Not so many years ago, accessing the Internet was a ‘one size fits all’ technology. When you wanted to surf the web, send and receive emails, post files to a web site, or just play around on AOL, you accessed it all through your telephone line using a modem and a standard dial-up account. Most of us didn’t mind because we realized that the slow speeds we endured were shared by everyone else. The notion of Internet ’speed envy’ had yet to emerge.

Well, those days are long gone! Nowadays, in ever-increasing numbers, people are dumping their old dial-up modems and those slow connections for a much faster Internet experience through DSL, cable, and satellite technologies. In 2002, only 21% of Internet users had broadband connections at home. As of late 2005, that number had risen to 53% [Source: Pew Internet & American Life Project].

For the remaining 47% still using dial-up access, it’s often because they live where DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) and cable technologies are not available. Yes, there are still lots of rural areas that do not have access to either. Among those who do have access to broadband connections, it is most often older and poorer Americans who choose to keep dial-up access.

Which Internet Access Option is Best for You?

You may be wondering which broadband solution is the best option. While much depends on what’s available in your area, for many users it comes down to a personal choice, centered on convenience, speed, and cost. Let’s examine the various technologies and the relative advantages of each.

Cable Internet Access

Using your home’s existing cable television lines, you can get Internet access included for an additional fee. Expect a large speed increase versus dial-up access. In fact, in many cases cable Internet access is the fastest alternative. Installation is usually completed quickly with just one visit from your cable company’s technicians. You will also need a cable modem (supplied by the cable company in virtually every instance, but can be purchased separately as well).

Clearly, the biggest advantage of going with cable access is speed. All things being equal, it is the fastest of the three broadband alternatives, with a top speed of 10 Mbps (Megabits per second). Having said that, cable speeds can be substantially reduced if you share a local network with a lot of other subscribers. People living in densely packed areas, or locations where the cable company has a lot of users on the same network, will only realize a fraction of that top speed. It’s a good idea to call your cable provider and ask some pointed questions about these issues before you order. Better yet, ask neighbors who have cable Internet what kind of speed they get.

DSL Internet Access

Digital Subscriber Line access utilizes your existing telephone line in an innovative way to greatly increase your Internet speeds. While cable is usually faster, DSL is substantially speedier than traditional dial-up access and offers a much-improved experience for a modest increase in cost. Installation is quick, usually only requiring a simple change at your home’s phone box outside of the house by a phone company technician. You will need a DSL modem, which is included at no extra charge by most providers when you sign an extended service contract.

If you live where DSL is not currently available, be patient. Major providers like Sprint, Verizon, and AT&T are spreading their coverage areas quickly. Even many rural areas can expect to have DSL access in the coming months.

The two big advantages of choosing DSL are cost and speed. You will only need to get the modem and follow some simple instructions to configure it. If you agree to a one-year contract with your phone service provider (most major carriers), the modem will cost you nothing. And the service itself is generally in the $15-$40 per month range, making it a good bargain.

Speed is a bit trickier with DSL. It is slower than cable (top speed is about 6 Mbps), and the major providers offer different packages that limit speeds based on the price you pay per month. To further muddy the waters, DSL is what’s known as a ‘distance limited’ technology. This means that how far you live from the nearest telephone company switching station determines your actual speed. Those living within a few yards will experience the highest speeds, while those at the other end of your street or block may only get half that speed. As with cable, call your local phone provider and ask questions about the various services and what kind of actual speed you can expect based on your exact physical location in relation to the switching station for your street or neighborhood. If you have a next-door neighbor with DSL, ask what his or her experience has been, as yours will probably be very similar.

Satellite Internet Access

Satellite Internet access uses a small mounted dish and group of electronics to send and receive data through satellites orbiting the Earth over the equator. Users must have a clear view of the Southern sky (in the U.S.) from the face of the dish, unobstructed by trees, buildings, and other obstacles. Coaxial cabling connects the outdoor equipment to indoor send-and-receive equipment that then connects to your computer through a standard USB connector or network card.

The major advantage with satellite Internet access is faster connection speeds for people who live where cable and DSL are not available. Users can expect to download data at a rate that is about 10 to 30 times faster than dial-up access. While satellite Internet connections are significantly faster than dial-ups, they are slower than cable and DSL, and should not be the first choice for those who do have cable or DSL available to them. Satellite access is also more expensive than DSL or cable and can suffer outages when the weather turns ugly. Clearly, the other two are better options unless you live where they are not available.

