Evaluating Bandwidth Choices-Fractional DS3 vs DS3

By Michael Lemm

Looking for bandwidth? That can be a daunting and frustrating task even in the best of situations. There's lots to consider in order to make the right decision for your needs. Below you'll find some help when evaluating Fractional DS3 vs DS3. Factors covered include Technology, Speed, Description, Application, Pros, Cons, and Cost.

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Technology: Fractional DS3

Speed: 3 Mbps - 44.736 Mbps

Description: A fraction of a full DS-3, which is comprised of 28 T-1s or 672 channels.

Application: Provides access from a location into the Internet for a large business or ISP (Internet Service Provider).

Pros: Provides very high speed access directly into the carrier's backbone. Bandwidth guaranteed by SLA (Service Level Agreement). Very reliable.

Cons: Setup and monthly costs can be prohibitive.

Costs: A Fractional DS3 will likely start at around $2,000 for a stable, reliable system (e.g. from a Tier 1 provider)....not including the local loop. A required router is additional unless provided as a "freebie" incentive by the vendor. Price climbs as distance from the providers Central Office (CO) increases. However....the pricing for these connections can vary widely depending on the carrier, location of service and the application for which the connection is being used. For example...Tier 1 providers will probably cost more than local/regional Tier 2 and Tier 3 providers but are much more stable and reliable. A Tier 1 provider should be the provider of choice for any business serious about the quality of their network. Also, expect to pay more if you are in a rural area or need integrated (voice and data combined) DS3 service.

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Technology: DS3

Speed: 44.736 Mbps

Description: dedicated connection made up of the equivalent of 28 T-1s.

Application: Provides access from a location into the Internet for a large business or ISP (Internet Service Provider).

Pros: Circuit runs directly into the carrier's backbone. Bandwidth guaranteed by SLA (Service Level Agreement). Very reliable.

Cons: Setup and monthly costs can be prohibitive.

Costs: A full DS3 obviously will cost more than a Fractional DS3. Expect cost to start at around a $3-5,000 for a stable, reliable system (e.g. from a Tier 1 provider).....not including the local loop. A required router is additional unless provided as a "freebie" incentive by the vendor. Price climbs as distance from the providers Central Office (CO) increases. However....the pricing for these connections varies widely depending on the carrier, location of service and the application for which the connection is being used. For example...Tier 1 providers may cost more than local/regional Tier2 and Tier 3 providers but are much more stable and reliable. A Tier 1 provider should be the provider of choice for any business serious about the quality of their network. Also, expect to pay more if you are in a rural area or need integrated (voice and data combined) or bonded (multiple DS3s bound in 1 network....option vs full OC3) DS3 service.

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Technology: E3 (Europe)

Speed: 34.368 Mbps

Description: European equivalent of T-3. Made up of the equivalent of 28 T-1s.

Application: Provides access from a location into the Internet for a large business or ISP (Internet Service Provider).

Pros: Circuit runs directly into the carrier's backbone. Bandwidth guaranteed by SLA (Service Level Agreement). Very reliable.

Cons: Setup and monthly costs can be prohibitive.

Costs: A full E3 usually costs more than it's North American counterpart. Expect cost to start at around a $6-8,000 for a stable, reliable 45 Mbps system (e.g. from an equivalent Tier 1 provider). A required router is additional unless provided as a "freebie" incentive by the vendor (not common in Europe). Local loops range from $1,000 - $3,000/month. Price climbs as distance from the providers Central Office (CO) increases. However....just as with the North American version the pricing for these connections varies widely depending on the carrier, location of service and the application for which the connection is being used.

Michael is the owner of FreedomFire Communications....including DS3-Bandwidth.com and Business-VoIP-Solution.com. Michael also authors Broadband Nation where you're always welcome to drop in and catch up on the latest BroadBand news, tips, insights, and ramblings for the masses.

Find the Best Broadband Provider for You

By Neil Shevlin

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 it�s too much or too little for you, you could be wasting the two most valuable human resources � 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 � 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 you�ve 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 won�t need to be talked into something you don�t need, as you�ve 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 don�t 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, can�t 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

ฉ Copyright 2005

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

Will the REAL Rural Broadband Solution please stand up!

