WiMAX, VoIP, Killer Apps and the Digital Divide
The emerging standard 802.16 defines a network of wireless broadband at speeds capable of delivering triple play access to voice, data, and multimedia internet services. As a disruptive technology, WiMAX stands to compete with cable companies, the Telcos, and the 3G cellular networks. Thanks to the IEEE standards committee and the WiMAX Forum, the fledgling technology that got serious in 2004 is now being deployed in regions around the world.
Companies like Intel with their World Ahead program have formed partnerships for WiMAX deployments in Asia, Africa, and Europe, in an all out effort to bridge the digital divide. The cost effectiveness and ease of a WiMAX deployment is significant compared to implementing a wireline infrastructure, making the technology a natural choice for underdeveloped townships and hard to reach localities.
As it stands today, most of the deployments are of Fixed WiMAX, offering VoIP and data transfers through line of site and non line of site antennae, with a fiber optic, satellite, or WiMAX backhaul, i.e. Internet connection.
In 2008, the 802.16e standard known as Mobile WiMAX is expected to come of age. Mobile WiMAX will provide for faster handoffs and will be able to compete with the cellular 3G networks. As a technology based on open standards, WiMAX is considered to be future proof, in that upgrades to emerging standards should be easily accomplished.
In the United States, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin recently stated that broadband access is a top priority for the FCC, and that the upcoming auction of frequencies in the 700MHz spectrum provides an opportunity for wireless internet access to become a third choice for consumers.
Today, most of the WiMAX 2.5 GHz spectrum is owned by Sprint Nextel and Clearwire Communications. Martin says the FCC is auctioning off some of the spectrum in smaller blocks to give smaller companies a chance to compete, and to bolster overall competition in the industry.
The 700 MHz ban would be especially well suited for Mobile WiMAX, delivering large amounts of data at low power. The spectrum is being made available because of the analog to digital television transition. Another advantage of this range is its ability to penetrate deep into dense structures, potentially making the dropped call phenomenon so typical of todays cell phones a thing of the past.
WiMAX is a robust technology, capable of delivering large amounts of data at high speeds over an area of daisy chained base stations. But what will be the Killer App in a WiMAX network? The one application that gains widespread acceptance, makes the most money, and fosters development and competition.
Some think the killer app could be TV over WiMAX. The company MobiTV is working with the WiMAX Forum to do just that. They already bring over 50 channels to your phone or PC, and also offer TV over WiFi.
For municipalities and those concerned with homeland security, surveillance could be the ultimate app. Cities could easily and cheaply cover all departments with a single T1 backhaul, police would have instant access to data, mug shots etc, and wireless cameras could be deployed to monitor security sensitive areas. Crime could potentially cease to exist with big brother on constant wireless alert!
Probably the biggest money maker for a WiMAX network would be Internet telephony. VoIP has already been deployed on WiMAX networks throughout the world, and the very concept of cheap phone calls globally has led consumers to VoIP pure plays like Vonage or Packet8, and the cable companies are also getting into the act.
For the underdeveloped populations most effected by the digital divide, cheap, reliable phone service could open up a whole brave new world.
Author Michael Talbert is a certified systems engineer and web designer with over 7 years experience in the industry. For more information on WiMAX, read the series of articles at http://voip-facts.net/wimax.php. For more on VoIP, visit the website http://VoIP-Facts.net.
Broadband. Get Connected Now!
As recently as a year or two ago, the number of people who could reliably use online video services was small. Now, video services such as youtube.com are among the most popular sites on the internet. This is all thanks to Broadband Internet services. Downloading video is just not practical using a dial-up connection. With a broadband connection, however, downloading video or other bandwidth intensive content from the Internet is practical.
Broadband Internet
Broadband Internet is commonly used to describe high-speed Internet access, which means any Internet access service that is faster than 256 kbit/s, or at least four times faster than a user would get using a dial-up connection over a digital phone line.
What are the Different Types of Broadband?
There are two main methods of providing broadband Internet access: via a a cable modem , and via a Digital Subscriber Line, or DSL modem.
