Undoubtedly over a course of several years, many people have changed television service
providers – cable to satellite and back to cable again. Comcast
Phone Service, with its early beginnings in 1963, is now the top leader in cable
technology and television services in the world. Continuing exploration and development
of digital technology enable Comcast to provide innovative programming and more choices
via television, telecommunications, or internet services. Their main interest is in
enabling people to remain connected with family, friends, and business associates.
Cable television altered home entertainment for the better years ago and was beginning
to see the migration of many customers to satellite television services. Advances in
technology have permitted Comcast and others to compete technologically, and now there
are no services offered by satellite companies that are not also offered by Comcast.
They go a step further and offer the quickest internet connections, the clearest phone
connections, and the best digital television services on the market today. They have
succeeded in being a step ahead of others with millions of people switching back to
digital cable delivery for all their home technology needs. There is very little
difference, if any, in the charges for television, internet, and telephone services
delivered via cable vs. satellite, but there is a big difference in the quality of
services. Comcast provides exceptional customer service in addition to the quickest
internet connection rates, the greatest number of television channels, and clarity of
telephonic communications – all at one great low monthly price. Service bundling is the
current trend in the United States, and this is ideal for the budget-minded consumer who
desires to write one check per month for all basic services. It is a time-saver and a
money-saver because Comcast can work with other companies to provide an excellent
monthly rate for their customers. The quality and delivery of television programming has
improved drastically with digital delivery. Imagery is excellent with accompanying
CD-quality sound, and Comcast offers more than 275 channels of popular programming in
incremental packages. Each package includes all local channels, news, sports, movies,
children’s entertainment, music, and more. There is something to interest each member of
the family plus the availability of HD programming and On-Demand (similar to
Pay-Per-View). On-Demand has the distinct feature of the viewer being able to stop the
program and resume or rewind without losing a second of the show. The On-Screen Program
guide is a great help in perusing channels for program choices, and the Parental Control
Guide enables one to have complete control over what and when a program is viewed in the
home. Simply block unwanted programming using ratings, titles, content, times, or dates.
Internet accessibility is always ON and is a hundred times faster than DSL or dialup
connections. It provides complete website accessibility plus all the capabilities to
download music, movies, data files, photos, and more. Comcast offers PC protection from
Spyware and Adware plus additional software to eliminate identity theft and other
intrusions into personal information. Telephone plans provide great incentives – local
and long distance calling within the United States and Canada for one flat monthly rate
plus international calls at fees lower than other providers. Digital telephone services
result in clearer person to person connections/conversations.
Comcast is providing millions with reasons to revert back to cable television services.
If you is in search of quality and more affordable services, Comcast cable is the
provider of choice. The old saying of ‘what goes around comes around’ is certainly true
with Comcast Phone Service. They have been there, done that, and are
still providing exceptional services.
http://www.articlesbase.com/voip-articles/cable-to-satellite-to-cable-television-migration-129862.html
Friday, June 8, 2007
How To Profit From Joining An Associate Program
You don't need to have your own store with your own products and services on offer to earn money in the Internet. In fact, if you want to have an easier and perhaps a more enjoyable time earning money online, what you should seriously consider is finding and joining the right associate program.
Tips on How to Profit from Joining an Associate Program
Tip #1 Know Your Preferred Market
People who grew up surrounded with adults grow up with a knack for understanding and getting along with older people. These people - if they were interested in earning from an associate program - would definitely fare better if they chose the elderly camp to be their target market.
Having great familiarity and a keen sense of understanding of your target market is arguably the most important factor in earning from an online associate program. With your in-depth knowledge of your target market, you'll be able to predict way ahead of your competitors when market trends will change and which direction it will take.
If you want to earn from an associate program, start by looking for a target market first.
Tip #2 Get a Suitable Associate Program
Now that you've got your target market, the next thing to do is determine which products or services they'd be likely interested in. You might be able to answer this without thinking, but it's better all the same to do your research. There's nothing as pleasing as having facts and figures confirm what you've already known for a long time. Join as many associate programs as you think you can handle.
Tip #3 Choosing the Payment Structure
There are technically three ways for you to earn money from an online associate program but nowadays, more and more companies are dropping the pay-per-click option from their list because of the increasing number of incidents of click fraud. Click fraud basically puts the associate merchant - and not you - at a disadvantage. At times, it's the online associate himself who's perpetuating the whole thing by clicking on his own ad to increase his commission fee. If ever you're lucky enough to have found a pay-per-click scheme offered by an online associate program, do act ethically.
Now there are two other ways for you to earn from an associate program, both of which are perfectly legal and deemed acceptable by associate merchants.
Pay-per-lead is the easier option of the two. Depending on the terms and conditions of your associate program contract, you may start earning commission just for sending a visitor who's willing to try out the company's product or services, ask for information, opt-in to their mailing list, subscribe to their newsletter, fill out a survey questionnaire form, or just about any other thing that makes the visitor into a fully certified lead.
