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In a very short amount of time, the internet has come a long way. The main method that millions of people keep in touch, the world wide web has become more user-friendly than anyone could have imagined, and people on all continents spend record amounts of time each day doing everything from chatting online to browsing videos on YouTube.

While the sort of computer you use to get online can determine what you can and cannot do while surfing the web, the thing that matters most when it comes to how you get to experience the information superhighway is actually the connection that you have. And while there have been some serious advances in recent years, a lot of people still just use the old standard of broadband to get online.

But there’s a lot more to the internet than just broadband. Here’s a look back–and forward–at everything from the beginnings of dial-up to the huge advancement that was wireless internet. The internet: an evolution.

When the internet started, there was only one way to get online: dial-up. Everyone can remember the familiar noises of a computer connecting with a loud beep and then whirring. That was the internal modem, which was only able to connect to things like America Online and Prodigy through the telephone line. This meant that it took forever to download anything, that surfing the web could feel more like waiting for a movie to finish downloading on a high-speed connection, and that not very much could be accomplished that wasn’t in text form.

But after dial-up came broadband and cable, which are two very popular ways that people still get online. The second most popular way of getting online lately besides using wireless internet, this was the most reliable way to upgrade a connection. Using an ethernet cable instead of a phone line meant that it was possible to transfer more data at a faster speed. Hence, the internet was able to grow and include more images and video, while users were able to download a song in less than two hours.

At sort of the same time, large companies and governments began using satellite internet to get in touch with business offices far away in remote regions. While satellite was once just the realm of those extremely wealthy corporations, today a consumer version has been rolled out to offer an alternative to dial-up for those living in areas where cable and broadband don’t currently offer service.

Most people, however, get online by combining a faster connection and wireless internet. Wireless is just a way of taking your T1 or broadband connection and making it float through the air with the help of a router. This means being able to sit somewhere besides a desk and surf the internet. However, if a lot of people are on a wireless connection, it often slows down considerably and becomes less enjoyable to use.

T1 and T3 connections are mostly used in offices, but are just a faster way to transfer data using an ethernet port. These have developed in tandem with wireless and are the method of choice for people who are depending on the fastest connection around while happy to stay at a desk.

For those who want to move around but need a better connection while they do so, the latest development in internet, WiMax, seems like the most promising hope for the future. Instead of depending on a router and a centralized location to provide a signal, this new mobile version of surfing the internet connects laptops and desktop computers alike all over the country to a network that is bounced using towers, just like a cell phone company does. Pretty forward-thinking, it offers potential into the direction that future innovations in the internet might take.

Texas is a big place, far larger than most outsiders could ever believe.  While the biggest, and most famous cities in Texas, including Dallas, Houston and Austin tend to get a lot of the attention, there are many smaller urban centers that are currently adding to the great economic landscape of Texas.  Rivaled only by its natural beauty, Texas is proud to offer fine educational institutions and be the home of many fine, internationally renowned companies and organizations.  One such example of a smaller Texas urban center that offers important such services is Abilene.

Although not the most recognizable name on the map, at least to outsiders, with over 100,000 residents and several major colleges and universities, Abilene has made its mark amongst Texas urban centers.  As such, it is a community geared towards the future, always looking to make improvements in areas like science and technologies.  Currently, Abilene is on the forefront of a movement revolutionizing internet in the United States and around the world.  It is the latest generation of internet technology, 4G or fourth generation broadband.

Most people know about 3G internet technology.  For those unfamiliar it is what is available on mobile devices like cell phones, blackberries and iPhones.  While it is convenient, and can be used for everything from sending emails to watching YouTube videos, there are many basic functions 3G technology lacks.  With the old, 3G technology it is impossible to send or receive large files, for example.  While it may be possible to listen to music, downloading music directly to the device may either be complicated or impossible.  Additionally this service is expensive, and is not included in the average “talking and texting” phone plan OR the average home internet scheme.  As such, it can be just as expensive or more expensive than paying for the fully functional internet you’re using at home.  Yikes!

As an alternative, 4G internet provides users with fully mobile broadband internet technology.  This means that just like a 3G device users can get the internet anywhere and everywhere, yes, including on the move like in the bus or in the car, but can also get broadband speeds and quality.  The implications are great for education and commerce, since it is possible for the first time to get things done no matter where you are, as long are you are a subscriber to the service known as WiMax.  This frightening looking term only means that your internet is coming from towers that send out a powerful internet signal, just like your cell phone intercepts a signal from a tower, instead of a wire, or local Wi-Fi router.

It’s easy to see how this kind of service puts Abilene ahead of much of the country in terms of information technology, and cutting edge communications infrastructure.  While it may not be the largest city in America, let alone Texas, Abilene has  powerful ally on its side in the form of this new mobile internet service.  When broadband internet sticks with you, the world, or at least the World Wide Web is truly at your fingertips.