Homecall Broadband
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by: neil shevlin
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| Caudwell Communications, telephony business from the Caudwell Group and owners of mobile phone company Phones4u announced in October their new phone line and broadband internet package. The broadband home service is known as Homecall. The main advantage of Homecall over other services is that they can combine all your needs. A single bill every month includes your phone bill and internet bill. Because of their ties with Phones4u they often provide mobile phone promotions and their standard package includes free international and local calls, and cheap mobile phone calls! Homecall don't provide their ADSL themselves though, they do it through Tiscali Broadband. Although they offer they own services and support, Tiscali have a bad reputation when it comes to customer experience and also use the unpopular Datastream method of connection as opposed to IPstream. With BT being forced to open up their phone lines for other companies to use directly, many companies have chosen to install their own equipment at BT telephone exchanges. On IPstream all customers are channelled down the main 155Mbit line which feeds directly into a BT controlled network. This means the ISP's using IPstream have to pay BT, but the service is much faster. Datastream providers have their own 2Mbit circuit in each telephone exchange, so you are only sharing your bandwidth with the other people connected to your local exchange rather than all the bandwidth over the country. This means Datastream customers find their internet often running slower and not providing their full internet bandwidth, sometimes limited to slower than 56K dialup. A recent poll by Homecall showed that the number one reason people surf the internet is to download music. Second was downloading adult services, third watching music videos, fourth listening to the radio and fifth was downloading movie trailers. Online gaming and family file sharing (i.e photographs) were also in the top ten. A Homecall spokesperson said "Broadband in the home has really taken off." Homecall offer no setup costs and all the equipment you need to get online. Their prices are competitive and there's no usage cap on your bandwidth, meaning you can download as much as you want, although with the Datastream problems you may not be able to download that much anyway. If you go for Homecall broadband it is so much more beneficial to get a package deal including phone calls. This will save you some money on both phone and internet. Homecall undercut all of BT's phone prices by a couple of pounds a month and give you more free calls and unlimited internet. Unfortunately their internet packages are of a slower speed than the main competition or slightly more expensive. Homecall offer 2Mbps and 512Kbps broadband access. Homecall's package is perfect for users who don't want a download cap and access to high speed unlimited broadband. Combined with their phone package you can make savings on your BT contract and get loads of free phone calls all throughout the day. The only problem is you may end up having your speeds slashed if too many people in your local area are also on Homecall. About The Author: Neil Shevlin is the owner of UK Cheap Broadband which is a great place to find broadband links, resources and articles. For more information go to: UK Cheap Broadbandwww.ukcheapbroadband © Copyright 2005 Please feel free to copy and paste this article and it's resource information. |
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Homecall Broadband
Broadband is State-of-the-Art Internet Access: How Can a Bro
Broadband is State-of-the-Art Internet Access: How Can a Bro
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by: Dave Gonzalez
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| We are now well ensconced in a time when the Web is riddled with graphics, animations, sounds, and videos, bringing about a necessity for superior internet access such as that which broadband can provide. The fact is that anything less than the speed supplied by a broadband cable has become inadequate for today's Web users. Of course, if you use the internet only once every so often, you wouldn't be as heavily dependent upon high-speed internet access as is provided by broadband, however, if you're a regular user, it's virtually a necessity. But wait a minute.even though you use the internet, it doesn't mean you know exactly what this high focus form of internet access actually is. So lets start there. In essence, broadband is a very fast form of internet connection. It will provide you with a noticeably faster internet speed than a dial-up connection. Broadband used to be a challenge only because of it's limited availability, however, today there are many ways that you can have a much faster connection. The delivery methods have been expanded to the following types of broadband cable: - Copper telephone wires - Cable TV wires - Radio microwaves from local base stations - Satellite microwaves from geo-stationary satellites Now lets look at why this faster style of internet access is actually better. The benefits of broadband actually include much more than faster downloads. Broadband is the connection that is always "on". As soon as you start up your computer, it's already connected to the internet. For anyone who has waited for a modem to dial up and connect, the advantage of this is quite apparent. Furthermore, broadband allows you to download movies, music, and web pages