Pay-per-sale on the other hand is much more difficult but the promised rewards are definitely grader. Simply put, an online associate is paid for every visitor he directs to the site and consequently avails of the company's product or service.
Tip #4 Building a Website
It's now time to build traffic and make use of your links. The best way to do so is by building a website. The most important thing to remember is match your website to your target market.
Firstly, choose a URL that your target market would find easy to recall. Look for a free web hosting provider because at the moment, it would be too much if you obtain paid web hosting services. You're just getting started, after all. Design the website layout according to what you believe would appeal most to your target market. Make sure that navigation buttons are easy to find and use.
Don't use too much graphics unless you're sure that most of your visitors would have broadband connection or something faster that they wouldn't have to wait for an especially long time for the images to download.
And lastly, use the best content possible and update regularly. Design and layout may be responsible for your readers' first impressions, but it's your content that's mainly responsible for making them stay and come back for more.
Be sure to follow the tips provided here and your career as an online associate will definitely give you a reliable source of income. Good luck on finding an associate program that works for you!
http://www.articlesbase.com/marketing-articles/how-to-profit-from-joining-an-associate-program-129795.html
Tips on How to Profit from Joining an Associate Program
Tip #1 Know Your Preferred Market
People who grew up surrounded with adults grow up with a knack for understanding and getting along with older people. These people - if they were interested in earning from an associate program - would definitely fare better if they chose the elderly camp to be their target market.
Having great familiarity and a keen sense of understanding of your target market is arguably the most important factor in earning from an online associate program. With your in-depth knowledge of your target market, you'll be able to predict way ahead of your competitors when market trends will change and which direction it will take.
If you want to earn from an associate program, start by looking for a target market first.
Tip #2 Get a Suitable Associate Program
Now that you've got your target market, the next thing to do is determine which products or services they'd be likely interested in. You might be able to answer this without thinking, but it's better all the same to do your research. There's nothing as pleasing as having facts and figures confirm what you've already known for a long time. Join as many associate programs as you think you can handle.
Tip #3 Choosing the Payment Structure
There are technically three ways for you to earn money from an online associate program but nowadays, more and more companies are dropping the pay-per-click option from their list because of the increasing number of incidents of click fraud. Click fraud basically puts the associate merchant - and not you - at a disadvantage. At times, it's the online associate himself who's perpetuating the whole thing by clicking on his own ad to increase his commission fee. If ever you're lucky enough to have found a pay-per-click scheme offered by an online associate program, do act ethically.
Now there are two other ways for you to earn from an associate program, both of which are perfectly legal and deemed acceptable by associate merchants.
Pay-per-lead is the easier option of the two. Depending on the terms and conditions of your associate program contract, you may start earning commission just for sending a visitor who's willing to try out the company's product or services, ask for information, opt-in to their mailing list, subscribe to their newsletter, fill out a survey questionnaire form, or just about any other thing that makes the visitor into a fully certified lead.
Pay-per-sale on the other hand is much more difficult but the promised rewards are definitely grader. Simply put, an online associate is paid for every visitor he directs to the site and consequently avails of the company's product or service.
Tip #4 Building a Website
It's now time to build traffic and make use of your links. The best way to do so is by building a website. The most important thing to remember is match your website to your target market.
Firstly, choose a URL that your target market would find easy to recall. Look for a free web hosting provider because at the moment, it would be too much if you obtain paid web hosting services. You're just getting started, after all. Design the website layout according to what you believe would appeal most to your target market. Make sure that navigation buttons are easy to find and use.
Don't use too much graphics unless you're sure that most of your visitors would have broadband connection or something faster that they wouldn't have to wait for an especially long time for the images to download.
And lastly, use the best content possible and update regularly. Design and layout may be responsible for your readers' first impressions, but it's your content that's mainly responsible for making them stay and come back for more.
Be sure to follow the tips provided here and your career as an online associate will definitely give you a reliable source of income. Good luck on finding an associate program that works for you!
http://www.articlesbase.com/marketing-articles/how-to-profit-from-joining-an-associate-program-129795.html
How to Get an Affordable Health Insurance Quote if You're Self Employed
Getting an affordable health quote if you're self employed can be a real hassle. However you can find affordable rates if you know where to look and how to structure your insurance. Here's how ...
An Affordable Health Insurance Plan
The first thing you need to do is figure out what type of plan will best suit your needs. There are four basic plans to consider:
1. FFS (Fee-For-Service) plans, also known as indemnity plans, are the most expensive health insurance plans and involve the most paperwork. With these plans you can choose your own doctor and your own hospital. Deductibles average $500 to $1,000 and you'll be responsible for 20% of the bill.
2. HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) plans are the least expensive and the least flexible health insurance plans. HMOs provide you with a network of doctors which you must see. You'll be required to pay a small copayment, usually $5 to $15 for each doctor visit, and you need permission from your plan's primary care physician to see an in-network specialist.
