Broadband glossary – know your ADSL from your VPNs
2.4 GHz: The frequency band commonly used for lots of different electrical products, including Wi-Fi networks. This refers to the radio frequency at which signals are transmitted between devices and the router.
5 GHz: A higher frequency band that offers several advantages over the 2.4 GHz band. Your Wi-Fi network can get a faster data transfer rate and reduced interference by switching to this radio frequency.
4G: This is the short name for fourth-generation wireless. All the generations (3G, 4G, 5G) are defined by the International Telecommunication Union and specifies all of its standards, including transmission technology and data speeds.
4K: 4K resolution refers to a horizontal display resolution of around 4,000 pixels. This higher pixel count offers a clearer and more detailed image which makes it great for TV, gaming, and professional video editing.
5G: This is the fifth generation of wireless technology. It is designed to be faster, more reliable and more flexible than previous generations. It is up to 100 times faster than 4G.
ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line): Also known as ‘standard broadband’ was the norm before fibre broadband was introduced. It provides an internet connection through the same line as your home phone. With this technology you can get a maximum download speed of 24Mpbs.
Find out more about standard broadband.
Asymmetrical broadband: This is an internet service where the download speed is significantly higher than the upload speed. The average asymmetrical connection has a ratio of about 15:1, meaning that for every 15 Mbps you can download, you can only upload at about 1 Mbps.
Bandwidth: Refers to the maximum amount of data that can be transmitted over an internet connection in a given amount of time. If the bandwidth of a network is 40 Mbps, it means that the network can’t transmit data faster than 40 Mbps.
Bits: 'Bit' is short for ‘binary digit’ and it’s the smallest unit of data we have. Bits are typically used to measure broadband connection speeds at a rate of how many bits can be transmitted over a network per second e.g. 50Mbps.
Bluetooth: Is a wireless technology that uses a radio frequency to share data over short distances, removing the need for wires. You can use Bluetooth on your mobile device to share documents or connect with other Bluetooth-enabled devices. Bluetooth devices must be paired before they can begin transferring information.
Bolt-on: These are additional benefits you can add to your existing broadband plan. For example, you can get TV extras and phone packages added on as extras to many internet deals.
Broadband: A high-speed internet connection that is always on and removes the need for dial-up. Broadband connections include Wi-Fi, DSLs, fibre, and satellites.
Bytes: Are a unit used to measure the size of data in broadband, such as the size of files that are downloaded or uploaded.
Cable broadband: Cable broadband connects your home to a fibre cabinet in your area. However, instead of using copper wires, cable broadband uses coaxial cables to connect to the cabinet, giving you a much faster internet connection than the traditional copper phone line cables.
Cooling off period: A broadband cooling-off period is a set time after signing up for a broadband contract when you can cancel without a penalty. This is usually 14 days, but some providers may offer more time.
Dongle: This refers to any small adapter device that plugs in and connects to a computer, providing an additional function. The term you'll hear it used most for in broadband is as a USB device that provides mobile internet access without Wi-Fi.
Download: Means to transfer data or software to your computer or phone from another device or from the internet.
Download speed: This is the rate at which data is transferred from the internet to your device. It's important because it affects the quality of your online experience. Download speed is measured in megabits per second (Mbps).
Ethernet: This technology allows devices to communicate to each other directly by cables to local area networks. This is useful in the home, particularly with gaming, as it offers higher speeds, lower latency and greater security than Wi-Fi.
Fair usage policy: Even if you have an unlimited plan, a fair usage policy (FUP) allows your ISP to reduce your download speed. It limits excessie data use at peak times so there's enough bandwidth for everyone online. Not everyone will have this applied to them, check when signing up to a new plan.
Fibre broadband: Is a type of internet connection that offers a faster and more reliable internet connection than the alternatives. It uses plastic or glass cables rather than the standard copper wires used in regular broadband connections.
Firewall: A network security device that monitors and controls traffic between a network and the internet, or between a computer and a network. It acts as a barrier to prevent unauthorised access and to protect it from harmful activities and threats
Fixed line: Fixed-line broadband is used to describe any physical link, such as fibre or ADSL, to get your internet delivered. This term is used to differentiate between services – like mobile or satellite internet – that are transmitted without physical infrastructure.
FTTC: Stands for Fibre To The Cabinet, a type of broadband connection that uses a combination of copper and fibre optic cables to deliver superfast broadband to homes and businesses. It’s also known as partial fibre.
FTTP: This technology relies entirely on fibre optic cables that run from the broadband exchange to your property, which is also why they can be known as ‘fibre to the premises’ (FTTP). There’s no need for anything in between. Using this technique it is possible to get speeds exceeding 1,000Mbps (1Gbps).
ISP: An Internet Service Provider (ISP) is a company – e.g. EE, Sky, Virgin Media – that provides people with access to the internet for either personal or business use.
