| Dial up is a means of connecting to the Internet using | | | | Speed varies greatly between dial up, ISDN and |
| a modem. Dial up modems use the phone line to | | | | Broadband. With almost all dial up modems running at |
| establish a connection to an Internet Service Provider | | | | 56k, they lack the speed of a dual ISDN line or |
| (ISP), and then on to the Internet. | | | | Broadband. Dual ISDN runs at 128kbps and Broadband |
| The modem alters the digital data from the PC to an | | | | can run up to 4mb. |
| analogue signal that is compatible with a phone line | | | | Most of the dial up providers now offer a broadband |
| and then does the opposite with the information | | | | connection and use the same service line as the |
| received, changing it into digital information. | | | | other so there is not a lot of difference between the |
| What is a modem? Modem stands for Modulator | | | | online help of the two kinds. |
| Demodulator. The name derives from the technology | | | | There are some companies who have better service |
| used in modems, which takes a digital signal and | | | | and help than others in both dial up and broadband. |
| either converts it to an analogue signal (Modulates it) | | | | In terms of availability there are some places in the |
| or converts an analogue signal back into a digital signal | | | | country that are still unable to get dial up but the |
| (Demodulates it). | | | | percentage of coverage area is around 98%, there is |
| ISPs | | | | a greater number of places in the country that |
| Internet service providers. The companies who | | | | cannot access broadband or ISDN. |
| provide you with access to the internet via a dial up | | | | Twenty six percent of EU consumers now have |
| phone number. | | | | broadband at home. In the next couple of years, |
| Dial up is the original method of connecting to the | | | | European broadband will continue to grow at a |
| Internet and is still used in many places around the | | | | healthy pace thanks to the large installed base of |
| world despite the arrival of ADSL. It provides a | | | | dial-up users. |
| reasonably cheap way to access the resources on | | | | However, from a demand-side perspective, high |
| the Internet and access to email accounts. | | | | broadband growth rates are not sustainable. A key |
| Unlike broadband it uses a phone line, so only one | | | | long-term broadband growth challenge remains |
| person can be on the Internet or use the phone at | | | | shifting the PC adoption rates upward, and in |
| any given time. However, this problem can be solved | | | | countries like France, there are few dial-up users left |
| by installing another phone line with a separate | | | | to convert to broadband. |
| number. | | | | Nearly 60% of European dial-up users haven't |
| Dial Up vs. Broadband | | | | converted to broadband because they see no need |
| There are obvious advantages to choosing | | | | for it and they find it too expensive. And 64% of EU |
| broadband over dial up, not least of all being the | | | | dial-up users don't know when they will migrate to |
| speed; but if you are only looking to use the internet | | | | broadband. |
| for emailing and occasional research then dial up may | | | | So interestingly dial up is not dead, long live dial up. |
| suit better. | | | | |