The Bottom Line

Overall, cable and DSL are terrific broadband Internet access solutions for the majority of people who live in urban or suburban locations. Satellite access adds a much-needed alternative for folks living in rural areas, completing the coverage area for the vast majority of America and Canada. While proponents of both cable and DSL have legitimate arguments in favor of their services, deciding between them should be made on an individual basis, determined by the actual speeds and costs for each in your location.

If speed is your top priority and you live where there are not a lot of other users sharing the local cable network, go with cable (especially if your neighbors report high speeds and good service). If not, look into DSL. If cost is your main consideration and speed isn’t as important, a lower-end DSL service will probably be a better fit, as long as you don’t live too far from the nearest telephone switching station. Finally, if you live in a rural area, satellite Internet access may be right up your alley, especially if you long for faster downloads and web site surfing.

If you do live in a rural area where cable or DSL are not an option then your best bet would be to go with the new WildBlue Satellite System.

Do you remember the days? Firing up your 200Mhz turbo PowerPC, dialling up using your 56k modem, waiting an age for your hotmail page to show up, waiting some more to check your e-mails only to have your connection die just as you hit the send button! How times change.

It’s funny, once you’ve used broadband you quickly forget how painful the dial up connection was. I used to run my business on dial up and looking back I managed rather well. But these days there’s no way I could do without my broadband connection.

There’s no doubt about it, broadband is well and truly here to stay. It is of course a logical progression – streaming audio and video demand much higher bandwidth and broadband connections are the only way to achieve anything which is at all usable.

A recent survey revealed that 53% of Americans who use the Internet now use a broadband connection. What they failed to point out is that obviously this means 47% still use a dial up connection. This actually equates to around 60 million people. These kind of statistics are mirrored in other developed countries. When you consider a large chunk of the developing world still uses dial up then you realize that’s an awful lot of people still using a slow Internet connection.

So is it possible to speed up your dial up connection?

Well actually yes it is. There are quite a few services online these days allowing you to “accelerate” your dial up connection. These Internet accelerators claim to be able to boost the speed of your dial up connection by as much as six or seven times.

Before you scream with delight at this prospect I feel I should point out right now that these accelerator services are not high speed broadband Internet services. They use a different kind of technology based on the same idea as things like zip files and mp3 files. These files use a compression algorithm to dramatically reduce the file size.

Internet accelerators work in the same way and most providers have also implemented a caching technology whereby they store local copies of popular web sites. These local copies are pre compressed and can be sent to the user very quickly. The user has a piece of software sitting on their PC which decompresses the data as it comes in. This is how the dramatic speed increases are achieved.

Many people report excellent success with these systems. Some people are even comparing the accelerators with broadband services

So while this is a really good thing for basic web pages, the technology falls down as soon as you start working with large video or audio files etc. Since an mp3 file is already compressed there’s not much more compression that can be done and so the Internet accelerator has little effect. Plus many services have a file size limit meaning they will not even attempt to compress anything as big as a regular pop music mp3 file.

But if you’re just loading up normal web pages without too much flash animation and all the other bells and whistles, then I highly recommend you get yourself an accelerated service. If your ISP doesn’t offer it there are plenty that do so vote with your feet and check out some of these excellent services.

For more information simply search Google or Yahoo! for the term “dial up accelerator” or something like “speed up my dial up connection”. You’ll find lots of providers ready to supply you with service.

Some popular services in the USA are NetZero and Earthlink. In the UK you want to be taking a look at someone like Mistral or Onspeed.com

Fabio writes for many niches and is an experienced researcher. He has written articles covering a wide range of subjects and enjoys plying his trade especially on the Internet. He is currently sponsoring Ambient Modem News and Blogs and can be reached on fabio@linkz-and.info

DSL – which stands for Digital Subscriber Line – is a great way to get high-speed internet service, without having to get a cable modem, or live in an area that has cable lines. DSL providers have very fast and comparatively cheap internet connectivity.

To explain DSL, it is a way to enjoy high-speed internet using your telephone line, just as you would for dial up. Except that it has so many more advantages than a regular internet service could provide.

Have a look at some of the great ways that DSL internet can benefit your home or business:

- With a DSL installation, you can keep your internet connection open, and still use the same telephone line for phone calls; both incoming and outgoing.

- The internet speed that you can obtain with a quality DSL provider is much greater than that of a regular dial-up modem. To compare, you can get an average of 1.5 Mbps with a DSL modem, as opposed to only 56 Kbps with a dial-up connection (that’s 10 times faster!).

- DSL connection doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll need any new wiring. As long as you have a phone line with which to connect, then you’re already all set.

- Many DSL providers will supply you with the right kind of modem as a part of the DSL installation.