By Randy Scott

Over the last 3 years or so there have been several products and services claiming to be the end-all solution to a lack of high speed internet in rural and "off the grid" areas of the U.S. So far, nothing approaching a true broadband experience at prices competitive to traditional land based products has emerged. Let's take a look at the current and proposed products and what the current status of each approach is today:

1. Consumer Satellite Internet:

There are three companies offering a satellite dish approach to reach rural areas - HughesNet, Wildblue and Starband. All three offer equipment that is bi-directional (send & receive), so you don't need a phone line to get the service. At the service levels that compete in price with terrestrial services like DSL & Cable, the results are pathetic: much slower speed for uploads, extremely high "lag" or latency, no voice over IP capability and severe bog down during a 4-8 hour period referred to as "prime time"- the after work to late evening hours generally. In order to get speeds that are remotely close to terrestrial counterparts you have to spend upwards of $2,000 for equipment and about $200 per month or more.

The satellite industry's answer to providing competitive priced broadband to rural areas was supposed to be the introduction of ka band satellite internet, and that still might be the ultimate answer; however, the results thus far by the two companies offering it - Wildblue and Telesat, are mixed at best and many are dropping the service in the U.S. after giving it a one year trial. Once again, overcrowding has been the ultimate problem - not the satellite (as is the case in most ku band satellite approaches), but the equipment on the ground not capable of dealing with growth. HughesNet plans to launch a ka band satellite in early 2007 which is a more complex approach that doesn't require the regional ground station equipment required in the Wildblue/Telesat approach. It remains to be seen if this effort will result in better performance once the network is loaded with customers.

2. WiMax Internet:

Hailed by the inventors (mainly Intel) as the ultimate answer for Rural America, this technology has been bogged down in Standards differences, extremely high cost of implementation and all kinds of problems shooting the microwave signals through anything but VERY open spaces! The notion that WiMax could cover a 20+ mile area with a single tower has been smashed by the reality that this technology is 50% better than what has come before and 50% vaporware. I don't know if it will be improved by going to lower frequencies or not, but the WiMax craze has quieted down and many don't see it as more than a big city solution for cell operators.

3. Broadband over Powerlines (BPL):

Another one of the "ultimate" answers for Rural America, BPL has encountered many of the same cost issues that plague widespread WiMax deployment. To keep the speed up to broadband levels, this technology requires LOTS of equipment on the powerlines they carry the broadband over. Even with the recent ruling by the FCC to make BPL more competitive with other types of broadband by changing it's designation to "Information Service", FCC Commissioner, Michael Copps, suggested that even with a level playing field there hasn't been much effort to build infrastructure by the Utilities. That doesn't even include the pressure that the Ham Radio operators have and will bring to try to stop this technology in it's tracks.

So what does this really mean? Don't look for anything better than what the satellite operators are now offering for the foreseeable future. Ka band internet might improve things a bit next year with two new ka band satellites going up, but my bet for Rural America is on the cell operators eventually extending the EVDO network out to rural areas. The Enterprise satellite solutions will still be the fastest solutions available, but at a cost most consumers would choke on.

About the Author:

Randy Scott has been involved in the bi-directional satellite internet industry from it�s beginning as a Sr. Sales Engineer, consultant and business owner. Randy is the founder of VSAT U.S., a consulting and sales organization, representing the most prestigious satellite internet providers in the America�s. For more information about current VSAT satellite internet offerings visit http://www.vsatus.com or email randy@vsatus.com .

Beta Testing First Mobile Internet Satellite Broadband, Part I

By Lance Winslow

Being on the road has its advantages; the freedom is the biggest one. One draw back was the Internet Service, but having done much study on the mobile Internet Satellite Systems and future technologies; I was able to become a beta tester of the MotoSat system in 1999. I have used the system ever sense.

