Consumer FAQ
What is Broadband?
"Broadband" commonly refers to high-speed Internet access. The FCC currently defines
basic broadband service as data transmission speeds exceeding 768 kilobits per second
(Kbps) in at least one direction: downstream (from the Internet to the user's computer)
or upstream (from the user's computer to the Internet). Broadband may be delivered
using a number of different technologies, including digital subscriber line (DSL),
cable modem, fixed wireless, broadband over power lines (BPL), Fiber-To-The-Home
(FTTH), or satellite, among others.
What is the relationship between bandwidth and speed?
Bandwidth refers to the capacity of a line to transmit information. This is expressed
in bits per second. The speed of a connection is influenced by both bandwidth and
latency. Latency refers to the inherent level of delay in a circuit. It is measured
by the amount of time required for a packet of information to travel from its source
to its destination, and is a function of the electrical characteristics of a circuit.
Why are you mapping broadband availability?
The Maryland Broadband Mapping Initiative team is working with broadband providers
to define where broadband service is available, and to identify gaps in service.
By participating in this effort, broadband providers can benefit from additional
research that will help them extend service into areas that are currently unserved.
How is the broadband map useful to me?
The Maryland Broadband Map will be a resource for Maryland households and businesses
to search for and find out which broadband providers offer services in their area.
Who is funding the Maryland Broadband Mapping Initiative?
The Maryland Broadband Mapping Initiative is funded by an American Recovery and
Reinvestment grant that is managed by the National Telecommunications and Information
Administration, a branch of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Why are my speed test results different from the advertised speed I am paying for?
Internal and external factors can degrade your Internet speeds. Internally, two
of the most frequent causes of poor Internet performance are spyware and viruses.
Spyware slows your system by interfering with your browser and taking over your
Internet connection. Computer viruses can also cause slow speeds. When a virus infects
a computer, it usually begins sending copies of itself through e-mail. Externally,
local Internet congestion can result in connection speeds that are slower than normal.
This occurs when many people try to connect to the Internet at the same time, particularly
at peak activity times. If you're connecting from your business, general network
and proxy server use can affect your Internet performance. If you find that your
Internet is slow at times, you could talk with your network administrator.
Source: "Why is my Internet connection so slow?"
I have taken the speed test twice. Why am I getting different results?
The Internet does not operate in direct paths. A testing server might be physically
close to you, but the route to get to it could actually travel to another part of
the country and back before getting to it. The number of "hops" that it takes to
get to the speed test server from your home or business will affect the results,
and that number can change each time you run the speed test. In addition, general
Internet traffic volume can cause your reported speeds to change between tests.