Broadband & Internet Glossary
Plain-language definitions for 56 broadband and internet terms.
Fiber Optic (FTTH)
Internet delivered via glass or plastic strands that transmit data as pulses of light, offering the fastest and most reliable residential connections available.
Cable Internet (DOCSIS)
Broadband delivered over coaxial cable TV lines using the DOCSIS protocol, typically offering 100-1,200 Mbps download but significantly slower upload speeds.
DSL (Digital Subscriber Line)
Internet service delivered over traditional copper telephone lines, with speeds that degrade significantly over distance from the provider's central office.
Fixed Wireless Access (FWA)
Broadband delivered wirelessly from a cell tower or base station to an antenna at the customer's location, using 4G LTE or 5G signals.
Satellite Internet
Broadband delivered via orbiting satellites, available nearly anywhere but historically limited by high latency and low speeds until the introduction of low-earth orbit constellations.
5G (Fifth Generation Wireless)
The latest generation of cellular network technology, offering significantly faster speeds and lower latency than 4G LTE. Available in three spectrum bands with different speed and range tradeoffs.
DOCSIS 4.0
The newest cable internet standard that promises multi-gigabit symmetrical speeds over existing coaxial cable infrastructure, closing the performance gap with fiber.
Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be)
The latest Wi-Fi standard delivering speeds up to 46 Gbps with lower latency and better multi-device performance than Wi-Fi 6, using multi-link operation across multiple frequency bands simultaneously.
GPON (Gigabit Passive Optical Network)
The most common fiber-to-the-home deployment architecture, using passive splitters to serve up to 128 homes from a single fiber strand with up to 2.5 Gbps shared bandwidth.
Mesh Wi-Fi Network
A home Wi-Fi system using multiple interconnected access points to provide seamless coverage throughout a home, eliminating dead zones common with single routers.
Download Speed
The rate at which data travels from the internet to your device, measured in megabits per second (Mbps). Determines how fast web pages load, videos stream, and files download.
Upload Speed
The rate at which data travels from your device to the internet, measured in Mbps. Critical for video calls, cloud backups, live streaming, and working from home.
Latency (Ping)
The time it takes for a data packet to travel from your device to a server and back, measured in milliseconds (ms). Lower latency means more responsive connections.
Mbps (Megabits Per Second)
The standard unit for measuring internet speed. One megabit equals one million bits of data. Not to be confused with megabytes (MB), which are eight times larger.
Jitter
The variation in latency over time, measured in milliseconds. High jitter causes choppy video calls, distorted VoIP audio, and rubberbanding in online games.
Packet Loss
The percentage of data packets that fail to reach their destination during transmission. Even 1-2% packet loss can cause noticeable degradation in video calls and gaming.
Bandwidth
The maximum amount of data that can be transmitted over an internet connection in a given time, often used interchangeably with "speed" but technically refers to capacity rather than rate.
Throughput
The actual amount of data successfully transferred over a connection per second, which is always lower than the advertised bandwidth due to protocol overhead and network conditions.
Buffering
The delay that occurs when a streaming device must pause playback to load more data, typically caused by download speeds insufficient for the video quality being played.
Gbps (Gigabits Per Second)
A unit of internet speed equal to 1,000 Mbps. Gigabit internet has become the standard premium tier for residential fiber, with some providers now offering 2-8 Gbps plans.
Broadband
High-speed internet access that is always on and faster than traditional dial-up. The FCC defines broadband as a minimum of 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload as of 2024.
Digital Divide
The gap between communities with access to fast, reliable, affordable internet and those without. Disproportionately affects rural, low-income, and tribal areas.
BEAD Program
The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program — a $42.5 billion federal initiative to expand broadband access to underserved and unserved areas across all 50 states.
FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC)
The FCC's address-level broadband availability database that replaced the older Form 477 system. Collects data from every ISP twice a year covering over 116 million locations.
Net Neutrality
The principle that internet service providers must treat all internet traffic equally, without blocking, throttling, or prioritizing certain websites or services.
Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP)
A federal subsidy program that provided up to $30/month ($75 on tribal lands) toward internet bills for qualifying low-income households. The program ended in June 2024 after funding expired.
Universal Service Fund (USF)
A system of FCC-mandated fees collected from telecom companies to subsidize internet and phone service in rural, low-income, and underserved areas. Funds about $8 billion annually.
Broadband Nutrition Labels
FCC-mandated consumer disclosure labels that ISPs must display, showing plan speed, price, data caps, and fees in a standardized format — similar to food nutrition labels.
ISP (Internet Service Provider)
A company that provides internet access to consumers and businesses. Major U.S. ISPs include Comcast (Xfinity), Charter (Spectrum), AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile.
Last Mile
The final leg of the network connecting the ISP's infrastructure to the customer's home or business. The last mile is typically the most expensive part of broadband deployment.
Provider Competition
The number of ISPs offering broadband service in a given area. Areas with three or more competitors typically have lower prices and faster speeds than monopoly or duopoly markets.
Municipal Broadband
Internet service owned and operated by a local government or public utility, rather than a private ISP. Often provides faster speeds at lower prices than incumbent providers.
