Free Dialup UK Article - Evolution Of Dialup Internet Access

Dialup access is a form of Internet access in which the user a modem connected to a computer and the ordinary telephone line to dial into an Internet service provider’s computer. This process establishes a link that is then transferred to the Internet. Dialup requires no additional equipment other then a computer, modem and the telephone network connection. As telephone points are easily available in homes and offices throughout the world, dialup connections remains most used Internet access option. It is also the oldest method of internet access.

Dialup technology dates back over a century. The evolution of dial up technology has gone through many twists and turns before coming in its present form. Its origins back to the days of the development of the telegraph in the 19th century. In those days, electronic signals were sent across an extended circuit. These signals were created manually by tapping contacts together to in a specific form of on or off. The first step in evolution came when Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone in 1875. This revolutionary invention changed communication forever. The telecommunication service was improved dramatically. Once, the capability to send a voice across the line was achieved, the technology was more accessible to consumers.

In the beginning of the 20th century, this technology was spread throughout United States. The technology evolved further due to demand for the improvement in service and potential commercial exploits drove technological innovations further. Other innovations along the way included International telephonic services and microwave stations that started in Unites states in 1940’s and 1950’s connecting American cities. Integrated digital networks were innovated. First of the communication satellites went into service in 1960’s to improve the quality and span of telephonic service further. By end 1970’s, a large number of the home and commercial users in developed countries were connected through telephone service. This is when the modem was born and introduced in the service starting the final phase of revolution in the history of the dialup networking.

The early modems were slower and limited to smaller communication networks. Early uses of modems were for sporadic LAN (Local Area Network) and WAN (Wide Area Network) connections. The call would come into a regular phone at a data center. An operator would listen to modem tones and place the handset onto a special cradle of the equipment called a modem. The introduction of Internet in the early 1980’s and its spread in late 1980’s and 1990’s gave tremendous boost to the modem and dialup connection technology.

Modern dialup modems typically have a maximum theoretical speed of 56 kbps. Although. In reality, in most cases only up to 48 to 53 kbps can be achedived due to various limitations. This speed is currently considered the maximum possible in case of a dial up connection. In many cases, transfer speeds will be even lower averaging around 30kbps to 40 kbps. This happens due to poor quality equipment and other factors such as phone line noise. Quality of modem also plays a large part in determining connection speeds. Nevertheless, the dialup connection remains most used mode of internet access in the world.