Glossary

ADSL 

Asymmetric digital subscriber line. A digital technology that allows the use of a standard telephone line to provide high-speed data communications. Allows higher speeds in one direction (towards the customer) than the other.

Bandwidth 

Bandwidth refers to how much data you can send through a network or modem connection. It is usually measured in bits per second, or "bps."

Broadband

A term used to by retail internet service providers to describe their high-speed, always-on, access to the Internet. The term broadband originally refers to the range of high frequency signals used to carry the data being transmitted. Broadband is most often delivered via a connection through a telephone line or cable service, but can also be delivered using wireless and satellite connections. A potential access speed of less than 512 Kbps is deemed not to be broadband.

Contention ratio 

An indication of the number of customers who share the capacity available in an ISP’s broadband network. Figures of 50:1 for residential broadband connections and 20:1 for business are typical).

Dynamic or fixed IP address 

An IP address is a number that is assigned to a computer by an ISP to communicate on the Internet.  A static IP address is assigned permanently to a computer (usually for web servers), a dynamic IP address is used when it doesn’t matter whether the same IP address is used every time (usually for home computers).

IP (Internet Protocol) 

The packet data protocol used for routing and carrying messages across the internet and similar networks.

Latency 

The time between initiating a request in a telecommunications network and receiving a response.

RIPA (Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act) 

An Act of Parliament regulating the powers of public bodies to carry out surveillance and investigation, and covering the interception of communications.

Symmetry Bandwidth 

If the upload speed is the same as the download speed the bandwidth is symmentrical.

Upstream ISP (Internet Service Provider) 

An upstream ISP usually has a larger network than the ISP a customer contracts with and is able to provide access to parts of the Internet the contracting ISP by itself has no access to.