A cable modem allows users to get a high-speed connection to the Internet over their cable television connection. Because the cable television infrastructure is already designed to carry large amounts of traffic quickly, you can potentially get a very good Internet connection using a cable modem.
While a cable modem connection uses your existing television cable connection, a DSL modem uses a standard telephone line. What makes a DSL connection so useful is that it sends signals over the telephone line at such a high frequency that it does not disturb the normal operation of the phone line. This means that you can get fast access to the Internet and use your phone line at the same time.
What does the Future hold for Broadband?
A number of new services will be widely available in North America within the next few years that will offer an even faster connection than cable or DSL modems. One system, that is already being used in East Asia is VDSL, or Very high data rate Digital Subscriber Line. Another exciting technology is power-line Internet, or Broadband over power lines (BPL). BPL lets you get a broadband Internet connection over high-voltage power lines. While this technology is exciting in terms of its potential reach, its very hard to find a location that is not serviced by a power line, there are still some concerns over signal strength that need to be addressed before BPL can be used widely.
Getting the Best Broadband Connection
Cable modem connections are generally faster than DSL modem connections. However, this does not always mean you should always get a cable modem. If there are going to be a lot of people on the same network, a DSL modem will handle the crowd better than the cable modem. Also, you have to consider the total package; because existing cable companies often provide cable modems, you often have to subscribe to cable packages just to get an Internet connection. This may make cable modems more expensive than DSL modems for comparable services.
Steve Dolan in a veteran IT professional of over 25 years who could not live without his broadband connection. Find out how you can get the best broadband at http://www.fwbroadband.com
Broadband - You Don’t Know What Your Missing
The days of 56kb internet dial up are rapidly disappearing, If you have not yet joined in with most of the world and had broadband installed you really are missing out!
I feel sorry for those who are still spending tedious hours waiting for downloads to complete and pages to load! Broadband is ground-breaking, most people are put off because they feel the cost of broadband is too high however you will find that the cost involved is not much different to dial up.
The installation of broadband is simple and usually involves one visit from an Internet Service Provider. The existing line can more often than not be used, the only addition you will need to purchase is a cable modem these are normally supplied by the internet service provider upon installation if not they are cheap and easy to purchase online or from your local electrical store
Broadband is essential for people who work from home, when sending documents and downloading files your work time will decrease substantially if the files and documents are sent and received over broadband
If you decide to have broadband installed you need to firstly check that it is available in your area. Once you know the answer to this you are only a phone call away from installation.
Most companies offer an online check where you enter your postcode and they will tell you if the service is available in your area, if it is new to your area you may find a waiting list.
Once you have made your call you will need to consider which broadband speed you would like obviously the faster the speed the more expensive it becomes. Broadband speed will persist to rise as technology moves forward.
If you are unsure what speed you require or if you are ready for broadband always check to see if your service provider offers any sort of free trial, they will, they know once you have tried it you simply can’t go back!
Speak to friends and family about broadband they will not have a bad word to say, the only real problem is you get used to it and forget how slow dial up was, and as the speeds increase you just have to flow with it and get faster too
Even if you opt for the minimum package with the lower speed you will still be impressed with what broadband has to offer.
Having broadband can save you so much money, think of all the times you have left the house to look at something in a shop because it just takes too long to load up the pages via the internet, not any more!
Broadband will change how you shop and how you spend your recreational time.
Vicki Churchill is the owner of http://www.internet-logic.com a site that specializes The internet Including Working from home, Affiliates, Internet Business & Optimization
The Broadband War - What Side Should You Take?
The days of dial-up are a long distant memory for many, although it’s surprising to know that some people are still waiting for those strange whirring noises as they sit and connect to the internet through their standard phone line. And it’s even more surprising when you consider that you can get broadband for roughly the same price as dial-up and it’s so much faster, and of course doesn’t tie up your phone line.
