High speed internet has improved drastically in both performance and quality, while simultaneously decreasing exponentially in the cost of business. You can now leverage more bandwidth for a fraction of the cost and even consolidate all your communication needs (phone, internet, video, voice and fax) through one seamless and reliable provider. For consumers, the cost savings has decreased, but the quality is still nothing in comparison to what commercial services provide for equivalent costs. Some people still consider business satellite internet only a necessity for remote locations or for emergency or occasional use, but providing fixed satellite can be ideal regardless of need for mobile satellite connectivity, or connecting to multiple locations.

When addressing the challenges associated with business continuity, such as in times of inclement weather, disaster recovery or infrastructure outages, business satellite internet communications can be extremely useful and almost necessary. In situations where terrestrial communications may be disabled or nonexistent, being able to maintain production schedules, provide support and continue the sales process is often only possible through internet satellite.

In addition, a viable solution for businesses communicating among multiple office locations, or remote and transient employees, mobile satellite brings the power of communication to a whole new level. Having the ability to streamline communications through business satellite internet solutions, can reduce operating and infrastructure expenses by consolidation.

With the reliability of internet satellite, quality is better than ever. As the world increasingly goes mobile with e-mail, instant messaging, text messaging and cell phones, the challenge for IT departments to provide a communications infrastructure that meets the growing demands can be easily managed by housing much of the communications support through business satellite internet. An additional benefit is the increased productivity, reduction of unnecessary expenses and the provision of imperative backup, emergency or occasional use communications. As we've seen in so many of the recent disasters from hurricanes to earthquakes, terrestrial infrastructures are easily made inoperable.

Enterprises today can leverage the fastest available Internet connection, greatly increasing productivity and efficiency, resulting in better profitability margins. Reliable bandwidth to support commercial satellite services worldwide is available with only a few providers. Business satellite internet provides many options in fixed and mobile satellite services. The key to a successful implementation is to deploy high performance multi-network communications through a single source, thereby ensuring the quality and operability of mission critical procedures.

EVDO is the abbreviation for Evolution-Data Optimised or Evolution-Data Only. It is the new emerging standard for wireless transmission of data via radio signals. This technology is presently used for wireless broadband access of the internet. In the ever advancing telecommunications technology, EVDO has arrived using the multiplexing techniques such as CDMA or Code-Dvision Multiple Access and TDMA or Time-Division Multiple Access in order to enhance and maximise the thoroughput of the individual user and the overall system. EVDO rides on the CDMA network, much like the cellphones.

This 3G wireless broadband internet access service called EVDO is directly competing with Wi-Fi. While Wi-Fi has limitations, EVDO transcends most of this and provides always-on internet services. Wherever your cellphone has range, EVDO will function and provide high-speed internet. The US has seen a spurt in the EVDO service providers with the emergence of Verizon and Sprint as the front-runners. In India, the state-owned communications giant BSNL has already gone ahead and implemented the EVDO Wireless Broadband Services in select Indian Towns and Cities. With EV-DV, the voice counterpart of EVDO slated to arrive, the wireless internet services scenario looks bright.

Broadband internet services in India especially has come of age only recently. But the rapid advancements in this area belie the late entry into the field by India. Already several private and public service providers compete with each other and the cut-throat competition has already seen price-reduction wars. With the EVDO being taken up by private and public players, the competition is hotting up. Tata Indicom, one of the bigger private players has already introduced the usb internet modem based on the CDMA platform. Tata Indicom was earlier upstaged by Reliance Infocomm another big private player in its race to launch the Internet Data Card or the usb-CDMA Modem. Now the BSNL has entered the arena with a flamboyant launch of the EVDO data card.

Whether it is broadband DSL or wireless broadband EVDO or WiFi, the customers are in for a real treat of surfing the net at blinding speed at virtually down to earth prices.

Almost 90% of internet users in the UK use a broadband connection, with average speeds of 2-8 Mbps. But because of technology becoming more and more advanced, such speeds may soon be too slow. Fortunately, there are new systems being developed which could deliver super-fast broadband to our homes.

The first is the use of fibre optics instead of the current copper cables. These fibres can carry speeds between 50Mbps and 100Mbps both upstream and downstream, meaning that uploading files to your online storage could be just as fast as downloading media from a website. Fibre optic systems can be expensive, in the region of £15 billion, but it could well be a reality in a few years.