3. PPO (Preferred Provider Organization) plans cost slightly more than HMOs but are more flexible. Copayments are about the same as an HMO's, and you're allowed to see a network specialist without your primary physician's permission. If you see a non-network specialist you may have to pay the entire bill, pay the difference between network charges and what the specialist charges, or pay a deductible.
4. POS (Point-Of-Service) plans cost more than PPOs and less than FFSs, and are a combination of the two plans. These plans provide you with a network of physicians who will treat you. Your copayment is about the same as that of a PPO, but you can see a non-network physician and the plan will reimburse him or her.
Getting an Affordable Quote
In the good ol' days, prior to the Internet, you could spend half your life visiting local insurance companies or calling insurance agents on the phone to get health insurance quotes. Now, thanks to the Internet, getting quotes is a piece of cake.
You can go to an insurance comparison website, fill out a single questionnaire, and get quotes from different companies. Some of the better sites even have an insurance expert who will answer all your health insurance questions online. (See link below,)
Visit http://www.LowerRateQuotes.com/health-insurance.html or click on the following link to get affordable health insurance quotes from top-rated companies in your area and see how much you can save. You can get more health insurance tips by checking out their "Articles" section.
http://www.articlesbase.com/insurance-articles/how-to-get-an-affordable-health-insurance-quote-if-youre-self-employed-128631.html
An Affordable Health Insurance Plan
The first thing you need to do is figure out what type of plan will best suit your needs. There are four basic plans to consider:
1. FFS (Fee-For-Service) plans, also known as indemnity plans, are the most expensive health insurance plans and involve the most paperwork. With these plans you can choose your own doctor and your own hospital. Deductibles average $500 to $1,000 and you'll be responsible for 20% of the bill.
2. HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) plans are the least expensive and the least flexible health insurance plans. HMOs provide you with a network of doctors which you must see. You'll be required to pay a small copayment, usually $5 to $15 for each doctor visit, and you need permission from your plan's primary care physician to see an in-network specialist.
3. PPO (Preferred Provider Organization) plans cost slightly more than HMOs but are more flexible. Copayments are about the same as an HMO's, and you're allowed to see a network specialist without your primary physician's permission. If you see a non-network specialist you may have to pay the entire bill, pay the difference between network charges and what the specialist charges, or pay a deductible.
4. POS (Point-Of-Service) plans cost more than PPOs and less than FFSs, and are a combination of the two plans. These plans provide you with a network of physicians who will treat you. Your copayment is about the same as that of a PPO, but you can see a non-network physician and the plan will reimburse him or her.
Getting an Affordable Quote
In the good ol' days, prior to the Internet, you could spend half your life visiting local insurance companies or calling insurance agents on the phone to get health insurance quotes. Now, thanks to the Internet, getting quotes is a piece of cake.
You can go to an insurance comparison website, fill out a single questionnaire, and get quotes from different companies. Some of the better sites even have an insurance expert who will answer all your health insurance questions online. (See link below,)
Visit http://www.LowerRateQuotes.com/health-insurance.html or click on the following link to get affordable health insurance quotes from top-rated companies in your area and see how much you can save. You can get more health insurance tips by checking out their "Articles" section.
http://www.articlesbase.com/insurance-articles/how-to-get-an-affordable-health-insurance-quote-if-youre-self-employed-128631.html
Articles - An Internet Marketing Survival Skill!
In the highly competitive world of internet marketing it is important to attract highly targeted traffic to your website. This is something that certainly cannot be overemphasized. Sending targeted traffic to your website is the only means of survival in the world of internet marketing. Getting and retaining high search engine ranking can be a very difficult task. Fortunately, there are a host of promotion techniques you can use to drive targeted traffic to your website. One of the best techniques available is article writing.
Here is how can article writing can help improve your web traffic. This strategy can help explode your internet marketing business.
1. Increases Your Website Link Popularity
Instead of trying to establish reciprocal links with other websites, you can by simply submitting an article get hundreds of one way links to your own website. Just do not forget to include one or two links to your site in your resource box. When various other websites pickup and publish your article, you automatically get a link partner. You should try to get as many link partners as possible. Link popularity is one of the factors used by search engines in determining search engine rankings. Make your article especially useful and appealing, so that more websites will be encouraged to publish it.
2. Increase Your Exposure By Reaching More People
Well written articles should be shared with other people. This can be done by posting your articles on your own website or by you submitting them to article directories, e-zines and other online publishers. Submitting your articles to these sites will give exposure to both your ideas and your website. Just remember to add a resource box with a link back to your website. This will give you loads of exposure as well as free advertising. By submitting your articles to popular e-zines and article directories you take advantage of their popularity. Others looking for relevant content to their sites will be able find your article and add it to their website providing link back to you. This will increase your link popularity, which is one of the most important strategies in the internet marketing world. Just remember that most people are looking for quality information online. You can fill this requirement by writing your high quality article while at the same time reaping the benefit of more exposure and higher website traffic.
