8153.0 - Internet Activity, Australia, Sep 2006  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 16/02/2007   
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GLOSSARY

Active subscribers


Subscribers who have accessed the Internet or paid for access to the Internet through an ISP in the 90 days during the reference period.


Bit


Abbreviation for binary digit and describing the smallest unit of information handled by a computer. One bit expresses a 1 or a 0 in a binary numeral, or a true or false logical condition. See also Byte.


Broadband


Defined by ABS as an 'always on' Internet connection with an access speed equal to or greater than 256Kbps.


Business and government subscribers


All businesses, corporations, non profit organisations and government organisations who obtain access to the Internet through an ISP. Some ISPs are unable to separate out subscriber numbers for business and government. These ISPs provide business plan subscribers as a proxy.


Byte


Abbreviation for binary term. A unit of data, today almost always consisting of 8 bits. A byte can represent a single character, such as a letter, a digit, or a punctuation mark. See also kilobit and kilobyte.


Cable


Describes those technologies including coaxial cable, fibre optic cable and hybrid fibre coaxial which are capable of transmitting data at speeds of up to 2Gbps.


Data downloaded


Volume of data downloaded from the Internet by subscribers in megabytes (MBs).


Dial-up (Analog)


Connection to the Internet via modem and dial-up software utilising the public switched telecommunications network.


Dial-up subscribers


Subscribers who connect to the Internet via modem and dial-up software using Analog technology.


Digital Subscriber Line (DSL)


More properly referred to as xDSL as this covers several digital technologies (e.g. asymmetric DSL or ADSL and Symmetric DSL or SDSL) for fast two-way data connections.


Fixed Wireless Internet access


Point to point microwave link, generally building to building or tower to building which allows subscribers within the receiving building to access the Internet. Sender and receiver must be within line of sight and no more than 22 kilometres apart.


Household subscribers


Households and private individuals who subscribe to Internet access via an ISP. This may include some home based businesses. Some ISPs are unable to separate out subscriber numbers for households. These ISPs provide residential plan subscribers as a proxy.


Internet


A world-wide public computer network. Organisations and individuals can connect their computers to this network and exchange information across a country and/or across the world. The Internet provides access to a number of communication services including the World Wide Web and carries email, news, entertainment and data files.


Internet Service Provider (ISP)


Resident Australian individuals or businesses offering Internet access services to customers.


Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN)


A digital access technique for both voice and data. Digital alternative to an analog technology and carries data or voltages consisting of discrete steps or levels, as opposed to continuously variable analog data.


Kilobit (Kb)


A data unit of 1,024 bits and generally abbreviated as kb or kbit. Data speeds are generally referred to in kilobits (kbps) rather than kilobytes.


Kilobyte (KB)


A data unit of 1,024 bytes and generally abbreviated as KB or Kbyte.


Megabit (Mb)


A data unit of 1,048,576 bits, sometimes interpreted as 1 million bits. Faster data speeds are generally referred to in megabits rather than megabytes (hence Mbps)


Megabyte (MB)


A data unit of 1,048,576 bytes, sometimes interpreted as 1 million bytes.


Mobile Wireless Internet access


Mobile Internet access via 'hotspots' using a microwave connection often referred to as WiFi. Most commonly utilised by laptop users although it is also becoming increasingly popular within homes and businesses with multiple computers.


Non Dial-up connections


Refers to permanent and 'always on' connections to the Internet via a variety of technologies including Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN), Digital Subscriber Lines (DSL), Cable, Wireless, Satellite, dedicated data service, frame relay, etc.


Satellite/communications satellite


A satellite stationed in geosynchronous orbit that acts as a microwave relay station, receiving signals sent from a ground based station, amplifying them, and retransmitting them on a different frequency to another ground-based station. Satellites can be used for high-speed transmission of computer data.


SPAM


SPAM is defined as unsolicited electronic messaging, regardless of its content.


Subscriber


An ISP customer to whom Internet access is provided. Included are paying and non paying customers, email only subscribers, dial-up subscribers and those with permanent (non dial-up) connections. Excluded are customers who purchase other services from an ISP, such as web hosting, but do not obtain Internet access.