Date: Fri 06-Mar-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: CURT

Quick Words:

iinfo-high-speed-access

Full Text:

INTERNET INFO FOR REAL PEOPLE: Higher Speed Access II

By Bob Brand

Speed is the crack cocaine of the Net. It's highly addictive.

Many of us now access the Net through a provider that allows data transfers up

to 53,000 bits per second (bps) with either an X2 (US Robotics) or k56flex

(Rockwell) modem. The availability of X2 access from major Connecticut ISPs

(Internet Service Providers) such as SNET, Javanet, Freewwweb, NetPlex and

others have put X2 ahead of k56flex.

As described in a previous article, the two technologies are not compatible.

However, an agreement was made among the major modem manufacturers. By

September 1998 all higher-speed modems will conform to a single standard, ITU

V.90. Limitations in the quality of the phone lines, however, restrict the

maximum access speed to about 50,000 bps. The highest speed that I have

experienced is 50,666 bps. When moving from a 28.8k or 33.6k modem to X2

speeds, the novelty of higher speed access, like the smell of a new car

interior, wears off quickly. We keep reaching for higher and higher access

speeds.

Before we can go faster, the ISP must install the proper equipment and the

carrier (usually the phone company) must be able to deliver a faster data

stream. Before an ISP will install the equipment, there needs to be sufficient

demand and a method to get the data to the customer. For those of us who want

the next speed increase after X2/k56flex, there are four choices. We will

examine three of them in this article.

ISDN

Integrated System Digital Network (ISDN) is available from many ISPs today.

The data can be transferred over a regular copper phone line, however, the

phone company must come out to your home and install a special line which may

be a thicker wire than what comes into the home today. In Connecticut, the

cost of installing the ISDN line falls between $150 and $265, a one-time

charge. As a PC owner, you have to replace your modem with a device called a

terminal adapter. The cost $200-$300. The ISP charges more for ISDN access

(because it places greater demand on its resources), so instead of the

$19.95/month, your Internet bill balloons to about $40/month. On top of that,

there is your phone bill. SNET charges one cent for every minute per line that

you use each of the two ISDN channels. Since most people would like fast

access (two channels), add two cents per minute for the time you are connected

to the Internet. When both channels deliver data (this is called bonding)

together, the effective data delivery rate is 128,000 bits per second.

Therefore, ISDN is two and a half times faster than an X2 modem delivering

data at 50,000 bits per second. However, with two ISDN channels, you must pay

SNET (or your phone company) 2 cents per minute ($1.20 per hour) every time

you use ISDN. At 40 hours per month, that adds $48.00 to the phone bill. Do

not forget about the ISP charges of $40 per month just to connect at this

higher speed. It becomes apparent why few residential customers use ISDN

connections to the Internet from home for surfing the Net.

In some parts of the country the costs are lower. Some phone companies charge

a flat rate (unlimited use) of $40-$50/month. While lower in cost, ISDN

remains pricey. At one time it was felt that ISDN would become the next "fast

access" for regular users to the Net. High cost has killed that dream,

especially here in Connecticut.

Satellite Feed

If you purchase a satellite dish, a residential user can receive data at rates

of 200,000 or 400,000 bits per second. (Note: when you sign up with DirectPC,

you choose one or the other.) However, this is one way. This is a hybrid

system. A regular ISP is needed in addition to a satellite provider. The modem

in your home, connected to the ISP, directs the satellite to beam down the

Internet data stream. The user must use a telephone line to instruct the ISP

where on the Net you want to surf. This is accomplished with plain old

telephone service (POTS), the very same way you currently connect to your ISP

with a modem. The good news is that once you are at the server where the

website resides, the data comes flying through the clouds to your computer

very quickly. Here are the costs involved: satellite dish, interface card and

software, $300; installation, free if you are handy or $150 to $250 (but not

the cost to cut down some trees to provide an unobstructed view of the sky if

there is no clear line of sight). The monthly charge to the ISP is probably

$20 per month. In addition, you pay a monthly cost to the satellite provider

of $80 to $130 depending on plan and speed desired. If you are a heavy user,

the monthly costs may be even higher. Again, high cost and the hybrid nature

of the connection to the Internet is preventing a widespread use of this

technology.

A full description of the satellite system is described at the DirectPC

website. I would like to thank Dan Seligman at East Coast Internet for the

information.

DSL

The third method for high speed access is called Digital Subscriber Line.

Essentially, this comes in two forms: Asynchronous Digital Subscriber Line

(ASDL) or the easier to implement Splitterless DSL. There is some good news.

Regular copper phone lines are used to transmit the data from the ISP to your

computer and the hardware cost to the PC owner is reasonable. The good news

stops there. Standards for ADSL have not been nailed down yet, so when it

becomes available, you will need to buy the same equipment used by your ISP.

We have seen this with the X2/k56flex roll-out. Data speed transfer is

promised to be 1.5 million bits per second. Wow! Here's the problem: the phone

companies. Until the phone companies install the hardware, DSL remains a

dream.

Moving to the next higher speed after X2/k56flex is an expensive proposition.

In the longer term, splitterless DSL holds the best promise. However, this

option could be years away (maybe longer). There is a forth choice: access to

the Internet via cable. This will be discussed next week.

On TV

Attention Charter Cable subscribers: I am appearing on the Kevin Gallagher

Show that will air Tuesday, March 3 and 10, at 7:30 pm on Charter Cable 21.

(Rebroadcasts: Tuesday, March 17 and 24 at 7:30pm.) The subject of both shows

is: The Internet. Please tune in.

URLs (Uniform Resource Locators) of interest:

http://www.snet.net/isdn_announce/faq.html

http://www.direcpc.com

http://www.zdnet.com/pcweek/opinion/0202/02edit.html

(This is the 93rd of a series of elementary articles designed for surfing the

Internet. Next, Cable Internet is the subject on tap. Stay tuned. Until next

week, happy travels through cyberspace.

Previous issues of Internet Info for Real People (including links to sites

mentioned in this article) can be found: http://www.thebee.com. Please e-mail

comments and suggestions to: rbrand@JUNO.com or editor@thebee.com.)