VDSL (Very high speed Digital Subscriber Line) is a cheaper option which combines the use of optics with copper. VDSL can handle high bandwidth applications like VoIP and HDTV, as well as general internet access. Rolling out VDSL across the country will involve building 90,000 cabinets to house the cables at street level and will give users speeds of around 30Mbps

Wi-Fi has been available in the UK for some time, but the next generation, WiMax, will be able to deliver high speeds, around 70Mbps, over much longer distances, approximately 50km, all without the use of cables. In many countries WiMax is the predominant broadband infrastructure, and it shouldn't be too long before it becomes as commonplace as Wi-Fi in the UK.

Cable was perhaps the first method of delivering broadband to homes, and the protocol used currently is DOCSIS 1.0 (Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification). Version 1.0 is capable of speeds of up to 38Mbps, and a version 3.0 is being trialled in parts of the UK, and noting speeds of 50Mbps. It's hoped that eventually, DOCSIS will deliver around 120Mbps. This system has another advantage; unlike current methods, the connection speed isn't reliant on being close to the local exchange, and speeds should be consistent among all users.

:: The Definition of Backbone Cabling

Backbone cabling may be within one building or between buildings on a campus. All wiring between telecommunication rooms is called as backbone cabling.

In many cases, backbone cabling is actually between wiring closets on the same floor of a building, but the more typical case is the floor to floor wiring in a multi-floor building. Many call it vertical cabling in contrast to horizontal cabling.

:: How are backbone wiring implemented?

Typically all hubs, concentrators and switches are placed in the telecom rooms which serve all workstations on that same floor. Backbone wiring then connects the hubs, on to another on different floors.

• Daisy Chain wiring. In a daisy chain wiring, the back bone wiring connects from hub to hub to hub. Daisy chain is a good choice for Token-Ring topology, since it provides convenient ring-in and ring-out connections.

• Star wiring: In a star wiring, the back bone wiring connects all hubs from different floors to a center hub. Star wiring is a good choice for Ethernet which must limits repeater jumps.

For large buildings, telecom rooms are often placed in services shaft, one above the other, distances between telecom rooms are minimal. Thus the backbone wiring from each floor may be concentrated in a single master telecom room and the number of repeater jumps minimized.

:: How is backbone wiring capacity implemented?

Backbone wiring should be terminated in the same manner as horizontal cabling. The backbone cabling should be of same or higher category and type that meets your performance requirements and the safety and fire protection requirements for your installation.

For example, for Cat 5e horizontal wiring, you should use Cat 5e cable or even higher category such as Cat 6 and Cat 7. If you anticipate using your wiring system for multiple applications, double or even triple each backbone wiring run. This will give you ample room for growth and the ability to rapidly respond to new requirements.

:: Fire Safety

Most standard require that all riser cable (cable that goes vertically between floors) be riser rated for its fire and smoking rating. Some even require plenum rated cables.

But one most important thing is - you must properly install fire-stop material on all openings you make between floors, no matter those are cable ports or direct openings.

If you backbone wiring actually involves floor-to-floor cabling in vertical shafts or cable ports, you may need to use special riser cable that has a fire-retardant sheath, certified to meet NEC low-flame requirements. The NEC requires that riser cable meet UL flammability tests to be used in high-rise buildings.

:: Grounding requirement

When pulling cables between far flung telecom rooms or between floors, electrical grounding and bonding requirements must be observed. You can refer to EIA/TIA standards for the proper practices.

:: Advantages of fiber optic cable

Fiber optic cable provides significant advantages over copper cable. Fiber optic cable is not subject to electrical or magnetic interference, and thus may be run in locations, such as elevator shafts or alongside power lines.

Cutting costs is a great business practice, until it REALLY "costs" you money in the end. That's the principal risk with a small business phone system: Buy too little, and scalability will be expensive or near impossible. Spend too much on a professional telephone system, and you'll waste money if your employees don't really use all the nifty high-tech features (often times they won't).

A small business phone system for companies with more than 10 employees, or those that expect to expand soon, is a matter of budgeting over the medium term and looking for the best fit from a variety of technologies.

Points covered:

1. Basic phone system with key service unit (or "key system")

2. Moving your phone system to a full-fledged PBX

3. Hosted or virtual PBX offerings phone system

4. Web-based phone systems

*What is a decent small business phone system for most companies:

What you probably expect from a standard phone system is voicemail, a receptionist station, call transfer capabilities and expandability/scalability. For that level of requirement, you'll need what's called a key service unit or KSU small business phone system.

I recommend: The KSU is actually a small box on the wall which you'll need your phone vendor to install, along with the software to run it. See KSU telephone system vendors: Toshiba, Nortel, AT&T and Vertical (Comdial).

*When to consider a professional PBX phone system:

From 10 users to 40, small business phone system KSU units are probably rich enough in features for this size. After 40 or when connecting multiple offices, a PBX (private branch exchange) system begins to make more sense as an overall telephone system.

