Direct TV Internet: Finding the Best Deals Online
Are you still using dial-up for your Internet access? No way! Aren’t you tired of waiting for it to connect, waiting for it to download what you need, waiting for it to upload your messages? Aren’t you tired of just waiting, waiting, waiting? I was, so I made the switch to high-speed Internet service and boy am I glad I did!
With Direct TV Internet the waiting is gone. Now, I can download new software in just 7 short minutes (compared to a whopping 47 minutes using my old dial-up service), a video clip in three minutes, and a song in only two seconds! Yes, I said 2 seconds!
But, that’s not all. With high-speed satellite service I have instant access to the Internet any time of the day or night, no matter what the weather or anything else that might be happening in the world around me. I certainly couldn’t say that about my old service.
In just seconds I can be chatting with a friend from across town or across the world, researching a term paper for school, downloading the latest music or my favorite television show that I missed, and more. Plus, I no longer have to worry about missing an important phone call. With my new satellite service, my phone line remains clear, no matter how long I’m on the computer!
Unlike DSL or cable service, Direct TV Internet uses their satellite system to connect users, thereby eliminating any disruptions due to fallen wires or broken and disturbed fiber optic cables. Whether it’s a local fire, downed tree, overturned utility pole or even a bad storm, my Internet service is always there, ready to get me where I need to be.
Now, you may be asking if high-speed Internet service through Direct TV is available to anyone. Sure. Just about anyone in the continental United Sates, with clear access to the southern sky, can take advantage of the Direct TV Internet service.
And when it comes to price, there’s no beating what Direct TV offers. With literally dozens of special offers and rebates available all of the time, most people can find a package that best suits their needs at a price that doesn’t bust their budget. In many cases, satellite service may cost the same or even less than other comparable services in their area. And, when you combine your Internet service with your TV satellite system you can save even more. Now, that’s a deal!
I can’t say I was looking forward to the change. But, I’ve been pleasantly surprised at both the quality and options of service Direct TV Internet offers me. And, who can beat their reliability? I certainly haven’t found another provider that even comes close! Hope that helps you make a decision.
The best deals on Direct TV’s Internet service are here: http://www.DigitalTVDojo.com is the best; http://www.squidoo.com/directvinternet is also worth a look, and http://hubpages.com/hub/DirecTV_Internet is great as well.
The Internet Revolution: ADSL Broadband Internet Access
Today is the age of the information and the Internet has become the one stop shop for all kinds of information. Consumers are finicky and they want information fast. ADSL broadband connections can provide consumers with high-speed, secure and reliable Internet access.
What is ADSL?
ADSL stands for Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line. These serve to provide connections between the home or office telephone and computers to the local telephone exchange. In ADSL type of connection, the upstream bandwidth is different from the downstream bandwidth, because of which it gets its name Asymmetric. ADSL services are great because they allow a person to use the telephone at the same time while also being connected to the Internet – something usually not possible with Dial-up connections. Also ADSL connections are always available, unlike Dial-up connections where you need to dial to get connected. However, one drawback is that ADSL services are usually costlier than their Dial-up counterparts.
How to connect?
All you need is an ADSL modem which can come with either a USB or an Ethernet connection. For a USB ADSL modem, your PC needs to have a USB port for this and for an ADSL modem with Ethernet connection, your PC needs to have an Ethernet card.
You need the following equipment to be connected via ADSL:
* An ADSL telephone line
* ADSL Internet access package (provided by all ISPs)
* ADSL modem (available from any local shop that deals with such parts)
What’s the bandwidth I get?
The bandwidth will depend on 3 things:
* Speed of the ADSL telephone line (usually the maximum upstream speed is 256 Kbps and 512 Kbps downstream)
* Crosstalks between the local telephone exchange and home or office phone can affect the speed
* Any blockages on the path to the server from where you’re downloading will also affect speed
ADSL services in Africa
ADSL broadband internet access in Africa has had humble beginnings. While the rest of the developed world has been steadily enjoying the benefits of ADSL connectivity, in Africa it’s still fairly nascent. For example, in 2001, there was far more IP bandwidth of 1.3 Gbit/s available to 450000 people of Luxembourg as compared to almost 820 million people of Africa (just around 1.2 Gbit/s). In fact, from an overall perspective, less than 6% of Africans get to have access to any kind of telecommunications, thereby making it harder for the Internet to reach the people of Africa.
However, the last couple of years have seen a surge in the number of ISPs, especially with more developments in infrastructure related issues. These ISPs provide capped and uncapped ADSL services, free email addresses, anti virus software for emails, webspace for one’s website etc. among many other services.
How to choose an Internet connection?
The choice between Dial-up, ADSL and wireless connectivity is purely personal. It depends on the cost, the bandwidth, the speed offered as well as security, downtime issues and latency as well. However ADSL broadband internet access remains the firm favorite today because of the high speed, always-on connectivity and the ability to use the telephone even with the Internet connected.