There are a few minor disadvantages to DSL that you might want to note. But it is pretty clear that DSL is far superior than any standard connection to the internet, and if you have the choice, you should most certainly aim for the convenience of high-speed. Some of these disadvantages include:

- DSL connections work best when you are located close to the DSL provider’s central location. If you are, indeed, close, then this should not be a concern.

- DSL internet is faster for receiving than for sending. However, the sending is still a great deal faster than standard internet services.

- DSL service is not available universally. You’ll need to check your local suppliers to find out if they are DSL providers.

If you want reliable, high-speed internet, then you’ll likely be looking into a quality DSL provider to supply you with precisely what you’ve been looking for.

Dave Gonzalez
http://www.broadband-dsl-directory.com

Looking for bandwidth? That can be a daunting and frustrating task even in the best of situations. There’s lots to consider in order to make the right decision for your needs. Below you’ll find some help when evaluating ADSL vs SDSL. Factors covered include Technology, Speed, Description, Application, Pros, Cons, and Costs.

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Technology: ADSL

Speed: 768Kbps to 6.1 Mbps downstream. Upstream speeds range from 64Kbps-1Mbps.

Description: The most common type of DSL. Deployed over a copper wire pair in conjunction with an analog phone line.

Application: Commercial and consumer Internet service. Popular with consumers because of low-cost, short provisioning times and high download speeds.

Pros: High-speed access at a relatively low-cost. Availability is approaching 70% in most major metropolitan areas. Installation times are often less than 30days.

Cons: Not available in all areas. Slow upload speed. Bandwidth is aggregated at the Central Office and is subject to oversubscription. Not ideal for businesses or heavy users.