My company, the Car Wash Guys had joined forces with a Strategic Alliance of GM Hughes Satellite Division to beta test the First Fully Self contained, fully Networked Mobile Corporate Office, taking advantage of the newest in WiFi technology. We were the first in the world to have this powerful capabilities which at the time nearly blew away the Pentagon�s Performance with their 77 million dollar investment and Iridium Bailout.

Mobile Corporate Offices are the Wave of the future, where Network Centric Warfare (Net-Centric) in the marketplace combined with strategic mobile command centers used to create a network of networks, which will eventually dominate all of their market sectors. Corporate Giants are slowly learning the game is changing. And we are the ones teaching them. We are the leaders in technology and they will have to learn the hard way. Car Wash Guys are leading everyone's industry this time. As far as the car wash industry is concerned we left them in the dust a decade ago. Today we use 20 times less water, a third of the labor and spend less than a tenth of the capital to do it. We now have much bigger fish to fry as we go for the gold. To work with this technology you must move your business at the speed of thought.

We at our Bravo research team of WashGuys, had been studying the newest in satellite technologies. Most of our recent studies have been on satellite data transmissions and as many of you know we have become very knowledgeable over the years with satellite communications, I happened to live next door in Malibu from a physicist who worked at the Rockwell Research Center in Thousand Oaks CA. First we would like to talk about actually data transmission speeds and problems associated with relays and problems of security of data when data jumps from satellite to satellite or from satellite to ground. Also with the problems of relay where any and all data can be recorded. As everyone knows the Pentagon bailed out the Iridium project, which is good since we have learned so much from this. The 75 million dollar contract helped pay the bills of 7 million a month including the 40 million per year to Boeing who flies the satellites. Iridium was nice in that it covered the whole Earth, all oceans and remote areas, with spare satellites ready just in case. Iridium had 66 satellites in orbit in use at about 485,000 up. Very close and helps with data lag associated with satellites which is normally a half second or more. The data can be transmitted at 1Mbs, which is slow considering the Wash Guys data transmission capabilities of 10-12.265 Mps up load and the 1Mbs download, faster than that of the US Department of Defense. The other problem we see with their system is the relay in Tempe, AZ home of Motorola, which is unsafe due to the newest wave of possible terrorist devices such as the brief case electronic impulse devises which work from building tops and could easily destroy its relay station. This is why other systems, which are not voice systems and generally web based and data use satellites are much better such as the Globalstar System.

With Globalstar, which is in debt and filed bankruptcy, due to small amount of debt to Qualcomm who is also in trouble and Loral, it may cease to exist. EuroCom has a neat system, which is used in the shipping industry and there is an interesting article in Professional Mariner this month about them and a few others. It is similar to Imersat and supports PBX and PABX systems on ships. Of course the bent pipe approach by GlobalStar is worth considering its 48 operational satellites and the four spares. Only real problem is the range of 70 degrees north to 60 degrees south. And also the gaps if you let�s say in the middle of the ocean at sea level in the South Atlantic and or middle of the Pacific. Several satellites can transmit the coded signal but unlike the Iridium system the Satellites do not talk to themselves. But all in all Global Star data transmissions are still about 9.6 KBPS and actually slightly less than the Iridium system, which does not have the lapse in serv ice.

The Iridium of course is the Arthur C. Clark theory in practice and is worthy of note; the big problem right now with data transmission is the problems with direct sight to satellite, which we have encountered. Hard for submarines, and below decks on vessels or in buildings. Good for catching bad guys who have to go out in the open to use the phone, they do not work in caves either. Iridium like all of Microsoft software has triple redundancy, and uses CDMA technologies to gateway the data from transmission point into the terrestrial system. Inmarsat Systems include the I-4 system, which can transmit data at 432 MBPS turns out to be excellent for things like video conferencing. The newest satellites by Inmarsat are said to be able to 10 times more communications than the current ones. Since the Inmarsat satellites are at 22,300 miles up three satellites cover the Earth with 3 back-ups. But remember with that altitude there is a time delay. You will notice this when you see video feed from the Middle East Wars on live broadcasts on TV, CNN.
End Part I

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance in the Online Think Tank and solve the problems of the World; www.WorldThinkTank.net/

VoIP - A Closer Look at Choosing an Internet Phone Service

By Kevin Erickson

Voice-over Internet protocol (VoIP) services are certainly becoming more and more popular and for the most part it's because they are a quality alternative to traditional landline and cell phone based calling plans. I'm no prophet but the future of the technology and how people make phone calls is definitely pointing towards VoIP.

