not so. Along with the many advantages of deregulated telecoms comes this one. BT has no way to tell which ISP is connected to your phone. Instead you need to contact The Telecom Regulator OFCOM on 0207 9813040. They will give you a reference number for your enquiry, and should clear the existing supplier from the line within seven days. You should then check up with OFCOM everyday till the marker is removed, do not lose your reference number.

Watch Live TV For Free Online - Get Connected Today

There is a lot of talk at the moment about whether it is possible and legal to watch live tv for free online or not. There are a plethora of sites out there that offer this possibility, but it seems hard to imagine that you can gain access to thousands of channels using just your computer. It must be said now that 95% of sites that offer this capability do not deliver what they promise. They claim to supply you with XYZ, and after you have taken out your credit card and paid, you are bitterly disappointed with the lack of channels and the quality.However, they are a small number of sites that can give you what you want, that being live TV for free from your computer.If you are new to the opportunity of watching live TV for free online, let me cover a few areas to clear your mind of any questions you might have:What You Need When you sign up to a creditable web site offering such a service, you will need to download their software which is usually very small and does not take more than a few minutes to install. Once you have done this, all you will actually need from then on is a computer, whether it is a PC or a laptop, preferably a fast internet connection, and a free media player package like RealPlayer or MediaPlayer which you can download for free from their relevant sites. With regards to an internet connection, the faster the internet connection the faster you will stream. As a result, you will receive a higher quality picture and sound to go with it. With a decent connection, you can watch fantastic television on full screen. The capability is there. It will work from a dial-up computer, and you can still enjoy the benefits but broadband speed or higher is certainly recommended in order to receive full value.Financial Aspect99% of the time, you will be asked to pay a small one time fee, and from then on you will be able to watch TV for free. Do not sign up to web sites that want you to pay a subscription charge or monthly fees because that is not how the industry mainly charges for such services.Sites asking for ongoing fees are, to be frank, being greedy.The Freedom It Offers YouIf you have picked the right package (very tricky these days), then being able to watch TV online offers you substantial freedom and other benefits. You can watch exactly what you would like to watch without others changing the channel. This is especially useful when you have a family, and each person wants to watch something different.If you do not actually have cable or satellite in the first place, then such a service gives you this for a very small fee. With technology these days, you can connect your computer to the television easily and reap the same rewards as you would if you were paying high monthly fees for cable!There are many more benefits which I am sure you can think of, but ultimately it comes down to more freedom and flexibility for you.

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Slow Broadband Connection?

Is it time you found out why ? These days there are a lot of people using a Broadband Internet connection to get online. As a consumer you can get Broadband through use of DSL, which is normally supplied by a phone company, or you can get a connection with a cable Internet Company, providing that there is one in your area. Generally speaking broadband will grant you a relatively fast connection which will be a must if you are thinking of downloading and viewing/listening to videos and music.But as we all know technology isn't perfect and sometimes you may experience a painfully slow connection even with Broadband. If you are or have experienced this you should know that there could be lots of reasons to why it is happening to you; your internet provider may be having some problems or your computer may have become victim to viruses and spyware. Your fist step towards sorting the problem should be to run a broadband speed test on your connection. Why, because this will help you determine whether the problem is on your end or your providers.If you call your Internet provider, they will most likely be able to run a broadband speed test on