that were virtually inaccessible in practical terms when using dial-up. But the benefits of broadband aren't just felt by individual users. Businesses, governments, schools, and communities can all experience the superiority that broadband cables can provide. Here are some examples of benefits for each of those types of organizations: - Businesses will notice an increase in productivity when large data files transfer quickly and directly among local and head offices, no matter the distance between the locations. Moreover, with the popularity of net-meetings and videoconferencing, a face-to-face meeting becomes entirely possible without the travel costs. - Schools can now offer equal opportunities to their students no matter their location or funding. A student in a remote community is now able to use a broadband connection to receive violin lessons from the same revered instructor as a student in a large city. Moreover, rural students can take virtual field trips and see the same fascinating and educational museums as city kids. - Local governments are now enjoying broadband benefits that let them provide one-stop shopping for town business transactions, as well as licensing, permits, billing, and utility payments. - Communities have been quick to jump on the broadband band wagon to promote their local historical and other various tourist attractions. No other marketing resource reaches as far and as effectively as the internet. There are so many fantastic benefits to a high-speed, broadband internet connection, that it is becoming as "basic" a need as a computer in today's society. About the Author Dave Gonzalez http://www.broadband-dsl-directory.com/ |
Should I Make My Own Web Site?
VoIP QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
VoIP QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
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by: Raymond Klesc
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| You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated - send to info@globalvalueconnect.com Title: VOIP QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Author: Raymond Klesc Email: info@globalvalueconnect.com Copyright 2004 Raymond Klesc Preformatted for 60-characters Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, has grown in popularity recently and with that rise in popularity has come a number of common misconceptions and confusion. Global Value Connect (http://globalvalueconnect.com) has complied this simple guide to address some of these most common questions and concerns. 1. What is VoIP and what does it stand for? 2. How do I make a VoIP phone call? 3. What equipment do I need for VoIP phone calls? 4. Are there any differences between making a local call or a long distance call? 5. Who can I call if I am using a VoIP service? 6. Are there any advantages in using VoIP phone service? 7. Will I be able to dial 911 emergency services? 8. Will I be able to use my computer while making a VoIP phone call? 9. Will I be able to take my phone adapter with me while traveling? 10. Does my computer need to be running in order to use VoIP service? 11. How will I know when I receive a phone call over my VoIP service? 12. Who regulates VoIP services? 13. What are the computer system requirements for VoIP? 14. Are free trials normally available? 15. How can I improve the sound quality? 1. What is VoIP and what does it stand for? VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol and it allows you to place telephone calls over a data network like the Internet. It operates by converting your voice signal from your telephone into a digital signal that can then be transmitted over the Internet. The digital signal is then converted at the other end back to a voice signal that the other party can hear. When you use a phone with an adapter the calls are placed just like a regular telephone. You first hear a dial tone then the call is made. You are also able to place a call directly from your computer using a conventional telephone or microphone. 2. How do I make a VoIP phone call? Making a VoIP phone call is no different from using a regular land line telephone. You pickup the receiver and listen for the dial tone. You can then dial your number as you always have in the past. The call connects to your high-speed Internet connection and travels to your local telephone company's equipment to a VoIP provider which transport the signal through the Internet to the local provider of the party you are calling. They relay the signal to your parties telephone. As an alternative, you may also place the call using your computer's hardware and software, entering the number through your keyboard. The signal is then sent through your cable modem to your local telephone carrier. 3. What equipment do I need for VoIP phone calls? Your existing incoming high-speed Internet connection should be sufficient but the higher the connectivity the better the signal. In terms of hardware, you can hook up an inexpensive microphone to your computer or connect a phone directly to a VoIP telephone adaptor (ATA). Or you can use a phone specially made to work with Internet Voice. This is called an SIP phone. Each SIP phone is a network endpoint, and voice is routed via its IP address. It allows a DID (direct inward dialing) number to move with a user. You can move, add or remove stations and never have to call your interconnect/PBX service company. SIP phones also allow full use of advanced features like voice mail to e-mail and auto attendant. 