I recommend: A PBX replicates the level of service once provided by human operators at telco switchboards. They can can handle a great deal of incoming calls, route connections accurately and quickly, and provide many additional features, such as: automated directories of employee extensions, call parking/holding, complex conference calling and highly configurable voicemail services. Small business phone system PBX vendors include Fonality, TalkSwitch, Nortel, Cisco Systems, Avaya and 3Com.

*A middle-ground PBX solution:

Thanks to the Internet, it's now possible to acquire much of the usability of a PBX system over the Web. Rather than invest upfront in hardware, you pay a monthly fee for small business phone system features via the Internet.

I recommend: Vendors of hosted, virtual or IP PBXs such as: RingCentral, VirtualPBX, GotVmail, Freedom800, and VoiceNation.

*Consider an IP based telephone system:

If you have access to commercial grade broadband, then you can acquire the latest and greatest in small business phone services. Assuming your office is located in a fairly populated U.S. city and the building is properly wired for high capacity bandwidth services. Most buildings which have an ordinary 'telephone pole cable' attached to it, has the ability to transmit this type of service.

I recommend: An integrated access voice + data T1 or PRI. Also called a VoIP or SIP T1. It can function with standard analog telephones, or newer digital telephones. Computer "soft" phones may also be used in conjunction with an IP PBX, which is a PC software based PBX (housed in a computer server, rather than a traditional PBX hardware unit). And these systems can mimic the kind of features common to expensive PBX systems as well. Integrated T1s can offer a tremendous savings over individual POTS lines as well as a significant savings on long distance calls.

The music download giant Napster has recently launched an online music store, where internet users can download individual MP3's for a price of around 60p each, or £5 for a full album.

It's estimated at over 6 million tracks will be available to purchase, and be in the standard MP3 format, meaning they can be played on iPods, MP3 players, or burnt onto audio CD's. The new store by Napster is a direct competitor for Amazon and iTunes, which is currently the largest music retailer in the US.

This move by Napster will see the end of digital protection on studio tracks as more and more people wish to have the option of downloading directly onto portable music devices other than an iPod - currently iTunes uses Fairplay Digital Rights Management to prevent the use of their tracks being used on any other device.

Of course, downloading music will require a fast internet connection, which is where Broadband comes into its own. A 3.2Mb song could take just a minute or two with a high-speed broadband connection, whereas with a dial-up modem the same song could take around 20 minutes. And music downloads are just one benefit of broadband. With a faster connection you can also watch movies online, take part in web conferencing, and simply browse through websites faster. And with the advent of VoIP, you can even use a high-speed connection to talk online to others, free of charge. You can download the Skype software and use it to talk to other Skype users anywhere in the world without it costing you a penny.

Perhaps the area in which broadband really is indispensable is the world of online gaming. With games like Neverwinter Nights, World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy opening up to online players across the world, it's even more important to have a steady, fast connection. Because of the immense amount of people on a game server at any one time, a gamer needs a good connection to cope with it.

If you currently have cable Internet and/or television, ask yourself how happy you are with the reliability, and with the customer service you get when you call for help. Most cable customers would happily choose another provider, if someone else offered the same speed, quality and content options at a comparable price. Verizon Fios goes one better.

Cable Internet providers brag about their high speeds and fiber-optic networks, but there's one fact they're leaving out. The fiber-optic networks cable providers use stop at your curb. Your Internet access enters and leaves your home over conventional analog connections, because cable fiber-optic networks do not extend into your home. Verizon FiOS is the first Internet service to extend fiber-optic connection all the way to your computer, which means FiOS is extremely fast.

Verizon FiOS is also a reliable Internet Service Provider, because the signal travels over digital fiber-optic networks exclusively. Fios provides stable Internet service and is Verizon's new FiOS service with excellent uptime and reliability.

You'll also find the quality of your connection is excellent with Verizon FiOS; you won't have the equivalent of a brownout when your connection seems to falter.. With Verizon FiOS, you get the always-on connection you pay for.

And if you currently have cable, you'll appreciate that Verizon FiOS comes with better, more courteous and more helpful customer service technicians than you may get with your current provider. While you should find yourself needing customer support far less often with Verizon FiOS, when you do need it, you'll have a pleasant experience and get your problem solved quickly.

When you sign up with Verizon FiOS, you'll get access to a library of great content, including games, gaming reviews and news, movie trailers and reviews and exclusive interviews, and music reviews and features mixes exclusive to Verizon users.