What are the different types Of Broadband

So what is broadband? Broadband is a steady connection to the internet at high speed. It frees up your phone line and only needs a broadband connection, which is typically provided by your cable provider. If you've been using dial-up for all your internet usage, you may be sick and tired of the slow download speed and the slow page loads. You may realize that you are actually sort of living in the Stone Age, when it comes to computers at least. With internet broadband, you only need to click a link to experience the difference. Broadband is much faster, more reliable and if you've never used it before, you are seriously missing out. Call your cable provider and check with them how much they charge for a broadband connection. Sometimes, you can get a special offer if you're their first time customer because these companies understand that people who want to learn more about broadband are potential in trying it out. These companies let you try it out at very low cost, and sometimes free, because they know that once you experience the power of broadband, you will never want to go back to dial-up again. Different Types Of Broadband Providers More than a decade since the Internet has become a common thing in many households, an increasing number of households are making the switch from slow, dial-up Internet service to the fast broadband service. More and more people are taking advantage of higher speeds and enjoying the Internet. As technology advances, many differing and competing broadband providers come into place, each offering somewhat different flavors of broadband. To really decide what 's most excellent, it helps to know what 's different in each kind of service. This way, you can make an informed preference about which broadband provider is best for you. DSL Internet DSL, which stands for digital subscriber line, is one of the initial forms of broadband service. DSL broadband providers give their service through the phone line. The design of DSL allows you to access the internet without tying up the line for phone calls. One of the big advantages to DSL broadband providers is that they're common, they can work with any existing phone lines, and they're often cheaper than other forms of broadband. However, DSL is limited by a customer 's distance from their local phone switch, which means this can be nearly impossible to have in some rural areas. Cable Cable broadband providers use the same lines as your cable television channels to deliver Internet service. It was the fastest internet service for a long time, and can still increase in speed that can't be matched by DSL service at comparable costs. However, please note that this speed is shared by users in a designated area, so the more popular it is in your area; the more likely it is that you'll see a loss in performance at busy times. FiOS FiOS stands for fiber-optic service. It is one of the latest forms of broadband service. Presently offered generally in the United States, FiOS currently tops the other providers in terms of speed. FiOS not only provides quality service, but also allows users to have their cable television and telephone service delivered through FiOS as well, for a good package deal. The disadvantage of Fios, right now at least, is that it 's only available in the United States through one company. No matter which kind of broadband provider you choose, you're sure to see a huge difference in the speed of your internet service, resulting in greater productivity and fun with the Internet.

What Should I do there’s an unknown Broadband ISP in my house?

You've just moved into your new flat or house and naturally you want to get your PC up and running with Broadband so you can keep in touch with the rest of the world. But when you try to sign up for Broadband, you find that the previous occupant had Broadband already and that your chosen ISP is unable to connect you until the previous occupant's ISP is disconnected and a ‘marker’ removed from the line. Worse, you have no idea who the previous occupant was let alone who that ISP might be. What do you do?
You might think that BT (who still at least provides the physical connection to your house) would be able to help. Not so. Along with the many advantages of deregulated telecoms comes this one. BT has no way to tell which ISP is connected to your phone. Instead you need to contact The Telecom Regulator OFCOM on 0207 9813040. They will give you a reference number for your enquiry, and should clear the existing supplier from the line within seven days. You should then check up with OFCOM everyday till the marker is removed, do not lose your reference number.

Whats Fair About a Broadband 'Fair Usage Policy'?

Whats Fair About a Broadband 'Fair Usage Policy'? You may have noticed that, though your Internet Service Providers (ISPs) offers"unlimited" downloads, usage is subject to a "fair usage policy" and wondered what was going on. Essentially, fair usage policies limit the usage of "heavy" or "excessive" users at peak times. These restrictions are imposed to ensure that the best quality of broadband is available to the maximum number of internet users. I feel that these limits are restricting and unfair. It may be worth your while to shop around and find an ISP that has no restrictions in place. What are "Peak Times?" These vary from ISP to ISP but are generally from 6pm-11pm, when people arrive home from work, college, school etc. What is a "Heavy" or "Excessive" User? Heavy or excessive users are generally those who use Peer-to-Peer (P2P) or file sharing software. They are users are those who upload and download large files such as movies and music to their computer on a daily basis. These users take up excessive bandwidth, slowing the connection down for everyone else that shares their connection. How much is too much? Day to day surfing, checking emails and occasional downloading should not get you into trouble with your ISP, however, downloading a 1-3GB movie every day is almost certain to. The key is to keep an eye on the amount that you are downloading and, if classed as a heavy or excessive user, restructure your internet usage pattern so that you are not uploading or downloading at peak times. How is usage limited? Generally, after a couple of months of excessive use, ISPs will notify you if they feel that your usage is heavy or excessive. This notification will usually point you in the direction of their specific policy on "fair usage" and suggest that you refrain from up- or down-loading large files at peak times. If you don't take heed of their warnings your ISP will slow down the speed of your connection at peak times. In serious cases your ISP may terminate your internet connection. Be warned. How can i control the amount of data i download ? Monitoring freeware is available to help you with this and are freely available on the Internet. If you want to download a large chunk of data then maybe restrict yourself to downloading during off-peak hours.