4. Are there any differences between making a local call or a long distance call? There are many different calling available for VoIP. The calling rates and fixed plans will vary from one vendor to another depending on the service you select. Please make sure to read all of the fine print associated with any plan that you choose. One thing to keep in mind, however, is that VoIP can blur the difference between local and long distance by issuing a local number for your Internet phone. This allows you to make LOCAL calls to your home area code from that phone, regardless of where you are geographically. All you need is an Internet connection to plug in your phone, it doesn't matter what Internet provider you use, and you can call your local area code from anywhere in the world without paying long distance rates. 5. Who can I call if I am using a VoIP service? Your calls can be made to any local telephone number, mobile phone, long distance number, or any international number. You may even use the service to speak with more than one person at a time. More importantly, the person you are calling does not need any special equipment; just a regular telephone. 6. Are there any advantages in using VoIP phone service? If you are using a broadband internet connection, you don't need to maintain and pay the additional cost for a regular land line just to make telephone calls. With VoIP you're able to talk to many people at the same time. You can set up conference calls with your colleagues, staff, family and friends. VoIP allows you to reduce interconnect/PBX fees by enabling you to add, move and remove stations from your network without calling your service provider. In addition, you don't have to buy an expensive phone switch to set up your network. VoIP also offers many advanced calling features from caller ID and call forward to voicemail and distinctive ringing to call tracing and reminder calls, among many others. You can also manage your features through the Internet; log-in and customize services that normally you would have to rely on your provider to change - for a fee of course. Voice over Internet can lower long-distance fees by assigning a local telephone number to your VoIP phone. You will then be able to take your phone anywhere in the world, plug it into any broadband connection regardless of specific provider, and you can make LOCAL calls to your home area code. Parents can keep in touch with children at college; churches can contact missionaries all over the world; and businesses can connect branch offices in different cities. 7. Will I be able to dial 911 emergency services? Some Internet Voice services have difficulty seamlessly connecting with the 911 dispatch center or identifying the location of Internet Voice 911 callers. Check with your local VoIP provider to determine if they can provide this service in your area. 8. Will I be able to use my computer while making a VoIP phone call? Yes you most certainly will be able to use your computer while making calls on your VoIP network. 9. Will I be able to take my phone adapter with me while traveling? You should be able to use your VoIP service wherever you travel as long as you have a high-speed Internet connection available. Your adaptor should work the same as when you are at home or in the office as long as you have access to a high-speed Internet connection. 10. Does my computer need to be running in order to use VoIP service? Your computer does not need to be turned on but your broadband connection must be active in order for VoIP to function properly. However, if you are not using an adapter and choose to use a microphone or headset with your computer then your computer must be on. 11. How will I know when I receive a phone call over my VoIP service? Your VoIP phone will ring like any other telephone. 12. Who regulates VoIP services? The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has worked to create an environment promoting competition and innovation to benefit consumers. Historically, the FCC has not regulated the Internet or the services provided over it. On February 12, 2004, the FCC found that an entirely Internet-based VoIP service was an unregulated information service. On the same day, the FCC began a broader proceeding to examine what its role should be in this new environment of increased consumer choice and what it can best do to meet its role of safeguarding the public interest. In November 2004 they ruled that States do not have the jurisdiction to impose taxes on VoIP services, another victory for the consumer. 13. What are the computer system requirements for VoIP? The specific requirements of any VoIP system must be checked with each individual VoIP provider. 14. Are free trials normally available? You need to check with your selected VoIP provider to determine if a free trial is available. Most VoIP providers will provide some kind of free trial or conditional free trial period. If you are dissatisfied for any reason you should return the equipment in their original packing boxes together with all shipping paperwork and packing slips to ensure they will honor their warrantee. 14. Will I be able to use VoIP behind a firewall? You need to ask your network administrator regarding any special setting that are required to function through the firewall. 15. How can I improve the sound quality? * Speak with a headset instead of a microphone. Better still, use a phone with an adaptor. * If you are using a microphone, hold it away from the speakers to avoid having the sound from your speakers recirculate into your microphone causing feedback. * Lower the volume on your speakers. * Check with your sound card manufacturer to be sure you are using the latest drivers. * Use a direct phone jack. A split line or extension cord between your phone jack and computer can distort the sound causing an echo. Global Value Connect (http://globalvalueconnect.com) offers a wide range of VoIP products and services from the most reliable vendors at the most competitive prices. If you are in the market for VoIP services or curious as to what it may cost or how you may benefit then stop in and check out our products and services at:http://globalvalueconnect.com/VoIP.htmABOUT THE AUTHOR Global Value Connect (http://globalvalueconnect.com) has been providing the best value in telecommunication products and services for the home or office since 1995. |
