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1980s: the early years
The 1980s was the first decade where the internet resembled something like it does in the modern day. But it wasn’t capable of anywhere near what it is now.
As a result, the internet in this decade wasn’t widely used by regular people. At this point, it was almost only ever used at big institutions or universities that had the computing power to access it. In fact, the BBC only gained internet access in 1989, relying on a network provided by Brunel University. -
1990s: much ado about dial-up
Dial-up internet took off in the 1990s, and the first commercial internet service providers (ISPs) started offering internet connections to regular households. AOL and other web browsers’ CD-ROMs were being sold in shops, letting you install and use their web software for a 30-day free trial (before being charged by the hour). Chat rooms sprung up for people across the world to discuss shared interests, paving the way for Reddit and social media. -
2000s: the arrival of broadband
Broadband breathed new life into the internet in the early 2000s by allowing the signal in one line to be split between telephone and internet. This meant users could be online and make phone calls at the same time. It was branded the ‘always on’ internet service. It also came with much faster connection speeds, making it a lot easier to browse the internet and download & send files. -
2010s: streaming, social media and speed
The 2010s saw the internet become even more essential to everyday life. It helped the web transition from an obscure place for entertainment into a mainstream blockbuster TV and movie platform, thanks to streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. It allowed anyone to create and upload their own high-quality content and build loyal digital audiences. -
2020s: working from home, 5G and a full fibre future
Just when we thought we were hitting peak internet, the world was hit with the Covid-19 pandemic. Millions of people had to start working and learning from home, at almost no notice. This put immediate pressure on everyone’s home broadband, as suddenly we were staying in and using the internet throughout the whole workday too. -
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