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As a business why should I want broadband?Benefits for businesses
Video conferencing Video conferencing allows users to speak and see each other, to share data, documents, images and sound when they are not physically present in the same location. The systems use the Internet to transmit the data back and forth. High speed broadband makes it possible to transmit more data, making the video and sound much better quality. From small one-to-one site conferences, through to multi-point sites with several different groups of people at each site - there is a system to suit the majority of business needs. Individual consumers need not miss out either - Skype allows very straightforward video calls to other Skype users too. These are ideal for keeping contact with distant relatives. Good broadband connectivity allows video conferences to be set up easily. VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) is a technology that allows you to make telephone calls using your broadband Internet connection instead of your (analogue) phone line. Your voice is broken up by special software into small packets of data, sent through the Internet, and reassembled at the other end. This happens almost instantaneously, with no discernable time lag and at good quality - as good as a landline call. VoIP can offer substantial savings on ordinary call costs, as well as having a range of other features that make it attractive to businesses. For consumers, there are several systems, but probably the most commonly-used is Skype - www.skype.com A PC to PC Skype call anywhere in the world is free.If you want to phone a land line, you can still make very significant savings over using your ordinary telephone line. For example, buying Skype credits and calling a landline in Australia would cost less than £1 for an hour! This could substantially reduce call costs to friends and relatives overseas. VoIP operates best with fast broadband. Wi-Fi With a high speed broadband connection, you can easily share connection to the Internet amongst several PCs or other devices in your business. Businesses can also create a Wi-Fi network to link their computers too. Wi-Fi routers are commonplace and inexpensive: many ISPs incorporate a combined modem/Wi-Fi router into their subscription package. Wi-Fi is also often available to use in public spaces such as hotels, railway stations and coffee shops. |