Learning - Broadband
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Elsa Treviño-Dominguez
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Broadband
For public libraries, providing patrons free access to high speed Internet, or broadband, has become a mainstay service, allowing community members to safely access critical resources to support workforce development, education/training, and health monitoring.
The speed of your connection is what makes it broadband. It has to be fast enough for your patrons to perform the various tasks they need to do without any waiting. With the rise of distance learning, videoconferencing, and streaming, higher and higher speeds are required. The speed itself is measured by how many kilobits per second (Kbps), megabits per second (Mbps), gigabits per second, (Gbps), or terabits per second (Tbps) are transmitted either down to your library from the internet (download) or up from your library to the internet (upload).
Here is a graph that shows the range of speeds that each type of broadband is capable of:
| Technology | Type | Download Speed Range | Upload Speed Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fiber | Wireline | 100 Mbps - 1 Tbps | 100 Mbps - 1 Tbps |
| Cable Modem | Wireline | 256 Kbps - 10 Gbps | 256 Kbps - 10 Gbps |
| DSL | Wireline | 256 Kbps - 100 Mbps | 256 Kbps - 16 Mbps |
| Fixed Wireless / Microwave | Wireless | 1 Mbps - 155 Mbps | 1 Mbps - 155 Mbps |
| Satellite | Wireless | 1 Mbps - 50 Mbps | 0.5 Mbps - 3 Mbps |
If you'd like to learn more, TSLAC offers a free online course that provides an overview of basic library networking skills called You Can Do I.T. - Networking.
Different areas of the state have different options for broadband service providers and connections. You can find out what’s available with the following resources:
- The Texas Broadband Office (BDO) created its own Texas Broadband Map in January 2023 to show broadband availability data by address. Learn more about the map on the BDO's Maps Info page
- The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released its latest FCC National Broadband Map in November of 2022. This map determines how federal funds will be allocated to each state. Note: If you see inaccurate data about your address, the Texas BDO provides guidance to challenge the FCC Map.
At TSLAC, we recommend using the Toward Gigabit Libraries Toolkit to help public libraries assess and improve their broadband connectivity to ensure they’re meeting and will continue to meet community needs. If you’re new to broadband, it’s also a fantastic way to understand how it all works as it takes you through things step-by-step.
Funding for public libraries:
- Read Texas Rural Funders (TRF)'s guide to Finding Funding for Fiber: Broadband Financing Options for Rural Texas Communities (PDF)