High Speed Internet Service Providers Reviewed

ViaSat, a U.S. satellite communications company and owner of WildBlue Internet, said Thursday that the launch of its new $400 million broadband Internet satellite, ViaSat 1, is now scheduled to take place in mid-October.  A company spokesman said that once ViaSat-1 reaches orbit, it will be an additional six weeks before the satellite begins providing high speed Internet service. At 150 gigabits per second in total capacity, ViaSat-1 will become the world’s highest capacity satellite. The spokesman said that the company fully expects it to deliver somewhere between 2 megabits per second and 10 megabits per second download speeds.  He said the monthly service cost will be roughly the same as other current Internet services, which are much slower. WildBlue provides high-speed Internet service via satellite throughout the nation.

According to an article in yesterday’s edition of the Chicago Sun Times, there are thousands of school aged children in the Fox Valley and Aurora sections of the greater Chicago metropolitan area that are now able to gain high-speed access to the Internet for less than $10.00 per month.  How can they get it for such an inexpensive rate?  They can thank the Essentials program that is sponsored by Comcast.  The program was designed for low-income families with students.  The intention of the program is to eliminate the “digital divide” that separates the haves from the have-nots when it comes to Internet access.

According to the article, the program is available to all families with children who receive a free lunch through the National School Lunch program.  The program is available in East Aurora and surrounding school districts.  It is anticipated that nearly 70% of all students in the East Aurora school district will qualify.  Clayton Muhammad, speaking for the District said: “We’re increasingly aware of the importance for all children to have access to the Internet and advancing technologies.”  Comcast sponsors the program in many communities throughout the nation.

You may be surprised to learn that one of the top spots in the world for Americans to retire is Cuenca, Ecuador.  With a mild year-around climate, safe neighborhoods, low cost of living and excellent, affordable medical services, thousands of Americans make the move to Cuenca each year. This quaint city, which is located 2,500 feet above sea level, generally receives only one major complaint — slow Internet connections!  Now HughesNet satellite internet is about to change that. According to an August 30, 2011 press release, Hughes Network Systems, LLC, has just been awarded a contract with Iseyco Ecuador to supply its advanced satellite system in order to provide the power and technology to deliver high-speed Internet access throughout the country of Ecuador. It is amazing how important a high-speed broadband connection has become to people the world over. So if retirement is in your immediate future, you might consider brushing up on your Spanish and visiting this beautiful city in the mountains.

Who would ever associate the Internet with soap?  Sure, you might feel the need to wash your hands after using your keyboard, but that is a far cry from what we’re talking about. What we are referring to is using the Internet to learn how to make soap! Amazingly, one woman, who now has a successful soap making business, said she learned her entire trade on the Internet!  She was looking for an opportunity and decided to look online. Because of a slow Internet connection speed, however, she told us: “I searched for Internet service providers in my area and was quickly hooked up with a fast broadband connection.” Using this new mobility, she joined some soap making forums, read detailed online soap making instructions, had many questions answered by other soap makers — and in no time at all she was making soap!  She now successfully sells her soaps to boutiques and bath stores in over 12 states!

It doesn’t seem all that long ago that Ma Bell was an icon that personified big business.  Normally the reference to Ma Bell was a reference to the Bell Telephone System, which subsequently became AT&T.  This huge company became a monopoly that provided telephone service to the United States and Canada through the year 1984 when the U.S. Department of Justice broke it up into several different companies. Now, just 25 years later, the telecommunications business is no longer solely about telephone lines that carry calls into the homes of people and into the nations businesses.  Now it is Internet service, along with wireless, mobile devices that these companies focus on.  In fact, the separate phone companies that were created back in 1984 have evolved into the major Internet service providers in the nation today.  Isn’t it amazing to see how things have changed in just 25 years!

An individual in New York recently posted a message on Yelp, a social network and review site.  He wanted to know if anyone could tell him where to find a restaurant or pub in Manhattan that was hooked up to Verizon FiOS for their TV and Internet service.  Why would he be interested in the ISP being used in a public eating and drinking establishment?  Because he is a University of Texas Longhorns alumni — and he wanted to see the first Texas football game of the season!  It seems that the Longhorns recently signed an agreement with Verizon providing that all of the programming broadcast on the Longhorn network be made available to Verizon FiOS customers!