3. Obtain Higher Search Engine Ranking
You can create a new web page for your article and place it on your website. Make sure that you optimize your article to make it search-engine friendly. Your will need to use top-ranked keywords and Meta tags to help give your website a higher search engine ranking.
4. Get Free Advertising
By submitting your articles to article directories, e-zines and other websites you provide your website a valuable opportunity to advertise without having to pay. Your articles should avoid marketing language when ever possible though. Your article should be informative and useful to your readers. Your website advertisement comes in the form or a link to your website within the resource box you provide. One of the main benefits of writing an article is that you become known as an expert in your area of marketing. People tend to buy in greater quantities from experts. Just remember, the high quality content in your article is far better and more effective than a few lines of advertisement. A good article provides you with a very special opportunity to pre-sell your products and services to prospective customers.
Your articles might receive feedback and testimonies once you place them in article directories and e-zines. You should record all of the positive feedback and comments you get and then use them as promotional material on your website. Your credibility will be enhanced greatly by this feedback. It will create a good impression on your prospects as well as your existing customers. Excellent credibility and trust may be the very things you need to attract new customers or retain your existing customers as loyal patrons. Article writing is an important tool you should utilize to improve and explode your business.
http://www.articlesbase.com/insurance-articles/how-to-get-an-affordable-health-insurance-quote-if-youre-self-employed-128631.html
Here is how can article writing can help improve your web traffic. This strategy can help explode your internet marketing business.
1. Increases Your Website Link Popularity
Instead of trying to establish reciprocal links with other websites, you can by simply submitting an article get hundreds of one way links to your own website. Just do not forget to include one or two links to your site in your resource box. When various other websites pickup and publish your article, you automatically get a link partner. You should try to get as many link partners as possible. Link popularity is one of the factors used by search engines in determining search engine rankings. Make your article especially useful and appealing, so that more websites will be encouraged to publish it.
2. Increase Your Exposure By Reaching More People
Well written articles should be shared with other people. This can be done by posting your articles on your own website or by you submitting them to article directories, e-zines and other online publishers. Submitting your articles to these sites will give exposure to both your ideas and your website. Just remember to add a resource box with a link back to your website. This will give you loads of exposure as well as free advertising. By submitting your articles to popular e-zines and article directories you take advantage of their popularity. Others looking for relevant content to their sites will be able find your article and add it to their website providing link back to you. This will increase your link popularity, which is one of the most important strategies in the internet marketing world. Just remember that most people are looking for quality information online. You can fill this requirement by writing your high quality article while at the same time reaping the benefit of more exposure and higher website traffic.
3. Obtain Higher Search Engine Ranking
You can create a new web page for your article and place it on your website. Make sure that you optimize your article to make it search-engine friendly. Your will need to use top-ranked keywords and Meta tags to help give your website a higher search engine ranking.
4. Get Free Advertising
By submitting your articles to article directories, e-zines and other websites you provide your website a valuable opportunity to advertise without having to pay. Your articles should avoid marketing language when ever possible though. Your article should be informative and useful to your readers. Your website advertisement comes in the form or a link to your website within the resource box you provide. One of the main benefits of writing an article is that you become known as an expert in your area of marketing. People tend to buy in greater quantities from experts. Just remember, the high quality content in your article is far better and more effective than a few lines of advertisement. A good article provides you with a very special opportunity to pre-sell your products and services to prospective customers.
Your articles might receive feedback and testimonies once you place them in article directories and e-zines. You should record all of the positive feedback and comments you get and then use them as promotional material on your website. Your credibility will be enhanced greatly by this feedback. It will create a good impression on your prospects as well as your existing customers. Excellent credibility and trust may be the very things you need to attract new customers or retain your existing customers as loyal patrons. Article writing is an important tool you should utilize to improve and explode your business.
http://www.articlesbase.com/insurance-articles/how-to-get-an-affordable-health-insurance-quote-if-youre-self-employed-128631.html
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Finding The Right Internet Provider
Everyone uses the Internet today. Business, pleasure, and news all come together online providing the desire and need to be able to connect to the almighty Internet. While finding an ISP may not be necessarily hard, finding an ISP for your needs just might.
Dial Up
Dial up may seem to have gone the way of the dinosaur, but you just might need dial up Internet all the same. If you travel a lot, subscribing to dial up may be something you need, even if you have a blue tooth enabled laptop.
While blue tooth technology may help you gain wi-fi access to the Internet, it is not always guaranteed and if you need to access your email often, chances are you will find times you are not able to get connected online. Dial-up can be purchased at a little over $5.00 a month and is a lifesaver for those Internet emergencies when in rural communities where wi-fi is not existent.
You may not need to even shop for your dial up software. Many high speed Internet providers offer dial up as an add-on at a discounted rate as well. If you travel a lot, dial up is something you just might want under your belt.
DSL
DSL works very well depending on your subscribed bandwidth. If you want to watch online movies or do downloads of files you should not be without DSL. The problem that lies with DSL is the fact that many people have traded in their landline phones in for cellular phones. If you are one of these people a problem exists with this Internet connection type ... you have to have a landline to have DSL.
