If you have answered yes to any of these questions, read on, to familiarize yourself with the present day available technology and the technology of the future.
There are three basic ways to have access to the Internet: one, via a telephone, which is the present system; two, via a cable system; and three, via direct satellite. The first option is the most available for now. The last two options are currently available; however, the cable system is only available in urban areas.
The most common access to the Internet, is via the common telephone. The telephone companies (TelCo) are offering to consumers a new service, ISDN, which transforms the current (telephone/analog) signal to a digital signal, thus increasing the current speed of 64 kbps to 128 kbps (kilo bytes per second). However, most of the current modems are 28.8 kbps, and ISDN modems are not readily available.
Internet providers utilize the telephone companies' larger transmission line, which is called a "T-1". The use of this line is available to the consumer; it may cost up to a thousand dollars a month to rent. A T-1 line will support simultaneously 24 channels (each telephone line counts as one channel), at 64 kbps each: that equals a total speed of 1.5 Mbps.
The second option to access the Internet is via TV cable system. The cable companies transmit data at speeds in excess of 155 Mbps, because to transmit each second of video footage, 300 Gbps are needed without compression.
Compression is an integral part of TV/video applications, thus allowing huge amounts of data to be sent on smaller slower systems. However, you give up speed. Currently, the cable systems are offering Internet access from 3 Mbps to 10 Mbps which now offers GREATER SPEED. The down side of the cable modems is one, cost (300 to 400 dollars) and two, availability. The cost is relatively inexpensive when you look at the speed. The modems are projected to be available to the consumer in the first quarter of 1997.
A third way to access the Internet is via direct satellite. On the market today are 21 inch dishes available with speeds of 400 to 700 kbps, which is 28 times faster than the current modem. The initial cost of such system will range from 900 to 3300 dollars (the higher amount includes the PC software, which makes it a complete receiving system). The charge for downloading thesystem would be just under $20 . The satellite is a viable option for those who want higher speeds than ISDN, and for those who are located out of the reach of the cable network.
So, you might ask, what are the applications of these systems? Hospital uses i.e. imaging (x-rays), distance learning and availability of access to the Internet for schools, to name a few.
Does this affect the home owner? I would answer, YES, because if you are aware of technologies of the future, you might consider wiring your home or your office to be Internet ready. How to do this? by upgrading your communications wiring (fiber optic, polyester or plastic, copperwire) You should anticipate speeds up to 155 Mbps.
To conclude, did you know that the high speed cable modems/fiber
optic transmission lines
are currently being used in the SISD? The Seguin High School
and Middle Schools have it.
Robert H. Gardner
gardner@connecti.com
Robert Gardner is a member of the Seguin Internet Club, and is
a video/telecommunications
coordinator to the SISD; he also is the President of RHGA, Inc,
a business consulting firm.
The September meeting of the Seguin Internet
Club will take place on Saturday September 21 at Century 21 D&D
at 10 am. There will be the on-line capability, to facilitate
the answer to Internet questions and the sharing of information
and helpful tips.
The Seguin Internet club consists of Internet users who help one another to learn more about the various topics of Internet use. The September meeting will be an unstructured meeting where members discuss Internet problems and questions among each other, and share helpful information through posting hints and web sites for all to see. Club members include young students, home users and commercial users, who have as a common unifying link, their Internet enthusiasm. There are no dues involved. Anyone, regardless of Internet proficiency or Internet provider, can be a member. Members are invited to write articles for the Sunday column Internet Beat.
To contribute to the Internet Beat column, contact column coordinator Gloria Rivera at 303-4764, riverag@connecti.com. The articles need to be useful to the Internet user and understandable to the non-user.
To join the Seguin Internet Club, contact Jerry Weers or Alton Hierholzer at 303-0818 or 303-9260; weersjt@texas.net or altonh@connecti.com
All the past articles published in this Internet Beat column are
available on the Internet at the Seguin Internet Club web page
at: http://lonestar.texas.net/~weersjt/club/home.html
The purpose
of the articles is to contribute to the Internet literacy of the
community.