So you’ve decided to sign up for one of those great money-saving Bundled Offers that cuts costs and consolidates your phone, Internet and television services? Now you can enjoy all the conveniences and amenities of a fully Connected Home for less money than you ever expected. Life is grand. But before diving in head first you might want to find out exactly what you’re getting and what you’re paying. Here are a few things to ask your Internet Provider to make sure you get what you want at the best possible rate.

What Is The Total Cost?

That attractive promotional bundle rate doesn’t tell the whole story. There will always be extra costs for things like installation, equipment, taxes and surcharges. Ask your Internet Provider to itemize a monthly bill for you, and make sure you’re not paying for extras you don’t really want. Also, try to negotiate the removal of extraneous fees. You may not get everything you want, but it never hurts to ask.

When Changing Phone Services Can I Keep My Old Number?

Most phone service providers are required to allow customers to transfer or “port” their existing number to a new service. This may not be possible if you are moving, especially to a different state, or if you are trying to port a non-local VoIP number. In general the porting of an old number will come at no cost. Some companies may try to charge for the transfer, but it’s usually pretty easy to get that fee waived.

Are There Any Service Limits?

Some Internet Providers might restrict web upload and download speeds if a customer exceeds monthly bandwidth limits. Similarly, “unlimited” VoIP Calling might be terminated if a customer makes an unusually large amount of calls. It’s best to find out in advance if there are any of these usage limits especially if you’re planning to do a lot of long-distance dialing or download a lot of large files.

What Happens If I Cancel of Change Services?

Some companies require contracts with little or no wiggle room to drop or cancel service without a penalty. Others, like many cable companies, don’t require long term commitments, but rates can go up if you alter your plan. Ask your Internet Provider about potential penalties before modifying any or all of your bundled services.

What About The Post Promotional Rate?

Promotional rates for bundled services usually last for a year or two and might allow special add-ons, like a premium TV channel, for little or no cost. When the promotional period comes to an end you will likely get charged for any of these extra services if you don’t cancel them. As the promotion nears its close, review your package and decide what you are really willing to pay for. It’s also worth trying to negotiate a lower post-promotional rate with your Internet Provider. These companies never want to lose customers. Ask the right questions and get the best from your bundle.

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The Upside of VoIP Home Phone

• The price can’t be beat. Providers like Vonage charge less than traditional phone companies. Services like Skype can be virtually free.
• VoIP home service comes with all the standard phone features like call waiting, caller ID and voice mail usually at no extra charge.
• Additional VoIP amenities may include the ability to monitor call history on your computer, retrieve voice messages via email and video conferencing.
• VoIP offers the ultimate in mobility. If you’ve got a wi-fi signal, you’ve got a phone.

The Downside of VoIP Home Phone

• VoIP is susceptible to all the glitches and quirks along the Internet highway. Latency, jitters and dropped packets can all affect the quality of calls. If you don’t have a strong Internet connection you probably won’t have a strong VoIP connection. Test Your Speed to see where you stand, and Get More Speed if you need it.
• Unlike POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) VoIP will not function during a power outage.
• Services like Skype do not offer 911 calling. Vonage offers access to an E911 service but for safety reasons, VoIP should not become a complete substitute for you home phone.

VoIP: The Future of Home Phone

Chances are you’ve probably already utilized VoIP even if you weren’t aware of it. Major phone companies like AT&T are transitioning to the technology in order to handle more calls more efficiently. And because the technology is an integral part of your Internet connection VoIP is ideal for enhancing your Home Office and fully Connected Home. Enjoy all the benefits of VoIP today.

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Cable Internet is the clear leader when it comes to affordable high-speed broadband for your home. DSL is becoming more available, but Cable Internet is faster, has nearly twice the customers and holds the edge in terms of overall service. For everyday Internet use Cable delivers the best connection.

The Upside of Cable Internet

• It starts with proven technology. Cable providers like Comcast and Time Warner Cable send the Internet signal through the same coaxial cables that have provided television to millions of households for decades.
• Cable Internet can handle high bandwidth limits and offer upload speeds up to 5 Mbps and download speeds up to 50 Mbps. Speeds vary with plans and some providers promise even higher.
• High-speed cable is ideal for streaming videos, movies and real-time gaming.
• With Cable Internet service, your TV seamlessly becomes your computer screen. Your computer becomes your television. Cable Internet lets you enjoy the comforts and conveniences of The Connected Home.
• Customer service is generally good, especially after the installation process.
• Cable Internet is available to most home locations. Reference Get More Speed to check availability in your area.

