Internet access speeds across the globe have been steadily increasing since the introduction of broadband in the year 2000. In the last 10 years we have seen speeds increase from the initial 256Kbps (kilobits per second) up to a worldwide average estimated to be around 1.5Mbps. Some countries can now boast a national average broadband speed of over 50Mbps - that is nearly 200 times faster than when it was first introduced 10 years ago. The future is looking bright for many countries that have the time and resources to improve their current internet infrastructure as current data transfer infrastructure cables are not capable of carrying the speeds that internet service providers will be able to offer in the future. Though it is not an easy process to replace all the currently installed telephone cables with newer technologies such as optical cables that will be able to support hugely increased speeds. One direction that internet broadband access may be utilizing in the future is via overhead or underground electricity cables. Although it is technically possible as broadband data and electricity flow on different frequencies, recent research has shown that when data is transmitted through overhead, under-insulated cables it can interfere with some radio wave bands. However, if a solution is found to this problem that does not require the replacement of electrical power cables, then people in the future may be able to enjoy broadband access speeds of up to 200 Megabits per second just by plugging into an electrical outlet. One of the most hotly anticipated technological advances in broadband access is WIMAX, also called 4G. WIMAX could potentially offer users a maximum data transfer rate of 70 Megabits per second, a vast improvement from 3G standards. and something that could eventually instigate the demise of plug-in broadband. One other route that users may be able to take in the future in order to access broadband at a higher speed is by satellite. There are currently millions of people around the world that utilize satellite technology to watch television programs. These connections could also be used to transmit internet data at speeds of up to 3 Gigabits per second, that is 3000 Megabits per second (around 375 Megabytes per second). There are 2 problems facing the use of this technology, the weather and the cost. As most satellite television viewers know, bad weather can play havoc with signal reception and in some cases disrupt it totally. The cost of the equipment for receiving broadband internet access via satellite could also cost in excess of $2500, and would also be charged on a monthly basis, which is much too expensive for the majority of users even with the huge attainable speeds. So as you can see, the future is bright for broadband internet access.