Putting the Focus on Bandwidth

Business websites are no longer single page billboards that list basic company information. Businesses are taking their Web presence seriously, and are launching fully comprehensive sites. But with the increased functionality of sites come new concerns - one of which is a higher demand on bandwidth. For larger sites that incorporate high-resolution graphics, flash animation, multiple pages, and other larger file, bandwidth is something is an essential consideration. But what exactly is bandwidth? Webopedia.com has this to say

"The amount of data that can be transmitted in a fixed period of time. For digital devices, bandwidth is usually expressed in bits per second (bps) or bytes per second. For analog devices, bandwidth is expressed in cycles per second, or Hertz (Hz)"

And what does that really mean? Basically, bandwidth is the measurement of the blips and bleeps - or data - that can coast across the Internet. With respect to Web hosting, bandwidth refers specifically to the amount of data that your site is delivering to the rest of the world, via the Internet. For instance, say you have a site that is 750k in size. Every time someone looks at your main page, 750k worth of data is transferred from the server where your site resides to the browser that is requesting it

Keep in mind that regular surfers may hit refresh a few times and surf around your site; each time they hit refresh, more data is transferred. The host monitors the amount of data transferred, and this information should be available for you to verify. If your host does not offer any utilities that allow you to monitor the bandwidth yourself, be wary.

Since hosting companies have to pay for their bandwidth, you have to pay too. Most hosts will give you a set amount of bandwidth with your service package, and then charge you if you exceed this amount. Charges can be anywhere from a few pennies to hundreds of dollars ... so be sure to verify this information before choosing a host; ALWAYS read the fine print! Some hosts advertise "unlimited bandwidth," but what does this mean? Is it really unlimited? After consulting with several top companies, I can say that unlimited bandwidth isn't unlimited at all. WebHosting.Com, which offers unlimited bandwidth, will actually only provide 12 gigs. If you need any more than that, the company will suggest that you look into a dedicated server. If you exceed the 12-gig limit on a regular basis, expect your site to be deactivated

Pagecreators.net, a hosting company based out of Minnesota, has come under fire for allegedly scamming clients with its fine-print stipulations. The large print offers unlimited bandwidth, but the contract tells another story. Hidden in the small print, underneath all the jargon and legalese, is a clause stating that bandwidth over a certain amount is subject to a usage fee of $1 per kilobyte. One former customer discovered a charge of $9,000.00 on his credit card bill, and when he tried to contest the charge, he was told that his contract clearly outlined a rate of $1 per kb. In poetic terms, bandwidth is the lifeblood of the Internet, and it should be accorded the appropriate consideration. Bandwidth is definitely an issue that needs to be addressed, both when embarking upon the development of a web presence, and when selecting an appropriate host.