High-Speed Internet Options

Technology being what it is these days, there is a wide range of internet options. Even in the elite category of high-speed internet, the selection can be overwhelming and it might seem like it takes a technology expert to make the right decision when choosing an internet provider. DSL should mean something to us, but in many cases it doesn't; cable modems seem like a necessity for the Comedy Channel, not the internet; and satellite broadband sounds like something recently tested by NASA. Many of us feel your pain. To that end, here is a simplified look at the wide world of high-speed internet and its three biggest players: Cable, DSL and Satellite Broadband.

First of all, high-speed or "broadband" internet is internet service which transfers information rapidly. If you've ever used dial-up internet, it is generally the step above dial-up. However, as technology has progressed over the past five years, the standard has risen along with it. Whereas broadband internet began by beating dial-up (i.e., anything greater than 56 kilobits per second), the latest accepted transmission standard for broadband is somewhere greater than 250 kbs/s and usually better than 750 kbs/s At these speeds, pictures and data can download almost instantly. The standard will likely continue to rise, but you should not settle for bandwidths below 750 or even 1000 kbs/s, also called 1 Mb. Think of it as the horsepower for your engine, or the miles per gallon for gas efficiency. It is your most important tool when shopping for an internet provider.

Just looking at the definition of high-speed or broadband internet, it is clear that dial-up is not an impressive option. DSL, on the other hand, is a feasible high-speed solution. An acronym for Digital Subscriber Line, DSL is commonly thought of as "Direct Service Line." While erroneous, it is actually mistaken with good reason, for DSL technology works with a telephone or "hard" line. Often compatible with an existing line, DSL internet uses a different frequency than your phone and typically supplies a strong bandwidth for information transfer. An obvious drawback: if the telephone line doesn't go there, DSL doesn't go there.

The same can be said for getting internet via cable. The internet will operate using the same technology that brought cable television into your home. When you hear the words cable modem tossed around, don't fret. A modem is just a box used to transmit signals: think of it as a cable box for your computer. High-speed internet using the cable system can range from good to excellent. The same rule applies: if the cable company does not service your area, you will not be able to get internet in this way.

Which leaves us at one of the key options for the rural or "off-the-grid" customer: satellite broadband. In the same way satellite tv has found its audience, satellite internet is available where no other credible options exist. Instead of a cable modem or a telephone line, your hardware will be a satellite dish. Installation will require pointing the dish without obstruction to achieve the best possible signal. Drawbacks include: trouble experienced during bad weather and a slightly higher price tag than cable or DSL. But left to choose between satellite internet and dial-up service, the decision is an easy one: go satellite and don't look back.

Communicate using satellite internet

Satellite internet is a great way to stay connected. If you live outside the area serviced by other high-speed internet providers, satellite broadband might be the option for you in your home. With speeds of up to fifty times faster than dial-up -- and terrific rates for the all-important downloads you will need -- high-speed satellite internet will keep your employer happy and your position secure. You are always connected. You will no longer need to multi-task while online, as dial-up users have been known to do. I have heard the stories of people pressing "internet connect" and then going to make a cup of coffee. Next, they will type in the address for a website -- and get dressed while it loads. Finding an email with some files for a work project, they will click "download" -- and then check to see if the washer has finished its cycle. Yes, it's internet at its worst and in the past it was the only option.

Those days are over. The technology of satellite internet is not as daunting as it may seem. You will need more than a telephone and an internet installation, but not too much more. Once the satellite dish is installed by your internet provider, some minor adjustments to your network are made and you will be up and running at professional-grade speeds. You can receive and return emails at your convenience, as early or as late as you like. You can whip through the web, browsing multiple pages at once, keeping extra tabs and windows open without slowing down your system. Of course, you should keep your computer as clean as possible to run at maximum speed, something often overlooked by the computer user. Unused items languishing on your desktop can add time to the system boot on your computer, as will unused programs which clog up your storage space.

Much like satellite tv, satellite broadband has opened the door to a new sort of independence in the business world. For many of us, the daily office grind is no longer what we wish for in our lives, if it ever was. Nonetheless, if you want that professional feeling, you can still pretend like you're at the office. So get dressed and bring your coffee to your desk. When you sit down to work, you will be able to get going immediately. Just forget about the commute, even to the café: the internet (and the work) instead will come to you.

NBI in the Telecommunication Industry

Data in the telecommunications industry has now evolved into various forms, with fixed, mobile and broadband services constantly and simultaneously feeding them out to perpetually data-hungry users. To cope, operators are slowly turning to more long-term solutions like Network Business Intelligence (NBI) to deal with traffic problems that make New York City streets during rush hour look like a stroll in the park.

The telecommunications industry has never before seen an overwhelming influx of services and demand for QoS (Quality of Service) as it does today. And with the emergence of various networks such as 2G, 3G, 2.5G, and HSDPA, the rapidly increasing number of users, and the various types of data, audio, video and text, it seems that the end is nowhere in sight.

In the past, the solution to a surge in data traffic was simply to increase the bandwidth. Recently however, telecom operators have realized that doing so has slowly become nothing more than a band-aid solution. They spend a lot of money setting up the necessary infrastructure to double or triple the bandwidth, in some cases even more, only to find out that the demand easily catches up.

Let's go back to the city traffic analogy. When a city grows, so does the traffic. However, despite bumper-to-bumper conditions, city administrators don't automatically conduct road-widening operations. Knowing that such conditions don't happen round the clock nor do they happen in all streets at the same time, they implement traffic management schemes. Re-routing, one-way streets, and scheduling are some of the common strategies.

Network Business Intelligence (NBI) is similar to those traffic management schemes. Operators who implement NBI have this as one of their primary objectives: to maintain uptime in all services simultaneously. There's nothing more irritating to any customer than not being able to use a particular service. With NBI, it would be possible to reduce the bandwidth of certain services to accommodate another. Reduced speed and capacity is not as serious an issue as total unavailability.

Network Business Intelligence is not without its own complexities. New software will have to be installed and people will have to be trained. These too will have certain effects on a company's ROI. NBI is not much about generating new revenue as it is on saving on costs. But with the current economic environment, not many people will disagree that the latter would be the more prudent option.