TROUBLESHOOTING A SLOW INTERNET CONNECTION

Sometimes you'll hear me groan or sob quietly when you describe a simple problem. Let me give you an idea of some of the things that go through my head when a problem comes up. Take this as an example:

"My Internet connection is slow."

Your Internet connection is fine; your computer is slow.

Your computer is running normally but it has malware installed that is using up all your bandwidth sending out spam email.

Your computer's network card is going bad and needs to be replaced.

Your connection is saturated by another computer in the house that's downloading movie torrents.

Your DSL line has some problem - line noise, static, or the like.

Your cable/DSL modem is going bad and needs to be replaced.

Your router is going bad and needs to be replaced.

There is something causing interference that affects your cable/DSL modem - an appliance, a cordless phone, or something outside the house.

Your DSL filters aren't installed correctly - maybe the DSL line is filtered, maybe the voice lines aren't.

You have a bad network cable somewhere - between the cable/DSL modem and the router or between the router and the computer.

The interesting thing is that I have personal experience with each and every one of those, so I know they aren't theoretical possibilities. All too often there is no way to know where to start! Only one of them is likely to be the source of the problem, and it will look obvious in hindsight. I can gather clues from a lot of different places - I've learned a lot of tricks over the years so I'll do things you wouldn't think of to track down the problem. But make no mistake, computer problems can be elusive and maddeningly time consuming!

This is on my mind because I'm dealing with a troublesome DSL connection used by a small business with a simple Sonic DSL circuit (provisioned by AT&T). After two weeks and multiple visits and lots of time spent checking logs and working with Sonic, the business has a new network card in their server, a new router, a new DSL modem, and new CAT5e cables. Only after that work was done did we get to the point that Sonic could identify errors on the line justifying an AT&T service call. AT&T made its first visit and claimed to have identified and fixed the problem, but it was quickly apparent that things weren't any better, so we're waiting for a second AT&T visit. Hundreds of dollars in new equipment and fees for me to investigate, replace equipment, and deal with Sonic, and the problem is not solved.

Optimistic but frustrated. That describes how I feel often about technology. Sound familiar?

Labels: broadband, Internet

posted by bruceb at 12/15/2008 12:05:00 AM | permalink

COMCAST POWERBOOST & SPEED TESTS

I was testing Speed.io, a new site for measuring the speed of an Internet connection and displaying it in a lovely way. (I've put in on the bruceb favorites page under Internet / Online Tools, joining an old favorite, Bandwidth Speed Test.)

The test results reminded me that Comcast's PowerBoost technology really does improve the online experience. DSL has nothing like it. Comcast boosts the speed of just about every connection to a new web page or file for the first thirty seconds or so. That's enough to load virtually any web page nearly instantly (or as close to it as the web server at the other end can supply the page). It's also enough for most downloads to come flying down in their entirety at super speed. Huge downloads will slow down after the first thirty seconds or so, back to the rated speed of the connection. It's not a special feature - Comcast has rolled this out nationwide to all of its customers for free.

The technology also fools most online tools for measuring speed, which typically upload and download files for less than thirty seconds. That's how you get reports like this one, showing that my connection runs at 21Mb download speed, 3.3Mb upload speed. I've got Comcast's business class service, which is remarkably fast - but not quite that fast.

Labels: broadband, Internet

posted by bruceb at 9/13/2008 02:36:00 PM | permalink

AT&T TECH SUPPORT vs. ETERNAL DAMNATION - A TOSSUP

I'm occasionally asked why I have such a negative opinion of AT&T's DSL service.

This chilling account should answer that question - a complete log of one person's experiences on two different occasions, dealing each time with more than a dozen customer support reps over a period of more than three hours each, on problems that should have been simple. A slow DSL connection at home, a failed login to AT&T wireless service, problems that should have required five minutes but turned into hellish nightmares.

I'll add one more awful, unforgiveable story, just the latest in my own run of unhappy experiences with AT&T.

Last week, AT&T started blocking all outgoing email with no notice for one of my clients running Small Business Server. A business was suddenly, unexpectedly cut off from communicating with its customers. For better or worse, businesses live by email! This was potentially devastating.