As is the case with most new technologies trying to decipher through all the hype and claims is a daunting task indeed and with companies popping up left and right to grab their share of this ever increasing pie, it gets more challenging by the day.

So what do you do? Well, on the positive side, virtually all of these new web-based phone services (VoIP) are packed with features, including unlimited local and long-distance calls and yet, they cost less than most traditional plans. Another plus is how simple they are to set up. Most simply require that you plug your regular phone into an adapter connected to your computer.

Of course, what is and what isn't essential in any plan is debatable but a few "essentials" you may want to consider when choosing which VoIP provider to go with are outlined below.

Connection Compatibility

One of the few VoIP requirements is a high speed connection but with the ever expanding reach of broadband into all parts of the country access to a high speed connection is no longer restricted to just the major metropolitan areas. That being said, all high speed connections don't provide enough performance to handle IP calls, so before you start researching different service plans you should take a look at Test Your VoIP (http://www.testyourvoip.com) to see if your connection is up to snuff. The test is free and it should take less than 30 seconds.

Assess Your Calling Needs

You need to ask yourself a few questions before you go out and select a provider because if you don't know what you're looking for it's pretty difficult to find it. A few questions you should consider are: What do you want most out of your phone provider? Are you looking to just cut costs?

A basic plan that offers a bunch of long-distance minutes is extremely inexpensive and if that's all you care about perhaps that's the route you should take. On the other hand, if you want business flexibility you should consider a small business package that costs more, but adds services like conferencing, a separate fax line, even an 800 number.

Want to take it on the road? Vonage (http://www.vonage.com) and others offer "soft phone" services, which let you make and receive calls on your PC. Another option to consider is where you place the most calls. If you make a ton of international calls, you might want to consider one of the smaller players like Lingo (http://www.lingo.com), Broadvoice (http://www.broadvoice.com) or CingUCel (http://www.cingucell.com) that offer unlimited dialing to select countries. Another nice VoIP feature is that most providers treat calls to Canada as domestic long distance. Determine where you call the most and then match the most appropriate service to your needs.

Feature Comparison

Virtually all VoIP service packages will exceed the minimal call waiting and voice mail bundles of traditional phone services. One example, CallVantage (http://www.usa.att.com/callvantage/index.jsp?) from AT&T may cost a bit more than some but it includes a useful call forwarding capability that will try to find you by ringing up to five different phone numbers when you aren't home.

You'll have to decide after shopping around whether you feel comfortable going with one of the smaller startups or if you should stick with one of the big players. With the big players you'll usually pay $5 or $10 more per month more for the "peace of mind" of a well-known brand name like AT&T or Vonage (http://www.vonage.com) which are currently the two largest VoIP providers in the market.

Verizon VoiceWing (http://www22.verizon.com) is fairly new to this ever increasing niche but with its merger with MCI it operates under one of the biggest brands in the telephony world. Once again, it's clearly up to you and your comfort level but if a service has fewer than 100,000 subscribers, you may want to look closely before jumping in.

Cold Turkey

Like all new technology VoIP continues to improve and the result is better call quality and service levels but switching cold turkey may not be the best idea. With many providers offering 30-day money back guarantees (always read the terms carefully) you can test the waters and ease into the transition. Initially, you may want to consider switching to VoIP on a second line and then, if you're happy, make the full transition.

This article may be reproduced only in its entirety.

