Broadband is a generic term used to describe a range of technologies that allow users to access the internet at much higher speeds than through conventional dial-up connections.

Just as motorways allow more traffic to travel from place to place more quickly than on a single-track road, broadband allows information to be received and sent at speeds of ten or more times faster than over an ordinary phone line and modem. However, as well as giving higher speeds, they also provide 'always-on' connectivity to the internet, meaning that the Web is always immediately available once your computer is switched on. As a result, you are charged at a flat rate, through a one-off fee or rental rate, rather than for the time you spend online.

Another upshot of broadband is that both businesses and consumers can access new 'bandwidth-hungry' services that are unsuitable for standard internet connections. For businesses, these include live video and audio conferencing over the Web and faster downloading of large files. For consumers, broadband enables, for example, online gaming and access to CD-quality music, TV programmes and films on demand.

Broadband's major benefit to businesses is increased productivity. If your work involves sending and receiving information via the Web, broadband will help you and your employees communicate more effectively, and reduce the time and money spent performing research and transferring large and complex files.

Key advantages include lower-cost communication with employees, clients, customers, suppliers, shareholders and investors, and the ability to set up video and audio conferences on computers to replace face-to-face meetings where necessary and cut travel costs. You can fax, surf the web, take telephone calls - all at the same time; all using the same connection - leading to savings on multiple line rentals using traditional connections. Different users can also share, review and change documents online without having to go through lengthy approval processes. Virtual private networks (VPNs) can also be set up to connect firms' separate offices and remote workers, and IT systems and functions can be outsourced to specialist companies.

Unsurprisingly, the price of broadband depends on the size of your business, and varies widely between different ISPs and the products they offer. As a result, it is a good idea to research the pricing of different packages and ISPs as widely as possible before making a decision. As well as taking into account monthly fees, installation and set up costs, it will help to consider what your own requirements are, and whether you need to pay for features, such as the ability to set up your own website, that you don't need.

Many magazines and websites can help you to make an informed decision, but for general guidance, the most basic cable and ADSL products, designed for use by one person or computer, start at around €15-20 per month, but can rise to over €1000 per year for packages for multiple users. Some companies offer installation for free but their entry-level charges average out at about €50. Satellite services are more expensive, with initial charges stretching up to around €1,000, and can cost between £70 and £100 per month, while broadband wireless packages cost upwards of € 40 per month and € 150 to install (see What are the different broadband systems available?).

To help installation, ISPs are increasingly offering 'broadband in a box' packages where you, rather than a BT engineer, can buy the necessary equipment on the high street and install the service yourself. However, even with self-installation, you will typically have to wait ten working days or more for your broadband service to be activated.

One of the most prevalent types of broadband is ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line). This technology allows the existing copper lines that run between houses or businesses and their local telephone exchange to carry information more efficiently. However, you must be within around 5.5km of the exchange and the exchange itself must have had equipment installed to allow it to handle ADSL traffic - see Can I get broadband?

ADSL provides higher speeds for information coming into your business (downstream) than for information being sent out (upstream), to accommodate the fact that people generally download more than they upload. Downstream, ADSL can carry information at up to 40 times faster than the 56kbps offered by a standard dial-up connection. Other forms of DSL are also being introduced or are expected to be launched in the future which will allow greater speeds both ways.

Another popular method of accessing broadband is through cable modems, devices that can give you a high-speed connection as long as you are in an area in which a cable network is available. At present, cable connections can carry information at between 10 and 200 times faster than a standard dial-up modem.

Additionally, alternative broadband technologies have had some success in regions where cable and ADSL are not as yet available. Satellite technology is being used to connect businesses in more remote areas such as the west of Ireland, but is more expensive. Although better suited to providing one-way communication, such as television broadcasting, satellite packages are currently available providing speeds of up to 4Mbps into businesses and 256kbps out.

Broadband access can also be provided through wireless technology, where an antenna is placed on the wall of the user's building and signals sent between that and the ISP. Speeds available can reach 512 kbps downstream and 256kbps upstream. ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) is another system that's been around for much longer than ADSL, but is significantly slower at 128kbps.

Your potential choice of broadband supplier depends mainly on where you are situated. Cable and ADSL networks are in the process of being installed across the country and are still unavailable in many rural areas.

On a local level, you can receive normal ADSL if you are situated within 3.5km of an 'enabled' local exchange, or ADSL at slower speeds if you are within a 5.5km radius. However, if this is not the case, if your local exchange has not had equipment installed to run ADSL traffic, or in other rare cases, you will have to look to other technologies. Alternatives include fixed wireless and satellite-based systems - see What are the different broadband systems available?

The reliability of your service depends on several factors including the technology you are using, the number of people using it, the distance from your local exchange and the service of the company you choose - highlighting the need to 'shop around' and research widely before choosing your ISP.

Reliability issues to bear in mind include the fact that some technologies are faster than others and slower services, such as those offering 128kbps, will be less suitable for demanding applications such as videoconferencing. Another factor known as the 'contention ratio' - effectively the amount of people able to use a connection simultaneously - can also impact on the speeds available at busy times.

Cheaper packages will ordinarily have higher contention ratios, allowing a greater number of people to use a connection at the same time and generally resulting in a slower service. With many systems such as ADSL, the strength of signals also decreases with distance, so if you are far from your local exchange, delays can result between information being sent and received.

Although it shouldn't dissuade you from signing up, the 'always-on' nature of broadband networks makes them more vulnerable to attack from hackers, so it is always advisable to take security precautions and take on appropriate data encryption and virus and firewall protection.

Additionally, before making a decision on which provider and system to go with, it will help to ask ISPs whether they provide technical support and at what cost, what quality of service levels they will guarantee and whether they provide optional security features.

This depends on the complexity and size of your current systems, but is certainly an issue worth discussing with your ISP before you sign up.

Although many broadband packages are advertised as unmetered, it is always worth checking the terms and conditions of the ISPs you are considering to see if there are limits on the time you can spend online.

In the main, yes, as long as the ISP offers broadband and the type of broadband it offers is available in your area.

This depends on whether you keep your current ISP or the company from which you source your e-mail services.

If you decide that you don't want to pay your phone, broadband and fax bills separately, many ISPs offer 'all-in-one' communications packages encompassing all three.

More and more businesses and home users are signing up to broadband every day, with 50% growth in connections claimed so far this year. Over 1m businesses and home users are expected to have signed up to broadband by summer 2003.