High Speed Internet Service Providers Reviewed

Charter Internet Specials are an affordable, convenient and reliable way to say goodbye to dialup and hello to the high speed broadband experience you’ve been waiting for.  There are two speed plans available – Charter Internet Lite gives you a respectable 1.5 mbps connection speed.  But if you have a serious need for speed, such as if you are planning on streaming movies or playing online games, you will want their ultra fast speed up to 25 Mbps.  Charter.  Bundling will save you more on your monthly subscription rate.  There is no equipment to buy, and no contract required, plus you get multiple email accounts and the Charter Security Suite.

AT&T Uverse customers in Connecticut  are getting a belated holiday gift.  Uverse added two channels to the lineup for northeastern sports fans, including teams that play in or around Madison Square Garden.  The channels – MSG HD and MSG + HD, feature teams including the New York Islanders hockey team, the New Jersey Devils, and the New York Rangers.  This change comes as a result of a federal appeals court ruling in December where Cablevision attempted to block internet service providers AT&T and Verizon from carrying the channels.  Cablevision had spun off the channels in 2011, but wanted to decide which providers could access it’s content.  Cablevision views the ruling as a “manipulation of federal law by Verizon and AT&T.”  Dan York, President of Cotent for AT&T said “After years of seeking access to this programming, we’re pleased to bring MSG HD and MSG + HD to U-verse TV customers.  We’re delighted that our U-verse TV customers now have access to these important HD sports channels on reasonable terms.  We will continue to work diligently on behalf o four customers to continue enhancing U-verse TV by adding the content they want at fair terms and prices.”

More and more people are seeing the need for wireless internet service to keep them connected while navigating today’s fast-paced lifestyle.  Within the next few years it is predicted to become entirely mainstream with the majority of adults in the United States.  There are so many practical uses to mobile broadband, and so many wireless applications currently available.  You can jump on a hotspot, have internet on-the-go, enjoy wireless home networking, and you can even utilize your cell phone as a wireless router when you are in a pinch and there isn’t a hotspot available.  Many internet providers throw in wireless cards for free with their internet plans so that your mobile device can become a useful tool anywhere and everywhere.

Verizon FiOS is another great option in getting the newest access to the web via fiber optics.  This exciting trend in the high speed market has everyone buzzing.  Checking out good reviews of this new addition and top DSL providers will help you to get excited about these new advances in surfing the Internet.  Checking out the newest information about feature DSL providers and their products will keep you ahead of the class when deciding what the best way to invest your money in Internet service.  Mega-storage and great customer service are becoming some of the newest factors that people are considering when picking their Internet service.  Also, making sure that you and your family are safe online via Internet security suites are another consideration that many factor to in their choice.  Deciding what’s important to you is how you’ll find the best provider of high speed Internet for your money.

The Herald Sun of Australia last week reported that child predators are spending more time during the holiday season visiting Internet game sites looking for prey. A child task force detective said the Internet was like a “supermarket for pedophiles,” yet online predatory behavior is heavily under-reported. He explained why this is so: “If a child goes to their parent and says ‘some weirdo just hit on me online,’ the parent’s first reaction is to take the Internet away — so kids are reluctant to bring it up.”  He warned: “I can just about guarantee you that four out of every five kids have had something inappropriate happen to them while they were on the Internet.”  He recommended that concerned parents “contact the Internet service providers in your city to find the parental tools that will help you play a proactive role in protecting your children from online predators.”

The Times Daily of Florence, Alabama reported that Vina City Clerk Sue Raper said her town just received an early Christmas present when it was announced this week that wireless Internet was coming to western Franklin County, Alabama.  Said Raper: “We have dial-up here — and we have satellite Internet at the City Hall — which is faster than the dial-up, but barely. Whenever I have something big to download, it’s impossible.”  R&S Communications, located in Virginia, has received a $570,800 grant from U.S. Dept of Agriculture Rural Development to provide broadband to the town of Vina. The grant will provide ten computers for the Community Center in Vina and a tower with antenna for broadband connections.  The program was designed to bring high speed broadband into rural towns and is highly competitive. Vina is the first town in Alabama to benefit.

The Greenville News in South Carolina reported today that Internet speeds are rising as companies in the cable industry make a bid to replace DSL as the major delivery instrument for  high speed broadband. Charter Communications, the dominant cable company in upstate South Carolina, reports it has increased the speeds for the top three of its broadband tiers with no increase in price. Insiders say that cable providers are focused on expanding broadband because it is more profitable than traditional TV programming. The cable companies are readying themselves for the day when video will be delivered more commonly over the Internet than through cable lines. Some feel this has already started, noting well-known web-based services like Hulu and Netflix.  You can find the available download speeds in your area by checking both the local cable outlets and the DSL providers by zip code.  Doing so will enable you to compare services to find the best fit.

Verizon, a major cable TV provider in addition to being the supplier of  Verizon Internet service, is working on a streaming video program that is reportedly comparable to Netflix, according to a recent news story from Reuters. The new programming is in the final planning stages and employees working on the project describe it as being primarily focused on motion pictures and content for children.  Industry insiders say the offerings will be served up as on-demand but with the signature Verizon panache.  While details are still sketchy, we do know that Verizon has been shopping for content at a number of major production companies. Reports also indicate the company will jump on the Epix movie library, which currently licensed to Netflix but soon to be made available to other providers. Verizon will make the new service available to all of its subscribers, not just their FiOS customers.