Kevin Erickson is an entrepreneur and writer. You'll find more of his work at: VoIP Solutions | Wireless Internet | Trade Shows

HughesNet Is Your Internet Service Provider Of Choice

By Julia Hall

If you want the best combination of flexibility, convenience, and reliability in your high speed Internet service, then HughesNet is your Internet service provider of choice. While any company can promise high speeds and great quality service, HughesNet can back it up with a great combination of sophisticated technology, great values, and excellent customer support.

So what sets HughesNet apart from other Internet service providers in ? Besides a commitment to thorough customer satisfaction and providing the best service possible, the underlying answer is technology. Like so much else in life, the foundation that you build from influences the degree of success that you enjoy for years or even decades to come. In the case of HughesNet, that foundation was satellite technology.

Satellite technology offers a number of advantages that other types of technology that facilitate high speed Internet simply can't. Perhaps the biggest advantage of satellite technology is that it makes high speed Internet available just about everywhere in the continental United States. While other types of high speed Internet, like DSL and broadband cable Internet, are limited to where phone lines and cables run, satellite signals are available anywhere there's an open view of the southern sky. Broadband cable may rival HughesNet when it comes to speed, but since digital cable networks only cover relatively limited areas, there's simply no comparison when it comes to availability. DSL is more widely available than broadband cable, but its availability and connection speed is limited by the availability of phone lines. Not only that, but just because you might have a phone line, that doesn't mean that it can handle DSL. Besides, DSL tops out at a speed below where HughesN et's service starts out! The only other Internet connection technology that rivals high speed satellite in terms of availability is dial up, and even if dial up could possibly compare in speed and bandwidth with satellite Internet, it would still be limited by the availability of phone lines.

With high speed satellite Internet access from HughesNet , you can literally live completely off of the grid, yet stay connected with better Internet service than many people enjoy in the middle of major metropolitan areas. The fact that very few locations don't have a clear view to the southern sky, combined with the major advances in technology that can use the sun and wind to generate electricity means that you can stay connected and enjoy great entertainment while living just about anywhere in - regardless of the status of the local electrical grid or established communication infrastructure.

Another major advantage that HughesNet derives from high speed satellite Internet technology is the speed itself. No type of communications technology is as good at moving large quantities of data as quickly as satellite technology is. This fact is reflected by the fact that residential customers in can choose service with maximum download speeds of 1 or 1.5 megabytes, and business customers can choose service with maximum download speeds of 1.5 or 2.0 megabytes.

HugheNet also offers a number of services that will streamline the experience of being on line and make it safer for your family, your computer equipment, and even your financial well being. For example, the complimentary email addresses that come with every HughesNet account have Spam and virus filtering. You'll also have access to tech support around the clock. In addition to complimentary services, you can also purchase one of the best security software packages available. This software contains a firewall, pornography filters, and plenty of features that can help streamline your online experience.

For the most flexible and highest quality high speed Internet experience available, the clear choice is HughesNet. Find more information about the current HughesNet Offer.

This article is for consumers looking for information on Satellite Internet. It provides a resource for finding HughesNet satellite Internet service, and any great HughesNet offers that are currently available.

Choosing a Broadband Connection for VoIP

By Michael Talbert

While not absolutely necessary, a broadband Internet connection is what makes your Internet phone calls reliable, and understandable. VoIP uses a traffic engineering term called Quality of Service (QoS) that refers to the implementation of controls to ensure that delay sensitive IP packets are prioritized as they flow through the pipe. To forgo these controls would result in acoustic problems like jitter and echo, as well as dropped calls. Because a broadband pipe is much larger than a dial up connection, there is much more throughput capacity, or space, to allow us to prioritize.

There are basically three ways for the residential consumer to obtain a broadband Internet connection. From your cable television provider, your telephone company, or a wireless broadband network such as Clearwire, a Wi-Fi hotspot, or even a cellular network likes Verizon or Cingular. With these options becoming increasingly more wide spread, utilizing the Internet to route your phone calls has also become a viable and cost saving alternative to traditional landline telephony. Now the question becomes, which type of broadband service is best suited for voice over Internet protocol.