Of course, this type of preferential treatment given to University of Texas in Austin is one of primary reasons Texas A&M has requested to leave the Big 12 conference.  They find it too hard to operate under the shadow of the Longhorns.  Who knows?  Do you think perhaps Comcast, AT&T Uverse, or one

You may wonder how the Internet Service Providers in your city can keep up with the growing number of people on the Internet.  But sometimes we may not appreciate just how connected the whole world has become.  For instance, there was an article in the Daily Times of Pakistan (dateline Islamabad — 9/6/11) that stated broadband subscriptions in that country are increasing and that more than 9.5 million subscribers will have high-speed Internet service by the end of 2014. The article then noted that the trend is in wireless, because wireless broadband looks as though it will overcome fixed-line DSL within the next 12 months.

The government expects an annual growth of 70% to 85% subscribers over the next four years.  By December 31, 2020, officials in Pakistan say there will be almost 20 million high-speed Internet subscribers.  While these numbers are impressive, it should also be noted that the population of Pakistan is expected to reach 195 million during the year 2020.  Using those calculations, there will be about 1 subscriber for each 10 residents of the country.

In an article in yesterday’s Business Section of the Los Angeles Times  we were advised that there is a movement in the airline industry designed to enhance customer loyalty while attracting new passengers.  Several different airlines are now offering new amenities for travelers in first business class.  The special perks wireless Internet service, free pajamas and live live baseball broadcasts.  The promotions are being offered by American, Alaska and Virgin America, among others.  Tom Parsons who is the CEO of Bestfares.com said “these sorts of perks are an enticement to get folks to swing over. It has been a war when you’re talking about the first class and business class passengers.”

American Airlines just this past week started providing slippers, pajamas, quilted bed, duvets and pillows in travel kits offered to passengers in the first-class cabins on their  B-777 flights between the United States and London. The airline plans to extend these amenities to other international flights in October.  Alaska Airlines is providing free wireless Internet service during through September to passengers with smartphones and iPod Touches. Virgin America has upgraded the entertainment offerings on some of their flights by adding free broadcasts of major league baseball games.  They will also include NHL hockey and NFL football games as they come into season.

The State of Hawaii has just touched off a broadband initiative which will provide access throughout the state to ultra high-speed Internet that is affordable.  The completion date is targeted for 2018 and Governor Abercrombie said the improvements “are going to take us to a new world of communications and accessibility that will be unprecedented.”  The target speed for this broadband initiative is one gigabit per second — or about 200 times faster than the connections provided by today’s DSL providers by zip code. The initiative calls for all universities, public libraries and schools to have access to these ultra-speed connections.

The governor said the initiative is important for Hawaii because it ensures the state be among the  leaders in such areas as healthcare and education despite the ocean separating it from the rest of the country.  He doesn’t want the state to develop an “over-class and an under-class” when it comes to Internet access.  “I do not want Hawaii to become a society that is divided with a new digital form of class division” he was quoted as saying in a story that appeared last week on Maui Now dot com.

According to a press release datelined Newbury Park, California, September 1, 2011, Verizon has posted a reward of up to $10,000 for any information which may lead to the arrest and the prosecution of those responsible for a number of thefts of copper cables from the Verizon internet service network.  According to the story there has been a recent rash of thefts perpetrated by thieves that have cut several thousand feet of copper cable from nine separate locations.  The thefts have resulted in damages in the thousands of dollars.  Verizon is a major telecommunications company that has a large presence throughout the state of California.

More importantly, according to Verizon officials, the thefts have put the public at risk.  Hundreds of customers in Southern California have suffered the loss of telephone and Internet service.  Margaret Serjak, the president of Verizon California further stated: “Not only are our customer inconvenienced, but they are also denied a vital communications link.  People may not have a way to reach emergency services or loved ones.”  She went on to say that Verizon won’t tolerate acts of theft and vandalism against their customers and their communications network.  Anyone wishing to report information regarding the thefts is instructed to call 800-997-3287, which is the Verizon Security Department.

These  days folks don’t just purchase cable or satellite TV, an Internet connection, or basic telephone service.  No, today the mass communication companies, such as ATT Uverse, have integrated all of these services into tremendous bundles that offer complete home entertainment systems.  With Uverse it is possible to record four different shows at the same time!  Not only that, you can start watching a show on a TV set in your living room, and finish watching it on a set in your bedroom — or any other set you have in the house! This is all done through the magic of a fiber optic network that offers many outstanding features.