As part of its ongoing program to provide a better mobile experience in all areas, including coverage, applications and devices, AT&T announced today they have activated a new mobile broadband cell site in the greater Philadelphia area. The new site will offer better and faster coverage for businesses and residents along the Schuylkill Expressway and portions of Grays Ferry Ave. As a result, AT&T customers will be able to download files faster and enjoy the latest in interactive applications. Along with the advancements in ATT Uverse, the new cell site is indicative of the company’s commitment to provide customers with the best, most advanced Internet experience in the nation.  “We are a part of the community in Philadelphia and, as such, we are constantly seeking new opportunities to give our customers better service and a better experience” said AT&T‘s Pennsylvania president, Michael Schweder.

Here is a great option for a super fast Internet connection: Clear Wireless Internet! If you are looking for a fast connection for your home, Clear comes equipped with 4G technology & equipment that is not only fast, but super simple to use. For home use you might choose the Clear Home Modem — when it arrives, just plug it in and start surfing the web!  Or you may instead choose the Clear USB Modem — simply plug it into your laptop and get online anywhere within the Clear coverage area (which is well beyond your front yard)! With a Clear Mobile Plan, you can download files & videos, check your email or surf the web right in your car, at the mall, on your way to dinner — or any other place in the city!  This is certainly one of the simplest programs anywhere!

The Ukiah, California, Daily Journal had an interesting article yesterday that emphasizes how much government entities wish to provide high speed broadband to their citizenry. Many people move to Mendocino County because of the rural charm it offers.  However, the county also suffers from a lack of speedy, reliable Internet access — and that has made country living a troublesome trade off. According to the article, the United States even lags behind some African countries when it comes to offering broadband to rural areas. The Broadband Alliance of Mendocino County, however, hopes to change that. The organization was formed by a local group with one purpose in mind —  bringing broadband to the county.  The all volunteer group, formed six months ago, is made up of interested citizens and tech professionals.  All have been impacted by the lack of high-speed broadband.  You can check your area’s Internet providers by zip code to determine the Internet speeds that are available in your area.

Internet providers in Europe can’t be forced to install monitoring systems to prevent the downloading of copyrighted material, said the highest court in Europe on Thursday. A Belgian company that manages copyrights for authors and composers took a large ISP to court claiming the company was permitting the illegal downloading of music. The court ordered the ISP to install a filter to catch illegal downloads, but the ISP appealed and the case went to the Court of Appeals in Brussels — who then referred it to the European Court of Justice. The final decision of the ECJ declared that making a company monitor everything downloaded would prove to be prohibitively expensive and would violate the ISP’s freedom to do business. What are the pirating policies of U.S. companies?  If you would like to know more, we recommend you do a search for Internet providers by zip code to find the ISPs serving your area.

Bloomberg Business Week Reported on Monday that AT&T Inc, which owns and operates AT&T Internet service, AT&T U-verse and the largest telephone company in the United States, notified customers that there was a recent effort by hackers to breech online security in an attempt to collect subscriber account information. “We detected a systematic and organized effort to gain information about a number of different AT&T subscriber accounts — including yours,” the company advised customers in a recent e-mail. “We don’t believe the perpetrators of the attack gained access, nor did they obtain any information about your account.” Company officials reported that the hacking attempt employed some type of auto-script technology aimed at finding out if AT&T phone numbers are connected to AT&T online accounts. A company spokesman said that less than 1% of the company’s customers were affected.

The Denver Post reported today that analysis done by Verizon, CenturyLink, Qwest Internet and AT&T, reveals that online retail sales for November and December in the USA should reach $37 billion — up 15% over 2010. The estimates also include information from ComScore, a Colorado-based market research firm. Online shoppers have already spent about $9 billion during the first three weeks of November — 14% higher than the same three week period last year. ComScore, in a survey of more than one thousand consumers, found that more than one-third are locating more sales and better discounts than they did in 2010. Half of those surveyed said they specifically look for free shipping while shopping online. A few retailers have already launched their special online sales, including The Gap and Newegg. Most of the big retailers, including Best Buy and Walmart, will begin offering Black Friday deals to their online customers on November 25.

Like thousands of other vacation renters, Joe Mangiaracina found it harder and harder to locate an Internet connection at his summer rental while on vacation in Ocean City, New Jersey.  “It used to be we could get a number of different connections by piggy backing off of our neighbors” Joe was quoted as saying in this week’s edition of the Ocean City Patch. “These days, though, finding a wireless connection is more and more difficult because of all the people who choose to encrypt their wireless routers.”  As a result of his frustration, Joe dreamed up SurfNet, a company that rents wireless routers to vacationers in Ocean City. Guests can pick up their router when they stop by the rental office to pick up their keys. Joe says the modems come with all of the necessary software, plug into the USB port of any computer or laptop, and offer high-speed broadband similar to what you receive from any of the best Internet providers.  Odds are pretty good you will be seeing similar businesses popping up in other resort locations.