High Speed Internet Service Providers Reviewed

WildBlue Internet is not just an online provider for individual consumers. WildBlue also offers wireless satellite services & products to thousands of business customers — especially those in rural settings.  Because businesses have high performance standards, WildBlue created WildBlue Enterprise Solutions which offers optimized plans for business clients.  WildBlue Enterprise Solutions delivers faster speeds that are necessary in the operation of a day-to-day business. At the same time, Enterprise Solutions offers flexibility so that businesses can increase or decrease their speeds while using the same equipment.  There are also flexible plans that can be adapted to unique business requirements.

WildBlue Enterprise Solutions gives businesses the ability to seamlessly increase the number of their users and locations all on one reliable platform. And because WildBlue is a national, single provider, it can offer broadband service to literally any business location in the United States.  WildBlue is the first commercial service provider to significantly lower the cost of high-speed satellite Internet using Ka-band spot beam satellite technology.  Businesses using Enterprise solutions receive download speeds  up to 1.5Mbps, and upload speeds up to 256Kbps — all at prices that much less than what is currently available in the marketplace.

YouTube is partnering up with WildBlue Satellite Internet to host a video design contest that should create a really great WildBlue commercial.  If you love making videos, if you are a frustrated director at heart, here’s an opportunity to strut your stuff, show your creativity, and make some money while you’re at it.  Videos cannot be longer than 60 seconds.  They can be funny, serious, whacky, or anything your creative juices motivate you to come up with.  WildBlue, along with HughesNet Satellite Internet, are the two largest companies offering Internet connections via satellite, a service used mainly by people living in rural areas.

Animation is welcome in the commercials and it is fine to use sites like Xtranormal or Goanimate.  And of course an old fashioned video camera may also be used to record live action actors. The only requirement is that the videos must be promotional in format and must tell folks in the audience about WildBlue Satellite Internet Service. The contest is now open and will end on September 15, 2011.  The winning video will be the determined by receiving the most votes by contest end. The winner will be awarded a $50 cash prize — and bragging rights.

Sometimes it is great fun to see what is happening on the other wide of the world when it comes to Internet technology.  A recent article on News 24, one of South Africa’s leading news sources, talked about a new satellite that will provide a fresh source of broadband Internet access to that country. While South Africa certainly has some modern cities, the country also has many remote areas that have not yet been offered Internet service.  Like so many countries, the government is recognizing that high-speed broadband is necessary to attract companies that create jobs into these areas.  And while there may be many Internet service providers in my area, as well as the area where you live, South Africans apparently do not have that luxury.

That is about to change for many isolated communities.  Maxwell Technology has been designated to market South African satellite broadband.  The new product, named SkyeMax is actually powered by SkyeVine.  “As specialists in VSAT [Very Small Aperture Terminal] communications across Africa, we have been searching for an entry-level, affordable satellite broadband option that will provide ubiquitous coverage,” said the technical director for Maxwell, Kallie Carlsen.  She said SkyeMax will address the needs of many underserved small markets.  SkyeMax has been optimized to reach remote areas — many of which will be getting their first taste of high-speed broadband.

The recession has made life difficult for many families. Things once considered necessary are today often viewed as luxuries.  Sadly, for many families that has included Internet access.  But the Valley Brook Board of Education, near Chicago in Illinois, has decided to do something about it.  Last week, Tony Signorella, Government Affairs Manager for Comcast, one of the major Internet service providers in the area, met with members of the Board to talk about a program that will offer discounted Internet rates for families who cannot afford to bring the Internet into their homes. The program will provide Internet access for just $9.95 per month for those families who have children enrolled in the free school lunch program. It will also provide the families with a voucher to purchase a laptop computer.

On August 9, 2011, the Bolingbrook Patch, an online news letter, quoted Signorella as saying: “As far as we know, this is the biggest step forward to close the digital divide.” The program, called Internet Essentials will be offered to families during the school registration process. Board of Education President Steve Quigley agreed that the program will truly help students who use computers throughout the academic year, but find themselves without access to the web during the summer months.  The article said that the towns of Romeoville and Bolingbrook will also be supporting the program. “In this day and age, we may think everyone has Internet access in their home but there are still those that do not,” Quigley said.