For example, another outstanding option is watching television shows on demand.  Currently there are thousands of archived television shows that you can choose from.  Just order a show and there it is — right on your screen!  The same is true for motion pictures.  Currently there are thousands of Hollywood and foreign films that are available to be watched on demand — anytime you want!  You really need to look at all of the outstanding benefits that are offered in this outstanding package.  Many of tomorrow’s features are available to you today if ATT Uverse is available in your area!

If you spend a lot of time online, one of your biggest fears is having your identity stolen.  You probably also worry about getting viruses on your computer, but identity theft is normally an even bigger fear.  If you are like me, you may have 50 or 60 sites that you visit that require you to log on with a user name and password.  That is a lot of information to remember.  Some folks use software programs that remember the information for them.  But again you sometimes wonder if it is safe to put all that personal information into one location.  Internet service providers can give you some good ideas on security. You can either check with the provider you use now, or check different Internet providers by zip code.  Using your own personal zip code will help you quickly find the companies that serve your area.

A friend of mine sent me an interesting article about a new program that has been specifically designed to offer virus protection but also protect user identities on social networks.  The program, called Trend Micro Titanium 2012 claims to offer social networking protection, PE virus protection, advanced spyware detection and removal, behavioral monitoring (that sounds interesting), and root kit detection and removal.  On one hand it’s a sad commentary that all this security is really necessary — on the other hand, it is comforting to know that companies are keeping up with the technology to protect our privacy.

According to a report last week by Todd Spangler of MultiCity News, AT&T Uverse has completed the necessary infrastructure and is now available to more than 500,000 homes in the greater Sacramento area.  Uverse includes AT&T Internet service, digital television and telephone service — the triple play.  According to sources, the new Uverse features a lineup of over one hundred and seven High Definition channels.  It also features DVR functions that are available from any room in the house.  The DVR offers Uverse customers the ability to record up to four different programs at one time using a feature called the UVerse Multiview Mosaic application.

Terry Stenzel, AT&T VP & General Manager for Northern California and Nevada had this to say:  “For far too long cable was the only game in town.  We are really excited about the opportunity we are giving to the folks who live in the Sacramento area to try UVerse.”  U-verse includes fiber optic technology and computer networking to bring advanced digital TV, high-speed Internet, and digital phone service together as a fully integrated experience.  AT&T Uverse was first offered in the Sacramento area three years ago and has grown to its present size.

KTVT Television in Boise recently reported that Qwest Arena in Boise will soon get a name change to CenturyLink Arena. The arena is home to the Idaho Steelheads, members of the premier ‘AA’ minor hockey league-the ECHL.  The announcement was recently made at a luncheon in downtown Boise.  Century Link merged with Qwest Communications, including Qwest Internet, in April of this year with Century Link emerging as the name of the new company.  The arena seats 5,000 fans and has about 40 luxury boxes plus a bar and restaurant which have a commanding view of center ice.

Jim Schmit, Vice President and General Manager for the State of Idaho, said that “Century Link understands the significance of the arena to the good folks of Boise and the entire State of Idaho.  For us we feel that this is much more than simply changing a name on the outside of a building.” Since the merger, Century Link has also renamed the stadium in Seattle that is the home of the NFL Seattle Seahawks to CenturyLink Field.

Fiber Optics is the buzz in the Internet world. Networks using fine glass fiber optic wires, replacing old fashioned copper wires, are being developed all over by the best Internet providers. With fiber optics, instead of an electronic pulse being sent down a wire, information is sent through a light that travels along the glass fiber. This technology has several advantages over copper wires.  First off, there is less interference.  There is also less attenuation, which is the rapid bleeding off of the signal which is common with copper wiring. Fiber optics, as a result, is preferred when data must travel long distances.

The downside, however, is that installing all of the new infrastructure that is required for fiber optics networks is not only expensive but time consuming. Even once the infrastructure is in place; there is a lot that goes into wiring an individual home. The process can take an entire day or longer, which, naturally, is expensive to the company. Many of the best Internet providers, however, will not charge you for the installation if you agree to a multi-year contract.