What is dial-up?

Dial-up is a method of connecting to the internet using a modem over a standard telephone line. It was a common way to access the internet before broadband technologies like DSL and cable became widely available. Dial-up is relatively slow compared to modern internet connections, with speeds typically limited to 56 kbps. To connect, a computer's modem dials a phone number provided by an Internet Service Provider (ISP). Once a connection is established, data can be transmitted and received. While largely obsolete in developed nations, dial-up is still used in some areas where broadband infrastructure is limited or unavailable.