While the standard DSL subscriber requires a landline phone, there are some providers that do not. One such provider is SpeakEasy or otherwise www.speakeasy.com
SpeakEasy offers phoneless DSL but be prepared to spend some extra on your connection. With the extra convenience comes the extra price and you will be paying for it guaranteed. They do have excellent gaming packages however, and if you like to game online, you just might want to pay the extra anyways.
Cable
Cable Internet is an excellent high speed Internet option. You can get almost unlimited bandwidth options with this service to where a download is like opening a new web page. This service does not require a landline phone so if your a cellular phone converted consumer, this option is excellent for you.
Although this service doesn't require landline phone, they on average require a minimum cable TV package. If you don't watch much TV this may be a disappointing factor for you. While this is the common requirement of cable Internet, who's to say it won't change. Technology is growing in demand as well as innovation, so expect a change in the future to this requirement. Keep that in mind for DSL too, but don't hold your breath.
Satellite
Satellite Internet sounds enticing at first and if you want high speed Internet and live in a rural area chances are this will be your only option. Don't expect blazing Internet speeds with this service. Faster than dial-up, yes. Faster than DSL, no. At the most expect a speed of a lower grade DSL package. Monthly pricing can be fair from $40.00 to $70.00 a month. Installation and activation however I have seen price at about $600.00 and that is not to mention a contract. This service is advised as a last resort option for Internet access.
http://www.articlegold.com/Article/Finding-The-Right-Internet-Provider/5234
Dial Up
Dial up may seem to have gone the way of the dinosaur, but you just might need dial up Internet all the same. If you travel a lot, subscribing to dial up may be something you need, even if you have a blue tooth enabled laptop.
While blue tooth technology may help you gain wi-fi access to the Internet, it is not always guaranteed and if you need to access your email often, chances are you will find times you are not able to get connected online. Dial-up can be purchased at a little over $5.00 a month and is a lifesaver for those Internet emergencies when in rural communities where wi-fi is not existent.
You may not need to even shop for your dial up software. Many high speed Internet providers offer dial up as an add-on at a discounted rate as well. If you travel a lot, dial up is something you just might want under your belt.
DSL
DSL works very well depending on your subscribed bandwidth. If you want to watch online movies or do downloads of files you should not be without DSL. The problem that lies with DSL is the fact that many people have traded in their landline phones in for cellular phones. If you are one of these people a problem exists with this Internet connection type ... you have to have a landline to have DSL.
While the standard DSL subscriber requires a landline phone, there are some providers that do not. One such provider is SpeakEasy or otherwise www.speakeasy.com
SpeakEasy offers phoneless DSL but be prepared to spend some extra on your connection. With the extra convenience comes the extra price and you will be paying for it guaranteed. They do have excellent gaming packages however, and if you like to game online, you just might want to pay the extra anyways.
Cable
Cable Internet is an excellent high speed Internet option. You can get almost unlimited bandwidth options with this service to where a download is like opening a new web page. This service does not require a landline phone so if your a cellular phone converted consumer, this option is excellent for you.
Although this service doesn't require landline phone, they on average require a minimum cable TV package. If you don't watch much TV this may be a disappointing factor for you. While this is the common requirement of cable Internet, who's to say it won't change. Technology is growing in demand as well as innovation, so expect a change in the future to this requirement. Keep that in mind for DSL too, but don't hold your breath.
Satellite
Satellite Internet sounds enticing at first and if you want high speed Internet and live in a rural area chances are this will be your only option. Don't expect blazing Internet speeds with this service. Faster than dial-up, yes. Faster than DSL, no. At the most expect a speed of a lower grade DSL package. Monthly pricing can be fair from $40.00 to $70.00 a month. Installation and activation however I have seen price at about $600.00 and that is not to mention a contract. This service is advised as a last resort option for Internet access.
http://www.articlegold.com/Article/Finding-The-Right-Internet-Provider/5234
Congress may consider mandatory ISP snooping
It didn't take long for the idea of forcing Internet providers to retain records of their users' activities to gain traction in the U.S. Congress.
Last week, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, a Republican, gave a speech saying that data retention by Internet service providers is an "issue that must be addressed." Child pornography investigations have been "hampered" because data may be routinely deleted, Gonzales warned.
Now, in a demonstration of bipartisan unity, a Democratic member of the Congressional Internet Caucus is preparing to introduce an amendment--perhaps during a U.S. House of Representatives floor vote next week--that would make such data deletion illegal.
Colorado Rep. Diana DeGette's proposal (click for PDF) says that any Internet service that "enables users to access content" must permanently retain records that would permit police to identify each user. The records could not be discarded until at least one year after the user's account was closed.
It's not clear whether that requirement would be limited only to e-mail providers and Internet providers such as DSL (digital subscriber line) or cable modem services. An expansive reading of DeGette's measure would require every Web site to retain those records. (Details would be left to the Federal Communications Commission.)
