Appendix F: Glossary of Terms

ADSL
ADSL is the original type of broadband connection launched by British Telecom in 2000 and is delivered over standard copper telephone wires from the telephone exchange to the premises.

Altnet

Broadband services in Gloucestershire (and many other areas of the country) are dominated by two large suppliers, BT Openreach and Virgin Media O2. Some smaller companies are building fibre networks here such as Gigaclear and Netomnia, they are termed ‘Altnets’ which simply means ‘alternative networks’.

Digital Literacy

Means having the skills to confidently and effectively use information technology and having the understanding to do so safely and responsibly.

Download Speed

The ‘download’ speed means the amount of data travelling ‘down’ into your PC or phone from the service provider, e.g., for downloading a game or streaming a TV show. This is usually higher than the upload speed, unless the connection is described as ‘symmetric’, in which case the upload and download speeds are the same. Internet speeds are measured in Megabits per second (Mbps) or Gigabits per second (Gbps).

Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC)

A fibre optic connection runs from the telephone exchange to a distribution cabinet in the street. Copper telephone wires make the connection from the cabinet to the premises.

Fibre to the Premises (FTTP)

A fibre-optic connection direct from the telephone exchange to the premises.

Gigabit or Gigabit capable Internet

Gigabit speed means a network capable of delivering a download speed of 1 Gigabit per second (1 Gbps) or more, where 1 Gigabit = 1,000 Mbps. To achieve this level of speed usually means a fibre optic connection running directly to the premises (FTTP).

Internet of Things (IoT)

Many items for the home, work or leisure now have internet connectivity and some level of digital intelligence built into them. Often termed ‘smart devices’, equipment such as kitchen appliances, room thermostats and all kinds of business/industrial machinery can communicate over the internet to supply a multitude of data relevant to ensuring their optimum and efficient operation.

Last Mile

The last mile is the final leg of cabling which connects your home to the telecoms network infrastructure. If you are in a remote, rural location, this final leg can be hard to build and expensive, as the build costs are not spread over multiple properties.

Latency

The time that data takes to transfer over a network from its source to its destination.

Mbps

The speed of broadband connections is measured in Mbps, meaning ‘Megabits per second’. A Megabit is one million data ‘bits’ (binary digits - 0s and 1s). Note that speed measurements refer to ‘bits’ of data rather than ‘bytes’. Bytes are the standard way in which file sizes are measured, e.g., a photo taken on a phone might be 20 MB (Megabytes) in size. A byte consists of 8 bits.

Not Spot

A location where there is no internet access available.

Small Cell

A low-power, low-cost, 4G/5G mobile phone network transmitter which can be used in localised clusters to improve network coverage and capacity.

Superfast Internet

Superfast is a line capable of delivering a download speed of at least 30 Mbps, with a possible maximum of about 80 Mbps. This usually refers to a ‘fibre to the cabinet’ connection (FTTC), where the fibre cable from the exchange terminates at a cabinet in the street, the signal then being distributed to a group of nearby premises over copper wires.

Telecare

The delivery of healthcare services and consultations remotely via the internet.

Ultrafast Internet

Ultrafast internet typically refers to broadband speeds of 300 Mbps or more, though some providers might use the term for packages offering speeds between 100 and 300 Mbps.

Universal Service Obligation

Every home and business in the UK has the legal right to request what is termed a ‘decent, affordable broadband connection’. Known as the Universal Service Obligation, this is deemed by Ofcom, the UK telecoms regulator, as being a download speed of at least 10 Mbps and an upload speed of at least 1 Mbps. If your current connection is not delivering that, you can request BT to provide you with a quote for an upgraded service. If the cost is less than a defined threshold, you will not have to pay any installation fee for your connection to be upgraded. Please see the Ofcom website for more details.

Upload speeds

Upload speed is that of the data leaving your PC/phone back to the service provider, e.g. uploading a video shot on your phone to a social media account. If a connection is described as ‘symmetric’, that means that the upload and download speeds are the same.

References and Resources