The Toms River News in New Jersey reported yesterday that a Verizon FiOs cable was cut which ended up knocking out phone service to hundreds of its subscribers.  Verizon is viewing the act as a form of sabotage and has offered a reward of $50,000 to anyone who can provide information that will lead to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrator.  The company claims to have had at least twelve acts of sabotage to its property in four eastern states.  The first act was on Saturday, the same day a strike was called by Verizon’s wireline union employees in Washington DC, Maryland, Delaware,  New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Verizon spokesman Lee Gierczynski said his company is taking the matter seriously.  He said “this is not about a strike — this is about safety and we are gravely concerned.”  He went on to say that many people depend on Verizon phone service including police departments, elderly citizens, schools and hospitals.  “This is not an attack on Verizon, but an attack on public safety.  It is inexcusable.”  The report went on to mention that some individuals picketing Verizon locations have blocked access to different work centers and parking garages, which is unlawful.

As noted in August 4, 2011 edition of AgriNews, Mike Marth, who makes a living as both a farmer and computer programmer, admits that utilizing high speed broadband makes it possible for him to effectively and efficiently manage the operations of his farm in Rudd, Iowa. He explained how he uses internet access during a meeting last week which was well-attended by independent telecommunications companies that service rural areas, local and state dignitaries, and of course, fellow farmers.  Marth reported that he keeps track of market trends, weather reports and trends, and he also conducts a lot of online research related to learning about the operations of his farm. He utilizes GPS monitors and receivers on his machinery and they receive regular program updates via the web. He researched how to operate his new planter online. Despite this obvious need for broadband access, when you do an online search for Internet service providers by zip code it is still obvious that rural communities are lacking a lot of options.

Marth said dialup simply is not an option.  The administrator of the USDA Rural Utilities Service, Jonathan Adelstein, gave a talk at the meeting as well.  He asserted that youth in rural communities must be able to access broadband connections to get the quality education needed to lead successful lives. “The next Steve Jobs might come from Rudd, but if he didn’t have access to broadband he would never have the opportunity to learn and grow,” said Adelstein.

According to a recent article by Brian Caulfield in Forbes, Apple is building a massive server centers in Maiden, North Carolina and Santa Clara, California.  These centers will be used to service its iCloud services.  You have heard of cloud computing?  Maybe you haven’t.  In fact, according to a recent survey from the research firm NPD, only 22% of the consumers in the U.S. were familiar with the term.  Well, the term obviously does not apply to literal clouds that float around in the sky.  As a matter of fact, the real locations for these “clouds” are not nearly as romantic.  According to the Forbes article quoted above, some of these clouds will be in warehouses in North Carolina and Santa Clarita, California.

The clouds are actually computer servers — in fact, stacks and stacks of computer servers!  These servers are housed in huge warehouses that are climate-controlled and include lots and lots of security and back-up procedures.  Different companies supply cloud services.  Just a few of the big suppliers are Google, Amazon, TurboTax, photo-sharing sites, banks and email suppliers.  All of these companies use their stacks of servers, which are stuffed in huge warehouses, to provide information or services that you can tap into.  Cloud computing therefore refers to the use of online resources as opposed to resources that are loaded into your own computer. It is really a simple concept. When you connect to an outside server to get information or to perform tasks, you are cloud computing — no matter what the weather is outdoors!

While addressing the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners that met this summer in Los Angeles, Randall Stephenson, the CEO of AT&T made a most interesting remark. He said that DSL technology was obsolete. “We built DSL back in 1997 to chase Comcast built DSL, but now that is obsolete,” The statement was verified by several other attendees of the conference.  It was an odd statement to make because ATT is a company that still sells DSL service.  To check the types of service available in your area, many have found doing a search using the search term: DSL providers by zip code is very helpful.