DeGette Rep. Diana Rep. Diana DeGette
"We're still addressing some of the issues, and we will have those issues or answers before we introduce this as either an amendment or a standalone bill," Brandon MacGillis, a spokesman for DeGette, said in an interview on Friday.
CNET News.com was the first to report last June that the Justice Department was quietly shopping around the idea of legally required data retention. In a move that may have led to broader interest inside the United States, the European Parliament last December approved such a requirement for Internet, telephone and voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) providers.
U.S. politicians began talking publicly about mandatory data retention during a series of House of Representatives hearings on child pornography and in speeches, News.com reported earlier this month. Legislation similar to DeGette's has been circulating in the Colorado legislature, and another hearing on child exploitation is planned for next Wednesday.
The Bush administration's current position is an abrupt reversal of its previous long-held belief that data retention is unnecessary and imposes an unacceptable burden on Internet providers. In 2001, the Bush administration expressed (click for PDF) "serious reservations about broad mandatory data retention regimes."
DeGette said in a statement that her amendment was necessary because: "America is the No. 1 global consumer of child pornography, the No. 2 producer. This is a plague we had nearly wiped out in the seventies, and sadly the Internet, an entity that we practically worship for all the great things it has brought to us, is being used to commit a crime against humanity."
For their part, Internet providers say they have a long history of helping law enforcement in child porn cases and point out that two federal laws already require them to cooperate. It's also unclear that investigations are really being hindered, according to Kate Dean, director of the U.S. Internet Service Provider Association.
MacGillis, a spokesman for DeGette, said his boss is likely to introduce her data retention proposal as a standalone measure or as an amendment to a broad telecommunications bill that's moving rapidly through the House.
The bill (click for PDF)--best known for a debate this week over its Net neutrality sections--was approved by a House committee on Thursday and is expected to receive a floor vote next week. (DeGette had considered adding it as an amendment during the committee vote but decided against it at the last minute.)
"Our main concern on the bill is privacy, protecting the privacy of everyone out there on the Internet, but also retention of those records so law enforcement officials will have access to them, so we just need to really tinker with the language," MacGillis said.
Child porn as surveillance excuse?
Critics of DeGette's proposal have said that, while the justification for Internet surveillance might be protecting children, the data would be accessible to any local or state law enforcement official investigating anything from drug possession to tax evasion. In addition, the one-year retention is a minimum; the FCC would receive the authority to require Internet companies to keep records "for not less than one year after a subscriber ceases to subscribe to such services."
Jim Harper, director of information policy studies at the free-market Cato Institute, said: "This is an unrestricted grant of authority to the FCC to require surveillance."
The FCC would be able to tell Internet service providers to monitor our e-mails, monitor our Web surfing, monitor what we post on blogs or chat rooms, and everything else under the sun," said Harper, a member of the Department of Homeland Security's Data Privacy and Integrity Advisory Committee. "We're seeing a kind of hysteria reminiscent of the McMartin case. The result will be privacy that goes away and doesn't come back when the foolishness is exposed."
The McMartin case was probably the most extreme example of the hysteria over "Satanic ritual abuse"--a widespread scare in the 1980s that children were molested, murdered and tortured, even though no evidence was found. In the McMartin preschool case, a family was falsely accused of Satanic activities and the charges were eventually dropped.
At the moment, Internet service providers typically discard any log file that's no longer required for business reasons such as network monitoring, fraud prevention or billing disputes. Companies do, however, alter that general rule when contacted by police performing an investigation--a practice called data preservation.
A 1996 federal law called the Electronic Communication Transactional Records Act regulates data preservation. It requires Internet providers to retain any "record" in their possession for 90 days "upon the request of a governmental entity."
In addition, Internet providers are required by another federal law to report child pornography sightings to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which is in turn is charged with forwarding that report to the appropriate police agency.
http://news.com.com/Congress+may+consider+mandatory+ISP+snooping/2100-1028_3-6066608.html
Last week, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, a Republican, gave a speech saying that data retention by Internet service providers is an "issue that must be addressed." Child pornography investigations have been "hampered" because data may be routinely deleted, Gonzales warned.
Now, in a demonstration of bipartisan unity, a Democratic member of the Congressional Internet Caucus is preparing to introduce an amendment--perhaps during a U.S. House of Representatives floor vote next week--that would make such data deletion illegal.
Colorado Rep. Diana DeGette's proposal (click for PDF) says that any Internet service that "enables users to access content" must permanently retain records that would permit police to identify each user. The records could not be discarded until at least one year after the user's account was closed.
It's not clear whether that requirement would be limited only to e-mail providers and Internet providers such as DSL (digital subscriber line) or cable modem services. An expansive reading of DeGette's measure would require every Web site to retain those records. (Details would be left to the Federal Communications Commission.)
DeGette Rep. Diana Rep. Diana DeGette
"We're still addressing some of the issues, and we will have those issues or answers before we introduce this as either an amendment or a standalone bill," Brandon MacGillis, a spokesman for DeGette, said in an interview on Friday.