The Downside of Cable Internet

• Shared bandwidth with other local users may slow connection speeds during peak hours. This is not as common as it used to be, but you may see a difference if your neighbor is pirating MP3s around the clock. With normal cable Internet use in your area, service should remain consistent.Test your broadband speed at varying times to see if it fluctuates during high-peak usage hours.
• “Up to” speeds are only potential maximums and rarely achieved. That being said, even average cable connection speeds can handle most Internet home demands and are some of the fastest available.
• Some providers limit the amount of data customers can download every month and charge extra for exceeding.
• The most common complaint about Internet cable relates to installation. Waiting eight hours for the cable guy has become standard fodder for stand-up comedians. But the process continues to improve and self installation options do exist.

The Bottom Line

Cable Internet can deliver the fastest, most reliable broadband connection for your home. And it’s affordable. Know What To Ask before signing up with any provider, and get the most for your money with Cable.

The post Cable Internet – Broadband, HDTV, and Phone appeared first on Bandwidth Place.

A digital subscriber line, or DSL, connects Internet customers through the same wires used by ordinary telephone calls and dial-up. Second to Cable Internet in popularity, DSL offers a reliable broadband connection for your home at an affordable price. DSL speeds may not be the fastest available, but DSL should more than suffice for everyday residential Internet demands.

The Upside of DSL

• Easily bundle DSL Internet service with HDTV and Home Phone to save money and optimize your Connected Home.
• Choose from a variety of DSL providers in order to find the plan and price that’s right for you.
• DSL availability continues to expand to more coverage areas.
• Installation is much easier than it used to be with self-installation kits commonly offered as an option.
• Only minimal equipment is usually required — modem, ethernet card, phone filters – all normally included with standard service.
• DSL speeds are generally steady and reliable with upload speeds up to 768 Kbps and download speeds up to 6Mbps. DSL speeds vary according to plans and some providers may offer higher.
• Dedicated DSL service may also be available at a premium price when a guaranteed amount of speed is a must.

The Downside of DSL

• DSL customers must be within 3 miles of the provider’s central office (CO) and the actual distance from the CO may effect the quality of the connection.
• Even if DSL is available in your area, issues with phone lines such as load coils or bridge taps could make DSL service impossible.
• DSL speeds are quick and sufficient for most Internet users, but faster options are available at a similar price.
• The installation process has improved significantly, but glitches still exist.
• The quality of local phone lines or technical difficulties with the service provider can slow your connection.

Different Types of DSL

Not all DSL is created equal. ADSL (asymmetric DSL) comes with most residential DSL plans. With ADSL, download speeds are quicker than upload speeds based on the theory that this is the way most people use the Internet, i.e. downloading photos, MP3s, videos and games vs. uploading large files.

Business DSL customers tend to use symmetric DSL (SDSL) which sends data at the same speed in both directions but also costs more.

IDSL offers slower speeds in both directions primarily for customers that are too far from the CO.

Assuming it’s available, ADSL, with its faster DSL speeds for downloading, is a solid, reliable service and a good broadband solution for most homes.

3 Money Saving Tips

• Compare DSL providers in your area and look into their introductory offers.  The competition between companies can get fierce and you can benefit from the savings.
• If possible, bundle your DSL Internet with TV and Voice services to save even more money.
• And most importantly, when your introductory offer expires, talk to your provider about extending special pricing. Nobody wants to lose your business.

Is DSL Right for You?

If you currently have broadband service, test your speed to see if DSL could provide more bandwidth. Research the DSL providers in your area to find the pricing and plan that suits your needs, and know What To Ask before signing up. DSL can keep your home connected without breaking the bank.

The post DSL Speeds – Enough Broadband For Your Home? appeared first on Bandwidth Place.

Comforts and Conveniences of The Connected Home

• Pause live TV in one room, continue watching in another.
• Enjoy WiFi Hotspots throughout your house.
• Download streaming media to your TV, laptop or tablet.
• Boost cell phone signal strength in every room.
• Optimize your Home Office.
• Access voice mail and phone history on your TV screen.
• Program your DVR from your smartphone and never miss another show.

 Security, Safety, Peace of Mind

• With remote cameras you can monitor your house while on vacation.
• See who’s ringing the front door bell from your television screen.
• Not sure if you set the alarm? Check it from your smartphone. Set it on the go.
• Control your heating and electricity from any wireless device.
• Home is never farther away than the palm of your hand.

