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Showing posts with label Communications. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Communications. Show all posts

Satellite Internet Service

Living in rural areas in most parts of the world can be a refreshing thought, especially if you are born and bred in the maddening city life. You can breathe fresh air, drink pure water and doesn't have to confront pollution of any kind. All said and done, putting up in remote areas can also be quite frustrating at times.

If you are a tech junkie and rely on internet services almost every now and then, you may have only dial up internet access at your disposal. This will surely not guarantee you a high speed service. So, how can you combat this kind of a scenario? Do not worry. There's a solution for it. Read on.

The concept of Satellite Internet Service is fast catching up with its users worldwide. There are several companies offering services of this kind to its customers. They are available in two different formats: Two way and one way internet services. In the case of the former, a dish is mounted on top of your house. Through it, information is sent to the satellite and in turn you receive the download speed. In the latter case, your phone line is used to transmit the information to the satellite. In return, the downloadable speed can be collected from your dish.

The two way system has its own set of drawbacks. During cloudy and rainy days, the transmission between your dish and the satellite could be severely hampered. This is so, because the dish on your house top wouldn't be as powerful in sending signals as that of satellite in orbits. This condition is often referred to as 'rain fade'.

As compared to two way systems, one way systems are capable to send signals at much higher power from a building which is 14 storeys in height. The signals in this case are beamed from a telephone port up to the satellite in the orbit.

Some internet users may feel it undesirable to use phone lines for uploading purposes. According to them, it might be a negative point. However, the truth is far from it. Using a phone line for uploading is in fact a positive attribute as it does not have to confront situations like 'rain fade'. In either of these systems, the browsing speed is obtained via satellite to your dish.

There's one more advantage to one way systems over two way systems. The time taken to load pages is much lesser in the former case as it makes only one way trip to satellite before it comes back.

Affordability is another factor, where the one way systems score over two way systems. Installing two way systems is not easy and it requires professional guidance. They are also governed by the rules of FCC. However, one way systems are not controlled by any such rules. They are very simple to use and are far reliable. With one way systems, you can save as much as 150 pounds for an hour's work. What's more, professional help can also be sought for.

So if you are facing problems in browsing internet, accessing them via satellite internet services is the way to go. Just because you live in remote areas, don't let the technological benefits pass by you. Try it out once and you will not be disappointed.

Get Rid of Stalkers Today With a Reverse Email Lookup

Ever had a internet stalker or spammer? Well as we all know people can make email accounts and do whatever they want including doing things that aren't morally right. If you ever been in this situation or is in this situation right now there are ways around it. The first thing you need to go about doing is finding out who this person really is. Here are a few options.

The most valuable resource in my opinion is Google. Google is known to provide relevant results for whatever you are trying to find. If it's out there on the web then it can be found. Simply just type in the email address in Google and see what comes up. You could possibly find old member accounts he or she has made on various cites which could have some valuable information you are looking for.

You can run a search on his email via the email provider. Such as a Hotmail or AOL account. Go to the email provider cite and do some searching there. You can try contacting the company but I highly doubt you will get any progress made. There is still hope if you still haven't found the information you've been searching for.

Some people will tell you that you should hire a private investigator however that is not really needed. There are cheaper options which will provide you with the same valuable information as a private investigator would hands down. There are various services called reverse email lookup service which will provide you with accurate information about the email you request to get information about.

Can a Business Survive Without Broadband?

When it comes to getting online, you have two choices. You can either go for dial-up, which uses a phone line to get online and therefore ties up that phone line whenever you are on the internet, or you can opt for broadband, which is permanently on, permanently available, and often one hundred times faster than dial-up.

This simple but very distinct difference between the two options almost answers the question posed in the title without any further thought at all. If you are serious about running a proper business - even if that business is based at home - then you really must have broadband to get the best from your business. If you don't have it you will soon become frustrated at the limitations that dial-up gives you.

When we hear about how various people set up their businesses online and delve into the various aspects of website marketing and how to provide the best service to their customers, you will never hear too much about what service they use to go online with themselves. But you can almost guarantee that they will be using broadband.

The only situation in which the owner of an online business might just get away with using dial-up is if their website runs virtually on autopilot, and the only thing they need to do is to hop online occasionally to see what is going on and to check their stats.

