Broadband includes a broad range of technologies, which provides higher data rate access to the Internet which uses wires or fiber optic cables. There are wireless broadband also available.  

In telecommunications, a broadband signalling is a method that handles a wide band of frequencies. In a broadband, communication bandwidth would be of at least 256 Kbits where each channel is 6 MHz wide and it uses an extensive range of frequencies to effortlessly relay and receive data between networks.

DSL and cable are the two most popular broadband platforms. Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) service provides a connection to the Internet through the telephone network. Cable Internet or cable modem access provides Internet access via Hybrid Fiber Coaxial wiring originally developed to carry television signals. 

Industry Overview

The global broadband industry is expected to continue recording strong growth over coming years. Strong government broadband initiatives, investments made in improving broadband infrastructure; technological advances and widespread recognition are the major factors which help to increase the broadband industry performance.

In US and Canada telecom sectors, there is a growth in the broadband industry performance due to the availability and speed of the broadband.

Mobile broadband is becoming a necessity for subscribers on a global scale. There is a demand and popularity for mobile broadband because of new devices such as tablets, net books, MIDs and increasingly powerful smart phones. 

Use of Broadband

Broadband is used as a tool for social improvement, with access enabling people to look for employment, carry out research related to business growth, and for other informational purposes such as education and healthcare.

Broadband plays a major role in today's economic and social world, connecting businesses, Governments, and consumers. Broadband offers high speed, and supports innovative services and content.

Broadband Industry Current Trends

According to the reports given by Cable congress, Germany is Western Europe’s largest broadband market with over 26 million homes subscribing to broadband services. France has over 22 million broadband subscribers.

 Asia-Pacific represents the largest and fastest region within the global DSL broadband market, witnessing a compound annual growth rate of 9% and the global DSL broadband market has been forecast to exceed 664 million subscribers by 2018. 

Major Industry Players

Some of the major global players in broadband industry are, China Telecom, China Unicom, Vodafone, AT&T, Reliance, Verizon, Korea Telecom, France Telecom, Time Warner Cable Inc., Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation i.e. NTT, Deutsche Telecom, and Comcast Corporation.