Learn More About Connecting Your Home

You don’t have to be a wizard to enjoy all the conveniences of the Connected Home. Test Your Speed to see where your home connection stands and Get More Speed if necessary. High-speed broadband is now more widely available at competitive pricing, giving the Connected Home limitless options to the applications that power our everyday lives. The more you optimize your speed the more you can enjoy the benefits of the Connected Home. It’s easier than clicking your heels. There really is no place like home — especially when it’s connected.

The post The Connected Home – Smart and Safe Solutions appeared first on Bandwidth Place.

Top three things to get your home office off the ground: a designated space in your home to work, a computer and fast Home Office Internet.

Telecommuting: Current Trends and Benefits

According to Reuters online, about one in five workers around the world telecommute frequently, and nearly 10 percent work from home every day. Plus, according to a new Census report, an additional 4.2 million professionals worked from home at least one day a week.

And, how about this? People who worked from home earned more than those on-site. Median household income was $74K, compared to $65K from on-site workers, with those who do both being the biggest earners, $96.3K!

Telecommuting, remote work or telework is officially a work arrangement where “commuting” is removed from the job description. Most telecommuters work from home, while others use mobile technology to work from coffee shops—the “coffice”—or other locations, usually with free Wi-Fi and plenty of sockets to recharge from.

With tools like groupware, virtual private networks, conference calling, videoconferencing and Voice over IP (VoIP), companies can communicate with workers over long distances. This saves businesses a substantial amount of money traditionally spent on travel—and travel-based costs like airfare, hotels, meals, and rental cars. Telecommuters today can carry a laptop, or tablet device, and work both at the office and at home. Plus, with the advent of cloud computing technology and Wi-Fi availability, telecommuters can access everything they need from remote servers.

“Going Green” and Telecommuting – The ideal partnership

Corporations and individuals that support telecommuting contribute in a big way to a “green and sustainable” way of life. Highlighting just a few positive environmental benefits, telecommuting:

• reduces traffic congestion and traffic accidents
•  relieves pressure on transportation (planes, trains and automobiles)
• reduces greenhouse gases
• reduces energy use
• improves disaster preparedness

A remote workforce also benefits businesses directly:

• reduces travel-related costs
• reduces cost of real-estate footprint
• reduces carbon footprint
• reduces turnover and absenteeism
• improves employee morale
• helps to reduce spread of illness (health care costs)

In summary, telecommuting is a win/win and improves society in numerous ways, including economic, environmental and personal.

Desktop Virtualization and Project Management

With the advent of desktop virtualization software from companies like VMWare, Symantec and Citrix, mobile devices can now access any legacy application or operating system from the office. This freedom of accessibility has created a more skilled staff, as information sharing and decision-making can be performed on familiar devices, such as smartphones and tablets.

As telecommuting increases, management technology of telework improves. Now, project managers can supervise employees, develop daily schedules, establish milestone dates and design key performance indicators—with software like Embotics VM Management, Leankit, Basecamp and ScrumDo.

About Security: Setting up a VPN at home

Some companies require that your home computer be connected to their network via a Virtual Private Network (VPN). Simply stated, A VPN is a network of computers that are all connected securely in different locations.

Larger corporations with remote workers often ship an encrypted computer to you with a VPN already connected. But if not planning on working from home for a company like Wal-Mart or Ebay, then you—or your on-site IT department—will work together to set up a home VPN connection.

When securing just your Home Office Internet and Online access, there are plenty of free or paid VPN services that encrypt your traffic only. Setting up your own private VPN is easy, and once you do, you’ll be able to browse securely on any network using your own home office Internet connection.

How much Bandwidth do I need for successful Home Office Internet?

First, determine what you do, what applications you will use, and how many people use your network. Also, if you already have Home Office Internet, use a speed test to gauge how much speed you are currently getting. Greater use of cloud services such as Office 365 and Google Apps can push broadband demands, but if you plan to watch Breaking Bad on Netflix while working, you’re going to eat up considerable amounts.

File sharing—by email, FTP, Dropbox, MEGA or anything else—is also a challenge for services like asymmetric DSL and cable connections. Plus, congested upstream connections can go from annoying when browsing, to fatal when using VoIP.

The best-case scenario is to go big when shopping for home office internet. Get the most bandwidth possible from your ISP, and you’ll have very few if any latency problems.

