Communication Technology Update and Fundamentals, 16th Edition

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Broadband & Home Networks

John J. Lombardi, Ph.D.*

Overview

Broadband is a simple way of saying “high-speed” Internet. In the U.S., transmission rates of 25 Mb/s or greater is considered “high-speed.” But why is understanding what “broadband” technology is so important? More and more of our country’s economy, infrastructure, and security involves broadband technology. It takes little more than to realize that Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon, became the nation’s wealthiest person in 2018 (with an estimated net worth of more than $100 billion) to understand the prevalence of internet-based shopping. Our nation’s utility grids rely on high-speed data flow to manage usage. Our nation’s security, including first responders, requires that information ...