Many online sources have reported that, as of today, the vast majority of AT&T’s current customers are technically using some type of DSL (although for some it is VDSL). In a clarification, AT&T spokeswoman Mari Melguizo said that Stephenson was trying to say that new technology is being surpassed by the next generation much faster than ever before. “We have millions of customers using DSL and remain fully committed to the technology–even as we constantly look to bring innovation to the marketplace,” Melguizo said.  AT&T remains one of the nation’s major providers of broadband.

Angela Carella, in her column in today’s Stamford Advocate (Connecticut), reports that when Marc Neremberg can’t find anything on television in the evening, he often watches online streaming video.  The problem is that during the peak hours of 7 pm to 11 pm there are often hiccups and pauses, and “the quality is about the same as something recorded on an old VHS tape” Nerenberg said.  So the Stamford man wasn’t one bit surprised when he read last’s week FCC report that found his cable Internet provider finished dead last in broadband speed during peak times. The FCC reviewed the top 13 broadband providers from across the nation and found, on average, they deliver speeds close to 80% of what they advertise.  Cablevision, which serves SW Connecticut and is Marc’s provider, rated lowest at 54%. The clear winner was Verizon Internet Service, and particularly Verizon FiOs — delivering 114% of its promised speed.

According to Nerenberg, his download speed drop sto a real crawl during peak hours.  He said “The whole thing is extremely frustrating .  I go from watching a movie to getting a buffering message.”  The FCC study revealed that only about one-half of all American families even know the speed of broadband they pay for — and most of the others know only the Internet speed their provider has promised.

In a report released Wednesday by Consumer Reports on their website, it appears that AT&T U-verse has deleted ESPN-3D from its current channel lineup.  The action took place this last Sunday just prior to the planned showing of the final evening of the 17th Annual X Games in Los Angeles, which were scheduled to be presented in 3D.  ATT Uverse had previously been offering the ESPN 3D channel as a $10 add-on option to its customers. However, now it appears that the demand was not great enough to renew their ESPN 3D contract.  AT&T does, however, plan to continue 3D within its on-demand programming.

The ESPN 3D channel was launched during the 2010 FIFA World Cup last year. Since that time it has shown varied 3D presentations including the X Games, college basketball, and games from the big three professional sports:  Major league baseball, NFL football, and NBA basketball, including the NBA Finals.  The report went on to say that both DirecTV and Comcast will continue carrying ESPN 3D — and at no additional cost to consumers.  According to knowledgeable sources, the move indicates that the high price of 3D television sets is holding 3D TV to a very small niche market, at least for now.

Kids today base a large portion of their social life on being connected to one another online or via text messages on their cell phones. You would think this type of isolation would protect them from life’s bullies, but sadly that is just not the case.  Today it is not unusual to hear reports of other kids using cyber technology to harass, threaten, embarrass, or in some way target another person. The attacks may come in the form of rude text messages, online threats, posting unauthorized personal information, or using words or videos on a blog or Facebook page to humiliate another individual. Many ISPs provide information on guarding against this type of cyber-bullying.  You can find the companies serving your community by searching for Internet providers by zip code.

Cyber-bullying is particularly upsetting because of its anonymous nature. Those targeted may not even know what is being said about them or where the attacks are coming from. Many times crosses over into illegal harassment.  Intimidation that incorporates a person’s race, physical differences, sexual orientation, gender or religion falls into this category. These actions are not only cruel — in many states they will be prosecuted.  Hundreds of the more serious cases in the past year have been handed over to law enforcement authorities for criminal investigation. In many cases the courts have handed down stiff penalties.

AT&T announced today their plans regarding the future of their line of 4G BlackBerry smartphones including the new 4G Blackberry Torch 9810 which is schedule for introduction this month.  AT&T’s lineup of new Blackberries will be able to reach nearly four times the network speed of the previous models. Customers will be able to talk and surf even faster on the nation’s swiftest mobile network.  AT&T Internet service is one of the premiere providers in the nation and now, exclusive to AT&T customers, the 4G Blackberry Torch 9810 will allow high performance hardware features that will not only deliver higher connection speeds but an enhanced multimedia experience, too.

