High Speed Internet Questions

With teens and college-age students becoming more computer savvy than adults, it makes sense for young adults to be tuned into high speed internet.
These young adults have access to cell phones, handheld devices, laptops and desktops which makes school work and leisure time more productive and fun.

Young adults use high speed internet for a variety of reasons:

• Laptops – most young adults use free Wi-Fi hot spots or will tap into Wi-Fi in their college dorm or local school library. Easy access to the web helps them with school assignments, instant messaging with friends, research and surfing web sites
• Desktops – most teenagers use their parents DSL or cable broadband home services and they use the internet for research projects, online shopping, gaming/online roleplaying and instant messaging.
• Cell phones – most young adults have access to the web (through wireless or their phone company’s internet service) on their cell phones and use this feature to send emails, check the weather and sports, and instant messaging with friends
• PDAs/handheld devices-young adults use their PDAs and handheld devices to send emails to friends and family, surf the web and research information for school, check sports statistics, online shopping and check up on the local Hollywood gossip scene

Because teens and young adults are just as active as adults with busy school and work schedules, they need high speed internet access to stay connected in this fast-paced world.

Parents Stay Connected with Their Children
Because of wireless fast speed internet access, parents can check p on their kids and make sure they are safe. They can use email features via their laptops, desktops, cell phones and handheld devices. Wireless fast speed internet allows parents who travel to work to touch base with their kids at any time from anywhere in the world.

It also allows parents to stay connected to teachers, coaches and their children’s activities. They are able to email and communicate more quickly and efficiently and allows for them to play a bigger role in their children’s lives because of these mobile high speed internet devices.

You’ve finally made the decision to upgrade from either a dial up connection or advance from DSL to cable (broadband). Whether you are making the decision for your home or business, you need to weigh the pros and cons.

Make an Informed Decision
• Choose a provider – Depending on the type of upgrade you are making and your region/area, you have many choices: cable high speed internet (broadband), DSL (Digital Subscriber Line), satellite service, and wireless.
• Make a decision about do-it-yourself installation – You can make the decision to order your service online (which saves time and money). If you are ordering service for your business, you need to decide if you are capable of installing the equipment yourself (or if you need to hire a professional). You also need to figure out if you are going to lease or buy the equipment. If you are a home user, you need to decide if you want a do-it-yourself installation kit.

Read Directions and Set up Connections Properly
• Set up your DSL or cable: If you choose high speed internet DSL or cable, you’ll receive a self-installation kit in the mail. Follow the instructions carefully and if you are installing a wireless router, make sure you buy the correct router and follow the directions to set up the router in your home or office. Make sure you don’t lose any equipment or instructions.
• Perform configuration: After you have read the instructions, find the configuration CD and insert into your computer and follow the directions. This helps you set up and configure your high speed internet on your computer. Also, make sure you specify with the DSL or cable company whether you are setting up for desktops or laptops (or both).
• Avoid common mistakes: Before you call customer service in a panic, make sure your connections and cables are correctly installed in the proper ports. It’s important to follow each step according to the directions and configuration CD. Setting up DSL or high speed internet cable is very easy to do when you take the time to read and understand the directions.

There are many forms of online entertainment that would be boring and non-existent if internet users didn’t have access to high speed internet.

Online gamers and web designers benefit from fast internet speeds. Without high speed internet, their gaming world would be colorless and motionless. Gamers and designers rely on fast speed internet in order for their games and designs to come to life.

Online Games Appeal to Every Consumer
There are online games that appeal to every consumer. Without high speed internet, computer users couldn’t play the following games online due to fast-paced graphics, streaming multimedia and high-tech audio features.

• Role playing (i.e. World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy)
• Children’s games (i.e. Dora the Explorer and Blues Clues)
• Strategy and simulation games (i.e. Gemcraft and Racehorse Tycoon)
• Online Gambling (i.e. poker and blackjack)
• Sports (i.e. golf and tennis)
• Cooking (i.e. Busy Burger and Sushi Dash)
• Word games (i.e. Scrabble and Hangman)
• Educational games (i.e. Add like Mad and Minesweeper)
• Retro games (i.e. Pacman and Donkey Kong)
• Action games (i.e. A Naval Battle and Air Support)
• Dress up kids games (i.e. Draw His Attention and Dress up Power Puff Girl)
• Racing games (i.e. Desert Rally and Atomic Racer)
• Silly games (i.e. K-Fed and Dance Studio)
• Room Escape games (i.e. Creepy Cave and Jail Escape)

Use Faster Speeds For Online Entertainment
Online, interactive games need fast internet speeds since they are so intricate and loaded with streaming multimedia. DSL isn’t as fast to use as broadband (cable) or satellite. If you are a regular online gamer, choose either a fast DSL connection or cable service.