As you can see, Verizon FiOS does not offer the "same speed, quality and content options" as cable; it offers much faster connections, with better quality and excellent content. You'll also be surprised to find it does not cost about the same as cable, but actually costs less, with plans starting at $42.99 monthly.

When you sign up with Verizon FiOS for one year, you'll get a free professional installation, connect to the Internet at blazingly fast speeds, pay less per month than you're currently spending on cable, and get the excellent quality and professional support you expect from an Internet service provider.

Verizon FiOS offers an alternative to the cable company alternative and realizes that your Internet service is an important part of your life, and you expect and deserve the best.

High speed internet has improved drastically in both performance and quality, while simultaneously decreasing exponentially in the cost of business. You can now leverage more bandwidth for a fraction of the cost and even consolidate all your communication needs (phone, internet, video, voice and fax) through one seamless and reliable provider. For consumers, the cost savings has decreased, but the quality is still nothing in comparison to what commercial services provide for equivalent costs. Some people still consider business satellite internet only a necessity for remote locations or for emergency or occasional use, but providing fixed satellite can be ideal regardless of need for mobile satellite connectivity, or connecting to multiple locations.

When addressing the challenges associated with business continuity, such as in times of inclement weather, disaster recovery or infrastructure outages, business satellite internet communications can be extremely useful and almost necessary. In situations where terrestrial communications may be disabled or nonexistent, being able to maintain production schedules, provide support and continue the sales process is often only possible through internet satellite.

In addition, a viable solution for businesses communicating among multiple office locations, or remote and transient employees, mobile satellite brings the power of communication to a whole new level. Having the ability to streamline communications through business satellite internet solutions, can reduce operating and infrastructure expenses by consolidation.

With the reliability of internet satellite, quality is better than ever. As the world increasingly goes mobile with e-mail, instant messaging, text messaging and cell phones, the challenge for IT departments to provide a communications infrastructure that meets the growing demands can be easily managed by housing much of the communications support through business satellite internet. An additional benefit is the increased productivity, reduction of unnecessary expenses and the provision of imperative backup, emergency or occasional use communications. As we've seen in so many of the recent disasters from hurricanes to earthquakes, terrestrial infrastructures are easily made inoperable.

Enterprises today can leverage the fastest available Internet connection, greatly increasing productivity and efficiency, resulting in better profitability margins. Reliable bandwidth to support commercial satellite services worldwide is available with only a few providers. Business satellite internet provides many options in fixed and mobile satellite services. The key to a successful implementation is to deploy high performance multi-network communications through a single source, thereby ensuring the quality and operability of mission critical procedures.

EVDO is the abbreviation for Evolution-Data Optimised or Evolution-Data Only. It is the new emerging standard for wireless transmission of data via radio signals. This technology is presently used for wireless broadband access of the internet. In the ever advancing telecommunications technology, EVDO has arrived using the multiplexing techniques such as CDMA or Code-Dvision Multiple Access and TDMA or Time-Division Multiple Access in order to enhance and maximise the thoroughput of the individual user and the overall system. EVDO rides on the CDMA network, much like the cellphones.

This 3G wireless broadband internet access service called EVDO is directly competing with Wi-Fi. While Wi-Fi has limitations, EVDO transcends most of this and provides always-on internet services. Wherever your cellphone has range, EVDO will function and provide high-speed internet. The US has seen a spurt in the EVDO service providers with the emergence of Verizon and Sprint as the front-runners. In India, the state-owned communications giant BSNL has already gone ahead and implemented the EVDO Wireless Broadband Services in select Indian Towns and Cities. With EV-DV, the voice counterpart of EVDO slated to arrive, the wireless internet services scenario looks bright.

Broadband internet services in India especially has come of age only recently. But the rapid advancements in this area belie the late entry into the field by India. Already several private and public service providers compete with each other and the cut-throat competition has already seen price-reduction wars. With the EVDO being taken up by private and public players, the competition is hotting up. Tata Indicom, one of the bigger private players has already introduced the usb internet modem based on the CDMA platform. Tata Indicom was earlier upstaged by Reliance Infocomm another big private player in its race to launch the Internet Data Card or the usb-CDMA Modem. Now the BSNL has entered the arena with a flamboyant launch of the EVDO data card.

Whether it is broadband DSL or wireless broadband EVDO or WiFi, the customers are in for a real treat of surfing the net at blinding speed at virtually down to earth prices.

Almost 90% of internet users in the UK use a broadband connection, with average speeds of 2-8 Mbps. But because of technology becoming more and more advanced, such speeds may soon be too slow. Fortunately, there are new systems being developed which could deliver super-fast broadband to our homes.