Costs: Consumer services starts at around $30-50. But….the pricing for these connections varies widely depending on the carrier and location of service. For example…it’s likely to be more costly in rural areas and some local/regional providers may offer better rates than Tier 1 carriers.

~~~~~~~~~~

Technology: SDSL

Speed: Up to 2.3Mbps both ways.

Description: A form of HDSL, provisioned over a single twisted-pair of copper wire at distances up to 12,000 feet.

Application: Ideal for businesses due to symmetrical data transmission speeds and advanced features such as multiple IP addresses.

Pros: High-speed access at a low-cost when compared to T-1. Often provides more features than ADSL.

Cons: Not available in all areas. Bandwidth is aggregated at the Central Office and is subject to oversubscription. More costly and longer install times than ADSL.

Costs: Business service starts at around $50-80 and can be as high as a few $100 monthly. But….the pricing for these connections varies widely depending on the carrier, location of service, and the application for which the connection is being used. For example…it’s likely to be much more costly in rural areas. While some local/regional providers may offer better rates than Tier 1 carriers…you’ll have to consider possible tradeoffs in stability and reliabilty.

Michael is the owner of FreedomFire
Communications….including Business-VoIP-Solution.com. Michael also authors Broadband Nation where you’re always welcome to drop in and catch up on the latest BroadBand news, tips, insights, and ramblings for the masses.

Announcing the winner of the best ISP awardthe one that works for you and your family! Finding the best ISP is finding the one that works best for your internet experience and your needs. There is not an across the board best choice that will make every user satisfied. You need to choose an ISP that enables you and your family to use the internet in the ways and for the uses that you choose.

The best ISP will be one that offers software upgrades regularly and has been in business for a long time. The software upgrades will show you that they are constantly changing to give their users more features and speed. They will have a good track record with customers and their customer service associates will be available 24/7 with quick and efficient responses.

The number of email addresses available per account will help you decide which is the best ISP for you. If the number does not match or exceed the amount that you need for you and your family, then that ISP may not be the best choice for you and your family. Nothing is worse than your children fighting over an email address or reading each others emails.

If you have young children, then the best ISP choice for you may be one that offers the blocking of websites that are inappropriate for children. Some ISPs also offer special children’s offerings like games, cartoons, and movies. They also may offer links to homework help sites and other child appropriate sites.

The best ISP will be one that offers SPAM blocker and virus protection for your email and computer. This will protect your computer from any viruses that may be sent to you. SPAM blocker will help to save you time in reading your emails as it blocks many of those irritating emails that you do not want.

Unlimited internet usage is also the mark of one of the best ISPs. If you are on the computer several times daily, then this is the way that you want to go. Otherwise you could be paying extra money for any minutes over your specified time limit.

Price may be a factor in choosing the best ISP for you and your family, but keep in mind that you should not use price as the primary decision maker. Prices vary but so does service. The best ISP should be one that connects quickly and loads websites and information speedily. This may not happen with an ultra-cheap ISP. So choose the best ISP for you and your family to ensure that you receive the service that you need and deserve!

Learn the essential information for picking the right Internet Service Provider at Net Zero

Most businesses, whether IT or non-IT, are under pressure to provide remote network access capabilities to its users. With Network Access, your computer becomes just another citizen on the network. You can access the servers just as if you were on the local network except response is slower. Sometimes much, much slower. This network access can be by telephone line and modem, or by Internet through a router.

The user communities requiring Remote Internet Access range from people who only need access to their e-mail and the corporate Web portal from their family PC, to the full-time telecommuters, who need to use core applications from the office network wherever they are, and in some cases even customers and vendors. Companies usually don’t have too much trouble justifying high-end solutions for the full-time telecommuters by providing them with a company-owned computer, firewall and 24×7 help desk access, since these users depend upon remote access for all their work. But sometimes it becomes difficult for them to effectively and affordably support the lower-end needs of other users, because of the security issues of the network.

One solution to prevent the security threat is to implement a virtual private network (VPN). A VPN ensures a degree of security for the remote users accessing the network. There are various other emerging tools and applications, such as Cisco security agent, and Trend Micro’s network virus wall, which can be used to protect the network from unwanted viruses and unsecured devices. However, implementing solutions such as this can be costly and adds another technology to the task list of the administrator.

The bottom line when it comes to Remote Internet Access seems to be due diligence combined with enough knowledge and strict policy. Firstly, before allowing another network or a user to connect to your network, you should do enough investigation and ask the right questions to feel comfortable that they have updated security software, such as antivirus, installed, and that the network or computer system has the necessary patches and updates installed.

Allowing other networks and individuals to connect to your network is virtually unavoidable. All that you need is to ensure that you exercise the appropriate level of caution and pay close attention to that back door. If all of your fingers are already in use, it’s time to stick a toe in the Remote Internet Access “leak in the dike.”

Remote Access provides detailed information about remote access, remote PC access, secure remote access, remote internet access and more. Remote Access is the sister site of FTP Site Hosting.

1. Stop Leasing Lines

Prior to VOIP, you had to lease lines from your local exchange carrier. For
example, each line often has a small start- up fee, and there is a monthly access
cost to use each line. Furthermore, each month, there are usage charges for local
and long- distance calls.

The charge is relatively small, perhaps around 40 cents a minute.
That certaintly sounds small, but think about how many lines your company has,
and how often each line is used. It’s easy to see how small charges can quickly add
up to millions of dollars a month.

The good news is that with VoIP and Avaya Phone Systems, the leasing
fees can be greatly reduced or eliminated completely.

2. No More Extra Regulatory Fees

In addition to leasing fees, traditional telephony models also have other
regulatory fees. Unlike the leasing fees, which are collected by your Local Exchange
Carrier, these fees go to various governmental entities. They include things like a
911 fee, and the Federal Line Surcharge. The total cost of the which can range from
4 to 7 percent of your total phone bill.

When you make the switch to VoIP, these fees are paid in
conjunction with the data network, eliminating excess charges.