Around nine million households in the UK have now turned to broadband and are enjoying high speed internet access with rich graphic details and quick downloading of files. Some would even argue that you haven’t really access the internet until you have used broadband and this could be why nearly 70,000 homes a week are signing up to broadband making it one of the fastest growing consumer products on the market.
But it’s not just the promise of high-speeds and access to exclusive content that is causing so many people to switch to broadband, it is also the highly competitive market where speeds are increasing and prices are dropping, and even scrapped by some companies offering “free broadband”.
The main reason for this increased competition in the market came last year when BT, which largely controls access to the internet via its copper wire telephone network, was told by Ofcom to open up its infrastructure to the competition, in the same way that it did so a few years back with home phone service providing. This meant that other companies could control the wire that runs from your telephone socket to the pole on your street, and on to the local exchange. The telecom term for this is “local loop unbundling”, or LLU, and it sparked a process that has resulted in this summer’s broadband price war.
The first company to make the first move in the broadband war was TalkTalk, part of the Carphone Warehouse, Britain’s biggest mobile phone retailer, who had in recent years started to focus on home phone provision too. Not only did TalkTalk make the first move, but they also made the biggest and boldest, one that would change the provision of broadband for the foreseeable future - they offered “free broadband”. Previously customers had been charged seperately for line rental, home phone calls and broadband. TalkTalk set out to change that and offered customers who signed up to their Talk3 package (which included line rental and calls) broadband for “free”. Although it was not technically free as you had to buy something else to get it, you were in fact getting broadband for no extra cost.
The service was launched in April of this year with the company predicting around 170,000 new customers. However, these predictions were way out with actual demand nearing 340,000 within two months. The demand was too much and TalkTalk had to admit that they had underestimated the amount of new customers who wanted to take advantage of the package as their website crashed, their call centres couldn’t cope with the amount of calls they were receiving and customers faced long delays to get their broadband connection.
The next company to enter the broadband price war was the mobile phone operator Orange. They started offering broadband packages after taking over Wanadoo but offered “free” broadband to mobile phone customers who spent a certain amount on their monthly phone bill. Again this was another free offer which required another product to be paid for in order to qualify but nonetheless was another bold step in the world of “free” broadband.
Finally, earlier this summer, the last of the “free” broadband contests was entered by Sky, the digital TV provider. They decided to offer “free” broadband to customers who subscribed to their satellite digital TV packages with the option to pay more to upgrade your connection speed and usage limit.
Although no other broadband providers, current or new, have yet to join the “free” broadband war, there has been a series of price cuts and service upgrades as each company seeks to retain current customers and attract new ones. As the prices drop and the service improves the market will become even more competitive and more and more people will not only connect to the internet to broadband, but existing users will become more likely to switch their supplier.
Guide2Broadband discusses broadband options for residential customers, primarily for the UK market. Find out more about getting the best broadband option for your home at http://www.guide2broadband.com
Net Neutrality Act Once Again on the Agenda
On January 9th, Republican Senator Olympia Snowe and Democrat Byron Dorgan reintroduced the Internet Freedom Preservation act to the Senate. Better known as the Net Neutrality Act, the bill was killed by the Senate last year in a vote split down party lines (Democrats yea, Republicans nay), with the exception of Senator Snowe. With the Democrats having a slight majority in the Senate, the bill certainly has a better chance this time around, but it still needs 60 votes to prevent a Republican filibuster.
The impetus for the bill started back in 2005, when broadband network executives began discussing the possibility of charging companies that use a high percentage of bandwidth. Most notably, in an interview with a Business Week, SBC chairman Ed Whitacre Jr (now AT&T CEO) stated: “How do you think they’re going to get to customers? Through a broadband pipe. Cable companies have them. We have them. Now what they would like to do is use my pipes free, but I ain’t going to let them do that because we have spent this capital and we have to have a return on it. So there’s going to have to be some mechanism for these people who use these pipes to pay for the portion they’re using. Why should they be allowed to use my pipes?”
Whitacre went on to say, “The Internet can’t be free in that sense, because we and the cable companies have made an investment and for a Google or Yahoo! or Vonage or anybody to expect to use these pipes free is nuts!”