If super-fast home office Internet speeds seem like overkill—i.e. you are the only one using broadband during work hours—then the average speeds that we can recommend are between 20-25 Mbps (download). This can be easily bundled to your TV and Phone service, or you can go stand-alone and have a separate service for streaming media such as Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime—without sharing bandwidth.

Connecting Multiple Devices

Often, teleworkers have multiple people working from home or occasionally work on the patio or some distance from the house. Setting a basic home network makes this possible.

A network is a group of devices that share one connection. This could be a cable that connects two computers to a complex Wi-Fi wireless signal that allows multiple devices all at once. Your home network setup should include a modem, router (preferably wireless), network cables and your computers and printers, etc.

Keep in mind that the more devices on your network, the more bandwidth will be needed, so plan ahead and make it a goal to get at least 20 Mbps (download) or make sure that you can easily upgrade as your requirements and budget allows.

Cloud Computing trends and Video Conferencing

Cloud computing is more popular than ever, and cloud services such as Office 365 and Google Apps are really making remotes work easier and more affordable.

Cloud computing is basically utility computing where local computers are relieved of heavy lifting, and the cloud—available over the home office Internet—runs the applications and stores the data. The next few years, cloud computing will offer instant backups of virtual infrastructures; cloud subscription models offering pay as you grow; and cloud-based disaster recovery services, and will improve the cloud—and make it more desirable and cost effective.

Now that Video Conferencing technology eliminates the need for in-person meetings, your home office internet will need a good tool to connect to the job site. More formal video conferencing software like Cisco WebEx and Citrix GoToMeeting are inexpensive, while Skype, Google+ Hangouts are free with an email address.

Using cloud computing software, streaming video and video conferencing will all take up sizeable bandwidth at home. Figure out what is needed by your employer, or small business, and make the correct decision accordingly—which obviously means get the “most” bandwidth from your home office internet you can get. You won’t be sorry!

The post Home Office Internet – Working from Home appeared first on Bandwidth Place.

For those who live in remote areas, high-speed broadband options may be limited. In some cases Satellite Internet may be your only choice. Satellite Internet is also one of the only ways to get a broadband connection on your boat or vacation RV. Satellite Internet may cost more than other broadband services and the connection may not be as strong, but Satellite Internet is available pretty much anywhere there’s a view of the southern sky.

The Upside of Satellite Internet

• Satellite Internet is available virtually everywhere, even on boats and RVs.
• Easily bundle Satellite services to get both Internet and TV at a better price.
• Speeds are reliable and fast enough for email, web browsing and basic Internet use.
• Ordinary weather patterns, even regular storm systems, will not interrupt Satellite service.
• Most Satellite providers offer affordable options to buy or lease equipment.

The Downside of Satellite Internet

• The connection is slower than cable or DSL and generally more expensive.
• Satellite Internet signals are interrupted by sight obstacles like trees and mountains.
• Providers often limit the amount of bandwidth for each customer.
• Latency issues (delays in the Internet connection) result because of the distance the signal travels making heavy broadband applications like real-time gaming, talking over the Internet (VoIP) or virtual private networks (VPNs) next to impossible.
• Severe weather can interrupt service.

How Does Satellite Internet Actually Work?

All that’s required is a clear view of the southern sky and the right equipment which most Satellite Internet providers will install for free. The Internet signal transmits to a satellite fixed above the equator and then to your home dish, and back and forth as needed. This round trip journey of some 90,000 miles, or longer depending on your latitude, creates a latency, or signal delay, which makes real-time communication like Skype calls difficult. Fortunately most other transmissions like surfing the web or checking email are quite reliable. The lag time still exists but goes virtually unnoticed.

How Weather Affects Satellite Internet

Normal weather patterns, even the occasional thunderstorm, will not affect your Satellite Internet connection. Only the most severe weather systems will cause a problem. Day or night, clouds or clear skies, Satellite Internet keeps you connected and can help optimize a Home Office or complete your Connected Home.

Getting Connected Via Satellite

Most providers, like HughesNet or Dish Network, offer service throughout the 48 contiguous states, and sometimes beyond that, for both Home and Business Satellite. Customers have the option to lease or purchase equipment. Purchasing saves money in the long run and generally comes with a one year warranty. Free basic installation is usually included. Providers might offer several service plans with various connection speeds. Keep in mind these are only maximum speeds and never guaranteed. Satellite connections vary greatly depending on usage and location. But no matter where you are Satellite Internet is always a viable solution for broadband connection needs.

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