But just imagine trying to run a business in which you are constantly online fulfilling orders and making sure that customers are satisfied. Anyone who has tried using dial-up in the long and distant past will know that it has a tendency to cut you off, and it is also much slower than broadband. What this means is that even if you aren't cut off at any point you will certainly notice that it takes much longer to process orders due to the slower speed of entering websites and pages than it would if you were using broadband.

It's reasonable to think that the smallest business just starting out online could get by for a time on dial-up. But once that business reaches any kind of success then broadband becomes almost necessary to encourage further growth.

One other point worth bearing in mind is that because dial-up internet connections tie up your phone line, you would either have to be unobtainable on the phone (not good for customer relations) or you would have to have another dedicated phone line put in. When all is said and done you are much better off simply opting for broadband in the first place - it's probably cheaper.

Internet marketing is a business strategy that tends to attract all kinds of people to it and has an image of being an easy business to succeed in. This is far from being the truth, of course, but some people will try and build a business without having the right tools to succeed - and one of those tools must surely be broadband.

AOL Reverse Email Lookup - Find Your Long Lost Friend Or Lover

As the internet continues to grow we find ourselves establishing really good friendships and even relationships. Sometimes those friends or loved ones can disappear or you two just lost touch. With all the false information that floats around on the internet; it can be very tedious trying to find someone when all you have that belonged to them was an email address. Maybe you have a best friend from online or offline and you two have lost touch with each other. Or maybe an old crush that you would like to find. Even a loved one such as a family member that just doesn't seem to stay in contact with anyone in the family.

Well I'm here to tell you that those days of never being able to find accurate and reliable information from just an email address are over. There are various methods you can choose to use to find the person you're searching for. If you haven't already tried this method then it's quick and could lead to some kind of information. Search with Google or better yet within AOL. Chances are slim to none but you never know they could of left some valuable information in their email account. The information might even be outdated or inaccurate but it's worth a try for a free option.

If you think you are out of luck after trying those methods then your still in luck. There are services out there that can do a AOL reverse email lookup for you for a small fee. These services are very prompt so they can provide you with information quickly. The cost can be around $10-40 dollars depending on the service and if you plan to get some kind of membership with them. All you have to do is just do your research so you can find one that best suits your pockets and the information that you need.

How to Explain MPLS to a Potential Customer

How do you explain MPLS (Multi-Protocol Label Switching) as a potential bandwidth solution to a potential customer who as little understanding of just what options may be available to them? In other words, how do you put MPLS into laymen's terms?

The best way I have been able to explain MPLS (Multi-Protocol Label Switching) is by drawing a picture depicting the following:

Imagine the internet as an Ocean, large and wide. Full of sharks and other things that can get in the way of your data ... and you are 2 or 3 islands (or how ever many locations the customer has) in that ocean.

A point to point is a bridge that you physically build between these islands that you can transport data on. Generally this is very expensive since you are actually building the bridge.

Frame Relay is like an HOV lane on that higway. There are other users that are able to use your highway that is on the bridge, but you have a select portion that is only yours.

MPLS is a submarine. It is a protected vessle that can go between any of your islands. It is encapsulated and protected and goes underneath the ocean thus being the most protected and versitile method of data/ voice transport.

This is a very basic overview, but if taken to heart and understood in it's simplest terms, can help you move to a newer, more cost effective solution.

MPLS is the new Frame Relay. Using the added capabilities found in MPLS switching, companies are able to prioritize traffic for real-time packets like voice and video.

There are many flavors of MPLS sold by the carriers. The difference is usually based on the classes of service. COS is how you tag traffic for prioritization.

If the customer has a Frame Relay network or ATM or even IP-VPN, MPLS would likely be a beneficial upgrade in cost and quality, especially if the customer uses VOIP or Video.

For help in finding just the right solution involving MPLS .... or any bandwidth configuration for that matter .... take advantage of the resources available via Broadband Nation.

How to Determine the Best Bandwidth Solution For Video Conferencing & Multi-Media Applications

Your business intends to make extensive use of video conferencing and multi-media applications. How do you determine what bandwidth solution (T1, DS3, OCx/Sonet, etc.) would best meet your needs and incorporate that decision into your network cover these applications?

I'd say that it depends on what kind of service and QoS you are looking at. For example, when you say "video" you mean video conferencing and not something like VoD. The Bandwidth requirements will vary according to your service requirements.