Also, don’t expect to have any luck with online games if you are a dial up user. Dial up connections are very slow and it could take hours to load games and the audio and video won’t work properly. Dial up is used mostly to check emails and to browse web pages (at very slow speeds).

Also, you won’t be able to interact very well when you play against your online opponents so it pays to use high speed internet. There will be a definite lag time and if you are gambling (when money is at stake), you could lose the bet (and lose money).

High speed internet is a better choice for computer users as compared to dial up services. With so many options out there for high speed internet, it makes sense to cancel your dial up service and sign up for DSL or cable (broadband).

Dial Up Connections Slow Down Computer Users
• Faster download speeds: If you don’t want to take two hours to download a video or wait five minutes for a simple web page to load, it would make sense to choose high speed internet.
• No interrupted telephone calls: Your land line phone won’t ever be interrupted and when you use the internet callers won’t get a busy signal (like with dial up service).
• You can’t share files: If you use dial-up you can’t download share files (like music or video). It would take hours to download music with dial up as opposed to using broadband or DSL.
• You can’t participate in online gaming: If you have a modem with dial up, you may be able to play against another computer user, but you might be looking at very slow access and some features may not work. If you use broadband or DSL, it allows you to get information from the server far more quickly and reduces lag time. With broadband or DSL, you might have an actual chance at beating your online opponent at chess or checkers.

Poor Online Multimedia Quality
• Streaming multimedia won’t work on dial up: Audio and videos will look choppy and you will get very poor quality if you try to download streaming multimedia (like movie trailers).
• Web cams don’t work properly: If you have a web cam and try to use it with dial up connections, you’ll get poor audio and video quality. The video mages probably won’t appear due to the slow connection. Broadband and DSL high speed internet allows internet users to interact quickly in real time so you can chat face-to-face. It also allows you to send crisp, clear pictures like you were in the same room with the other person.

The United States is far behind when it comes to high speed internet connections. The average fast speed internet connection (download speed) in the U.S. is 1.97 megabits per second.
Japan is years ahead of the U.S. with their fast speed internet connection: 61 Mbps per second. Computer users in the U.S. are paying the same amount as Japanese users and have much slower download speeds.

Fast Speed Internet Users Worldwide
Here is a comparison of high speed internet services found across the world:

• Canada – Many of the same U.S companies like Comcast Cable (broadband) are also available in Canada. About 70% of Canada’s population is Internet users and DSL, Satellite, wireless and broadband/cable are easily accessible to Canadians.
• India – Sify Broadband is one of the largest high speed internet broadband services offered in India. India has a huge population (in the billions) and reports that there are about 40 million internet users. India has become a mecca for the computer and technology industries.
• Europe – About 1 percent of Western European users have access to broadband fast speed internet services. There are more than 200 million internet users found throughout Europe. Many European telecommunications companies have begun to offer DSL and wireless services. Germany, France, the Netherlands and the U.K have some of the top internet companies found throughout Europe.
• Asia – Japan isn’t the only top world leader for internet services. Some of the top hotels in China and Taiwan offer wireless and fast speed internet connections for their guests. Also, internet cafes can be found throughout Asia and are especially popular amongst young crowds.
• Australia – Internet usage has become a regular part of every day life. About one-thirds of Australian households have internet access and ranks sixth in the world in terms of total number of people who use the Internet. Australia has a booming e-commerce industry so high speed internet access is much needed. Because there are so many internet users in Australia, it’s common for Australians to use high speed services and many Australian companies offer DSL, broadband/cable, satellite and wireless services.

With many options out there for high speed internet services, DSL is an affordable option. However, there has been some controversy about DSL—that it doesn’t provide fast speeds and slows down your computer. DSL is not as fast as other options like cable (broadband) or satellite, but it can still get the job done for high speed internet users.

