Meaning – The term dial up, refers to the type of network connectivity, that can be set up by dialling a specific phone number. A few years ago, before the advent of WiFi, people had to use a dial up connection, to access the internet.
When a user initiated a dial-up connection, the modem would dial a phone number of an Internet Service Provider (ISP) that was designated to receive dial-up calls. The ISP then established the connection, which usually took a few seconds, with a slew of beeping and buzzing noises accompanying the whole process.
Once the user got access to the internet, the connection would be active, until the user decided to disconnect from the internet service provider by clicking on the disconnect button on the GUI interface.
The dial up technology was in trend in the 1990s, but due to slow speeds and the continuous need to disconnect and reconnect to the ISP, it was replaced by modems.
Example of usage – “In the early years of the Internet, a dial-up connection was the standard way to connect to the Internet. Companies like AOL, Prodigy, and Earthlink offered dial-up service across the U.S., while several smaller companies offered local dial-up Internet connections.”