The first is the use of fibre optics instead of the current copper cables. These fibres can carry speeds between 50Mbps and 100Mbps both upstream and downstream, meaning that uploading files to your online storage could be just as fast as downloading media from a website. Fibre optic systems can be expensive, in the region of £15 billion, but it could well be a reality in a few years.

VDSL (Very high speed Digital Subscriber Line) is a cheaper option which combines the use of optics with copper. VDSL can handle high bandwidth applications like VoIP and HDTV, as well as general internet access. Rolling out VDSL across the country will involve building 90,000 cabinets to house the cables at street level and will give users speeds of around 30Mbps

Wi-Fi has been available in the UK for some time, but the next generation, WiMax, will be able to deliver high speeds, around 70Mbps, over much longer distances, approximately 50km, all without the use of cables. In many countries WiMax is the predominant broadband infrastructure, and it shouldn't be too long before it becomes as commonplace as Wi-Fi in the UK.

Cable was perhaps the first method of delivering broadband to homes, and the protocol used currently is DOCSIS 1.0 (Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification). Version 1.0 is capable of speeds of up to 38Mbps, and a version 3.0 is being trialled in parts of the UK, and noting speeds of 50Mbps. It's hoped that eventually, DOCSIS will deliver around 120Mbps. This system has another advantage; unlike current methods, the connection speed isn't reliant on being close to the local exchange, and speeds should be consistent among all users.

The Definition of Backbone Cabling

Backbone cabling may be within one building or between buildings on a campus. All wiring between telecommunication rooms is called as backbone cabling.

In many cases, backbone cabling is actually between wiring closets on the same floor of a building, but the more typical case is the floor to floor wiring in a multi-floor building. Many call it vertical cabling in contrast to horizontal cabling.

:: How are backbone wiring implemented?

Typically all hubs, concentrators and switches are placed in the telecom rooms which serve all workstations on that same floor. Backbone wiring then connects the hubs, on to another on different floors.

• Daisy Chain wiring. In a daisy chain wiring, the back bone wiring connects from hub to hub to hub. Daisy chain is a good choice for Token-Ring topology, since it provides convenient ring-in and ring-out connections.

• Star wiring: In a star wiring, the back bone wiring connects all hubs from different floors to a center hub. Star wiring is a good choice for Ethernet which must limits repeater jumps.

For large buildings, telecom rooms are often placed in services shaft, one above the other, distances between telecom rooms are minimal. Thus the backbone wiring from each floor may be concentrated in a single master telecom room and the number of repeater jumps minimized.

:: How is backbone wiring capacity implemented?

Backbone wiring should be terminated in the same manner as horizontal cabling. The backbone cabling should be of same or higher category and type that meets your performance requirements and the safety and fire protection requirements for your installation.

For example, for Cat 5e horizontal wiring, you should use Cat 5e cable or even higher category such as Cat 6 and Cat 7. If you anticipate using your wiring system for multiple applications, double or even triple each backbone wiring run. This will give you ample room for growth and the ability to rapidly respond to new requirements.

:: Fire Safety

Most standard require that all riser cable (cable that goes vertically between floors) be riser rated for its fire and smoking rating. Some even require plenum rated cables.

But one most important thing is - you must properly install fire-stop material on all openings you make between floors, no matter those are cable ports or direct openings.

If you backbone wiring actually involves floor-to-floor cabling in vertical shafts or cable ports, you may need to use special riser cable that has a fire-retardant sheath, certified to meet NEC low-flame requirements. The NEC requires that riser cable meet UL flammability tests to be used in high-rise buildings.

:: Grounding requirement

When pulling cables between far flung telecom rooms or between floors, electrical grounding and bonding requirements must be observed. You can refer to EIA/TIA standards for the proper practices.

:: Advantages of fiber optic cable

Fiber optic cable provides significant advantages over copper cable. Fiber optic cable is not subject to electrical or magnetic interference, and thus may be run in locations, such as elevator shafts or alongside power lines.

Cutting costs is a great business practice, until it REALLY "costs" you money in the end. That's the principal risk with a small business phone system: Buy too little, and scalability will be expensive or near impossible. Spend too much on a professional telephone system, and you'll waste money if your employees don't really use all the nifty high-tech features (often times they won't).

A small business phone system for companies with more than 10 employees, or those that expect to expand soon, is a matter of budgeting over the medium term and looking for the best fit from a variety of technologies.

Points covered:

1. Basic phone system with key service unit (or "key system")

2. Moving your phone system to a full-fledged PBX

3. Hosted or virtual PBX offerings phone system

4. Web-based phone systems

*What is a decent small business phone system for most companies:

What you probably expect from a standard phone system is voicemail, a receptionist station, call transfer capabilities and expandability/scalability. For that level of requirement, you'll need what's called a key service unit or KSU small business phone system.