When I investigated, I found that port 25 was completely blocked, so no other outgoing email server could be used; AT&T's email servers could only be accessed over port 465 with SSL authentication, which is not supported by Exchange 2003. I researched the problem online and discovered that there was no solution; a handful of people who had survived AT&T's stupefyingly awful tech support process had been told that AT&T was simply not handling outgoing email for anyone with an Exchange Server - no apology, no excuse, no solution.

(This is a variation of the problem I ran into a few months ago. I solved it this time by buying service from NoIP.com that sends outgoing mail on a nonstandard port. Later I learned that ExchangeDefender also can be set up on a nonstandard port. I'm still going to insist that both clients leave AT&T.)

It's still possible to sign up for DSL service with Sonic.net, which consistently employs the nicest people in the world. If you are signing up for DSL service, don't even consider signing up with AT&T. If you currently have AT&T service and you want to do something proactive for your future mental health, think about switching your service. If you're a business, make it a priority.

Labels: broadband, Internet, mail

posted by bruceb at 8/25/2008 12:33:00 AM | permalink

VERIZON MOBILE WIRELESS FUN

I have a Verizon mobile wireless adapter built into my Dell Latitude D630. I pay sixty bucks a month so I can connect to a reasonably fast EVDO broadband connection from just about anywhere. It's becoming a standard accessory for business travellers who don't want to hassle with conventional wireless.

A few days ago, there was a lengthy delay when I clicked the Connect button - "wait while your equipment is updated," something like that.

It stopped working after that, although I didn't recognize the coincidence for a while. I just knew that this error message came up when I tried to connect.

Here we go again!

• I logged onto the Verizon Wireless web site and confirmed that the account was active and unchanged. The wireless modems have phone numbers associated with them for billing - in the Dell "Mobile Broadband Card Utility" software, click on File / Device Properties to see the phone number.
• Dell distributes the software on the Drivers page for its notebooks, under Communications. I downloaded an updated version and tried to install it. Nope - "the version on your computer is newer." Nuh uh! <sigh> Uninstall the existing software, restart, install the downloaded software, restart. No change.
• Could another change have killed things? I was testing some VPN software that made me suspicious. I had used System Restore to create a restore point just before I put on that VPN software, so let's roll back to that restore point, when the Verizon card was still working. Hmm. Now the Dell Mobile Broadband software is stuck thinking it's partially installed. Okay, one more time - uninstall the Dell software, restart, reinstall, restart.
• No change.
• Big sigh.

Finally, too late, I google "RAS Error 691" and "Error QA920." There are a few frustrated souls out there, with the longest discussion on this page, describing people's miserable experiences with Verizon technical support. It looks like Verizon needs to reset the account, which takes only a couple of minutes after a tech support rep becomes convinced it's necessary.

It's midnight, so tech support isn't answering, and frankly I'm none too excited by the prospect of that conversation.

One of the tips on that page catches my eye - a way to force the device to be re-activated in Verizon's system.

• Log back in to Verizon Wireless web site, go to the page for the device, and find "Activate Phone."
• On the next screen, click on "Activate Equipment."
• On the next screen, pick the phone number assigned to the line and type in a new ESN, one digit different than the correct one. (The ESN is the unique number assigned to the device. In the Dell software, it's also under File / Device Properties.)
• Wait ten minutes.
• Go back and put in the correct ESN. Wait ten minutes.

Push the Connect button and, Voila! Simple as that, the modem connects again.

If the guesses are right in the forum posts, the firmware upgrade kills the device for some people. I'm not aware of any way to avoid the "upgrades" - they seem to happen randomly when I try to connect.

What a pain!

Labels: broadband, computers, hardware, mobile, software, wireless

posted by bruceb at 8/15/2008 12:19:00 AM | permalink

WHAT I USE

On the assumption that my choices are endlessly fascinating to an ever-growing number of people - really, really bored people - I've added a page with details about the hardware and software that I use here at the high-tech headquarters of bruceb consulting. I'll try to keep it up to date. Heck, my computers are happy - you could do worse than follow my example in precise detail.

Click here for all the prurient details!

Labels: audio, backup, broadband, bruceb, computers, file_sharing, hardware, mobile, phone, photos, printers, SBS, security, software, video, web_services

posted by bruceb at 7/30/2008 01:02:00 AM | permalink

AT&T DSL & MAIL WOES

AT&T has a special place in my heart.

One of my clients is a small business with its own domain name and several users receiving POP3 mail addressed to that domain name - gertrude@businessname.com, for example.

