TV v Broadband

[fly258]

Can someone please explain why I need a minimum of 2Meg in order to stream TV via broadband via my telephone line when a perfect picture arrives by magic through the air to my TV via an aerial?
Why can't broadband be sent to everyone through the air like TV signals?

[ChuckFickens]

As long as you had 10million people all wanting to view the same webpage at the same time you could get the internet via an aerial.

the problem comes when the 10million people all want to look at a different webpage, you'd then need 10million separate and different transmissions

And then you still need an upstream connection anyhow, TV is only one way, your Internet is a two way link.

[heathfield]

Many companies offer a broadband internet service using communication satellites. That way, it uses an aerial and it's just like TV signals. Could cost you, though.

[ACtheTROLL]

heath - so why don't sky use that method?

[ChuckFickens]

one way satellite broadband is available for not much more than ADSL, but it is download only, you then require a dial-up connection to deal with the upstream part of the connection.

Full two way broadband costs a lot of money and requires some expensive equipment as you need to not only be receiving the signal from the sat but you also need to have an uplink to the sat. (and and that is expensive!!)

oh and for the techies mainly, getting some things running smoothly can be fun when your getting ping times of 800ms+