The term "Broadband" simply means faster Internet than dialup. It comes in several different 'flavours' and much like an irrigation system, the wider the bandwidth or ‘pipe’, the more data can be transferred. Bandwidth speeds are expressed in kilobytes per second (kbps); the higher the speed, the wider the bore of the ‘pipe’. True Broadband is generally considered to start at 512 kbps, which is about 20 times faster than the average dialup speed of 28 kbps.

But Broadband is so much more than the ability to transmit data - it is a high speed communication network servicing all sectors of the economy. Throughout the world, it is helping governments, businesses and citizens do what they have always done more efficiently – and helping them to do things that they have never done before.

In the immortal words of President Obama during his inauguration speech, Broadband has become the "digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together".

In Australia, the quality of broadband infrastructure will help shape our future living standards, international competitive standing, the vitality of our regions and our ability to respond to climate change.

A recent survey by the Australian Industry Group of their members showed that:

• More than 93 per cent of companies feel the internet has had a positive impact on their efficiency/productivity.

• 66 per cent of businesses believe they will benefit greatly from faster broadband — 69.7 per cent in the case of regional companies.

• 36 per cent of businesses expect large increases in financial activity with faster broadband.

There are particular economic benefits for people living in rural areas as broadband makes it so much easier to operate a business from home or to tele-commute. and the reduced need to travel saves on fuel costs.

Broadband comes in several different flavours. ADSL is a technology that uses the copper wire telephone infrastructure to deliver Broadband. However, it has limitations as the signal will only travel up to approx. 6.5 km. That‘s fine in an urban region with high density population, but in a rural region, many people live too far from the ADSL enabled exchange to access the service.

But there are alternative solutions - in the case of Broadband, it is simply a case of looking up at the sky.

Next G/3G wireless Broadband uses radio waves to connect a wireless transceiver on your premises with a wireless Broadband transceiver that provides the local service coverage via the mobile phone network. In rural regions this is usually located on a high point such as a mountain. It is a very flexible technology that is ideally suited to a rural environment, but it is affected by distance and also geographical features such as mountains, buildings, lakes and trees.

Flexibility is one of the big advantages of Next G/3Gwireless Broadband and it is often used in emergency situations where there has been damage to the telecommunications infrastructure to provide an alternative communications system

Telstra operates a wireless Broadband service under the trademark ‘Next G Broadband’. This service is a quality Broadband product, but although it is significantly more expensive, two new 'Liberty' plans have made it more affordable.

The service covers “99% of the population of Australia”, but since much of the population live in cities or around the coastal fringes, coverage is may not be quite as comprehensive as it sounds.

A relocatable (desktop) modem or mobile (laptop) modem costs $299. Bigpond has a current promotion offering a rebate of $299 for the cost of the modem.

And finally, two-way satellite is a now an excellent and very affordable solution for anyone who is unable to access other forms of Broadband.

The new, ultra high tech IPSTAR Broadband satellite has revolutionized the market by providing two-way satellite Broadband at ADSL prices. The biggest commercial satellite ever launched, it is capable of connecting up to 8 million customers at speeds of 2048 kbps. It uses a system of high intensity spot beams and ground stations to deliver a high quality Broadband service, even in adverse weather conditions.

There are other forms of Broadband such as Ethernet cable, Fibre-optic cable and Broadband over power lines, but none of these are likely to be available in our region in the very near future.

Internet speeds can be affected by several other factors:

• The number of users on a web site or server you are using at that time.

• The number of people sharing your network at that time.

• How far you are from the local telephone exchange (ADSL, ADSL2+, VDSL). (The distance from the exchange does not typically apply to Cable broadband connections).

• The number of users in your cell - if using Wireless 3G Broadband.

If your business is dependant on the Internet as a means of communication, it pays to have a backup system, even if it is just a cheap $9.95 dialup account. Next G Broadband also provides a viable backup option.

Paul Heymans is a rural Broadband advocate. Please feel welcome to contact him on 07-5427 0132 or email him for free advice if you have experienced any problems accessing Broadband services in your region.

Request a free Broadband Availability check - we research the availability of ADSL, wireless and satellite Broadband at your location.