Creating Value With Streaming Video Content
Creating Value With Streaming Video Content
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by: John Howarth
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Streaming video provides a number of useful opportunities for maximising the potential of an existing corporate video. And compared to other distribution media such as DVD or CD-ROMs it also offers a cost-effective solution for broadcasting a new corporate presentation to a wider audience. Although streaming video is certainly not a new concept and has been around for some time, it's now easier than ever to add streaming video content to your website. The technology required to enable video streaming is widely available, it's relatively inexpensive and with the dramatic growth in high speed, broadband internet connections, a growing number of internet users can now view high quality, streaming video on their computers. In this article, leading corporate video & business television producer, John Howarth, explains some of the ways in which streaming video content can be made to work effectively for your business and produce tangible results. Provide Compelling Content Try to provide content that creates a real interest for the viewer. Instead of simply informing them of your key corporate values - the typical narrative being 'how successful we are, the great products & services we offer, our featured clients' - why not turn the message into something that is actually useful and engaging to watch. Take for example a company that manufactures kitchen products. Whilst you could produce a video to establish company values by highlighting such areas as quality of craftsmanship and original design of the product, this information is almost certainly available more easily on the web pages. It could be far more interesting for the viewer to provide them with a series of recipes, which feature the products being used in context. Another technique is to provide content that is not centrally focused to your company's core products & services. For example, your company sponsors a sports event or art exhibition. How about showing some clips from the event, with company branding around it? By using more recognisable and popular content, you are creating a wider 'reach' for the video, with the added possibility of gaining increased website traffic. Re-Package Content Lets say you already have a corporate video, it's around ten minutes long and you currently distribute it on a video tape format or DVD. The most obvious solution would be to have it transferred to a streaming format in it's entirety and loaded up onto your website. Whilst a ten minute corporate video sequence may be useful as a backdrop display in a trade exhibition or screened to a captive audience in a conference, it's often far too long to use as a streaming video clip on your website. Who really has the time to sit and watch a corporate video clip for this length of time? It's often far more useful to break the sequence down into a series of individual clips or re-edit into a shorter, condensed version that has greater impact. Following on from this, you might also want to distribute streaming video clips around different areas on your website. This way, the clips featured can be targeted to match - and complement - the page content. For example, on a page detailing company clients and case studies, the video clip could feature customer testimonials; situated on a contact details page, the video sequence could feature some generic shots of company locations and building exterior shots. Brand The Video Whatever streaming video clips you use, try to ensure they are branded with your corporate identity. This could be a small logo in the top corner of the screen or a 'picture frame' wrapped around the moving images. Taking it a step further, you may want to add an introduction sequence with animated corporate logos at the beginning and end of every sequence. Another option is to create an HTML or Flash 'player' customised with your corporate identity. The video clip would then play within this frame and could be complemented by some animated product or service information around it. When reviewing website statistics, it is frequently pages featuring streaming video content that are the most 'sticky' and have the longest viewing times by site visitors. Use this factor to your advantage - it's an ideal opportunity to get your core brand values, products and services across to the site visitor. John Howarth is creative director of Blue Tuna Limited, a leading UK-based corporate communications & multi-media production agency. Past projects include live streaming for leading online bookmaker, Blue Square and the launch of the UK's of the first club soccer channel, Boro TV for NTL. |
3 Reasons Why Medical Billing Software is Leading the Way