Gary Terrazas is an online marketing consultant who promotes his clients websites like http://www.alignafrica.com online through industry specific articles
WiMax, VoIP, and the Metropolitan Area Network
The emerging IEEE 802.16 standard, commonly known as WiMAX, promises to deliver last mile wireless broadband internet access capable of carrying data intensive applications, such as VoIP and streaming video, to Metropolitan Area Networks, as well as sub-urban and rural communities. WiMAX is considered a disruptive technology, designed as an alternative to fixed line DSL and coaxial technologies, and with its 802.16e revision, the cell phone networks as well.
Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave AXcess will operate over licensed and non licensed frequencies using non line of sight (NLOS) and line of sight technologies, extending broadband coverage to cities and towns wirelessly via a metro area network. Additionaly, because of its far reaching capabilities and ease of implementation, wimax is the one technology likey to bridge the Digital Divide, connecting underdeveloped regions and sparsely populated rural areas much more cost effectively than deploying a wireline infrastructure.
WiMAX and WiFi Compared
The widespread adoption of the wireless LAN in the business community, as well as the emergence of WiFi hotspots in public areas, airports, hotels and cafes, has been of tremendous significance in providing mobility to business people and consumers alike. Thanks to the open standards guided by the 802.11 committee and the WiFi Alliance, WiFi technology is becoming ingrained in our society. WiMAX plans to take WiFi a step further.
While the two technologies may sound the same, they are from their conception designed for totally different applications. WiFi is a short range standard that was designed primarily as an extension of the local area network (LAN) to provide mobility for the end user. It operates over unlicensed frequencies and has a range of about 100 meters, depending on obstructions. Typically one access point will be connected to a fixed line network, either a wired LAN or a DSL/cable broadband connection, and the range can be extended by adding more access points at appropriate distances.
WiMAX, on the other hand, is designed to function as a carrier network, or a wireless Internet service provider (WISP), blanketing whole cities and regions with broadband Internet access comparable to DSL. Coverage in optimal conditions could reach 50 kilometers, but in reality are more like 5 km for users with NLOS customer premise equipment (CPE), or up to 15 km with a CPE connected to an external line of sight antenna.
As the older more established technology, the 802.11 WiFi has been used in a mesh topology to cover larger areas such as college campuses and municipalities, for example to connect the terminals in police vehicles to their database. The emerging 802.16 WiMAX will be better suited for larger deployments, and will in fact compliment the private WiFi networks by offering a cheaper and more secure Internet access for data and voice applications.
The WiMAX Standards: Fixed, Nomadic, and Mobile
The 802.16 standard developed by the IEEE envisions a fixed wireless broadband network operating in the spectrum range of 10 GHz to 66 GHz. Originally, only the licensed spectrum was addressed in this range, and line-of-sight multipath technology was dealt with by adopting OFDM as the standard. Subsequent revisions added the 2 GHz to 11 GHz band to the spectrum, and incorporated support for non-line-of-sight technologies and Quality of Service (QoS) techniques, a prerequisite for such time sensitive applications as voice and video.
The revision known as 802.16-2004(d) rolled up all the previous revisions and then added some. Most of these original issues dealt with the Physical and Media Access Control layers, and resulted in a standards list of optional and mandatory elements by which vendors could design their products.
The resulting fixed WiMAX standard has a data rate of up to 40 Mbps, support for half and full duplex transmission, improved QoS, and the incorporation of multiple polling techniques, ultimately reducing packet collisions and overhead.
Base stations are to support several different topologies, such as wireline backhauling, microwave point to point connections, and the ability for the WiMAX base station to backhaul itself by reserving a part of the bandwidth for that purpose.
By design, 802.16d would cater to the residential and small business markets offering wireless broadband access with speeds comparable to DSL. Enterprise markets could be served at T1/E1 data rates.
While this version of WiMax is called fixed, it is in all actuality nomadic. Users on a private WiFi network indoors could be passed off seamlessly to the publicWiMAX network when moving outdoors, their hardware determining the best network available. Devices on the WiMAX data network would include laptops, PDAs, and smart phones equipped with an on board WiMAX capable chip or PC card, utilizing the spectrum for voice, data, video, and music transfers.
Nomadic WiMAX provides for limited mobility in that the range of coverage is handled by the same base station.
WiMAX Goes Mobile
With the adoption of the 802.16e revision in late 2005, all the hype has been on Mobile WiMAX, a technology designed to compete with the cellular networks.
With major support from manufacturers like Intel, Motorola, Siemens, and Nokia among others, mobile WiMAX is built on open standards and is purported to be 4 times faster than the cellular 3G technologies (EVDO, HSDPA). Significant cost savings can be achieved for voice applications by placing calls over the Internet through VoIP.