For example: For IPTV services, the image quality depends on the encoding deployed: MPEG-2 consumes approx. 3.75 Mbps, whereas MPEG-4 needs approx. 2 Mbps for the same high-quality image production. Also broadcast TV is delivered using IP Multicast which makes the bandwidth required dependent on the number of channels offered and the encoding rate. 200 channels of MPEG-2 in standard definition will take approx. 750 Mbps of bandwidth. VoD, on the other hand, is a unicast per-viewer channel. 1000 standard definition VoD users will need appro. 3.75 Mbps.

The QoS requirements for video conferencing using H.323 (SIP could be different again) can be planned on the "Rule of 75" as follows: Calculate the minimum bandwidth required by each of your applications ( e.g., video, voice, data). The total of this bandwidth is the minimum requirement for any given link and it should consume NO MORE than 75% of the total available bandwidth on the link. The 75% rule makes allowances for bandwidth required for over head traffic, such as routing, Layer 2 keepalives and other applications, such as, email, HTTP etc.

So, Capacity planning for H.323, should look like something as follows:

Video data + 20% = bandwidth required.

Example:

Video data rate: Bandwidth Required:

512 kbps = 614 kbps
1.5Mbps = 1.8 Mbps ...

For issues such as number of concurent users and more stuff on video conferencing you can perhaps consider looking into Cisco's solutions offered and also TANDBERG boxes.

Cisco considers anything 766Kb to be a "slow link" for VOIP. Also you need to consider the criticality of the sites so you may need two separate connections. All multi-media applications run on top of your other applications so QoS only allows a preference of who goes first.

You need a good baseline of non-multi-media applications (VOIP). So bandwidth needs to be able to handle all necessary applications in the network.

Also, you'll need to remember that the bandwidth aggregation at the Data Center needs to meet or exceed all inbound remote site traffic. In other words, if I have three remote sites all with T1s. I'll need more than one T1 at the Data Center to manage the traffic. Remember unless this is a greenfield then baseline, baseline, baseline!

When it comes to streaming video, bi-directional - you are going to have to consider the quality of the compression you are planning to use. If you are planning on using high definition video 1 direction it is recommended to have at least 2MB in the direction of the video being accessed.

So if you are streaming video to your computer then you need to make sure that you get 2MB download capacity. Also, another thing to keep in mind is latency and loss of packets. I would recommend staying away from wireless for this type of application as it will add latency and cause issues later. DS3 bandwidth and anything higher may be over kill, but would easily be able to handle your demands.

Without knowing specifics, it is hard to provide a precise answer, but, one can still specify a systematic method for calculating required bandwidth. Once you know the bandwidth requirement, then it is all about negotiating the most economical way to order that bandwidth from a network provider in the area.

Here is what I would suggest:

1. Calculate the peak external link bandwidth requirements (inter-office data transfer, video conferencing, email transfers. With attachments running in tens of megabytes, email traffic can't be ignored these days.).

2. Real time applications being mostly jitter and delay sensitive - so you have to make sure that you will have enough bandwidth when they need it. The bandwidth of video depends on the mpeg profiles used (without going into specific, generally 1.5 Mbps can give you very good video on a PC (equal to VCD quality). HDTV images can take about 20 Mbps - but that is domain more reserved for IP TV service providers). Most current users of interactive video communications will be happy with the images coded and transmitted @ 512 Kbps. This includes audio and video as well as control signaling. So, one should provision at least 512 Kbps per video stream, and more the better (I would say 1.5 Mbps is the good if you are a big organization and use a large TV for video conferences)). So, multiply bandwidth for a single stream by the number of parallel streams required. Now that determines the total peak real time usage.

3. There is no specific rule - but wise men with experience advise to keep the peak real time within 60 to 75% of network bandwidth available leaving the remaining capacity for background traffic. In a small organization of 5 people - it is easy to tell people not to download gigabyte attachments when video conferencing is going on , but in larger organizations it is hard to enforce such things except with router policies (assuming they have QoS support), and you can deal with occasional unhappy users.

4. Now, once you know your bandwidth requirements, it is time to talk to the network operator how they can provide that bandwidth in the most cost effective way.

For help in finding just the right bandwidth solution for your video conferencing and multi-media applications .... take advantage of the no cost help provided at DS3-Bandwidth.

Slow Mobile Broadband? Top Tips to Improve Your Speed

Network capability
The top speed of your connection will be limited by the maximum speed of the mobile phone company's network. In the UK, O2, Orange and T-Mobile support 1.8Mbps, Three support 2.4Mbps and Vodafone support speeds up to 7.2Mbps.

