Understanding Broadband Connections and Digital Technology

Broadband Connections: To transmit the large volume of data sent via the Internet, the majority of primary networks are comprised of fiber optic cables. In the early Internet, the analog electrical signal coming through the telephone line was received and converted to a digital format accessible by a device known as a modem. The increasing power of personal computers and the growing number of users accessing the Internet have created the need to expand the capacity of connections that were developed. Broadband connections, the chief of which is the ADSL technology, allow Internet users a direct connection to the server. On an ADSL line, there are three communication channels: the delivery of data, data reception, and normal telephone service, which use different frequency bands in a simultaneous broadcast on the same wire. The main advantages of ADSL include much greater download speeds compared to a modem and the possibility of using both for conventional telephone service. However, disadvantages include that not all phone lines can provide this service, and the service is not economical in countries with poor infrastructure.Impact of Digital Technology: The capabilities of digital technology for the storage, transmission, and manipulation of information have made possible the emergence of new tools, such as computers. The Global Village: The Internet has been one of the most important factors contributing to globalization. Analysts of this phenomenon note that the possibility of collaboration and competition is no longer confined to a limited region; labor and capital can come from anywhere in the world. The Internet has also fostered new forms of collaboration between individuals and communities. The Web 2.0: Under this name, a number of elements emerging on the Internet are grouped that are not based so much on creating web pages as on exchanges and dynamic collaborations among users. The idea behind this new direction is that the Internet is not limited to being a channel of access for information of every kind, but that it represents a support for the emergence of new forms of organization and social interaction. Features include retransmission and data aggregation, which stand for a blog post, and that information must be extracted and made easily accessible.