Whats nuts is that he actually said that. What followed was a grass roots uprising from Internet companies, consumer groups, and bloggers, concerned about broadband service providers having the ability to determine what applications and services are provided to the Internet consumer. Conceivably, even searches performed on the Internet could lead directly to a site owned by the provider.
Broadband service providers already charge consumers up to $60 a month for Internet service, and now want to turn around and charge companies like Google, Yahoo, YouTube and Vonage for their bandwidth usage. What you see on the Internet would be totally under the influence of your broadband service provider the so called Gatekeeper, and a once free and unfettered Internet would evolve into a scripted and censored interactive television network.
And what about up and coming technologies such as Voice over IP telephony? If you dont pay, you dont play! The pure play VoIP providers like Vonage, Packet8 and Skype offer some of the lowest rates in the history of the Telecommunications industry. Wouldnt AT&T, Verizon, and Comcast just love to tax these companies right out of business! These big boys also offer VoIP phone service, but prefer to start at $40 calling plans rather than the pure plays $10-$20 plans. At 3 million and growing, consumers are realizing the value of Internet Telephony. Let the Gatekeepers charge for the pipe, and the little guys are sure to suffer, as will the consumer in the form of higher prices.
The Gatekeepers complain that they built the network, and they should be able to recoup their investment. Fine, but does that mean they should be able to shape the face of the Internet? Companies like AT&T need to find another way. The Internet was and is a place where the little guy has as good a chance as any to make it big. Google, YouTube, Skype and Vonage all started small, and are now leaders in their Internet industry.
The Net Neutrality act would prohibit service providers from blocking or degrading access to Internet content and services. They also could not prevent consumers from connecting external devices to their network, with the exception of devices posing a threat to security. The prioritization of types of content, applications, or services would be allowed under the condition that it is done free of charge, and that it is done for all types of that particular content. For example, the prioritization of packets to insure Quality of Service for Voice over IP must be done for all VoIP providers free of charge to them.
Another interesting proposal in the bill would require that broadband companies offer standalone broadband service, to be enforced by the FCC. A recent ruling by the FCC in Atlanta decried that Bell South (now AT&T), was not obliged to unbundle its DSL broadband service from a traditional telephone line. This would open up the opportunity for consumers to acquire a DSL broadband connection without having to pay for traditional phone service.
Whitacre and company (AT&T) recently agreed to adopt the spirit of net neutrality for a period of 2 years so that they could get approval from the FCC to merge with Bell South. It worked! Bell South and Cingular Wireless will soon be known, once again, as AT&T.
Senator Dorgan maintains that the Internet was a place where anyone with a good idea could create a business. “The marketplace picked winners and losers, not some central gatekeeper,” said the Senator. “That freedom–the very core of what makes the Internet what it is today–must be preserved.”
With a new sheriff in town, maybe, just maybe it will be.
Author Michael Talbert is a certified systems engineer and web designer with over 7 years experience in the industry. For more information on Voice over IP Telephony, visit the website at http://www.VoIP-Facts.net, or the VoIP Blog at http://VoIP-Facts.net/VoIP-Blog .
The Spread Of High Speed, a.k.a. Broadband Internet
Everyone that surfs the internet these days is wanting more and more from their experience. The internet is becoming just like a desktop experience there are many times a user can be confused about whether they are online, or performing a task locally on their desktop.
The demand for these types of media rich, extremely responsive applications on the internet has caused more and more people to look towards broadband internet access for their internet service. The spread of broadband internet has been fueled by lower prices, more availability, and the need to use the internet for more important tasks on a day to day basis. Many people are using the internet to download different types of media for personal use, paying their bills online, and even using more traditional applications online instead of locally. All of these types of applications really need broadband internet access to perform at their best.
More and more people are downloading movies and songs onto their computers instead of going to the store and buying them off of the shelves. If you are not using broadband internet access to download these types of media, you will get very frustrated, because depending on the size of the file it could take hours to get what you want. Another group of people are trying to pay their bills online, because it is very convenient and reminders can be sent to your email address, so that you never miss a payment.
