Saturday, July 7, 2007

SHDSL -- Why Hasn't It Replaced SDSL?

Are you frustrated by the pace of connectivity improvements? For how many years has (small) business been stuck with SDSL for affordable connectivity?

SHDSL was supposed to supplant SDSL as of 2003 (or so) I thought, but I never see advertised speeds go beyond a 1.5 Mbps SDSL line... SHDSL goes to 2.3 Mbps and has other advantages over SDSL (longer loop lengths for given speeds, less interference with other data lines, 4-wire mode). I'm not that well educated on the topic, but I also had the impression there could be some cost savings.

Today T1's are often delivered using this technology, but why not offer SHDSL from the customer to DSLAM like a normal dedicated DSL line.... and give customers the speed they want, distance depending???

Are ISPs just not ready to upgrade their DSLAM equipment, or don't want to cannibalize their higher priced bonded T1 services?

You may not need the SLA of a real T1, but you'd sure love 2.3 Mbps up and down for let's say $150/mo or so.

First.... you have to look at who is selling SDSL. Basically Covad and a few small CLECs. They bought non-standards-based SDSL long ago and they are still using the equipment.

Given the financial state of Covad I can see why they aren't going around ripping out all their DSLAMs.

There may be some hope though, with the new Earthlink money they are upgrading DSLAMs to support LPV and ADSL2 in larger markets. I *think* that the new DSLAMs will also be offering new SDSL speeds as well, which probably means SHDSL (and finally the ability to hook a real router up to an SDSL line).

Most DS-1s today are delivered using either HDSL or HDSL2 on 1 or 2 pairs.

Your ILECs aren't going to upgrade equipment necessarily because of the availability of a different technology. Even with existing technology many consumers and businesses are in a fight just to be able to get ADSL services.

Covad, XO, etc. that are selling SDSL services already may not upgrade given their investment in existing equipment.... and given the state of competition now for internet services.

With the price of service dropping to $12.99/mo and the uptake of those discounted services increasing, I wouldn't want to be one of the other players and be making large capital expenditures for upgrades right now. I'd be worried about staying in business. People are price driven.....

Just my opinion though, take it for what it's worth.

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.


http://ezinearticles.com/?SHDSL----Why-Hasnt-It-Replaced-SDSL?&id=627956

Broadband Fair Use Policy

Have you ever read the fair use policies introduced by most broadband providers? Have you ever wondered why your internet use to be quicker, and now is running at a slower speed!

The majority of broadband providers have now introduced a fair use policy, but what does this mean? Fair use policies have been implemented to ensure customers are receiving a fast, high quality and reliable service. Excessive usage, exceeding what providers deem to be reasonable levels for a broadband product, slows down the network availability and effects, other online customers.

Some broadband customers use file sharing software and download large files from the internet. This uses a lot of network capacity leaving less available for others. If users are doing this at peak times, then the speed of your broadband service can be affected. If you don’t use file sharing or download files off the internet, it is unlikely you will be affected by this.

Most providers will use speed limiting restrictions if you exceed a reasonable level of usage, this is to encourage heavy users to reconsider their service requirements and moderate their usage accordingly. Providers will contact you if your usage doesn’t decrease and can offer advice, or can terminate your contract.

Broadband providers, offer different usage allowance in each package and even unlimited usage. The speeds you receive if you are a heavy user may vary though with speed limiting restrictions.

When changing or subscribing to a broadband provider, always read through the policy to ensure that the policy meets your needs.

Browse broadband providers, and see which will allow you usage and speeds for your needs. Read through the providers fair use policy before choosing the right broadband package for you.


http://ezinearticles.com/?Broadband-Fair-Use-Policy&id=624826

3G Modem - Network For Everywhere You Go

Wireless Internet connection today is widely in vogue when the requirement of Internet arises in remote areas where usual Internet connection is not accessible. You might be traveling to other locations than your domestic region, and may be in dire need of Internet. In such ways, wireless connectivity of Internet paves the way for you to avail the Internet facility, and dispose your important work. 3G modem, the new evolution in the field of Internet, is here now to give you uninterrupted Internet service even when you are on move.

3G enabled communication devices are much in vogue today, and are being used extensively. Using 3G communication device, one can exchange voice-data, such as regular telephone calls, and non-voice data like Internet facility including emailing, information downloading, etc. Today, 3G communication device is easily available in mobiles and laptop today. As both the laptops and mobile phones are portable device, the joy of getting 3G communication devices doubles up.

To run wireless connectivity in your laptop or mobile, the most important element you need is 3G modem. In fact, this is upon which the service of 3G communication is hinged. The modem better called as 3G broadband data card is inserted into laptop and mobile device. If you are willing to use 3G device in your laptop, you need to insert the modem into its PCMCIA card slot.

After you have entered the 3G modem into your laptop, it will catch the best network available to the place you are located. Whether it is 3G or GPRS, you will be availing the wireless connectivity allowing you to have Internet access easily. This way, you are completely at ease while traveling away from your city. Neither you have to worry about the Internet connection availability at your hotel, nor you have to walk anywhere else to get the Internet facility. You are now at freedom to use Internet the place you are.