The Truth About DSL High Speed Internet

• Myth #1: You can web surf really fast and pages load easily – This isn’t necessarily true. Although, DSL does load three to five times faster than dial up connection. The biggest difference is that DSL will allow you to download big megabyte files. With dial up your connection would take hours to download these large files.
• Myth #2: Installing DSL is too much work – It’s a lot easier to order and install DSL than it was a year ago. However, to qualify to use DSL you need to be located at least three miles from your phone company’s main office. Self-installation kits, do-it-yourself manuals, and updated telephone company equipment and databases have taken the hassle out of installing DSL yourself.
• Myth #3: If companies advertise DSL in my city or town, then I will be able to get it – This isn’t always the case. Even if you live within three miles to your telephone company’s central office, you still may not quality to get DSL. Sometimes there are issues with spliced phone lines in certain neighborhoods and DSL won’t work in these areas. Unfortunately, people make the mistake of ordering DSL, installing it and then find out it won’t work.
• Myth #4: I can only get DSL through my local telephone company – There are other companies such as America Online and MSN that offers DSL in most parts of the country. There are small companies that sell DSL to businesses but they are still affiliated with your local telephone company.
• Myth #5: There is only one type of high speed internet DSL that is provided – There are several types of DSL that offer different speeds and prices. There is ADSL (asymmetric), SDSL (symmetric) and IDSL (ISDN). It will definitely cost a business a lot more to run IDSL as opposed to just DSL (because of the faster speed that runs up to 144 Kbps).

With so many competitive high speed internet companies out there, it can be difficult to choose a quality company. Between DSL, cable, satellite and wireless services, there are a lot of choices for high speed internet providers.

DSL companies:
• Verizon
• AT & T
• BellSouth
• Qwest

Cable companies:
• Comcast
• Time Warner Cable
• Charter
• Bright House
• Cox Communications
• WAVE Broadband

Satellite companies:
• Dish Network
• HughesNet
• WildBlue
• DIRECTV

DSL Remains A Popular Choice Amongst Internet Users
The most popular high speed internet service that people choose is DSL. DSL is affordable and is usually offered through the local telephone company. Computer users can install the DSL equipment themselves and set it up easily within their home or office.

Although, DSL is more affordable than cable or satellite services it’s slower. Although, it’s still a better option than dial-up. Web pages load three times faster using DSL compared to slow dial-up connection.

When to Choose Cable/Broadband or Satellite Services
A lot of home-based business owners opt to use cable (broadband) services because broadband downloads big email attachments faster. Also, freelance web and graphic designers usually choose broadband since they work with streaming video and audio.

Broadband also allows computer users to move around and manipulate larger chunks of data and files. This is helpful for software engineers or programmers who need to work with databases and lots of data at once.

Satellite is usually a last resort when it comes to picking out an internet service. People who live in remote areas who can’t get DSL or cable will have to use satellite services. Satellite services can be costly since you have to buy the equipment and pay a monthly fee. However, satellite offers fast speeds and you always remain online.

Wi-Fi Makes Life Easy
Most computer users who own desktops will choose either DSL or cable/broadband services for home or office use. However, laptop users who are on the go turn to the easy access of wireless.

Wi-Fi high speed internet can be found almost everywhere now and allows business travelers to have a “virtual” office wherever they go. Whether they are checking email on their handheld PDA or confirming their hotel reservations on their laptop, Wi-Fi allows people to stay connected, work more efficiently and communicate more quickly.

There are many high speed internet services with different price ranges and speeds. Computer uses can choose from satellite, cable, DSL and wireless high speed internet options.

When to Use Satellite Services
When you choose the satellite option, it’s usually because there isn’t easy access to DSL or cable, or you live in a remote area. If you are able to use DSL or cable services, it’s cheaper and easier to set up than satellite.

Satellite is more expensive to set up because of the satellite equipment and installation (between $300-$600). It’s also costly to operate each month (between $50-$100 or more).
Satellite is just as good as DSL and cable services. The speed of the services is about the same and you always remain logged online (as opposed to dial-up connection).