However if you do not have broadband internet, then the convenience is not worth the wait for the authentication process needed to pay your bills online. Broadband internet has also spread because many people are using different online programs to complete many different tasks. Web email, online word processing, and online spreadsheets are becoming more and more popular today. Many of these programs require broadband internet access to allow the user to get the same experience that they are used to with their old desktop applications.
The price of broadband internet access has dropped dramatically over the past five years. Many people who could not afford broadband internet access now realize that by just spending about ten to twenty dollars more a month they can upgrade from dial-up internet access to broadband internet access.
This drop in price has been enough for people to look for an alternative to the slow, unresponsive, and very unreliable service that most of us became accustomed to while using dial-up. One of the main reasons that the price has dropped so much is that new technologies have been developed to allow broadband internet access to be enjoyed in more places. Also the infrastructure of many companies has been extended to allow service to be available to more people.
Probably the biggest reason for the spread of broadband internet access is the increase of availability. Many people wanted broadband internet when they first heard about it, but it was not available in their area. While we still have a very long way to go, the United States is starting to build an infrastructure that will allow broadband internet access to almost anywhere in the country.
One of the best things about broadband internet is that once it has been extended into an area, the price to distribute it to other people in the area is much lower. Most of the money has already been spent to get the infrastructure close enough to major population areas, that the cost to supply it to users in those areas is now very small.
Another reason the availability of broadband internet access has grown so much lately is that many different types of broadband is now available. These technologies include DSL, cable, wireless, and even satellite and GSM networks. The competition between these different companies has also helped to “hype” broadband internet access, and drive prices down. Broadband internet access is only going to get faster and spread more, so we need to embrace these new technologies or we will be left behind.
Cheap Broadband Supplier: http://www.broadbandsuppliers.co.uk/
Broadband Provider Guide: http://www.broadbandsuppliers.co.uk/broadband-internet-provider.html
UK Broadband Offers: http://www.broadbandsuppliers.co.uk/uk-isp
Broadband Internet: What You Need To Know
Broadband Internet involves using a high speed modem. This allows you to access information on the internet very quickly, so it is commonly referred to as high speed Internet. Broadband Internet can be in the form of DSL, cable, or satellite. As the popularity of the internet exploded in the early 2000’s, Broadband Internet emerged, offering computer users something better. It was quite expensive at first but has become more affordable. Today it is featured around the world.
If you are still using dial up Internet connections then you may be wondering what all the hype is about. After all, it does get you connected to the internet as well! Most people switch their home Internet service to Broadband after experiencing the difference between the two while accessing the internet on their office computer. You can go to a public library as well to try a computer with Broadband Internet for a couple of hours, and then decide which one you would rather have.
DSL is the most common type of Broadband Internet connection. DSL stands for Digital Subscriber Line. It allows high volumes of data to be transmitted quickly. Some rural areas have cable that offers Broadband connections. One downside of it is that all the customers share a certain amount of bandwidth so you can find your Broadband Internet functioning slowly at times. Cable companies try to avoid this by adding additional connections as the number of customer’s increases. A satellite Broadband connection works the same way.
Broadband Internet has become very popular because it offers so many advantages over dial up Internet access. It is up to 10 times faster. This means you can access information on the Internet almost the instant you click on it. Since it doesn’t operate on your phone line, you can still take phone calls while being connected to the internet. This also means you won’t get disconnected in the middle of something or not be able to get online during peak hours.
Many people choose to watch movies and videos on the internet. Having Broadband Internet allows you to download them or view them quickly as it doesn’t take long to buffer them. Listening and downloading music is another popular feature of the internet that works well with Broadband Internet service.
Broadband Internet can be purchased from a variety of providers. It is becoming a popular feature of Internet service providers as well as cable providers. This is a great opportunity for you to get a package deal on cable services and Broadband Internet. You will save money over having them at two separate providers. Broadband Internet costs more than dial up internet service, but it is well worth the speed you get for accessing the internet.