3 Reasons Why Medical Billing Software is Leading the Way
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by: Joe Miller
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| Since technology changes so quickly, it is hard to begin by saying "in the old days . . . ," but that seems to fit the best. In the old days, medical companies, service providers, and almost any other business which used automated billing enjoyed the convenience of logging on to a database (or several, they the company had multiple offices) and processing their billing statements. This "old way" required IT and servers, and is actually still the current way for most businesses. Somewhere along the way, medical billing software was developed to process billing without logging on to multiple databases, without having IT, and without crowding the server. This medical billing software is not only cutting edge, but it is also a miracle because it comes without a large set-up and usage expense. Soon, all companies will be marching to the beat of the new medical billing software drummer. Let's explore the differences between the "old way" and the new by looking at the 3 reasons why medical billing software is leading the way in corporate software. Connection The "old way" was convenient for its time, but that time may soon be gone. It consisted of a different database for each office, which meant that if your business had 3 offices, you would have had to log on to 3 different databases to process your billing statements and close at the end of each day. Using only a broadband connection, "the new" way connects you to an unlimited number of databases at once, allowing you to manage all of your accounts with clients, providers, etc., all in one connection. In addition, with the same technology now available with medical billing software, you can connect to a secure server from anywhere with a broadband internet connection. You can work from home, the hotel, or anywhere else on a secure account that can only be accessed by those whom you authorize. Capacity The "old way" was to have separate applications for every function your business needed to perform. For example, records of clients, customers, providers, or patients, would each be kept in separate files in multiple databases. Then, to track appointments and schedules, your business would probably have had to open a whole new application. Now medical billing software has one system for all of the functions your business needs to perform, not just to process medical billing statements. Log on; track your provider records and schedules, your client records and schedules, and your own financial records and schedules, all in one place. Security The question that runs through the minds of every thoughtful business when a new technology that claims to guard so many important and sensitive documents is, "Is this secure software?" The answer is "yes," because this advanced medical billing software backs-up, protects, and secures all data on HIPAA-compliant servers, which are accessible only to those whom you authorize. New medical billing software is also a pioneer in financial security because the software does not require large start-up costs; it is billed the same way it is used: month to month. Businesses can benefit from the technology medical billing software now has to offer. It has been said that the greatest breakthroughs come at the intersection of two different disciplines. Medical billing software has made a breakthrough in combining business skills with medical practice and providing medical billing software that not only meets medical billing needs but also provides a template for software that any business could benefit from. About the Author Joe Miller is specialist in online advertising. For more information on medical billing software, please visit AdvancedMD.com. |
The Premium Movie Channel Paradigm Could Soon Face Extinctio
The Premium Movie Channel Paradigm Could Soon Face Extinctio
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by: Terry Mitchell
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| The article sent shockwaves throughout Wall Street, as the stock prices for both TiVo and Netflix shot up. Last September, a Newsweek article reported that TiVo and Netflix might be getting together to produce a true form of video-on-demand (VOD). Last week, a Netflix official fueled this speculation by dropping hints about a potential joint venture. TiVo, the original and premier provider of digital video recorders (DVRs) in the U.S., would eventually provide instantaneous online access to the entire DVD library (currently more than 35,000 films) of Netflix, the nation's number one mail order video rental service. This would be accomplished via a broadband internet connection to specially equipped TiVo DVRs. This development could also spell the beginning of the end for premium movie services like HBO, Showtime, and Starz. First, let's put all of this into perspective with a little history of the premium services. Home Box Office (HBO) was the first premium service, debuting in 1975. It was one of the first channels beamed from a satellite and carried by cable operators across the country. As its popularity grew in the late 1970's, several other premium services like Showtime, Cinemax, The Movie Channel, as well as some lesser known premium services came into existence. The industry started consolidating in the early 1980's as HBO bought Cinemax, Showtime bought The Movie Channel, and those lesser know services went belly-up. In the early 1990's, the Starz-Encore networks