I recommend: The KSU is actually a small box on the wall which you'll need your phone vendor to install, along with the software to run it. See KSU telephone system vendors: Toshiba, Nortel, AT&T and Vertical (Comdial).

*When to consider a professional PBX phone system:

From 10 users to 40, small business phone system KSU units are probably rich enough in features for this size. After 40 or when connecting multiple offices, a PBX (private branch exchange) system begins to make more sense as an overall telephone system.

I recommend: A PBX replicates the level of service once provided by human operators at telco switchboards. They can can handle a great deal of incoming calls, route connections accurately and quickly, and provide many additional features, such as: automated directories of employee extensions, call parking/holding, complex conference calling and highly configurable voicemail services. Small business phone system PBX vendors include Fonality, TalkSwitch, Nortel, Cisco Systems, Avaya and 3Com.

*A middle-ground PBX solution:

Thanks to the Internet, it's now possible to acquire much of the usability of a PBX system over the Web. Rather than invest upfront in hardware, you pay a monthly fee for small business phone system features via the Internet.

I recommend: Vendors of hosted, virtual or IP PBXs such as: RingCentral, VirtualPBX, GotVmail, Freedom800, and VoiceNation.

*Consider an IP based telephone system:

If you have access to commercial grade broadband, then you can acquire the latest and greatest in small business phone services. Assuming your office is located in a fairly populated U.S. city and the building is properly wired for high capacity bandwidth services. Most buildings which have an ordinary 'telephone pole cable' attached to it, has the ability to transmit this type of service.

I recommend: An integrated access voice + data T1 or PRI. Also called a VoIP or SIP T1. It can function with standard analog telephones, or newer digital telephones. Computer "soft" phones may also be used in conjunction with an IP PBX, which is a PC software based PBX (housed in a computer server, rather than a traditional PBX hardware unit). And these systems can mimic the kind of features common to expensive PBX systems as well. Integrated T1s can offer a tremendous savings over individual POTS lines as well as a significant savings on long distance calls.

The music download giant Napster has recently launched an online music store, where internet users can download individual MP3's for a price of around 60p each, or £5 for a full album.

It's estimated at over 6 million tracks will be available to purchase, and be in the standard MP3 format, meaning they can be played on iPods, MP3 players, or burnt onto audio CD's. The new store by Napster is a direct competitor for Amazon and iTunes, which is currently the largest music retailer in the US.

This move by Napster will see the end of digital protection on studio tracks as more and more people wish to have the option of downloading directly onto portable music devices other than an iPod - currently iTunes uses Fairplay Digital Rights Management to prevent the use of their tracks being used on any other device.

Of course, downloading music will require a fast internet connection, which is where Broadband comes into its own. A 3.2Mb song could take just a minute or two with a high-speed broadband connection, whereas with a dial-up modem the same song could take around 20 minutes. And music downloads are just one benefit of broadband. With a faster connection you can also watch movies online, take part in web conferencing, and simply browse through websites faster. And with the advent of VoIP, you can even use a high-speed connection to talk online to others, free of charge. You can download the Skype software and use it to talk to other Skype users anywhere in the world without it costing you a penny.

Perhaps the area in which broadband really is indispensable is the world of online gaming. With games like Neverwinter Nights, World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy opening up to online players across the world, it's even more important to have a steady, fast connection. Because of the immense amount of people on a game server at any one time, a gamer needs a good connection to cope with it.

Once upon a time, everyone connected to the Internet over phone lines. Dialup was slow and the lines were often busy, but that was what we had. At work we might have the luxury of a T1 line, but at home we had, at best, 56K. Then DSL and cable modems came along, and high-speed Internet access became a consumer product. Now Verizon FiOS is changing the face of consumer Internet access.

If you watch much television, you see a ton of commercials from your cable provider bragging about the speed of their Internet connection, compared to DSL. Unfortunately for the cable company, Verizon FiOS is faster, cheaper, and more reliable than cable modems. Add great service and members-only content, and Verizon FiOS embarrasses cable companies.

The key to Verizon's speed and reliability lies in its fiber-optic connection that extends all the way to your computer. Cable companies brag about fiber-optic networks, but don't advertise that their fiber-optic network goes only to the curb. Until Verizon FiOS, no Internet provider has offered fiber-optic all the way to the computer. This groundbreaking new technology makes Verizon FiOS the obvious choice over cable Internet.