All three Broadband Internet connections work very well. You should make your choice after comparing what is available in your area. Next compare the prices and the installation charges. Many Broadband providers run periodic promotions where they will do the installation for free. This is a great way to save money. You should also ask your friends and family what Broadband Internet provider they use and their experiences. You want a Broadband Internet provider that offers great prices and excellent customer support.
The newest wave of communication is the Voice Over Internet Protocol, known as VOIP, it allows you to speak to people all over the world with unbelievable clarity. It is used by businesses because it offers a great solution for conference calls. The charges are often billed as a local call rather than long distance. For anyone who makes a great deal of long distance calls for leisure or business, this is the perfect phone solution. However, VOIP requires a Broadband Internet connection to function.
Visit http://www.broadbandsuppliers.co.uk/ for http://www.broadbandsuppliers.co.uk/uk-isp and http://www.broadbandsuppliers.co.uk/provider/cheap-broadband-uk-isp.html
Speeding Is Actually Desirable On The Internet Highway
In this day and age of convenience stores, fast food and high tech people no longer have the patience to wait for anything. We have microwaves to cook food in minutes when it used to take hours for the same results. We drive faster, travel farther, and go to the extreme on everything. Now we need all of that from our internet connection too. When the internet first began it was accessed through a phone line. This seemed to be revolutionary technology. And now the same access is like going on a long trip with Grandma driving on four flat tires.
Our Internet surfing needs have increased along with the need for speed. We have to check our email and favorite web pages before going to work or school and we don’t have much time to do it. The best and fastest way to achieve the necessary speed, so we can continue our lives, is with a cable or satellite connection.
Most homes are now fitted with either cable or satellite so getting the computer hooked up is no problem. It usually just takes a junction of some type and a cable stuck in the back of the computer then off you go into the wild blue yonder of cyber space. There are other reasons to go with the high speed connection, besides the time savings issue. There are also movie and television shows that can be downloaded and watched on your monitor. Many web pages are now interactive and you can do many different things, like play games or take quizzes, they are much more fun and interesting when they can go as fast as the player.
There are also the home based workers. A high speed connection is the only way to go if you work from your computer at home. When time is money there is no other comparison. It isn’t just the fast downloads that can be performed but also the uploading of completed work that can be done quickly. This is also true with sharing photos and video clips. Who has the time to try to open an entire photo album when a single picture can take five minutes to download?
Some businesses are based on how fast they can perform certain operations. For example, when it comes to buying and selling stock, you have to be able to not only make quick decisions but you have to be able to get the stock you want when the price is right. Many day traders work from home on their computers and have several of them running at the same time to stay on top of the market and receive up to the date notices of how their stock is doing. When trading with hundreds or thousands of dollars, you don’t want to wait for your computer to catch up.
Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about this as well as fast DSL internet at http://www.fastdslinternetconnection.com
Save Money On Long Distance - 5 Ways
Considering VoIP? Do you make plenty of long distance calls or just a few? Do you spend a fortune no matter what you do to lower your rates? Call after 9pm. Wait until the weekend to share your good news with those across the ocean? Perhaps you even have stopped using the services at all? You can stay connected with those that you love no matter where they are located. Have a look at the following ways to save money on long distance:
1. Do you VoIP? The first thing that you can do is to consider the service known as VoIP. This service uses a technology called voice over internet protocol to allow you to talk over the web instead of talking over your phone lines. The installation of equipment is fairly painless and the fee for the equipment is usually a one time thing. If you have a service provider that provides VoIP in your area, you may want to look into it. Why? No additional long distance fees!
2. Ready for some comparison shopping? You can compare the prices on those long distance companies that offer service within your area. Which have the best rates overall? Which will offer both high quality service and excellent prices? Narrow down your list to a few. Do some more research - check out consumerguides.com or some other online reviews.
3. Do you really need long distance? Next on your list of ways to lower your rates is to consider getting rid of any and all of your long distance all together. Many people have found that cell phones are an excellent way to make all the calls that you need to. You’ll need to compare how much you use your service and how much it will cost you to use the correct, no roaming cell service. Only keep a land line for emergency reasons.
