Broadband Internet access is referred to these days simply as Broadband, and is a huge development compared to the old-fashioned methods of accessing the web. For example, a 56k dial-up modem, which was limited to a bit-rate of less than 56 kbit/s, required the use of an actual land-based telephone line.
Broadband connections offer more than double the speed of a dial-up connection, and do not require the use of the telephone. Whilst it is true that minimum bandwidths can be used to define what broadband actually is, standard connections these days between companies are usually around 6 mbit/s, which is far faster than a dial-up. One thing to remember is that the actual data rates are defined in terms of maximum download potential, because some broadband technologies like ADSL have a much slower maximum upload speed in comparison to the download speed.
Broadband is referred to as high-speed Internet because it has a high rate of data transmission, which allows customers the ability to download and upload data in a far more reliable manner compared to old-fashioned dial-up. It is important to understand that there are differences between what various countries consider broadband, with the International Telecommunication Union Standardized Sector referring to broadband as any transmission faster than 1.5 to 2 mbit/s, while the FCC in the United States has a standard of 768 kbit/s as their definition. This is important when looking at which type of broadband you are being offered, as where you are in the world will determine your actual speeds.