Since the advent of cable television, cable companies have contributed enormously to the development of the worlds Wide Area Networks (WANs), adding broadband Internet to their list of services offered. Indeed, with the development of VoIP, they have even blurred the lines of the telecommunications Industry. The cable modem, and its Coax Cable pipe, have ushered the Internet into the Jet Age with Internet service at the speed of light.

A cable company WAN consists of neighborhoods connected to nodes, each node having its allotted amount of bandwidth. The cable pipe is about the largest to be had for the residential consumer and is plenty big enough for the clearest of VoIP phone calls. However, the bigger the neighborhood grows, and the more people that connect to the pipe, the less bandwidth is available for each household. Cable companies are generally very good about distributing bandwidth and will add more nodes when necessary. Their network is, after all, their bread and butter. Just be aware that at peak traffic times, VoIP call quality can degrade.

The Digital Subscriber Line, or DSL, is the residential broadband solution offered by the traditional telephone companies such as AT&T, the regional bells, and others like Quest Communications for example. For years the Telco�s have had the upper hand in the business community, connecting their networks to the outside world via a T1 line, which is the equivalent bandwidth wise to a cable modem. DSL is somewhat slower than a cable modem, and in fact, in some communities is offered at 2 speeds. It also tends to be somewhat cheaper. Nevertheless, there is still ample bandwidth to implement VoIP successfully.

DSL is not affected by node saturation like cable networks, but it is distance sensitive. The further you are from your telephone company�s local switching station, the more signal degradation you will have, and the maximum distance is 18,000 feet. Telco�s can and do use remote switching stations to expand their service where they see a market opportunity.

The fatal flaw of DSL when considering the use of VoIP, is that most companies require you to subscribe to their traditional telephone service as well. Naked DSL, the unbundling of broadband and telephone service, is possible and is offered by only a few local phone companies. Perhaps because of the cable companies creeping onto their turf, and the slow but sure acceptance of VoIP in the general population, the Telco�s seem to think they need to get the money where they can.

In January �07, the Senate reintroduced the Internet Freedom Preservation Act. One of the provisions called for, is that all broadband service providers offer consumers standalone broadband service. If this Net Neutrality bill passes, DSL could prove to be a viable option for those wishing to switch to VoIP.

Wireless networks also provide ample bandwidth for VoIP telephony, and their value is most appreciated in the life of the Road Warrior. People who constantly travel, weather for business or pleasure, are finding Wi-Fi hotspots popping up everywhere. Most modern hotels have their own wireless network, and Internet cafes are becoming an international phenomenon. Travelers that find a hotspot have the choice of using their laptop and a headset to communicate over the Internet, or to use one of the many Internet Phones found on the market today.

Metropolitan Wireless Broadband networks are also proliferating nation wide. Clearwire Wireless Broadband is a company that uses a combination of Non Line of Site (NLOS) and its own proprietary technology to cover whole cities, even regions of the country. Let it be known however, that this technology has been met with mixed reviews.

If you�ve visited a college campus recently, you may have noticed tiny antennas sticking up from the rooftops every few meters. Campuses today have their own Wi-Fi networks, allowing students, faculty and administrators to make VoIP phone calls via their laptop, or an Internet phone, from anywhere on campus.

The Cellular Networks built by companies like Verizon, Sprint, and Cingular, have proliferated all over the world and indeed blanket most developed population areas. Cell phones have been introduced by Nokia, Samsung, and most recently the Apple iPhone, that are capable of switching (in some cases seamlessly) from a cellular network to a Wi-Fi hotspot and back. However, it is the Cellular companies that control the airwaves.

Cingular Wireless (soon to be at&t wireless) already utilizes phones with quad band and Wi-Fi support, and will be the carrier for the much anticipated Apple iPhone. While the cell phone networks seem to have been dragging their feet on implementing full support of VoIP for the consumer, there are technological issues to be considered, as well as how they will profit from the technology.

Once the broadband pipe has been decided upon, there is still the issue of picking a VoIP service provider. Cable companies, Telco�s, and increasingly cellular companies all offer their own VoIP service to consumers, and since their service is over their own networks, they are in an excellent position to deal with Quality of Service issues.