CNET News.com was the first to report last June that the Justice Department was quietly shopping around the idea of legally required data retention. In a move that may have led to broader interest inside the United States, the European Parliament last December approved such a requirement for Internet, telephone and voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) providers.
U.S. politicians began talking publicly about mandatory data retention during a series of House of Representatives hearings on child pornography and in speeches, News.com reported earlier this month. Legislation similar to DeGette's has been circulating in the Colorado legislature, and another hearing on child exploitation is planned for next Wednesday.
The Bush administration's current position is an abrupt reversal of its previous long-held belief that data retention is unnecessary and imposes an unacceptable burden on Internet providers. In 2001, the Bush administration expressed (click for PDF) "serious reservations about broad mandatory data retention regimes."
DeGette said in a statement that her amendment was necessary because: "America is the No. 1 global consumer of child pornography, the No. 2 producer. This is a plague we had nearly wiped out in the seventies, and sadly the Internet, an entity that we practically worship for all the great things it has brought to us, is being used to commit a crime against humanity."
For their part, Internet providers say they have a long history of helping law enforcement in child porn cases and point out that two federal laws already require them to cooperate. It's also unclear that investigations are really being hindered, according to Kate Dean, director of the U.S. Internet Service Provider Association.
MacGillis, a spokesman for DeGette, said his boss is likely to introduce her data retention proposal as a standalone measure or as an amendment to a broad telecommunications bill that's moving rapidly through the House.
The bill (click for PDF)--best known for a debate this week over its Net neutrality sections--was approved by a House committee on Thursday and is expected to receive a floor vote next week. (DeGette had considered adding it as an amendment during the committee vote but decided against it at the last minute.)
"Our main concern on the bill is privacy, protecting the privacy of everyone out there on the Internet, but also retention of those records so law enforcement officials will have access to them, so we just need to really tinker with the language," MacGillis said.
Child porn as surveillance excuse?
Critics of DeGette's proposal have said that, while the justification for Internet surveillance might be protecting children, the data would be accessible to any local or state law enforcement official investigating anything from drug possession to tax evasion. In addition, the one-year retention is a minimum; the FCC would receive the authority to require Internet companies to keep records "for not less than one year after a subscriber ceases to subscribe to such services."
Jim Harper, director of information policy studies at the free-market Cato Institute, said: "This is an unrestricted grant of authority to the FCC to require surveillance."
The FCC would be able to tell Internet service providers to monitor our e-mails, monitor our Web surfing, monitor what we post on blogs or chat rooms, and everything else under the sun," said Harper, a member of the Department of Homeland Security's Data Privacy and Integrity Advisory Committee. "We're seeing a kind of hysteria reminiscent of the McMartin case. The result will be privacy that goes away and doesn't come back when the foolishness is exposed."
The McMartin case was probably the most extreme example of the hysteria over "Satanic ritual abuse"--a widespread scare in the 1980s that children were molested, murdered and tortured, even though no evidence was found. In the McMartin preschool case, a family was falsely accused of Satanic activities and the charges were eventually dropped.
At the moment, Internet service providers typically discard any log file that's no longer required for business reasons such as network monitoring, fraud prevention or billing disputes. Companies do, however, alter that general rule when contacted by police performing an investigation--a practice called data preservation.
A 1996 federal law called the Electronic Communication Transactional Records Act regulates data preservation. It requires Internet providers to retain any "record" in their possession for 90 days "upon the request of a governmental entity."
In addition, Internet providers are required by another federal law to report child pornography sightings to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which is in turn is charged with forwarding that report to the appropriate police agency.
http://news.com.com/Congress+may+consider+mandatory+ISP+snooping/2100-1028_3-6066608.html
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Online Fax Services
Online fax services are available from quite a large number of providers who are listed on the Internet, along with the terms of their service and the costs that will be incurred by the customer. It is not necessary to buy a separate facsimile machine with its attendant costs. Facsimile services on the Internet are often offered for the first month free, so a customer can see if this is what he really needs. These companies have different payment arrangements that are based on a certain number of pages received and sent during the month, and the fax capability is furnished through a toll free telephone line, which is a great help to the cost of doing business.
Another feature that isn't present with traditional facsimile methods is the ability to convert a facsimile received to an e-mail to forward to a third party. Most of these online fax services feature pager notification in their packages also. Some even have voice features included in their descriptions. The features offered by these companies are so varied that a potential customer will need to do a lot of research before signing up. Word-of-mouth advertising is often the most reliable advertising one can find, so it pays to listen to friends. Whether satisfied or unsatisfied, customers will not mince words either way.
Just as with e-mail, Internet fax services can send online faxes to many recipients simultaneously. With a regular fax machine, sending multiple faxes is time consuming because each number must be dialed and the message sent separately. Faxing to ten people or companies means actually transmitting the message or document ten times. By using online fax services, one click of the mouse sends them all at once, and the sender can spend the time that would have been spent sending all those copies doing something more productive.
