POLK COUNTY BROADBAND PLAN
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
3G – The third generation of mobile broadband technology, used by smart phones, tablets, and other mobile
devices to access the web.
4G – The fourth generation of mobile broadband technology, offering faster access than 3G.
Anchor institution – Schools, libraries, medical and healthcare providers, public safety, community colleges and
other institutions of higher education, and any other community support organizations and entities that
facilitate greater use of broadband services (NTIA definition).
Bandwidth – The amount of data transmitted in a given amount of time; usually measured in megabits per
second (mbps).
Bit – The basic unit of information in computing and telecommunications. A contraction of “binary digit”
Broadband - High-speed Internet access that is always on and faster than dial-up access (National Broadband
Plan definition).
Byte – A unit of digital information in computing and telecommunications that most commonly consists of 8 bits.
Cable – A form of broadband Internet access that uses cable television infrastructure.
CRA – Community Redevelopment Agency.
Dial-up - A technology that uses an existing telephone line to access the internet, using the same frequency
range as voice communication and therefore blocking telephone calls while connected.
Download – To receive data to a local system from a remote system.
DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) – a technology that uses an existing telephone line to access the internet, using a
higher frequency than voice communication and therefore allowing telephone calls to be made simultaneously
with internet activity.
Fiber (Optical Fiber) – a flexible, transparent fiber made of glass (silica) or plastic, slightly thicker than a human
hair, which transfers data by means of light, allowing for transmission of data over longer distances and at
higher bandwidths than other forms of communication.
Florida High Tech Corridor – a region spanning 23 counties across the Florida peninsula, including Polk County
as well as the Space Coast and the Orlando, Tampa Bay, Sarasota, and Daytona Beach metropolitan areas,
designated by the Florida High Tech Corridor Council, an initiative of the University of Central Florida.
Gbps (gigabits per second) – 1,000,000,000 bits per second. A measure of how fast data can be transmitted.
Gigabyte – A unit of digital information equal to 1 billion bytes.
Guyed tower – A tower supported by guy-wires.
HD (High Definition) – Video of a higher resolution than is standard.
I-4 Corridor – The region along Interstate 4 in central Florida, consisting of the Tampa, Orlando, and Daytona
Beach areas as well as Polk County.
IPTV (Internet Protocol television) – A system through which television services are delivered using the Internet,
instead of being delivered through terrestrial, satellite signal, and cable television formats.
Kbps (kilobits per second) – 1,000 bits per second. A measure of how fast data can be transmitted.
Kilobyte – A unit of digital information equal to 1,000 bytes.
LambdaRail – A high-speed national network infrastructure owned and operated by the U.S. research and
education community that runs over fiber-optic lines.
87