With Verizon FiOS, you get up to 50 Mbps or 30 Mbps downstream and up to 20 or 5 Mbps upstream, which in plain English means you get the fastest possible Internet access in your home. Nothing else compares to broadband access from Verizon FiOS.

Because Verizon FiOS is 100% digital, traveling only over fiber-optic connections, your Internet access is more reliable, and you'll suffer fewer outages and less downtime with Verizon.

You'll also pay less for your faster connection and better service from Verizon FiOS. With plans starting at $42.99 monthly, Verizon FiOS is more affordable than DSL and cable. Most people would happily take better service for less monthly. Wouldn't you?

For many people, Internet access has become a necessity. If you're like the average Internet user, you check email from home, work from home at least occasionally, catch up on news, and spend time on the Internet searching for information and taking care of personal and professional business. With Verizon FiOS, your home Internet experience is faster, more reliable, and more affordable.

If you like what you've heard so far about Verizon FiOS, you may be wondering how difficult it will be to install. With fiber-optic all the way to your computer, FiOS can sound a little daunting. Good news. Verizon offers free professional installation with your one-year contract. A Verizon installation technician will come to your home, install the wiring, get your computer on the Internet, and provide a welcome kit with everything you need to take full advantage of your new Verizon FiOS service.

Most people who already pay for cable or DSL will readily agree that a faster connection, over more reliable fiber-optic lines, with free installation with one-year contract, and exclusive members-only contract, is definitely worth paying less for. With Verizon FiOS as an option, there's just no point in paying more for inferior service.

A T3 or DS3 line is a dedicated private line that only you and your organization have access to. These lines are the ideal solution for large companies that have a need for even larger amounts of internet bandwidth. A T3 circuit can normally be utilized by thousands of users simultaneously. It's a dedicated circuit that provides 45Mbps of bandwidth at blinding speeds. As a point of comparison, a T-3 has the carrying capacity of over 28 T-1 lines! You could also think of it as having more bandwidth than 672 dial-up connections.

T-3 Service and Prices

If a T1 service isn't enough to meet your needs, you can choose from a Tier 1 service providers' comprehensive T3 (DS3) service options.

Why do you need a Tier Provider 1? As a bandwidth consumer, getting all of the throughput that you need is essential. You don't want to share your connection and you want guaranteed speed. What's point of paying for bandwidth if it won't give you 99.99% up-time and blinding fast speed twenty-four hours per day?

Getting directly connected to a Tier 1 Internet backbone will provide you the speed and reliability that you need.

Best T-3 Solutions

Many providers may sell you T-3 or DS-3 "internet access", but you need to know who they are buying their access from and how many "hops" it takes to get you onto the net.

As an example, your local ISP may buy access from the LEC (Local Exchange Carrier) who in turn may buy from Wiltel, who in turn may buy access from Cable Wireless. That is three hops before data even reaches the net!

And the original provider may have oversubscribed the line by up to 350%. This is an all too common situation which can leave you with a fraction of the bandwidth that you have paid for.

You don't need that. You want to get directly connected to the internet with a Tier 1 Provider who can connect you directly to the fiber optic backbone at blindingly fast speeds and with no intermediary steps.

Jeff Dumovich has been a data industry and telco insider for over 10 years and has been trained and mentored by some of the top leaders in the industry. Having worked with T1, T3, DS3 and OC3 vendors all over the world - from Comcast to Qwest and all points in between - he choses to sell only "Tier 13provider services and never uses rented or second rate lines.

As I am involved in the telecommunication industry for almost for 2 decades I have been observing how UAE in particular & the world as a whole is witnessing a revolution in communication: we are moving from industrial society to post-industrial society. This latter takes today the shape of a society of information, of the immaterial and of knowledge. Everyday we have the opportunity to observe this fact. With the growth of infrastructures during the 80's & 90' and recent development in construction boom and with skyrocketing oil price the inflow of cash flow into the economy this new society is sharply characterized by developing fundamental scientific and technical features on the one hand and by its institutional evolution on the other. The most significant technical aspect in this trend towards this new society is convergence. The ongoing digital revolution which consists in changing a message of any kind of multimedia and 3 G global mobiles (GSM) into a digital signal. Communication is then endowed with one universal language.

This society is announcing the era of knowledge which becomes the source of economic power and wealth. If we consider that the Internet is undoubtedly the bearing network of the new economy, it is observed that a large digital divide may be deepened. The percentage of internet goers here are between 70% to 85% of the total population. The internet café' is booming as general population started to understand the use of internet, dsl, B1(business one) and its benefits. The ongoing revolution is much more rapid than the industrial revolution and the mature process towards the new society will take only a few generations.