802.16e provides for fast and seamless handoffs between base stations, with a cell radius of about 3 miles, similar to cellular networks. The standard was ratified in late 2005, and real world applications are beginning to show up in 2007, with more robust development expected throughout 2008.
Because this technology is such a threat to the legacy telecommunications industry, it is no surprise that Sprint Nextel will be deploying WiMAX as opposed to EVDO in its 4G network. Sprint has been buying up much of the WiMAX spectrum, and has recently announced a partnership with Nokia to deploy WiMAX to four Texas cities by mid 2008. This is not their first WiMAX network, and telcos around the globe have been doing the same.
The 802.16 standards are a work in progress, and as such, are subject to changes and revisions. As the standards committee works on the technology, the WiMAX Forum hopes to do what the WiFi Alliance did for the 802.11 standards, by promoting interoperability between components through testing, and offering WiMAX certification to vendors that conform to the 802.16 standards.
It should be noted that many of the WiMAX implementations at the time of this writing are proprietary, and thus do not necessarily follow the recommendations of the IEEE or the WiMAX Forum. The broadband wireless ISP Clearwire Communications has over 200,000 subscribers in 375 cites, and calls its service a WiMAX-class solution, utilizing next-generation, non-line-of-sight wireless technology. Other early adopters of pre-WiMAX technology are forging ahead, providing wireless broadband access to residential consumers and the small business market, with many companies climbing aboard the evolving standards bandwagon to assure interoperability and backwards compatibility of devices and applications.
Michael Talbert is a certified systems engineer and web designer with over 7 years experience in the industry. For more information on VoIP, WiMAX, and related technologies, visit the website http://VoIP-Facts.net for up to date industry news and commentary.
How To Select The Best Broadband Internet Providers
Everyone who is on the internet knows that there are a lot of choices when it comes to broadband internet providers. There are so many sources that it can be baffling to even imagine. It is a trade that continues to expand and new companies are challenging against the big companies and from time to time they can find their niche. Broadband internet providers compete against each other for a share of the countless people who make use of the internet. Some are gradually choked out of the industry and others carry on to get bigger all the time. It is a distinctive industry to be in for the reason that the costs for the different companies are roughly the same and the fee that they charge to their customers is very close too. What people should be looking for is a company that is reliable and offers good service at a reasonable price.
There are so many broadband internet providers existing that if the service isn’t up to same level the user can always switch to a different provider. Some of the providers are big name companies and others might be little recognized players. The services can be just as good with a small provider and the customer might even save some cash. The other pleasant thing about using a smaller company is that the customer service might be superior with people willing to spend extra time with the customer. All of this can amount to a great experience and good internet connections.
Where To Find Cheap Broadband
For those who are still on dial-up service, it may appear that working with your old Internet service is a pain, but broadband still isn’t economical enough. Those feelings are comprehensible, since fees for dial-up service are going down and broadband service all seems to be around the same price. However, that’s no reason to give up in the quest for cheap broadband service. If you know where to look, you should be able to save money on your Internet service and still take pleasure in the fast speeds of broadband. Of course, the simplest way to locate cheap broadband is to look out for sales and membership drives by the broadband companies. Frequently, if you’re willing to go into a service contract for a year or more, many broadband companies will offer you a deal on the monthly cost. That alone can mean considerable savings through the year. Look into websites that evaluate broadband services and use that to easily acquire an idea of the range of broadband services. You’ll be amazed just how many companies put forward cheap broadband packages.
Some Tips In Saving Money From Your Broadband Expenses
1) Try Getting A Package Deal
If you already have a mobile phone, cable TV or even a regular phone line, consider checking with your providers for these services to find if there are package deals on broadband service plus the services you already have. As so many phone and cable companies are also Internet providers, there is likelihood that they have some kind of contract to help you save. If you’re keen to keep working with them for your Internet service, you’ll have another way to get cheap broadband.
2) Accept Less Bandwidth
Sometimes the offer you see on the advertisements isn’t always the cheapest offer. Many will attempt to advertise ou a faster Internet connection than you need. By selecting a slower, lower-bandwidth connection, you can always save on the cost of your Internet service. Think practically about what you need. If you would like faster surfing for e-mail or web shopping, you don’t need the bandwidth you would otherwise require if you were watching videos over the Internet. Even slower speeds can be a considerable jump over dial-up speeds. Start at the entry-level speed and take pleasure in cheap broadband.
3) Do Away With Other Bills
If you have a dial-up service and a second phone line for it so callers don’t get a busy signal, you should factor that into your Internet purchase. By getting broadband service, which doesn’t impede the phones, you can chuck out that second line. When you prefer that option, it still seems as if you’re getting cheap broadband service while still getting excellent bandwidth. Shop around, try to find ways to save with your other utilities, and only purchase as much as you require, and you’ll realize that it’s simple to get cheap broadband services.
Cindy Heller is a professional writer. To learn more about how to choose the right broadband provider, please visit http://www.internetbroadbandprovider.com.