“You promised me heaven, and then put me through hell.”
- Jon Bon Jovi
The sentiment reflected in these words has touched our collective soul at one point of time or another. The reason for crooning these lyrics can be many: Bon Jovi obviously had an unhappy tryst with a heartbreaker, a situation that might seem painfully familiar to most of us; while others find themselves humming the line as they surf the internet. Shattered hearts or pulled out hair, the source of the pain remains the same: promises broken, potential unrealised.
The woes of Broadband Internet
As much as we would love to delve into the world of romance and poetry, it hardly is the subject at hand. Broadband has become a household name, synonymous with high-speed Internet connectivity and one that conjures visions of streaming video, while video conferencing with your mate , even as you download the latest songs. Unfortunately, like most visions, this one too goes up in smoke when scorched by the flames of reality.
So what is this ‘broadband’ thing?
Broadband refers to any type of transmission technique that carries several data channels over a common wire. A DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) service, for example, combines separate voice and data channels over a single telephone line – voice fills the low end of the frequency spectrum and data (which can, in turn be audio, video and/or text) fills the high end. While this might seem like a nice thing to do to a wire, what really excites is the speed that such a connection can deliver. Consider cable technology: it can theoretically achieve networking speeds of approximately 30 Mbps; now compare it to the measly 56 Kbps that the best dialup connection can offer and the contrast seems bewildering; even a DSL line can touch speeds of up to 10 Mbps. A broadband connection is thus a good thing, like a hefty bank balance; but as we will soon discover the analogy goes further – for much like a burgeoning wallet, a speedy Internet connection is also reduced to being just a pipe dream for most of us.
Facts about Broadband
The definition of broadband, according to the new Broadband Policy of the Indian Government, is a service that is capable of “minimum download speeds of 256 kbps.” Here is the real deal, the bitter truth. In almost all cases, home broadband in India has always meant speeds of 128 kbps. And we are not even talking last mile here, as users of cable Internet have found to their chagrin for quite some time now.
Important:Broadband Speeds are reffered in kbps(Kilo Bits Per Second) and not KBPS(Kilo Bytes per Second)
Call up any internet service provider in India, and the well-accented customer service representative will tell you that that his company provides broadband services at a speed of 128 kbps.
On being asked whether the subscribers would get a speed of 128 kbps at all times, a national-level service provider said: “No Sir, not always. But most times, definitely. It would depend on traffic on that particular day. It could range from 64 kbps to 128 kbps.”
Next question: “Do you know that the Government of India has specified that the minimum download speed at the last mile should be 256 kbps for your service to be called broadband?”
The reply: “Umm, maybe, Sir. But I am only going by what has been told to me, Sir.” Click. Hang up.
Applications of Broadband
Broadband is not a luxury. It is the fuel for growth, the seed that needs to be watered for a wide variety of personal and business applications. Lives can be saved when hospitals implement telemedicine over broadband; companies save lakhs in travel costs by implementing video-conferencing; international calls could be made cheaper, thereby boosting business.
These applications are only the tip of the iceberg.
While there are good service providers who offer value for money (Yes, some privileged Indians do enjoy fast and efficient broadband!), many of them are making a mockery of broadband in this country, losing customer trust each day. When real broadband providers enter the home market, it will be scepticism that will greet them. It will definitely not be a happy situation.
There is a joke going around the country, and it is called broadband. Guess who the joke is on!