Since January 1998, telecommunication markets of most countries of the European Union are completely open to competitiveness. In Asia and Latin America, the end of monopolies is scheduled between 2000 and 2002. Such radical changes in the sector of telecommunications have favored the emergence of new players in this field and increased their number. To give an example, there exist presently more than 450 GSM providers around the world.

International Union of Telecommunications which was set up in 1865 in Paris in an environment characterized by the State management of telecommunications finds itself in extreme obligation to develop and adapt itself to this new environment. The service provider here is members of the IUT & is recognized as one of the top players. They are expanding their service to Middle East, then globally to Africa and now entering to Indian market to explore the vast opportunity. This was not understood in the past while telecommunication was at primitive stage and there was less economic activities. The economy is booming side by side the communication industry is not lagging behind.

UK broadband customers are getting less than half the broadband speed they expect. In this special report, we give an objective analysis of broadband speeds and show the top 5 fastest providers for April 2008.

During April 2008, Broadband-help.com users ran 8,766 speed tests across 15 of the best known UK broadband providers.

Results Summary

* Average download speed across all providers is 3.62Mbps (Meg).
* Average upload speed across all providers is 445Kbps.
* Fastest average download speeds (9.19 Meg) were from Be Unlimited.
* Slowest average download speeds (1.08 Meg) were from Demon.
* The most tested provider is Virgin Media.

The Top 5 Fastest Providers

Based on averages taken from user speed tests, the results are as follows:-

1. Be Unlimited - 9.19 Meg.
2. O2 Broadband - 6.5 Meg.
3. Virgin Media(Cable & non cabled products combined) - 4.89 Meg.
4. Sky Broadband - 4.31 Meg.
5. Zen Internet - 3.55 Meg.

Observations

There are some interesting issues raised from the results.

Firstly, there is a wide gap between the slowest (Demon at 1.08 Meg) and fastest (Be Unlimited at 9.19 Meg). Both providers provide products with similar pricing.

It is noteworthy to see Virgin Media in just third position bearing in mind it's recent advertising campaigns promoting fast "fibre optic" broadband and speeds up to 20 Meg. Clearly, it has a way to go to catch up with its next rival (O2 Broadband) on LLU exchanges.

Lastly, there are several large providers that did not make it into the top 5. Some examples are:-

* TalkTalk - 3.01 Meg.
* Tiscali - 2.67 Meg.
* Orange - 2.21 Meg.
* BT Total Broadband - 2.21 Meg.

Conclusions

Many large providers provide broadband "up to" 8 Meg with several claiming speeds in excess of 20 Meg. As shown from empirical data from Broadband-help.com speed tests during April 2008, most customers are nowhere near these advertised speeds. The average speed across all providers is just 3.62 Meg and is less than half the "up to 8 Meg" claims of providers.

It's obvious from the results that it pays to shop around if you want a decent connection speed. Products with similar prices vary tremendously between providers in terms of speed. We would assume that the differences are down to the quality of the providers technical infrastructure.

It wasn't all that long ago when personal computers where restricted for offices and wealthy households. Moreover, computer networks where practically unheard of in residential settings, such technology was reserved for large office buildings - things however, have progressed considerably over the years.

One of the most common methods to share a broadband connection within homes and offices today is using wireless technologies.

Although such technology has revolutionised the way people can access networks and the internet it does have a major disadvantage, one that was not prevalent with coaxial cables or the more familiar CAT5 network cable; this being security.

The technology that comprises a wireless network usually consists of a wireless router; wireless receivers (generally USB dongles or built in antennas); and in some cases one or more repeaters (if the signal needs to span an exceptionally long distance).

Once set up, the wireless router will happily start broadcasting and accepting information within a certain radius. This essentially means that your next door neighbour (or anyone in range!) could be accessing your network, and leaching your internet connection - which as well as invading your privacy could be costing you money if you have a broadband usage allowance.

So, the first line of defence is to familiarise yourself with your network and your routers configuration options, which are usually accessed via a browser window

Router manufactures tend to apply the same SSID (the networks name) and login details for all of their routers, so to begin with, changing these to something more personal is the first line of defence.

Following this you should apply some form of encryption, the popular choice being WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) and WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access), the later of which is the most secure. This involves applying a specific "key" that any computer attempting to access your router will need to input.

Lastly, possibly one of the best ways to ensure only devices of your choice have access to your router is to establish MAC filtering. MAC or Media Access Control is a unique code given to every physical network device.

Therefore, finding out the MAC code for each device in your network (this can prove difficult to the untrained so referring to the manufactures manual is recommended) and inputting only these addresses on your MAC filter list will ensure only they will have access.