Benefits to satellite and DSL access :
• Two way, fast Internet access
• Download big files quickly and effortlessly
• No extra phone line necessary and you won’t miss your calls
• Fast e-mail access
• High speed streaming media (audio and video)
• Available almost anywhere within the U.S. (depending on region and location)

How Cable Internet and DSL Services Work
Cable connects you to the internet in the same way your television cable system works. Cable (or broadband) provides download speeds between 4 to 6 Mbps. Cable internet service is 70 times more faster than a dial up connection (56K). Some cable providers (for an extra cost) will provide faster speeds (8 to 10 Mbps).

Cable high speed internet service can be more reasonable because many cable companies will bundle their television and Internet services together (and sometimes will offer digital phone services). If you live in a smaller area you might not have a lot of choices for your internet service provider (and rates may be higher).

DSL is really popular when it comes to choosing an internet provider, although it’s known to be slower than cable and satellite. DSL is more affordable and is offered through your local phone company. You can also choose to bundle your high speed internet service along with your phone services.

The dial-up days of the internet left business professionals frustrated. High speed internet has replaced slow dial-up features. High speed internet access allows businesses to operate more quickly and efficiently and save the company both time and money.

The Benefits of Fast Internet Speeds for Companies
These are some of the ways that fast internet speeds can help companies:

• Surf the Web simultaneously (all employees can use internet at the same time)
• Allows companies to research information more quickly and conduct business over the web
• Ability to conduct video conferencing and webinars over the internet which reduces cost and saves time
• Use shopping cart features in order to buy and sell products more quickly and efficiently
• Download large pictures, videos, email attachments and big files quickly and easily
• Communicate quickly via email and instant messenger with staff, management and vendors

Fast Internet Speeds Makes Employees’ Jobs Easier
With fast internet access, telecommuting employees are able to access company email, shared files, databases and intranet features more quickly. It allows telecommuters to join web and video conferences from any location and connect with people worldwide (at any time from the comfort of their own home office).

For companies who conduct business with international companies, they can use programs like Skype (an internet based phone service) which saves the company long distance telephone costs.

For web and internet business owners, the internet is their work environment and it’s crucial for their business that they have high speed internet access. Most home-based businesses use DSL or cable and/or wireless features in order to run more smoothly, quickly and efficiently.

Companies Choose Variety of Internet Services
Companies can have their pick of internet services including:

• Satellite broadband – signal uploads and downloads directly from the satellite and always remain online
• Cable - always logged online and you won’t ever miss phone calls since the telephone phone line isn’t used
• DSL (Digital Subscriber Line)
• Wireless

Depending on the location and area, some high speed internet services may not be available to companies but most big companies provide high speed access to their employees.

Go Wireless with Your Laptops and Mobile Devices
High speed internet access is the wave of the future. Laptops, cell phones and mobile handheld devices (like PDAs and Blackberries) are tapped into wireless features that allow computer users to communicative faster and more effectively.

When you tap into wireless for your high speed internet services, you can expect it to run 35 times faster than dial-up access. This makes high speed internet easily accessible wherever you go.
When you use a fast internet speeds, you can expect the following benefits:

• Allows you to use more than just your email and text messaging on cell phones
• Access to download streaming media and large file formats on laptops

Take Your Wireless on the Go
In order to use wireless wherever you travel, you need to buy a laptop with a built-in modem. Built-in modems are standard features with the average laptop. When you buy a laptop, verify that it has wireless features.

Handheld devices are set up for fast internet access and have wireless compatibility features. There are many hot spots that you can tap into when you’re on the go with your laptop or handheld device. For road warriors, you can tap into Wi-Fi access wherever you travel for business. You can find these hot spots in coffeehouses, airports and libraries.

Wireless Allows Consumers to be More Productive than DSL or Cable
Wireless users have more flexibility and speed as opposed to using DSL or cable connections. Although, DSL or cable is used quite frequently in home or business environments, wireless features allow consumers to work faster and be more productive for personal or business purposes.

DSL and cable doesn’t allow a computer user to be mobile. In order to roam around the house with a laptop, your laptop needs to be configured to a wireless router which is connected to your DSL or cable providers.

Whether you are a college student or a traveling business executive, wireless features on laptops al you to use high speed internet wherever you can tap into a local Wi-Fi hot spot.