Business writer has years of experience in writing technical reviews, product descriptions and product feature analysis of technical gadgets and gizmos. He has won appreciation especially for enlightening people about the latest communication gizmos...the 3G modem.


http://ezinearticles.com/?3G-Modem---Network-For-Everywhere-You-Go&id=629061

WiMax, Competitors Vie To Create Powerful EcoSystems

Several very interesting issues are at play in the rollout of wireless broadband technology. Indeed, the landscape that will dominate the next decade and beyond is being created now, as WiMax increasingly consolidates on one of two initial versions and steels itself for competition against other approaches.

The situation is fluid. Initially, the WiMax plan - to the extent that one existed - was for stationary and mobile versions to share center stage. Soon, however, it became clear that the mobile version could do just about everything the stationary version could. Thus, the impetus behind the stationary version began losing steam, said Monica Paolini, the founder and president of Senza Fili Consulting, in an IT Business Edge interview.

A lot of operators currently are deploying mobile WiMax. They are using it for fixed services. It's called mobile, but they can use it for both. On the other hand, fixed pretty much is just for fixed. Mobile WiMax allows you to roll out a network that supports fixed and mobile. The issue is having an infrastructure that can support all users. A lot of carriers will skip fixed WiMax, but offer fixed services using mobile WIMax technology.

The big issue is what operators will do after 3G. Mobile WiMax is one option. Two others, according to this piece in internetnews.com, are LTE (Long Term Evolution) and ultramobile broadband (UMB). So far, WiMax has gotten most of the press, though the technology may be hitting a speed bump. Earlier this month, The Wall Street Journal speculated that Sprint, which had publicly anointed WiMax as its 4G technology, may be looking to make a deal with Clearwire, a company that now has a proprietary version of the platform in the field and will roll out the standardized version when it becomes available. While such a deal may make sense, it could be perceived as a diminution of Sprint's embrace of the technology.

This is a sector in which partnerships and joint ventures will be vital. Paolini thinks that a battle between LTE and WiMax will not be decided by a drastic difference between the technologies, but by the direction in which the industry, as a group, decides to go.

Both LTE and WiMax use OFDMA [Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access]. Both have IP cores. There certainly are differences in the technology, but one is not a lot better than the other. Performance itself does not determine selection for mobile operators. It's more what the ecosystem is like, what the mobile community as a group wants to do.

Though the race will be close, one technology will dominate because of the fundamental support of vendors, service providers and others.

We expect whichever direction they take, they will move together because then roaming is much easier.

In this context, it's interesting that Paolini says it is likely that a new device will emerge. Cell phones and laptops are great, but neither is optimized to harness all the tremendous capabilities brought by wireless broadband.

But when you think about it, a laptop is a little too big to carry around all the time...most people just don't want to be bothered. On the other hand, a phone is a good device. Maybe a cellular phone has WiMax, but it is just an add-on that doesn't use the advantages of WiMax to the fullest extent. We need something in between, a data-centric device in a new form factor that allows you to capitalize on the advantages of mobile broadband. The other thing is to have consumer devices that have WiMax built in. It's a very good opportunity because the device is not likely to have a cellular interface.

The two points are connected. On one hand, she says the "ecosystem" - the intricate web of vendors, service providers, integrators and other assorted companies - will be influential in the relative success of WiMax, UMB and LTE.

On the other, she says a new type of device will be a deciding factor. Clearly, device makers, along with the companies that make the chips and other elements that are packed into them, are key members of any ecosystem. The immediate future of this sector would be easy to predict if one of the technologies was far superior to the others. This isn't so; it will be a confusing and hotly contested arena until one platform takes control. The key will be to follow the ecosystem.


http://ezinearticles.com/?WiMax,-Competitors-Vie-To-Create-Powerful-EcoSystems&id=626500

Internet Access Providers

Internet access is no longer a luxury. Even high-speed Internet access has become very affordable over the last few years. In fact, broadband technology has revolutionized the concept of Internet access.

In the pre-broadband days, Internet access providers used to offer dial-up Internet connections. Slow connectivity was a major issue then. Downloading content was a time-consuming task.

But now, local Internet access providers are offering broadband Internet connections. They have tremendous speed and the downloading of content no longer takes hours. Just a click of the mouse can help you to download online content in a few minutes, be it text, audio, video or graphics.

In some parts of the world, Internet access providers still provide Internet connectivity through dial-up services. But wherever broadband technology has reached, Internet access is provided through digital subscriber line (DSL) or cable modems. Some service providers are also providing Internet access through satellite. In the near future, Internet access may be possible through high-voltage lines. Internet access providers often upgrade their technology in urban areas before they do it in rural areas. This is because they are able to recover their costs in urban areas much easily that in rural areas.

High-speed Internet access using broadband technology has increased the number of people using the Internet. In some of the less-developed parts of the world certain Internet access providers often market their ""high-speed connections"" though the speed of Internet access is less than 256 kilobits per second, which is the benchmark for a high speed Internet connection.

The number of Internet access providers and the range of services offered by them are likely to expand further. Your choice of an Internet access provider should be guided by several factors, such as the amount of time you are likely to spend on the Internet, volume of content you are going to download, whether you are using it for commercial or non-commercial purposes, and how much you can afford to pay.

Internet Providers provides detailed information on Internet Providers, Internet Hosting Service Providers, Internet Access Providers, High Speed Int


http://ezinearticles.com/?Internet-Access-Providers&id=254691