The reason is that the new smartphones boast significant improvements in hardware.  These improvements include a 1.2GHz processor, five megapixel cameras that include HD 720p video recording, 8 gigs of storage and a 3.2 inch high resolution display that is powered by BlackBerry Liquid Graphics technology.  The result is an unbelievably responsive, smooth and fast visual experience. “BlackBerry customers are passionate about their smartphones – and they know to come to AT&T for the best choice,” said Jeff Bradley, AT&T Senior VP of Mobility and Consumer Markets. “From being the first carrier to offer the BlackBerry solution in 1999 to the broadest lineup of 4G-capable BlackBerry smartphones this year, we’ll continue to offer our customers the leading BlackBerry portfolio in the U.S.”

Fox Channel 13 in Salt Lake City recently reported that the Qwest communications company in Utah is no more.  For the time being, however, there will be no company name change. The report, dated July 12, 2011, stated that Louisiana based CenturyLink has merged with Qwest after receiving the necessary approval from the Utah Public Service Commission. The name Qwest Internet will show up on your monthly statement even though daily business has been assumed by CenturyLink.  The merged entity now occupies the building that still holds the Qwest name.  According to an economist for the Public Service Commission, John Harvey, CenturyLink has promised to spend millions of dollars for upgrades within the state of Utah.

“In the long term, we expect to see higher capacity broadband. That’s our thing and both of these companies have been very interested in accomplishing that goal. The current plan is not just to improve service for their current customers but also develop better service for those who live in both unserved and underserved areas.”  The report went on to say that CenturyLink has committed to spend $25 million just within Utah.  There is no timeline as to when the Qwest name will be changed to CenturyLink.

In an interesting article dated July 15, 2011 in The Baptist Standard, the Internet is now being used to identify areas in the community that need volunteers — and is then making the opportunities known to church volunteers. The program, called Meet the Need was developed by Jim Morgan, who for years worked for an Internet consulting firm.  While Morgan’s job had him traveling during the week, he wanted to be more involved his community ministry on the weekends. Using his knowledge, emerging technologies and the best Internet providers, he developed a system to help his church members learn of the needs in their community in an effort to mobilize volunteers.

The article states that Morgan worked for two years on Meet the Need, and then an additional two years piloting it. He feels the effectiveness of the system will grow exponentially as more churches post needs.  The program operates as a hub to manage information online and has been set up as a nonprofit ministry.  It is available to all churches at a minimal cost.  Morgan sees tremendous potential but says its impact ultimately depends upon how members respond when needs are identified. “Meet the Need can facilitate the initial interaction. But it’s up to church members to go out and serve” he said.

According to a July 20, 2011 press release from ViaSat, parent company of Wild Blue Internet, the construction of their new Via-Sat 1 KA-band high capacity satellite is complete and the unit is being prepared for shipment to the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan to be launched by International Launch Services (ILS).  It will ride aboard a Proton rocket and is scheduled to launch some time during the last week in September. “We have been working very closely with ILS to fit ViaSat-1 into a busy launch schedule,” said Mark Dankberg, ViaSat’s chairman & CEO. “The spacecraft is being prepared for shipment, and a final launch date will be confirmed very soon.”

The new satellite was designed to improve and expand the quality of service provided by satellite broadband.  The objective is to increase the capacity over the next decade, thus addressing the unceasing demand for more bandwidth in order to accommodate the expanding usage of multimedia on the Internet.  The high-capacity satellite will provide coverage over Hawaii and North America.  In turn, this will allow for a wide variety of new, high-speed broadband services for both Wild Blue Internet in the United States and Xplornet in Canada. The new ViaSat-1 is expected to become the highest-capacity satellite anywhere in the world today.