There are 4 main types of Broadband technologies:
ADSL
ADSL is the most common form of broadband. Supplied over the telephone network, packages on offer are generally between 10 to 40 times as fast as using a standard telephone dial-up connection to the Internet.
One of the main benefits that ADSL broadband offers home users is that the one telephone line can be used at the same time for Internet access and telephone calls - although you will still have to pay for the actual cost of any telephone calls you make.
ADSL is currently available in most homes in Scotland.
Cable Modem
Cable television companies like NTL and Telewest offer Cable modem broadband.
Cable modem broadband uses the same cabling in the street that provides cable telephone and TV services. If you already have cable television or telephone services at home, then it will probably be fairly straightforward to have your home connected to broadband.
Cable modem broadband is only available in parts of the main cities and towns in Scotland.
Fixed Wireless
If you live outside one of the main urban areas of Scotland, wireless broadband may deliver access where other broadband technologies are not currently commercially or technically viable.
This type of broadband is delivered to your home through a radio signal rather than a cable or telephone wire and provides you with all the usual benefits of broadband.
Fixed wireless broadband uses an aerial fitted to the outside of your house, it requires 'line of sight' between your home and the wireless base station, the focal point for sending and receiving broadband signals between all houses and businesses in the surrounding area.
Fixed wireless broadband is a relatively new form of broadband service, not yet widely available across Scotland. It may be possible for communities who would like to have broadband to get a fixed wireless solution on a small scale if they live in an area that doesn't have access to ADSL or cable.
Satellite
If you live outside one of the main urban areas of Scotland, satellite broadband may deliver access where other broadband technologies are not currently commercially or technically viable.
Satellite broadband uses a small antenna receiver dish fitted to the outside of your house to link up with a satellite in geo-stationary orbit at an altitude of approximately 24,000 miles. Don't be put off by the concept of satellites and aerial dishes. The technology works and it is available to you.
Satellite broadband is normally available throughout Scotland, as it does not depend on a land-based infrastructure.