During the time when most internet connections in residential and commercial areas still were dial-up, users had very limited access and options in internet surfing. Websites took very long to load. Even search engines like yahoo, google, altavista would take a minute or two before appearing. Checking your email took several minutes, sometimes an hour. With a bandwidth of only 33.6 kbit/s to 64 kbit/s, a dial-up connection could frustrate even the most patient. Add to that the unreliability of some models of dial-up modems, people thought the internet could never be the medium of the future. When broadband connection became available, all of that changed.
A broadband connection refers to any connection to the internet which has a minimum speed of 256 kbit/s or more. The usual technologies which allow for availability of a broadband connection in most areas are DSL and cable modems. There are newer technologies emerging and becoming more common like VDSL as well as the upgrading of the lines from the consumer to the provider, making use of optical fiber connections. A broadband connection not only speeds up the internet connection speed of the user, it gives him more options in surfing the internet as well as revolutionizes the web experience. Users not only can view and download online content; they can also listen and watch to online media like audio and video. Online gaming was made possible with broadband connection. The proliferation of newsgroups, discussion groups, social networking sites were also made possible with broadband connection.