debuted to compete with the HBO and Showtime networks. During the mid-1990's, as satellite services such as Directv and Dish Network debuted, the premium services began offering "multiplexed" channels, i.e., multiple channels of HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, The Movie Channel, and Starz-Encore for the price of one. Unfortunately, the number of movie choices didn't increase. Those services just began to air their same libraries of movies at different times on their various multiplexed channels. There are hundreds of movies at local video stores that have never played (and will never play) on the premium channels while there are a comparatively small number of others that have played on these channels thousands of times. That has always been the major weakness of the premium services. Multiplexing did not fix this problem. Several market tests of VOD were conducted during the 1980's and the early 1990's but, because the technology was rather primitive, it did not catch on with consumers. By the late 1990's, it finally seemed ready and lots of promises were made about the brave new world of VOD. The cable companies were talking about veritable online video stores, which were going to put Blockbuster, et al, out of business. Unfortunately, the reality of VOD has never lived up to its hype. The stuff the cable companies are currently passing off as VOD is nothing more than a glorified version of pay-per-view or a DVR. For the most part, their VOD offerings aren't any different from the stuff currently playing on the premium channels and/or on pay-per-view. This is what I call "faux VOD." How lame! Fortunately, led by the apparent impending TiVo-Netflix undertaking, the landscape is about to change and a new era of genuine VOD is about to be ushered in. PC-based broadband VOD services like Cinemanow (www.cinemanow.com) and Movielink (www.movielink.com) have been up and running for several years and are about to broaden their offerings. In addition, SBC Communications and EchoStar Communications have already announced that they are teaming up to provide an online-to-TV VOD service this year, while several similar phone company-satellite operator projects are still in the negotiations stage. Also, Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) platforms, offering hundreds of television channels via a broadband internet connection to a TV set-top box, will be coming online this year. One of the major features of these services will be advanced VOD technology. Microsoft has developed its own version of IPTV technology. See Microsoft's website (www.microsolft.com/tv) for details. The nation's two largest phone companies, Verizon and SBC, plan to utilize Microsoft's technology in the rollout of their respective IPTV platforms later this year. Not to be outdone, several smaller companies also plan to compete in the broadband-to-TV market. Akimbo Systems (www.akimbo.com) debuted its service last fall and is currently in the process of expanding. Similar ventures such as DAVETV (www.dave.tv), TimeShift TV, (www.timeshiftv.com), and VCinema (www.vcinema.com) plan to enter the market later this year. All of these companies plan to offer almost unlimited amounts of movies, TV shows, sports, specialty programming, and international programs via a set-top box interface between a broadband connection and a TV set. This programming will be culled from the vast internet universe and made available for TV viewing. For a more detailed description of these services, see my related article entitled, "The Coming Television Revolution." If nothing else, all of these developments should compel cable companies to offer a much more competitive form of VOD. Comcast, one of the leading cable providers and a partner with Sony in its recent purchase of the MGM movie library, is now in the process of rolling out its advanced VOD platform. The other cable companies are sure to be following suit real soon. Meanwhile, the premium services have still been slogging along. The premium channel paradigm has long outlived its original usefulness and has only been able to hang around because of the lack of a good VOD system thus far. The only thing really going for the premiums right now is their award-winning original programming; including series' like "The Sopranos", "Dead Like Me", and "Six Feet Under." Perhaps the premium services could morph into original-programming-only services in order to survive. However, they'd have to seriously increase the number of series' (and the number of episodes of each) they produce. Perhaps they could also carry longer and/or alternative versions of programs already aired on broadcast television and basic cable. In addition, they would have to find a way to lower their subscription rates. I'm not sure all of that would be feasible. One thing I do know for sure is that people would not continue to subscribe to the premium channels for their movie content once they could conveniently pull up virtually any movie or TV show they wanted, any time they wanted. About The Author Terry Mitchell is a software engineer, freelance writer, and trivia buff from Hopewell, VA. He also serves as a political columnist for American Daily and operates his own website - http://www.commenterry.com - on which he posts commentaries on various subjects such as politics, technology, religion, health and well-being, personal finance, and sports. His commentaries offer a unique point of view that is not often found in mainstream media. terrymitchell@verizon.net |
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