4. Keep an eye out for deals! Some will use programs such as late night and weekend calling to get the best rates available. Many long distance companies are out there that offer excellent programs. Some allow for you to purchase long distance for only a limited area. Watch for packages and deals that are always coming out.
5. Some offer a flat rate service - Look into the unlimited long distance programs that are available in your area. Many companies are offering a flat rate service. If you make enough calls this is a great way to save money
Mike Singh is a webmaster and successful publisher of why-switch-to-voip.com. He provides more articles dealing with VoIP such as advantages and disadvantages of VoIP and how to choose a VoIP service provider.
Which is the Safer Alternative, Dial-Up or Broadband?
You’ve finally gone high speed with a cable modem or DSL and you love the speed. However, are you taking the right precautions to keep your computer safe? High speed broadband is a blessing. Remember the days when you could go make yourself a snack and go to the bathroom while you’re computer downloaded one page? That is no longer true when you have broadband service. Dial-up is limited by the bandwidth of phone lines and web content is getting larger and larger. The bandwidth for dial-up is not usually large enough to send large content file pages in a timely manner. There is new technology that allows you to speed up your dial-up connection. Both NetZero and EarthLink offer high-speed dial-up that are said to be five times faster than traditional service.
You will also see advertised on the Internet, special programs to boost speed. As always with any program that you download from the Internet, you need to know the site you are on is secure. You don’t want to add Spyware or adware while adding the program to speed up your connection.
I found as an early user of new cable Internet service that it was so much faster I was amazed at how fast my pages loaded. I was one of the first in the city to receive this new service. As more and more users jumped on the high-speed bandwagon, I noticed a slow down to my Internet service. The cable company has fixed that performance issue by adding new channels and splitting the users. This allows the speed, which we can easily get used to and like.
How secure is broadband service? Broadband does have its advantages but there are also some dangers involved as well. First, when you are using dial-up, you are more than likely shutting your computer down when you are done surfing or working on the Internet. With your computer shut down, it won’t allow hackers or Spyware to get into your system. With broadband, their boast is “you are always connected.” I know this to be true; because when I turn my computer on in the morning, it stays on until I shut it down for the night.
While this is convenient, it also poses a danger by leaving your computer exposed to the work of hackers and Spyware all that time. With your computer “always on”, an important fact to remember is the road to the Internet is a two-way road and Spyware and hackers can be having a field day with your computer.
One such attack is called “denial of service” and has hit prominent sites like Excite at Home, eBay, and Yahoo. The Undernet, which supports the IRC chat network, has also been hit with this attack. Many experts warn that a particular worm can potentially cripple the Internet and could already have the worms seeded into many computers. They are afraid that these worms will be activated all at once and cause a massive failure of many Internet sites.
Hackers can get into computers that are serviced by these high-speed DSL and cable modem connections and are able to get personal information like credit card and bank account details. Many companies provide the first step in stopping these intruders by disabling the file-sharing program that is on the Windows operating system of their customer’s computers. This help prevents other users from seeing inside your computer.
Installing a firewall is another simple and inexpensive precaution. A firewall is just what it says. It builds a wall around your computer to keep hackers and Spyware from getting your personal information. Experts say that once your computer is compromised, sometimes the only cure is to reformat the hard drive. This is something that is time-consuming and frustrating and should be done only as a last resort.
Security issues with broadband connection will continue to grow as many more households start connecting with high-speed connectors. According to Nielsen/Net Ratings, broadband users increased by 134 percent in the past year. They report that nearly 29 million users are connected to a broadband connection in the year 2004. It’s mind boggling to think how many more have been added since then.
Enjoy your broadband speed and convenience, but prepare to take the right precautions to keep your computer safe.
Gregg Hall is a business consultant and author for many online and offline businesses and lives in Navarre Florida with his 16 year old son. For high-speed broadband check out http://www.highspeedbroadbandservice.com