However, it's one thing for the network to theoretically support these higher speeds, but if the link from the mobile phone company's mast back to the internet (called 'backhaul') isn't fast enough you won't be able to hit the higher speeds. This is similar to having a 54Mbps WiFi router at home, but connecting it to an 8Mbps ADSL connection - you speed is limited by the slowed link in the chain.

Modem capability
Mobile broadband modems come in a variety of different speeds - from basic 3.6Mbps devices through to the fastest 7.2Mbps with support for high speed uploads. If your phone company offers 7.2Mbps broadband, but you've only got a 3.6Mbps modem, you won't be able to hit the higher speeds.

Looking beyond just the speed of the modem, it's important to consider the technology inside the modem itself. Of particular importance is a technology called receive diversity - modems that support this feature have two internal aerials instead of one, making them a lot quicker, especially in poor coverage areas.

Signal strength
The speed of your connection is affected by the strength of the signal you receive from your mobile phone company's network. The poorer your signal strength, the slower your connection. The software included with your modem will show you what your signal strength is - this is similar to the bar indicator you have on your mobile phone.

If your in an area of poor or no 3G coverage, your modem will switch to use the much slower 2G network - instead of receiving speeds of 1.8Mbps, you'll be crawling along at just 30Kbps. The modem software or the lights on the modem itself will tell you if you're using 3G or 2G.

You can improve your signal strength by moving your modem. Try moving closer to a window (as the signal can pass through glass more easily than walls), or try moving the first floor of your home or office. You might find a USB extension cable useful.

You may notice that the strength of your signal changes throughout the day - this is called the 'breathing' effect of 3G networks. As the network gets busier, the coverage area shrinks, therefore you'll see your signal strength reduce too.

Number of other users on the network
The speed of your connection will be reduced during busy periods on the mobile network. When you connect using mobile broadband, you're using a shared data service. This means although your data is secure, the 'pipe' that you're using is also used by other people on the network. As more people go online and start downloading using the same pipe, the speed each user receives reduces. It's similar to the difference between driving on motorway at 2am versus 6pm.

As odd as it sounds, the number of customers making voice calls will also have an impact on your speed. This is because voice customers take priority over data customers on the network and during busy times voice customers are allowed to access the network ahead of data customers.

In general, the busiest time to use mobile broadband is between 6pm and 11pm - during this you'll find your speed much slower than using it first thing in the morning.

Broadband Providers - The Solution of All Your Internet Needs

The modern people are showing great interest in taking broadband connection to enjoy hassle-free Internet facilities. Broadband is nothing but a faster version of the dial up Internet connection. It allows the users to connect the Internet without dialling the telephone line each and every time. Moreover, it facilitates the users to make phone calls, while they are working with Internet.

The present day UK market is flooded with numerous types of broadband providers. Among these, five services like Vodafone, O2, Orange, T-mobile and 3G are recognised as the major ones because of their reliable customer services and flexible tariffs. The other remaining broadband services are known as the virtual networks. All the broadband providers of UK broadband market differ from each other in their tariffs, plans and services. They are offering several types of services like ADSL, LLU, Cable/Fibre Optic and Mobile broadband. The users can choose the best services depending on their needs, budget and the usage of Internet.

To increase the number of their subscribers, all the providers including major and small are now offering bundles or combined packages to their customers. These bundles help the users to save large amount of money on using different types of services like phone and watching digital TV channels etc. The providers are competing with each other to offer maximum services to the customers via these combined packages.

If you are looking to take a broadband connection, you should take many precautions before that. There are many factors to be considered by you. The first important thing is to have a clear idea of your budget. If you want to spend a very less amount on taking broadband connection, you have to compare all the broadband deals that are available in the present day market. If you are a heavy user, you should know the broadband speeds and download limits of the particular service that is selected by you. Otherwise, it creates many problems for you. Some providers are collecting fixed monthly prices plus one time payment for a wireless router or a modem or installation charges.

One of the major factors that should be considered is the contract length of the provider. Most of the providers are now offering 12 or 18 months contract. Some offer you broadband connection without involving you in any contract, if you have your own modem and router with you.

To have a clear idea or to select the best deal for you, the right way is comparing all the broadband providers including their tariffs, plans, packages and discounts at a reliable website over the Internet. It also helps you a lot, when you want to move to another broadband provider.

