One of the questions many people have when selecting high-speed Internet service is, "What is bandwidth?" It is a term used in TV advertisements and marketing brochures, but many people don't know exactly what it means. To help you better understand your telecommunications options, below is an explanation of bandwidth regarding Internet usage.

What Is Bandwidth?

Bandwidth is a measure of how much communication data can be transferred from one network location to another during a given amount of time. It is typically measured in "bits per second," although given the prevalence of modern high-speed Internet service, bitrate capacities are large enough now that most measurements discuss "mega" (a million) or "giga' (a billion) bits per second. What all this means is just that the more bandwidth you have available to you, the more quickly you can upload or (more commonly) download files from the Internet.

What Are Other Similar Terms?

Bandwidth is sometimes discussed in terms of other measurements, such as speed, throughput, and latency. These are similar—though not identical—terms. Network communications channels are like pipelines. 

Some channels are very narrow but permit information to flow through them at faster speeds. Other channels are so wide that, even at slower speeds, they can deliver more information than faster, narrower channels can. Latency is also called lag time. It's a measure of how long it takes digital information to reach you from. 

Throughput is similar to bandwidth, but if bandwidth is a theoretical rate, throughput measures how much actual information reaches its destination. It must include network speed, of course, but it is also affected by latency and "packet loss"—which occurs when packets of information fail to reach the destination.

If you seek high-speed Internet service with greater bandwidth than you have now, contact Union Springs Telephone Co, the premier wireless service and television provider in Union Springs, AL. They have served Bullock County for more than 60 years, so they have the know-how and experience to provide reliable, crystal clear communications. They are also proud of their friendly, helpful customer care and efficient help-desk service. Learn more about them on their website or call (334) 738-4400 to discuss your high-speed Internet bandwidth options.