Broadband that is delivered over ordinary phone lines is called Digital Subscriber Line (DSL). Using your existing phone line, DSL can deliver high-speed Internet at the same time as voice calls or faxes. There's no need to install a separate phone line for the Internet. DSL uses only a portion of your phone line's bandwidth for connecting, so you are able to surf the Web and talk on the phone at the same time.

Many of the same TV cable services that currently provide access to TV programs, channels and pay-for-view events can also provide broadband access. The same cable is used to connect both your TV and PC to the cable service. The two don't interfere with one another, so you can watch cable TV and surf the Web at the same time.

Broadband can also be delivered to your PC over the airwaves. Using a satellite dish or digital TV antenna and a special receiver, the bits of information that make up Web pages can be received by your PC from satellites orbiting overhead, or from broadcast towers up on the hillside. However, with satellites, you need to have an additional phone line connection.

	Technology		Bandwidth		Availablility		Comments
	Analog Modem		Up to 56 Kbps		Universal		Universal availability; although low speed
	ISDN		64 Kbps to 128 Kbps		90% of U.S. homes		Widely available; although low bandwidth
	DSL		128 Kbps to 1.5 Mpbs +		Limited to top 25 Metropolitan Service Areas		Always-on connection, speed varies
	Cable modems		5 Mbps (shared)		Limited to top 25 Metropolitan Service Areas		Shared always-on connection
	Satellite		400 Kbps (down)		Extremely limited		DSL or cable connection that can be complex to set-up