The business has an AT&T DSL line.

A couple of months ago, they started having trouble sending mail - AT&T's SMTP server refused to take outgoing messages from Outlook.

Eventually we discovered that AT&T had sent this message a few months earlier, warning that its SMTP servers would only accept outgoing messages on an AT&T DSL line if certain conditions were met.

The first condition wasn't terribly unusual - Outlook had to be set up to authenticate itself to the SMTP server with an AT&T account - an email address and password. The business had set one up as part of the DSL account (businessname@pacbell.net) and we were able to dig that information out.

But wait! There's more! The outgoing mail also had to be set up as an SSL connection for additional security, on a non-standard port. You know, the settings in Outlook under Tools / Account Settings / Change / More Settings / Advanced - surely you've been there? Yeah, right.

I sympathize with the difficulty for ISPs of dealing with an unimaginable amount of spam, but this is a terrible, unforgivable thing to do to people.

We were able to get the mail flowing again for a couple of months. It stopped again with no warning.

I've spent more than two hours and although I found a workaround, I'm still pretty horrified at what appears to be going on.

I tried every combination of SMTP server name, authentication on/off, SSL on/off, port 25/465, with no success. The returned messages had an unfamiliar error in them - the sender's address was not "verified" to use the SMTP server.

AT&T and Yahoo have set up an extraordinary labyrinth of conflicting sites to log in with a @pacbell.net account. Eventually I found the Yahoo login page and was able to get to Member Center / My Account & Billing, where there was a reference to "Alternate email addresses."

"Your alternate email address is an address you can add to your AT&T Yahoo! account for use with a variety of products and services across the AT&T Yahoo! network. An alternate email address can be used any time you don't want to use your AT&T Yahoo! member ID for a particular function."

Great! Put in the business email addresses, respond to an email confirmation, and the addresses showed up as "Verified." Problem solved!

Not. Outgoing mail was rejected just as firmly. I kept typing test messages and pushing "Send" over and over, because I couldn't think of anything else to do.

I located an ominous sentence in an AT&T support document -

"Please make sure that you have entered your AT&T Yahoo! Business Email address as the "From" address in your email client. You will not be able to send mail if you have entered another address."

If I read it correctly, that support document only applies to people using an "AT&T Yahoo! Business Email address," whatever that might be.

But on a hunch, I went back to the account settings in Outlook and entered the @pacbell.net email address on the first screen for a POP3 account.

Outgoing mail immediately started flowing. And every outgoing message shows the sender is businessname@pacbell.net, from every computer onsite.

I spent more time and got nowhere. I thought about the horror of calling AT&T for technical support on an issue like this and put the idea out of my head. We may get to that point but my hourly rate becomes a very real consideration for this kind of headache.

And that's where things stand. Somewhere there's an answer. It can't be the case that a business cannot send email using its own domain name on an AT&T DSL line - but, well, that's where it stands.

By coincidence, Susan Bradley complained recently about changes AT&T has made to her incoming mail at an @pacbell.net address that make the account virtually unusable.

Sonic is still taking orders for DSL, and I'm hoping this business will just switch over and we can put this behind us. But what will we do when AT&T is the only DSL provider left?

[Postscript 05/30 1pm: after more experimenting, I found that mail.pacbell.net is apparently still running - messages can be sent from the business address. (Settings: authentication required; port 25; no SSL.) It's not clear whether this is a permanent solution or whether AT&T intends to shut down those servers, as their support letter suggests. But for the moment, the business can use its mail again]

Labels: broadband, mail, Outlook

posted by bruceb at 5/30/2008 01:05:00 AM | permalink

FREE PUBLIC WI-FI!

If you have a wireless notebook, there's yet another way the bad guys can get past your defenses.

When you connect to a wireless access point, normally you're in "infrastructure" mode. Network traffic to all the computers using the wireless network passes through a wireless access point. In a public place - an airport or hotel, say - you can reasonably hope the access point has some built-in security to keep each connected computer separated from each other.

Windows computers are also able to connect directly to each other wirelessly in "ad hoc" mode - no access point required. I can imagine sophisticated arguments about what that might enable people to do but here in the real world I've never ever seen anyone use that capability.

