Broadband Versus Dial Up Internet Access

Broadband Internet service has become a "must have" for those already enjoying the high speed Internet provided by cable broadband, DSL, or T1 services. Still, many dial up Internet users are reluctant to make the switch to broadband due to the increased cost in Internet access, and fail to recognize broadband's money saving potential.

Broadband Internet is so much more than lightning fast web browsing. Along with broadband Internet emerges opportunity to take advantage of new money saving technologies not available to dial up Internet users. Broadband phone and the up and coming IP TV are just a couple examples of the newest technologies dial up users are missing out on.

Broadband Internet users also save money by downloading their own music, games, and even movies instead of renting or purchasing them for a much higher price from a retail outlet. Of course dial up users can do this as well, but not in a very timely fashion since it could take up to a couple of hours just to download a simple song.

Broadband Internet rates have reduced dramatically within the course of the last five years. High speed Internet can now be purchased for as little as fourteen dollars a month in some places, and usually has a top end comfort level of around fifty dollars or less per month. This means broadband can sometimes be even cheaper than dial up ISP.

Broadband Internet is probably one of the few services that end with the customer never having buyers remorse. Broadband is just one of those things that people find many useful and even practical applications for. An entire book could be, and probably has been written about the usefulness of broadband Internet access.

If you have been considering making the switch to broadband, you'll find many vendors these days offer incentives such as reduced cost for service, free equipment, and rebates to ease the burden of any start up cost for high speed broadband Internet service. In the end, broadband is just as affordable yet better and faster than dial up Internet.

Daymon Hoag is the Editor for Cheapest Service and provisioner of Cheapest-Service.com High Speed Internet

DSL and the State of Internet Access

The amount of high-speed Internet access customers in the US will rise from 2.3 million in 1999 to 42 million in 2005, evident to research by Allied Business Intelligence (ABI). Worldwide broadband customers will leap from 5 million in 1999 to 91 million in 2005.

So far, cable modems have been the obvious head in high-speed Internet access when it comes to cheap, multi-megabit data transfer charges, taking over DSL. Cable's lead is due to an earlier market admission, according to the account "The DSL Solution: ADSL/SDSL Equipment and Subscribers" by ABI, which established that at the end of 1999, high-speed cable Internet service had 2.1 million US subscribers, while DSL had only 500,000 US users.

But DSL suppliers cannot get out the service fast enough. This is due partly to growing promotions highlighting DSL, some suppliers were seeing 50 to 60 percent development in user rates, and occurring major backlogs in process.

While suburban Internet users in the US are starting to leap on the broadband wagon, numerous US businesses have until now to adapt to high-speed Internet access. The whole number of US Internet-connected companies is proposed to boost drastically in the next three years, shooting from 2.96 million businesses in 2000 to 4.48 million in 2003, according to Vertical Systems Group. During this time, broadband connections will rise by 264 percent, while use of dial access will go down 10 percent.

Amid residential clients, countless issues still exist concerning broadband use. According to a study of 1,000 members of Greenfield Online's Internet-based board by 2Wire, Inc., 51 percent of people in the US do not know if DSL facility is obtainable in their neighbourhood. Younger users are expected to identify if DSL is accessible in their region compared to elder users, the survey established. More than half (53 percent) of Internet users ages 25 to 34 recognize if DSL is offered locally; in contrast with 37 percent of Internet users age 55 and older. Naturally, the superior the earnings, the more probable respondents were to be conscious of DSL. Sixty-four percent of Internet users earing more than $100,000 per year are aware about local DSL service, in comparison to only 39 percent of Internet users making less than $35,000 per year.

There are more and more services available to us online, that we tend to be oblivious to them. To get the most out of the Internet, we need to be aware of technologies evolving and services offered.

Nick Singh runs a website committed to serving customers in finding the best deals on getting a cheap broadband connection. For a comparison of the best ISPรขโ�ฌโ�ขs go to http://www.cheap-broadband-in-the-uk.com.

Wireless Broadband Basics

Wireless broadband is a general term used for the technology that is able to gain access to the internet wirelessly, and at high bandwidth speeds. Wireless broadband is available on virtually any digital device, so long as it has the proper connectivity hardware. Such hardware can easily be attached to most PDAs and laptop computers.

One of the most popular and well known wireless technology standards is Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity), which allows users to access the internet over a wireless Local Area Network. The speed and range of Wi-Fi, however, is severely limited. There is another wireless connectivity standard, called WiMAX, which is considerably more advanced.

WiMAX is a protocol by which signals are sent to wireless broadband users. A WiMAX base station can theoretically beam a signal as far as 50km (31 miles), meaning that a single station could potentially cover an entire city (unlike Wi-Fi, which is only available in "hotspots").

Although WiMAX are networks are available in several major metropolitan areas in the US, base stations are very expensive to build, and arenรขโ�ฌโ�ขt cost effective in less densely populated areas. Because of this limitation, WiMAX technology is not yet available in most non-urban regions.