Some of the fax services charge a set-up fee, then a monthly charge that is calculated according to the number of faxes sent and received. Other Internet fax services charge only for the faxes sent and received, with no set-up fees. The person or business wanting to use the fax companies will have to decide which other features are included with each package, and just how much traffic will be generated to figure which program will fit his particular case. These companies provide training information, and some even conduct seminars for the new customer so they can make the best use of the chosen system. There are several good reasons to use this kind of service, but anyone looking into it should compare the cost of purchasing a facsimile machine and its attendant expenses over a year, with a year's worth of online fax services, before deciding which is best. This is particularly important for those businesses who make sending and receiving of faxes a frequent, regular part of their business activities.
There are companies offering Internet fax services on a very limited basis, so that if someone wants one-time service to send or receive a fax, it is available. With these abilities through the Internet, if documents are being sent, a scanner on the computer replaces the photographic ability of a standard fax machine. One can still send a document for signature and receive back an accurate copy of the signed document that will suffice for business purposes until the original is received via the Postal Service. For legal purposes, the original must be used, but copies will suffice for some occasions.
In addition to all the regular abilities provided by Internet fax services, there are some who offer special custom features for clients requesting them. These special services can be in connection with regular services, or can stand alone. In other words, whatever kind of assistance a business requires in connection with faxing needs, it can be found on the Internet. Persistence pays off, because these particular services may not be on the first page of the search engine site, but farther back. Some time, taken up front, to do a thorough search for the solution to the problems confronting a business will save time in the long run by making the process of sending faxes more efficient. Faxes, of course, were not yet part of the world of communications when Jesus was here, but communication was as important then as it is now; especially the communication of things sacred, which the Jews kept written on scrolls. "And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read." (Luke 4:16)
Although the ability to send messages and information by facsimile has been around for many years and has gone through many improvements since the first machines were sold, none of the prior methods came close to the online fax services available today. There is so much business that is handled via Internet, that it should not be surprising to computer users that these services are available on line to further enhance business office procedures.
http://www.christianet.com/internetservices/onlinefaxservices.htm
Another feature that isn't present with traditional facsimile methods is the ability to convert a facsimile received to an e-mail to forward to a third party. Most of these online fax services feature pager notification in their packages also. Some even have voice features included in their descriptions. The features offered by these companies are so varied that a potential customer will need to do a lot of research before signing up. Word-of-mouth advertising is often the most reliable advertising one can find, so it pays to listen to friends. Whether satisfied or unsatisfied, customers will not mince words either way.
Just as with e-mail, Internet fax services can send online faxes to many recipients simultaneously. With a regular fax machine, sending multiple faxes is time consuming because each number must be dialed and the message sent separately. Faxing to ten people or companies means actually transmitting the message or document ten times. By using online fax services, one click of the mouse sends them all at once, and the sender can spend the time that would have been spent sending all those copies doing something more productive.
Some of the fax services charge a set-up fee, then a monthly charge that is calculated according to the number of faxes sent and received. Other Internet fax services charge only for the faxes sent and received, with no set-up fees. The person or business wanting to use the fax companies will have to decide which other features are included with each package, and just how much traffic will be generated to figure which program will fit his particular case. These companies provide training information, and some even conduct seminars for the new customer so they can make the best use of the chosen system. There are several good reasons to use this kind of service, but anyone looking into it should compare the cost of purchasing a facsimile machine and its attendant expenses over a year, with a year's worth of online fax services, before deciding which is best. This is particularly important for those businesses who make sending and receiving of faxes a frequent, regular part of their business activities.
There are companies offering Internet fax services on a very limited basis, so that if someone wants one-time service to send or receive a fax, it is available. With these abilities through the Internet, if documents are being sent, a scanner on the computer replaces the photographic ability of a standard fax machine. One can still send a document for signature and receive back an accurate copy of the signed document that will suffice for business purposes until the original is received via the Postal Service. For legal purposes, the original must be used, but copies will suffice for some occasions.
In addition to all the regular abilities provided by Internet fax services, there are some who offer special custom features for clients requesting them. These special services can be in connection with regular services, or can stand alone. In other words, whatever kind of assistance a business requires in connection with faxing needs, it can be found on the Internet. Persistence pays off, because these particular services may not be on the first page of the search engine site, but farther back. Some time, taken up front, to do a thorough search for the solution to the problems confronting a business will save time in the long run by making the process of sending faxes more efficient. Faxes, of course, were not yet part of the world of communications when Jesus was here, but communication was as important then as it is now; especially the communication of things sacred, which the Jews kept written on scrolls. "And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read." (Luke 4:16)
Although the ability to send messages and information by facsimile has been around for many years and has gone through many improvements since the first machines were sold, none of the prior methods came close to the online fax services available today. There is so much business that is handled via Internet, that it should not be surprising to computer users that these services are available on line to further enhance business office procedures.
http://www.christianet.com/internetservices/onlinefaxservices.htm
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