Broadband
Transmission over distance of voice, data, & video
With an ever-increasing demand to stay connected, the Internet has evolved from a novel entertainment to the vital lifeblood of whole industries and the core avenue for communication.
Broadband is the physical infrastructure using various frequency bands to transmit data, similar to wires with electricity, plumbing pipes with water, or roads to drive on to handle errands.
Common uses include forms of:
- Communication (email, text messages, phone calls, social media, news media, Zoom meetings);
- Entertainment (gaming, moves & television, music);
- Commerce (shopping, business interactions, inventory tracking, taxes);
- Education (records, virual classes, self-education, research, library access, digital books);
- Healthcare (virtual appointments, general information, access test results, order medications).
- How is broadband defined?
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The State of Washington defines broadband as "Any service providing advanced telecommunications capability and internet access with transmission speeds [at or above] 100Mbs download & 20Mbs upload". Revised Code of Washington 43.330.530 (4)
- How does broadband work?
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The term "broadband" specifically refers to the large (or broad) grouping of frequency bands used for high-speed digital information transfer. Each band in the spectrum allows information to travel at a slightly different speed, much like fast lanes and slow lanes on a highway. Service providers can use several of these frequency bands to prevent a backup of information by switching data to another with lower usage. In this way, there a broad band of frequencies in use and thus how the term "broadband" came about. The FCC identifies and creates rules about who is allowed to use which frequencies. Some of these bands are used for radio or television, wireless communication, or restricted to military or other government purposes only.
- What is Speed in relation to broadband/internet?
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The speed of the connection ientifies how quickly information packets are sent and received between the user computer and the destination servers.
Speeds are noted by how many bits are sent per second and represented by a prefix which determines the scale the speed is being measured. The federal government defines one hundred megabytes per second (100Mbps) download and twenty megabytes per second (20Mbps) upload as properly served speeds for individual homes.
- Why do network speeds and capacity matter?
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"When a user connects to the Internet, the download speed is the rate at which data (websites, videos, music, etc.) is transferred from another source to the device. Upload speed is the rate at which data (photos, videos) is uploaded to the Internet. If a user is going to download or upload numerous large files (e.g., streaming videos, a digital photo album) with low network speed, it could take hours for the content to transfer. Network speeds also have the potential to impact speed of delivery for emergency services or telemedicine." - BroadbandUSA by the NTIA
- How many households are using broadband?
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"According to 2019 data from NTIA’s Internet Use Survey, 79 percent of Americans are using the Internet from any location, up from 71 percent in 2013. This survey samples approximately 50,000 households across all 50 states and the District of Columbia." - BroadbandUSA by the NTIA
- Why are so many Americans still not online?
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"People cite many reasons why they do not use broadband. However, the five most common broadband adoption barriers are: cost, access, skills, relevance and perception. Many demographic groups have historically lagged in using the Internet. These include senior citizens, minorities and Americans with lower levels of educational attainment." - BroadbandUSA by the NTIA
- What are the differences between Cable, Fiber Optic, Low-Earth Orbit, and Wireless?
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All these technologies provide internet access. They vary in the specific technology used, speeds available for service, how they are accessed by users, and even how the services are charged for by the individual providers.
Cable (Coaxial): Often budled with television and landline services, the information transmitted can also support internet access. The signals sent along the coaxial cable uses an insulated copper alloy wire. Coaxial cable is a sturdy wire and easy to hang from utility poles. This technology is currently available to 82% of households, per the FCC.
Fiber Optic: Pulses of light are used to send data, which is easily transmitted through fibers or thin rods of glass. It is durable, reliable, and provides more information-carrying capacity than traditional options. Speeds using this technology can run as high as 50Gbps, but most comonly speeds should be closer to 1,000 Mbps (also known as 1Gbps). This technology is currently available to 46% of households, per the FCC.
Low-earth Orbit (LEO): Satellites can be used to transmit broadband service. This requires a hardware purchase in addition to the monthly high subscription cost. Ground-based satellite receivers can be affected by weather and local physical disturbances, such as tree limbs or vehicles. For those is very difficult to reach locations, this may be the only available option. LEO service cannot always guarantee the same consistency of service speeds without supportive redundancy in the satellite system.
Wireless: Service provided in-home by 5G carriers uses the cell phone network and towers to transmit the signals wirelessly from the main hub to the local destination tower. From there, the signal is transmitted via fiber optic or cable through ground connections to the home. These can be affected by weather, but cell towers are usually more resillient than an individual receiver. However, if a phone carrier experiences an outage across their system, both phone and internet services are impacted.
- Do I need broadband?
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No, but our society is quickly embracing digital functions to enhance our daily lives. Making reources available online is often a cost-cutting measure, allowing funding to directed to other needs like labor and safety.
Electricity and running water were once considered exceptional, but now are deemed vital in society. Broadband may one reach that poinat as well.
- What is a BSL?
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Broadband Serviceable Location (BSL) - in a nutshell, this is the building a home is in. A single family house is a single BSL. For an apartment complex, each individual building is a single BSL with multiple units. Depending on building codes and particular construction methods, some duplexes and triplexes can be a single BSL per building or multiple. Some small businesses also qualify, but this a nuanced definition and requires a lot of follow-up questions.
If you have a business and would like to inquire further, you may consult the FCC Fabric Map at https://broadbandmap.fcc.gov/location-summary/. Make sure the version is set to what is labeled as "latest" and then enter your address. For further clarification, contact the Broadband Coordinator at Island County for help navigating the question.
- Can broadband affect my health?
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If using broadband to connect to tele-health professionals, this is a positive way it can affect health!
Broadband is not harmful to human health. Neither fiber optic nor coaxial cable emit any kind of radiation. Internet services transmitted by satellite and 5G networks use radio waves and then translated into electrical or light pulses for the ground portion of the system.
Radio waves are not normally harmful to humans unless super concentrated, similar to an output such as the sun outside from the protective electromagnetic shield produced by the Earth. We do not currently have the technology to produce such levels to have it commonly around the populace.