Although WiMAX has been a major technological achievement, wireless broadband certainly doesnรขโ�ฌโ�ขt stop there. There are a number of other cutting edge wireless protocols currently in development. The most notable of these is a new protocol called xMax, which is similar to WiMAX, but a lot more efficient. It can cover a broader range at a lower cost, by piggybacking on radio frequencies. Although xMax is not yet available to the public, it will most likely be launched within the next couple of years.

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

Broadband Satellite Antenna Pizza Box Size

Thanks to the transfer technologies and governments spending on military needs, soon the public will have Broadband Satellite antennas no larger than the dimensions of a Pizza Box. Lightening fast Internet from the heavens. The new record for the Worldรขโ�ฌโ�ขs smallest broadband satellite antenna was launched in Singapore this week. Absolutely incredible new technology, which seems to be very similar to something that DARPA was working on.

Nera Telecommunications debuted the device, which is shaped like a laptop with the lid closed. It is designed to use Inmarsat Broadband Global Area Network but could also be integrated into nearly any system. I believe the device might be good for a UAV and mounted on top in a gyro to send back real time video feed via Internet broadband. Currently the unit has enough speed to use VoIP as well. The detachable antenna allows the hand held 15 cm by 20 cm device to be used quite easily as well. Anywhere, anytime broadband communication on the go; perfect for recon, Osama Bin Laden or the US Military, which will find him soon?

Now here is the good part. You can have this high tech gizmo for only $2500.00 and it will be shipped to you immediately. This is only one of the new devices in broadband satellite coming on line soon. Another cool device, which should be able to be purchased by the public is a broadband antenna capable of constant communication anywhere while driving your SUV; expect this to be yours for $5000 in 2008 or so. Keep thinking broadband.

Lance Winslow

Find the Best Broadband Provider for You

To find the best broadband provider for you takes some effort.

Like anything in life, doing the research is critical to getting the best product at the best price. And this holds true for shopping for broadband services as well. To find the best broadband provider for you you must know your needs first. Someone can tell you how great a service is for them, but if itรขโ�ฌโ�ขs too much or too little for you, you could be wasting the two most valuable human resources รขโ�ฌโ�� time and money.

To find the best broadband provider for you it is advisable to get a good feel for what you will really need from a provider. Do you just need Internet service? Or do you maybe want a bundled Internet and phone service. There are some great deals out there for the latter from companies like Homecall Broadband, Wanadoo Broadband and BT Broadband. These are three very established companies in the U.K., and while fighting for market share from each other, are also being touted for their service and price.

But back to your needs รขโ�ฌโ�� are you a home business? Is the service for a company you own, or is it for personal home office use? Answering these questions can help better position your research efforts to find the best broadband provider for you. Once youรขโ�ฌโ�ขve done this research you will know what kinds of packages you are shopping for, and your will could be a little stronger because you know you wonรขโ�ฌโ�ขt need to be talked into something you donรขโ�ฌโ�ขt need, as youรขโ�ฌโ�ขve done your research.

Now you can talk price with all of the companies vying for your business. Once you get a list of prices, it is best to talk to people who have used the service. If you can, go beyond testimonials you may see on company Web sites. Find out what your neighbors may be using, and even better, find some people who own the same service as you. This could help you weed out the ones who may have great deals, but donรขโ�ฌโ�ขt offer the best service.

Finding the best broadband service for you could be the key to a better Internet experience, and could also save you money on your phone bill as well. One thing is for sure, most people who get away from dial-up for the first time, even if they have a very small bandwidth service, canรขโ�ฌโ�ขt believe the difference. Because of the success of broadband services in the past few years, it could be very likely that dial-up service will eventually become extinct around the world. Especially since broadband deals are so good now, and becoming more and more affordable each day for the average person. But again, finding the right one for you is key to having a better Internet experience.

About The Author:

Neil Shevlin is the owner of UK Cheap Broadband which is a great place to find broadband links, resources and articles.

For more information go to: UK Cheap Broadband

http://www.ukcheapbroadband

ร�ยฉ Copyright 2005

Please feel free to copy and paste this article and it's resource information.

How to Test Your DSL and Cable Internet Connection Speed

There are two measured elements that determine your internet connection speed. They are: The download rate, and the upload rate of data measured in bits per seconds. Usually, it is expressed in Kilobits per second.

A bit is the smallest piece of data that can be stored in a computer. The bit can be either "0" or "1". The byte is eight bits. Example of a byte and bits are the following:

bit= 0 or 1

byte=8 bits

1 byte=10011101 (eight bits)

A single charcter needs one byte or eight bits to be stored in a computer. So, when the data rate is 1 byte/sec, that means one character per second is the rate at which data is transferred through your connection.

This is very slow, and only intended for an example. In order to browse the internet, you must have at least a dial up access with a 56kb/s modem, in order to get a meaningful and practical result.

There are different types of internet connection. First they introduced the dialup connection using your phone line, then the broadband was introduced.

The broadband internet connections are DSL, Cable, or Satellite internet services. They are widely used and expanding due to the high bandwith.