Peering & Internet Exchange Points
The direct interconnection between internet networks where they exchange traffic without paying a third party. Peering quality directly affects the speed between your ISP and content providers.
CDN (Content Delivery Network)
A distributed network of servers that caches and delivers web content from locations geographically close to users, reducing latency and improving download speeds for websites and streaming.
Data Cap
A limit on the total amount of data you can use per billing cycle, typically 1-1.2 TB for cable internet. Exceeding the cap triggers overage charges or throttled speeds.
Middle Mile
The network infrastructure connecting an ISP's local facilities to the broader internet backbone. Middle-mile gaps in rural areas can bottleneck speeds even when last-mile infrastructure exists.
Bundled Plan
An ISP package that combines internet with TV, phone, or mobile service at a discounted rate. Bundles often have introductory pricing that increases significantly after 12-24 months.
Introductory Pricing (Promo Rate)
A discounted monthly rate offered to new subscribers for the first 12-24 months, after which the price increases to the regular rate — often $20-40/month higher.
Throttling
The intentional slowing of internet service by an ISP, either for specific activities (like streaming or torrenting) or after exceeding a data threshold on an "unlimited" plan.
Symmetrical Speed
An internet plan where download and upload speeds are equal, most commonly available on fiber connections. Cable and DSL plans are almost always asymmetrical with much slower uploads.
Contract vs. No-Contract Plans
Internet plans that either require a 1-2 year commitment (with early termination fees) or allow month-to-month service. The trend has shifted toward no-contract plans.
VPN (Virtual Private Network)
An encrypted tunnel between your device and a remote server that hides your internet activity from your ISP and protects data on public Wi-Fi. Can affect speed test results.
DNS (Domain Name System)
The system that translates website names (like google.com) into IP addresses. Your DNS provider affects how fast websites begin loading and can improve security and privacy.
WPA3 (Wi-Fi Protected Access 3)
The latest Wi-Fi security protocol that provides stronger encryption and better protection against password-guessing attacks than its predecessor WPA2.
Modem
The device that connects your home network to your ISP's network, converting the incoming signal (cable, DSL, or fiber) into data your router can distribute.
Router
The device that creates your home Wi-Fi network and distributes your internet connection to all your devices. A router's capabilities often bottleneck your actual internet speed.
Ethernet (Wired Connection)
A wired network connection using an ethernet cable, providing faster and more stable speeds than Wi-Fi with zero interference. The gold standard for speed testing.
ONT (Optical Network Terminal)
The device installed at your home that converts fiber optic light signals into electrical signals for your router. The fiber equivalent of a cable modem.
Range Extender vs. Access Point
Two different approaches to extending Wi-Fi coverage. Range extenders rebroadcast the signal (halving speed), while access points connect to your router via ethernet for full speed.
Internet Speed Test
A tool that measures your real-world download speed, upload speed, and latency by transferring data to and from a nearby test server. Results vary by test methodology and conditions.
Speed Test Accuracy
The reliability of speed test results depends on testing conditions, device capabilities, connection type (wired vs. Wi-Fi), and the test server location. No single test gives a complete picture.
Single-Thread vs. Multi-Thread Speed Test
Two different speed test methodologies. Single-thread tests measure one connection stream (more realistic for typical use), while multi-thread tests use many parallel streams (showing maximum capacity).
ISP Speed vs. Wi-Fi Speed
The difference between the speed your ISP delivers to your modem (ISP speed) and the speed you experience on your device over Wi-Fi (Wi-Fi speed). Most "slow internet" complaints are actually Wi-Fi problems.
Peak vs. Off-Peak Speeds
Internet speeds that vary by time of day due to network congestion. Peak hours (7-11 PM) typically show 20-40% slower speeds than off-peak on cable and fixed wireless connections.
Speed Test Server Selection
The test server you connect to directly affects your speed test result. Closer servers generally show faster speeds, while distant servers introduce latency and potential bottlenecks.
Wired vs. Wireless Speed Testing
Speed test results over ethernet (wired) are always faster and more consistent than over Wi-Fi (wireless). Wired testing shows your actual ISP speed, while wireless testing shows your combined ISP + Wi-Fi speed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Mbps and MBps?
Mbps (megabits per second) measures internet speed, while MBps (megabytes per second) measures file transfer rates. There are 8 bits in a byte, so 100 Mbps equals about 12.5 MBps. ISPs advertise speeds in Mbps.
What is considered fast internet in 2026?
The FCC defines broadband as 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload. For most households, 200-500 Mbps is sufficient. Heavy users with multiple streamers and remote workers may benefit from gigabit (1,000 Mbps) plans.
What affects speed test results?
Speed test results are affected by connection type (wired vs. Wi-Fi), time of day, number of active devices, test server location, and your modem/router capabilities. For the most accurate results, test on a wired ethernet connection with other applications closed.
What is the difference between latency and speed?
Speed (bandwidth) measures how much data your connection can handle per second. Latency (ping) measures how quickly data makes a round trip. You can have high speed but high latency (satellite internet), or low speed but low latency (slow fiber). Both matter — speed for downloads, latency for real-time activities like gaming and video calls.