You are not, however, under any obligation to use your broadband service provider as your VoIP service provider. Pure play VoIP providers, companies that offer only VoIP service, have grown in number, and could be said to be responsible for the low rates associated with VoIP telephony. Vonage, with around 53% of the residential VoIP market, is one pioneer in the industry that offers calling plans as low as $15 a month. SunRocket, Packet8, and the peer to peer VoIP company Skype, have calling plans for even less. Cable and Telco plans on the other hand, are bound to cost more, starting at around $35 or $40.

Whatever VoIP service provider you choose, and for whatever reason, the most important factor in determining the quality of the call is the quality of the pipe. Test your broadband connection for VoIP suitability at http://www.testyourvoip.com .

Author Michael Talbert is a certified systems engineer and web designer with over 7 years experience in the industry. For more information on Voice over IP Telephony, visit the website VoIP-Facts.net, or the VoIP Blog for up to date industry news and commentary.

UK Broadband Internet Lagging Behind The World

By David Peters

As in other countries, people in the UK are choosing broadband more often than dial up. In fact, the majority of internet users in the UK have broadband internet. The UK, however, has had a slow move into the age of faster internet when compared to other countries, especially those in Europe. The initiation of UK broadband internet and the broadband speeds are quite a bit behind European countries.

New technologies like internet phone and online video streaming has made it almost essential for internet users to seek out a faster way to get online. Broadband has been that answer. Many online companies depend upon the users viewing their content with a high speed connection, so the slow start of the UK has actually held back many companies from becoming as profitable as they would have liked in the UK. It has also led to frustration for people in the UK who seek to have that faster online speed and the ability to take advantage of everything the internet has to offer.

The UK broadband internet providers are unable to offer top speeds that are available in other countries. Despite plenty of hype and promise that higher speeds would be introduced from the beginning. Providers are finding that getting top speed to those in remote areas is far more difficult than expected, which has resulted in users in those areas lagging behind those in the more populated areas of the UK. To make up for the lack of speed in some areas, UK broadband internet providers have went to lowering prices and offering specials to customers. This has lead to many people signing up for broadband internet and has started to make broadband internet a very competitive market. Now that the market is built up, though, providers have to start looking into improving speed.

The problem with UK broadband internet is that the remote areas are still hassling with slow speeds that, while better than dial up, do not compare to speeds elsewhere in the world or even the more populated areas of the UK. Users are unsatisfied that they are not getting the speeds that those within and close to the cities are getting. The availability is wide in the UK, with almost every area being serviced, however, the focus is now shifting to bringing all customers higher speeds that compare to the rest of the world.

The growth of broadband internet in the UK is starting to even out, with the remote areas catching up with the other areas as far as speed. The improvement of UK broadband internet service is gradually, but steadily moving along. Within the next few years all the areas in the UK should be at or around the same speed of broadband internet. However, currently the UK still ranks around the bottom for speed when compared to other countries around the world.

http://www.ukispreview.co.uk is an excellent place to find broadband resource, broadband links and broadband articles. For more information go to:UK Broadband

Broadband Providers - Switching to Get Easier

By Michael Sterios

You don�t have to look far to find a cheap broadband deal these days. With so many deals on offer, and with mergers and acquisitions between telcos paving the way for an increase in �broadband bundles� available to consumers, soon those without broadband will begin to feel left behind by the madding crowd.

Connecting to the Internet for the first time in your home or office is as easy as securing a fixed telephone line (which you probably already have) and signing up to one of the dozens of broadband providers offering deals on the market today.

Switching broadband providers, if you believe you have found a more suitable service for your particular needs is, however, not as easy.

Switching broadband providers more easily would certainly be a welcome addition to the market. Currently, if you decide to switch, your broadband provider will probably use at least one of the following 'lock-in' tactics:

• cancellation fees
• minimum 12-month contracts
• equipment leases
• not providing MAC codes

As a result, Ofcom have been conducting an examination of broadband services in the UK. The regulator wants to release customers from such burdens and ensure there are no obstacles in the way of customers who wish to move between companies and/or products.