Fibre broadband: Is replacing all standard broadband. It uses fibre optic cables instead of copper cables. Fibre connections are able to achieve up to 1,000 times the bandwidth of copper connections. However, there are two different types of fibre broadband on offer and only one can achieve the lightning speeds. See above and below for more about the two different types: FTTC and FTTP.
Find out more about fibre broadband
Full fibre: The speediest option available in the UK, this is a fibre-optic broadband connection that goes directly to your property without the need for copper phone lines. It's also referred to as 'fibre to the premises' (FTTP). See above.
Find out more about full fibre broadband
Gigabits/Gb/Gbps: Gigabit broadband is a type of internet connection that can provide download speeds of at least 1,000 megabits per second (Mbps), or 1 gigabit per second (Gbps). This is about 16 times faster than the average UK broadband speed of 59.4 Mbps.
IP address: Or, Internet Protocol address, is a unique number that identifies a device connected to the internet. IP addresses are used to allow devices to communicate with each other and transfer data over the internet.
LAN (Local Area Network): A local area network (LAN) is a collection of devices connected together in one physical location, such as a building, office, or home. A LAN can be small or large, ranging from a home network with one user to an enterprise network with thousands of users and devices in an office or school.
Latency: Is the length of time between a user making a request on the internet – for example, hitting the search button – and seeing a response on screen. When it takes a long time for the action to be completed, you have high latency. When actions happen almost instantaneously, that’s low latency.
Mbps: Stands for megabits per second, the unit of measurement for internet speed. It's used to measure how fast a network or internet connection is and a higher number of Mbps means faster online activity.
Mesh network: Is a group of connectivity devices, such as Wi-Fi routers that act as a single network, so there are multiple sources of connectivity around your house instead of just a single router. This helps provide uninterrupted Wi-Fi throughout your home.
Ofcom: An abbreviation for the ‘Office of Communications’, this is the regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries. It regulates the TV and radio sectors, fixed line telecoms, mobiles, postal services, plus the airwaves over which wireless devices operate.
Openreach: This is the company that builds and runs the UK's broadband networks, so all the cabling, street cabinets and connections to local exchanges. If your internet is supplied via a phone line (basically, from anyone other than Virgin Media, Gigaclear or a couple of other alternative networks) the chances are your home is using the Openreach network.
Phishing: Is when attackers send scam emails (or text messages) with links to malicious websites. The websites may contain malware which can sabotage systems and organisations. Or, they might be designed to trick users into revealing sensitive information such as passwords.
Ping: Is the time it takes for the system to respond to an action, such as pressing a button or moving a joystick. Ping is measured in milliseconds (ms) and a good ping rate is as low as possible. A ping rate of 15 to 20 ms is considered exceptional. A high ping can cause lag and juddering.
Resolution: Is a measurement of the number of pixels that can be displayed on a screen or in a camera sensor. It's a way of describing the clarity and sharpness of an image or picture, and is measured in dots per inch. A higher resolution means more pixels per inch, which results in a sharper and clearer image.
Router/Hub: A broadband router is hardware with a modem that allows multiple devices to share a broadband connection by splitting the internet connection among them.
Standard broadband: Also known as ADSL (asymmetric digital subscriber line), is a basic internet connection that uses copper phone lines to send and receive data. Once the main form of broadband, fibre has quickly taken over and standard broadband is very much on its way out.
Streaming: Is a way to transmit data over the internet in a continuous flow, allowing users to watch or listen to content without having to download it first
Symmetrical broadband: This is an internet connection that has equal upload and download speeds.
Throttling: Bandwidth throttling, also known as internet throttling or data throttling, is when an internet service provider intentionally slows down a user's internet service. This can be because of network congestion or to impose data limits on customers with excessive usage.
Traffic: A term used for data being sent across a network.
Upload/Upload speed: Uploading is transferring anything from your device to the internet. So that could be uploading your photos to Instagram, gaming or having a video call in Zoom. This is measured in Mbps (megabits per second).
Superfast broadband: is a high-speed fibre internet service that provides speeds of between 30 Mbps up to 300 Mbps.
Unlimited broadband: Unlimited broadband is a broadband service that allows you to use as much data as you want without any restrictions on your monthly usage.
Ultrafast broadband: Is a full fibre broadband connection that is faster than 300Mbps but does not exceed 1Gbps.
VoIP: Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is a technology that allows users to make and receive phone calls over the internet with no need for a landline.
VPN: A virtual private network is a service that encrypts data and masks IP addresses to protect users' privacy and security online.
Wi-Fi: Wireless connectivity, often known as Wi-Fi, is a technology that allows a PC, laptop, mobile phone, or tablet device to connect at high speed to the internet without the need for a physical wired connection. The technology uses radio signals to transmit information between your Wi-Fi enabled devices and a router.
Wireless Access Key: Also known as a network security key or Wi-Fi password, is a password or code that allows a user to connect to a wireless network. You’ll normally be able to find this on the back of your router.