When you get an internet service, your provider states that your speed will be a certain numbers. They usually give you a good idea, but not an exact one. The common asked questions among internet users is:

How do I know what is my connection speed, and if I am getting what I was promised?.

If there anyway I can test my connection, and do I need to buy expensive software to test it?.

The answer is simple. There are two ways to test your internet connection speed:

1- The manual simple calculation test that you can do yourself without any software or third party services.

2- You can find a service that lets you run a test through their servers, and get your numbers displayed at their webpage.

1-The manual method:

Since I mentioned that the connection speed consist of two numbers, the download and upload speed. So, what you do is download from the internet any free software, and watch the result box with the result that show the size of the file and how many seconds it tool to download.

When you are done recording the download speed, upload a file of a specific size (1 Mb, 2 Mb), and time your watch when you start. When the file is uploaded, check your watch and record the time it took for the task. Then divide your file size by the seconds it took.

If you file was 2 Mb. that took 5 minutes to upload, then your upload speed is 2 Mb./300 sec. or 6.826 Kbits/sec.You can run the above test couple times, and then take the average for a better result.

2-The automated test at a third party service:

This is my preferred one, where you get to a website where the test is done for you. It is done using a script installed on their server, and letting you download and upload to their server a test file (invisible to you). Then, the result is displayed on their webpage. You just have to register for free using your email. It is free. This is a website address where they offer you a free internet connection test:

http://www.visualware.com.

In summary, don't settle for numbers given to you by your services, do the tests whenever you can. You enjoy it, and feel that you are getting your money worth. This is because some servcies charges you 35 dollars or more for a high speed internet service.

Thanks,
George Chamoun

I have created an Ebook about troubleshooting procedures for DSL, or Cable connection problems. You can get it for free by right clicking the link and saving to your computer:

http://www.ebookfreestore.com/software/ComputerEbook.pdf

Google Talk Reviewed

So you're sick and tired of AOL Instant Messenger. You're looking for something fresh and new that will just work. Well Google feels the same way. On Wednesday August 24th they released their version of AIM, Google Talk.

Although Google Talk and AIM do basically the same thing, Google Talk is very different. For starters anyone can join AIM, in order to use Google Talk you need to have a Gmail account. AIM will also let you make a profile, Google Talk you can't. However there are more features on Google Talk that are left out in AIM.

Google Talk's main feature is being able to call friends that are on your list. Call means being able to talk through a microphone to them and they respond through theirs, much like the service Skype. There is a similar feature in the current version of AIM; however it's not as easy to use.

Let's say you're talking to someone in the conversation window. You decide that this conversation would work a lot better over the phone. Well don't get up and dial a number, simply plug in the microphone and headphones and guess what you're connected, just like a phone. All you have to do is press the "Call" button in the window, you'll hear a dial tone, and when the other user accepts you're connected.

At the top of the window, when call is activated, you'll see a volume meter for your friend and one for you. All it takes is a click of a button, how easy is that?

The other easy thing about Google Talk is the simplicity behind making a customized message. When you're online you'll have a small snippet under your name. You can customize that to whatever you want, that could be considered somewhat of a profile. You can also see peoples' away messages right under their name. Making an away message is just as simple as changing the text under your name. Just go to the drop down list under your name in the window (not the friends list) and go to the "Custom Message" with the red circle next to it.

Google has also added a feature to make it easier to sign up for the service. When you select to add a friend you can insert an email address that isn't a Gmail one. All it does is email the person letting them know about the service and offering a download link. This makes it really easy to convince your friends to make the switch.

Another feature that is greatly appreciated in Google Talk is the way it works directly with Gmail. You can add people on your contacts to the service within the Google Talk interface, plus it will notify you when a new email has been received. You can also go directly to your Gmail inbox via a link from the interface.

This next feature won't mean much to the average user, but to some misfortunate geeks with low RAM it may. Google Talk consumes around 3MB of RAM. AOL Instant Messenger takes around 9MB. If you have a lot of other programs open and you can't afford to waste RAM Google Talk will work great.

Google Talk is also much cleaner looking than AIM. There are no ads and no added crap like a stock ticker or news ticker. However the one thing that I'd like to see in Google Talk is notifications that tell you when someone logs on or off. This feature has been available in AIM for about 2 years.

There some other things that could be enhanced. In the settings menu I'd like to see a setting to customize how often it checks the Gmail mailbox, customize sounds, and more customization for notifications.

Staying on the topic of customization I'd like to see, in later versions, the option to add categories in your friends list. Something so you could put all your family under one list, friends under the others and so on.

Overall I wouldn't rush out and download Google Talk quite yet. Right now I'd think that it would be more convenient to corporations so that employees can interact with each other. It won't take down AIM, because AIM is just too popular, but it might steal some Yahoo! Messenger or MSN users.

This article was originally posted on http://www.p2btech.com

Although this is the full article, screen shots are avilable at http://www.p2btech.com/googletalk.html

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