So, what is a MAC code?

A Mac has nothing to with fast-food; MAC stands for Migration Authorisation Code. It is issued by your existing broadband provider and is used to seamlessly switch from one provider to another without having to wait weeks to cease your line and re-register with another provider. It is usually about 17 character’s long, you do not have to worry yourself with the bizarre format.
How do I switch from one provider to another provider? It's easy to switch, all you have to do is
1. Obtain your MAC Code from your current broadband provider. This is normally achieved by calling their cancellation line and you should receive it in less than 5 working days by either email or a courtesy phone call. 2. Contact your new provider and register your Mac Code with them.
3. After registration you will receive a confirmation email or a confirmation snail mail with further detail as to when the switch will occur. The switch will usually occur in 10 working days from the date you registered. Do I cancel my account with my current broadband provider? No! It is important you do not cancel your account with your existing broadband provider. If you do, you may be without broadband for several weeks.
Can I switch from any Internet Service Provider to any Internet Service Provider? You should be able to switch from all non-cable broadband providers. Will my MAC code expire? Yes, MAC Codes do expire. You must use it 30 days from when it is issued
What do I do if my Mac Code expires?
It will no longer be valid. If your MAC code does expire you will need to call your existing service provider and ask them to re-issue you another one.
What to do if your existing Broadband Provider refuses to issue you your Mac Code?
If you’re existing Broadband provider refuses to issue you your Mac Code, then log a formal complaint with the Telecom Watchdog Ofcom on 02079813040.

What IS LLU ?

LLU - Local Loop Unbundling - is when an ISP (or more correctly a Communications Provider in current BT-speak) has installed its own equipment in your exchange.

At the exchange broadband lines coming in from the customer are connected to either a DSLAM, or in the case of BT 21CN broadband an MSAN. So BT Wholesale have theirs, and LLU ISPs have their own.

Most or possibly all LLU ISP DSLAMs are 24Mbps-capable (ADSL2+). These ISPs normally offer “up to” 16, 20 or 24Mbps packages, as well as rate-capped 8Mbps ones at a lower price as direct competition with BT-based 8Mbps products.

Because they have their own equipment in the exchange and arrange their own backhaul from there to themselves, even though they may use BT connectivity to do that, they are released from the pricing structures of BT Wholesale IPStream/DataStream/WBC/WBMC/IPSC. They can therefore offer broadband far cheaper than those ISPs who have to use BT Wholesale, and some are also now offering wholesale services to other ISPs in the same way as BT Wholesale do.

Importantly, there are two sorts/kinds of LLU. Full LLU (technically called Full Metallic Path Facility or FMPF) is where the CP takes complete control of your phone service as well as the broadband. The main examples that spring to my mind are TalkTalk and Tiscali, although as I understand it both also supply BT Wholesale products in some situations.

Partial LLU, (Shared Metallic Path Facility or SMPF) is where the phone service stays with BT Wholesale (billed to you by BT Retail or the Post Office or one of several others), but the broadband is provided by the LLU CP.

Examples being O2/Be, Cable & Wireless and Sky/UKOnline. However, Sky have announced that new customers are wherever possible being put onto FMPF and existing customers being offered the option of changing over. More information.

What isn’t commonly known is that with all ADSLx connections the customer’s line is connected to the broadband DSLAM/MSAN, and the telephone service at the exchange end is also connected to the DSLAM/MSAN in order to get to the customer’s line.

Interleaving/ Fast Path

Interleaving is a process by which the data in ATM data packets are split and shared between packets. A very rough and ready description is that the data in each of (for example) four packets is split into quarters and a quarter from each original package is included in the final packages that get transmitted.