It saves you from spending huge amount of money on taking a broadband connection.

Broadband Providers - The "Fastest" Service Providers

A broadband connection is a part and parcel of people's life. With the broadband technology, a person can access different websites, emails and Google Talk at a very high speed. One can even check a bank account without going anywhere. An individual can also transfer money from one account to another account with help of the Internet. Any one can pay his bills online without wasting any time. One can also get information about the world. With help of the Internet, an individual can also get the shortest route of a destination. People can also purchase anything from the online shopping portals. Dial-up connection and Broadband connection are two types of Internet connections that are provided by the service providers.

Some years back, dial-up connection was provided by the service providers. In this type of connection, a phone user has to dial a number for accessing the Internet. The process of dialling the number was very slow because sometimes it gave 'huge traces' of busy routes of telephone lines. The phone lines were the essential things for dialling these connections. A person used to get very low data rate for accessing the Internet. In addition to that, he had to face many problems to download large files. With a dial-up connection, everybody has to face many problems like low downloading rate, busy routes of telephone lines and slow access of Internet.

But on the other hand, the broadband connection providers give internet access more faster than a dial-up connection. The users can search on the various websites quickly. One can also download large files in just a few seconds. With a broadband connection, an individual can also access his email accounts quickly. One can also chat with others on applications such as Google Talk and Yahoo chat with the help of a broadband connection, at a high speed. This connection facilitates Internet access at a very high speed. It allows the users to take these services at cheap rates with VoIP technology that is useful in reducing the cost of communication and infrastructure. A person can quickly connect with the Internet. The main advantage of broadband connection is that it is easy to set up because for setting the connection, one need not connect through wires.

There are many broadband providers in UK such as O2, Three, Virgin broadband and Vodafone that provide excellent service to people. They provide high speed for accessing the internet at a very high data transmission rate. But before taking this connection, one has to be very careful. People should check the brand name and the facilities given by the provider. A person can check the speed of the Internet also because everybody wants a high speed connection. One should also check about the limit of downloading data. If downloading rate is very low, it wastes the time of the people. The person should also check the cost of the connection. Then, be careful before taking a broadband connection.

Verizon FiOS TV vs. Regular TV

Are you considering switching to Verizon FiOS digital TV service? There are a lot of benefits that you can get from switching to the first fully fiber optic network built by Verizon. Soon all TV will be broadcast with a digital picture and you will have to have digital TV service. If you're thinking about switching to Verizon FiOS TV service from satellite or cable service or you want to upgrade your current TV to digital TV here are five ways that Verizon FiOS TV is better than regular TV:

1. Better picture - The 100% digital picture that you get with the Verizon FiOS TV service is far superior to a regular TV picture. Even if you don't have a high definition TV you will still see a very noticeable difference in the picture. Think of how great it will be to watch your favorite shows and movies with a much clearer, sharper picture. TV and movies these days are made to be seen digitally so if you aren't watching them through a digital service you are missing out. The picture won't look as good without digital TV service.

2. More choices - The Verizon FiOS TV service gives you movies on demand as well your favorite TV show and other programs that you can watch anytime you want for free. Rent the latest movies for a night in or keep the kids busy after school with their favorite kids' shows on demand for free. Do you like to do your workouts at home so that you don't have to spend money on a gym? You can change your workout everyday by watching home workout shows from fitness channels. You can also get all your favorite premium channels with digital TV service so you won't miss any of your favorite shows or movies.

3. The Verizon FiOS DVR - Record your favorite shows to watch later with Verizon's striking digital picture. Only the Verizon fiber optic network could bring you a picture like this with all the features and extras that you want. Don't you hate it when there are two shows on at the same time that you want to watch? With the Verizon FiOS DVR you can watch one show and record another to watch at a later time.

4. Low prices - You can get the great digital picture and get Verizon service for about the same price or less than satellite or cable. Cable packages can get to be very expensive when you add on things like premium channels or other services but with Verizon you pay less for digital TV service and you can save even more by adding Verizon FiOS digital phone and Internet services.

5. Easy installation - The cutting edge Verizon fiber optic network makes installing digital TV service, digital Internet and digital phone service easy. When you get Verizon TV service you won't have to worry about a technician wanting to cut holes in your wall or stringing wires all over the house. Easy, fast installation is just one of the many benefits of Verizon's fiber optic digital TV service.