How has broadband developed over the years? header image

Published: 24th Mar 2015

The internet is arguably the most-rapidly changing piece of technology ever invented, having morphed unrecognisably since its initial conception in the mid-20th century, yet still alters significantly every single year.

Computers themselves have also undergone a dramatic transformation over the past 50 or so years, but here at Avonline, what we're most interested in is broadband and how it can help you to enjoy a better quality of life and be more productive at work.

We're going to take a brief look at the history of broadband and how it has developed over the years.

The beginnings of the internet

The exact history of where the internet actually began is a much-disputed topic - the first email was sent in the 1970s, for instance - but the invention of what we now know as the World Wide Web is attributed to a British man, Tim Berners-Lee.

He came up with an idea for a global system based on 'hypertext' while working at CERN in Geneva in 1980. Later, he designed the first ever web browser, as well as the first online editing tools.

Dial-up connections

You may remember the early days of connecting to the internet via the landline in your home, with the dial-up tone acting as something of a soundtrack to the late 1990s and early 2000s.

And if someone in the house wanted to use the phone, that was it, your internet connection was cut off completely.

Downloads were painfully slow via dial-up internet, with the highest speeds available during the early 1990s coming in at around 56kbps - which sounds almost laughable today.

Broadband rollouts

As the world has becoming increasingly reliant on the internet for everyday tasks as time has gone on, the UK government and network providers have recognised this and in recent years have been attempting to deliver high-speed broadband via fibre connections to homes and businesses throughout the country.

In August 2014, it was announced that more than one million domestic and commercial properties in Britain had been connected to super-fast broadband, with culture secretary Sajid Javid commenting: "More than a million homes and businesses have now benefited as a result of the government's investment in super-fast broadband. It's totally transforming the way we live and work."

Yet households based in more rural parts of the UK or in communities with just a few residents are not seeing the benefits of these delivery programmes and are still struggling to access the internet, in an age when this simply isn't acceptable anymore.

Satellite broadband

The UK government might be working to roll out super-fast broadband connections to around 95 per cent of households throughout the country, but the remaining five per cent and those in areas that aren't deemed a priority are relying on alternative connectivity solutions.

However, technology has developed to allow broadband to be delivered to people's homes and businesses via satellites, meaning homes can receive their internet signal from a dish located some 20,000 miles away from their property.

Download and upload speeds of up to 22Mbps are available with Avonline's satellite broadband - to find out more about how such a connection could benefit your home or business, get in touch with one of the team today.