With the current system, the customer who wishes to switch will be required to contact their current broadband provider (the one they're going to leave) in order to acquire a MAC - a Migration Authorisation Code. The ISP must then hand over the code to the new company, so the broadband connection can be transferred. It is a process that is not always quick or easy - and some providers do not currently provide MAC codes at all.

Ofcom is proposing that broadband users should have easy access to their migration code and should not need to ask their existing provider for it. It could, for example, be printed clearly on monthly bills. This would eliminate at least the first gruelling step in the migration process.

If such regulations are put in place, consumers would be able to pick and choose more easily from a range of different broadband internet services and providers, without the need for a BT Broadband phone line.

If Ofcom is successful, the changes should increase competition in the already competitive telecoms marketplace. Early signs indicate that things are already beginning to change.

Since the regulator began shaking up the industry a few years ago and slowly putting an end to BT�s monopolisation, several major deals between industry heavyweights have occurred.

This includes the merger of NTL and Telewest, who currently offer phone, broadband, and cable TV packages. They are now looking to take over Virgin mobile, and if they succeed they will be able to offer mobile phone plans in their bundles, and of course utilise the powerful Virgin brand name. Also on the cards is Wanadoo�s plan to re-brand as Orange, which will make the mobile phone outfit a single brand name for all mobile, broadband and other converged telecoms services.

Not to be outdone, the UK�s largest satellite TV provider, Sky, have acquired broadband Local Loop Unbundling operator Easynet in order to give it the opportunity to offer its existing eight million satellite TV subscribers the triple-package deal of TV, phone and internet.

The mind boggles when considering what sort of bundles and packages will become available on the UK telecoms marketplace over the next few years. Because of this, the ability to easily switch providers will become even more important for the end consumer.

Of course, consideration must be given to the concept that despite this enormous battle of the brands, customers may be happy to stay with their existing providers. There will no doubt be at least a small hassle-factor no matter how easy the switch is made by Ofcom�s pending regulations.

Still, it would be nice to have the choice.

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Dial Up Can Not Compare To UK Broadband Internet

By David Peters

Broadband internet is also known as high speed internet. It is a fast internet connection that runs at higher speeds than dial up internet. There are a few different types of UK broadband internet options. Users like broadband verses dial up because it allows a person to view websites, download and surf the web easier and faster. Getting UK broadband and setting it up is not difficult and is, in fact, comparable to dial up internet.

Broadband internet and dial up internet have the same basic equipment. Both use modems and in some cases both connect through telephone lines. The two big differences between dial up and broadband, though, are speed and connection. With dial up you connect to the internet each time you want to use it. With broadband your computer is always hooked to the internet. Dial up internet is also quite slow when compared to broadband. On a dial up connection it can take a long time for web pages to load, to download files and to look at pictures. With broadband a person can view pictures, websites and download files quickly.

Besides being able to do the basic things online more quickly with broadband internet, a person will also find that their internet experience expands beyond the basics. A person with a broadband internet connection can watch video, listen to music and play games online. With dial up these things are almost impossible because it takes too long to download the information.

Additionally, UK broadband internet has the connection advantage over dial up. When using dial up a person may find that they can not dial in, lose connection or have server issues. This is far less common with broadband, since a person with broadband has an established connection all the time.

Broadband is fairly easy to get started with. Usually once a person chooses their company they will get either a CD in the mail to help them with installation or a technician from the internet company will come out and install the broadband for them. Many dial up internet service providers now offer broadband as an option. A person should shop around, though, to find the best deal. Broadband internet costs more than dial up, but the price is reasonable considering the extra speed and usability a person gets with broadband.

UK broadband internet offers a huge difference over standard dial up internet. A person who has a broadband connection will be able to take full advantage of what the internet has to offer. They can experience everything from movies to music to art much easier and smoother with a broadband connection. The choice to go to broadband is one that many people have made over the past few years because it just offers such a better experience than dial up ever could.

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