This allows error correction routines to correct most packets that suffer corruption during transmission, so improving throughput rates at any given line speed. (Otherwise the corrupt packet would need re-transmission).

How this works technically is way beyond me and I don’t feel the need to know. But because of the processing involved before transmission, and the reassembly of the data at the receiving end, latency/ping is always increased. Typically around 20ms extra. Which gamers don’t like.

Fast Path is when Interleaving is off.

Connection speed is not generally affected, but on ADSL Max if the line can connect at 8128kbps on Fast Path this is usually reduced to 7616kbps. A few combinations of modem/router and exchange DSLAM can still achieve the full 8128kbps even with interleaving, particularly TI chipset-based.

In the line stats that you may see from your modem/router FECs (Forward Error Corrections) or RS (Reed-Solomon) corrections are counters of such corrected data. If you are thinking of having Interleaving turned off, those figures are useful to know.

Broadband Glossary.

CP - Communications Provider. The latest BT buzz-word for the company from which users buy/rent telephone and broadband services.

DLM - Dynamic Line Management. Monitors the general performance of the line and adjusts settings such as target noise margins, exchange power output levels and so on.

DMT - Data Modem Tool. A popular software package for monitoring and adjusting modem/router parameters.

Dynamic IP. With Dynamic IP your ISP assigns you an IP address every time your modem/router is switched on. Though with may ISPs the dynamic address is “sticky” - it is very often the same as previously. Also see Static IP.

FECs - Forward Error Corrections. A count of packets corrected by a modem/router. See Interleaving.

FTR - Fault Threshold Rate. BT Wholesale connections, 70% of MSR.

Interleaving. A way of spreading data across multiple packets so as to enable various error correction routines.

IP address. Your computer’s address on the internet.

IP Profile. A setting in BT Wholesale products that sets maximum download speeds in certain bands.

IPSC - IPStream Connect. An interim product from BT Wholesale allowing user connections at non-WBC-enabled exchanges to be delivered to the ISP over WBC or WBMC.

IPStream. BT Wholesale proprietary name for the technology behind “up to 8Mbps” ADSL Max.

ISP - Internet Service Provider. Now usually referred to by BT as a Communications Provider (CP).

LLU - Local Loop Unbundling/Unbundled - The system by which ISPs can install their own communications equipment in BT exchanges and have their customers’ lines connected to it rather than the BT Wholesale equipment.

MSR - Maximum Stable Rate. A parameter set by the 10-day training period on BT Wholesale connections.

Noise Margin - Please see Signal to Noise Ratio Margin.

Power-cycle - Switch off, wait say 20 seconds for the electronics to calm down a bit, and switch back on.

RS Corrections - Reed-Solomon Corrections. A count of packets corrected by a modem/router. See Interleaving.

Slamming - where a Communications Provider (CP), (or in fact any provider such as gas or electricity), transfers you to their products/system whether or not you intend or wish that to happen.

SNR - Signal to Noise Ratio. Exactly what it says, the ratio of the signal strength to the noise level.

SNRM - Signal to Noise Ratio Margin (also know as Noise Margin and erroneously reported as SNR by many domestic ADSL modem/routers). An amount by which the noise level can rise before the connection will be lost. Some modems will hold to -1dB or -2dB margin, others will lose connection anywhere below 3dB.

Static IP. With static IP, when you sign up to an ISP they assign you a permanent/fixed IP address. The main purpose of a static IP is to allow easy (legitimate) connection to your modem/router from others on the net. For example if you run a web or mail server on one of your computers, or might want to connect to it yourself from elsewhere using a laptop. Also see Dynamic IP.

WBC - BT Wholesale Broadband Connect. An “up to 24Mbps” product for large ISPs who have the capability to install links to 20 BT nodes throughout the country and do all the data handling from there independently of BT.

WBMC - BT Wholesale Broadband Managed Connect. Similar to WBC but BT bring the data to an ISPs own handover point.