3. No More Charges for Calling Features

If you want more features than the ability to make calls, say voicemail,
call transfer, or call forwarding, you’re going to have to pay extra, when you use
traditional telephony.

Not so with VoIP and Avaya Phone Systems: you get all the standard
features and a plethora of advanced ones that help increase productivity and
efficiency.

4. Eliminate Charges for Changing the Network

Under the old model of circuit- switched telephony, if an employee
moved to a different office, or a new employee was hired and had to be added to the
network, expensive technicians had to be hired, to the tune of $150 an hour.
Networking addresses had to be changed or added, and port numbers had to be
reprogramed. Major changes and moves were expensive and time consuming.

But VoIP has an intuitive intelligence. Devices like phones or
computers know where they are: move them to your new office and it will
automatically connect to the network.

Cameron Elliott is an Telephony specialist at avaya voip phone systems where he extols the benefits of Avaya
Phone Systems

As the influence and use of the Internet continues to revolutionize the way we live our lives, Internet access has become an important necessity for most people. As Internet connection technologies progress, we can now access the Internet at lightning-fast speeds through a broadband Internet access. However, broadband Internet is still quite expensive. Is there still a free or inexpensive way to connect to the Internet? Yes there is.

Although Internet dialup access is the slowest type of Internet connection, it is also the easiest and most economical way to connect to the Internet. All you need, aside from a computer, is a modem and a telephone line. If you have a limited budget or don’t want to spend too much on Internet access dialup is the best option. And if you are really conscious of you budget, you will be pleased to know that you can also access the Internet using a dialup connection for free.

Some Internet service providers offer free Internet dialup access as part of their services. All you need to do is dial the ISP’s free Internet access numbers, and you can surf the Internet for free. ISPs also offer dialup Internet access with either a per-minute rate or a fixed monthly rate. However, free Internet dialup access is not entirely free since your usage on your phone line will most likely reflect on your next phone bill. Nevertheless, free Internet dialup access is the most cost-effective way to connect to the World Wide Web.

If you wish to save on Internet costs and opt for a free Internet dialup access, you can ask the Internet service providers in your area if they offer such services. You can also look online for the best free Internet access deals. Some sites provide information on free Internet dialup access numbers that you can use.

Internet Dial Up Access provides detailed information on Internet Dial Up Access, Free Internet Dial Up Access, Internet Dial Up Access Providers, Internet Dial Up Access Numbers and more. Internet Dial Up Access is affiliated with Internet Access Providers.

VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) Telephony is the process of routing voice conversations over an Internet Protocol network, rather than through traditional circuit-switched telephone lines. The voice information is converted into digital data packets and then transmitted over an IP network, such as the internet, or a local area network.

The main advantage of VoIP is the fact that it is highly efficient, and thus very affordable. The cost of transferring digital information over an IP telephony network is significantly less than that of transferring analog information over a traditional telephone line. Because of this, VoIP users can make long distance and international calls to anywhere in the world, at any time of day, for a fraction of what an ordinary phone company would charge.

Although call quality was originally a problem for VoIP customers, this issue has improved greatly with today’s progressing technology. Because of the fact that VoIP traffic goes over a broadband line, there is enough bandwidth available to allow for very good sound quality.

As anyone familiar with telecommunications would probably tell you, VoIP Telephony is revolutionizing the way that people around the world make phone calls. More and more people are seeing the benefits of VoIP, and the number of users worldwide is growing at an astounding pace.

If you have a broadband internet connection, and a touch tone telephone, you are fully equipped to set up your very own broadband phone system, and start making use of VoIP Telephony to save money on all your long distance phone calls.

For more information on the benefits of VoIP, and how you can start using it to save money on your phone bill, please click here.

Jeremy Maddock is the owner of a successful telecommunications news website.

I’ve used VoIP technology for the past few years for my home
line, and recently made the switch to using VoIP for my business,
as well. For those who may not know, the acronym VoIP stands for
“voice-over-ip”, and, essentially, means that our phone calls can
now travel over data lines, much the same way our email does.

If you follow telecommunications at all, you may remember the
early days of this kind internet telephony: users needed a
computer, an internet connection, and a headset with microphone
in order to make and receive calls. The amount of equipment
required was rather cumbersome, and one could only make calls
while sitting at the computer. Now, though, the communications
landscape has changed, as VoIP can be utilized in much the same
way as a traditional land-line– you can use a wireless phone and
take VoIP around the house, or you can get a so-called “soft
phone”, which enables you to take your calling around the world.

VoIP plans are less expensive than traditional calling plans, and
come standard with desirable features such as call-waiting,
call-forwarding, 3-way calling, and voicemail. In fact, you can
even have your voicemail delivered as an audio file to your email
account, saving you the time and hassle of calling in to retrieve
messages.

Aside from the cost savings, calling features, and convenience,
(reasons 1, 2, and 3) VoIP is great for business in seven other
ways. First, you can choose your area code. So, for example, if
you have clients in Los Angeles, but you work from New York, you
can obtain a Los Angeles area code so you seem to be right next
door. This can be a good way to create a business presence in
multiple cities very cost effectively. Next, you can order
toll-free lines for less than traditional carriers. Having a toll
free line makes your business seem bigger. Also, you can take
your calling plan on the road when you travel, and can use your
’softphone’ to make calls to/from hotels. No more paying
exorbitant fees for local calls, which saves you money (reason 6)

The higher end VoIP plans allow you to place an unlimited number
of calls for one set fee. This can help you budget your business
expenses more effectively. You can forward calls to any number
when you’re out of the office, meaning more flexibility. VoIP
also allows you to call internationally for very low rates, so
you can expand your business reach and influence across the
globe. (reason 9). Setting up a VoIP phone system is easy, and
can often be done in less than five minutes, provided you have high
speed internet and an IP-usable phone (reason 10).

So, for all these reasons, VoIP is great for business. It’s
affordable, convenient, and simple to use. As the world of
business gets more complex, it’s nice to know your
telecommunication systems doen’t have to follow suit.

Jane Perkis is a technology enthusiast who uses VoIP for home and business. Please visit http://www.voice-over-ip-advice to learn more about VoIP for your home or office.