A computer in ad hoc mode is broadcasting a wireless SSID, a name that other nearby computers can see and connect to. Once the second computer joins the ad hoc network, it also broadcasts that name - and might continue to do that even after it gets to a different location. (Windows is designed to remember those settings by default. It's a feature, not a bug.)

If one of the computers in the ad hoc network also has an Internet connection, all the connected computers can use that Internet connection to get to the outside world.

Enter the bad guys. You flip open your notebook at the airport and see a wireless network named "Free Public Wi-Fi" or "Free Internet" or "US Airways Free WiFi" or something else tempting; you highlight it and click Connect, and you're able to get online. Great!

Unknowingly, you have joined an ad hoc network and every bit of data to and from your computer is going through the bad guy's computer at the next table. Your login names and passwords, your email messages, your online accounts - the bad guy is logging it all, analyzing it, and preparing to clean out your bank accounts and mortgage your house. If you've set up your computer for file sharing, he's rummaging through your files. If your security isn't up to date, he's installing software to send spam or let him control your computer at his leisure later.

This isn't a new problem but a recent study found that 10% of all the wireless users it scanned across all airports were broadcasting at least one of these viral SSIDs, and in some airports, the percentage was much higher. I've seen "Free Public Wi-Fi" in downtown Santa Rosa - maybe a bad guy, maybe a laptop user who didn't know his computer was broadcasting the fake name.

PREVENTION

Don't connect to ad hoc networks.

In Windows XP, the icon for an ad hoc network is different than a conventional wireless network, and it's described as a "computer-to-computer network."

In Windows Vista, the only indication of an ad hoc network is the appearance of the icon!

There are settings in Windows to prevent your computer from suggesting ad hoc networks at all. In Windows XP, advanced wireless network settings include the screen below, which can be set to force connections only to access point networks.

If you've done a lot of traveling and used wireless networks freely on the road, you may want to visit your computer's list of recognized wireless networks and clean out anything unfamiliar - especially a suspicious name like "Free Airport WiFi" or anything else on the list in this article.

There are more details in this article about how this works and steps to take to prevent being a victim.

And here's a scary story where a traveler learned that it was possible to access anything in any folder on his computer - from two rows away on an airplane.

I'll tell you more about how your security works and what you need to know, but as always, your best defense is your common sense. Don't click on anything without thinking long and hard - especially anything free! Be careful out there!

Labels: broadband, computers, Internet, mobile, network, security, wireless

posted by bruceb at 5/06/2008 12:23:00 AM | permalink

AT&T: PROUD TO BE STUPID

Jim Cicconi, vice president of legislative affairs for AT&T, made some extraordinarily stupid comments in London this week.

ISPs are doing a full-court press to ensure they can shape our Internet traffic to maximize their revenue. They want to do deals with media companies for preferred delivery of certain web services, or charge you for "excessive" use of your connection - basically converting your Internet connection into something more like your cable television service where your choices are restricted and metered.

"U.S. telecommunications giant AT&T has claimed that, without investment, the Internet's current network architecture will reach the limits of its capacity by 2010.

"'The surge in online content is at the center of the most dramatic changes affecting the Internet today," he said. "In three years' time, 20 typical households will generate more traffic than the entire Internet today.'"

Really? In three years, twenty typical households will generate more traffic than the entire Internet today? That's a remarkable prediction. Is it just me or is it obvious to everyone that it's complete horseshit?

Interestingly, without investment, the world will run out of food in 2010. Also all of our roads and bridges will start to crumble. And airplanes will fall out of the sky and there will be worldwide power shortages and mankind will begin a descent into a thousand years of Dark Ages.

Or - and I'm just thinking out loud here - possibly individuals and companies will continue to invest in projects they hope will be profitable. And perhaps - unlike AT&T - some of those companies will be honest about their motives instead of trying to reshape the global communications network solely for their own benefit by fearmongering.

Maybe the real harm from seven years of the Bush administration is the widespread belief by politicians and big companies that they can say anything at all, no matter how ludicrously stupid.

Addendum 04/21: Cicconi was the assistant to James Baker in the Reagan Administration, staff secretary for Bush Sr. (and sits on the board of his presidential library), and served on George Bush's White House transition team. He knows the world of outrageous fearmongering lies more deeply than I realized.

Labels: broadband, business, Internet

posted by bruceb at 4/18/2008 11:41:00 AM | permalink

COMCAST OUTAGES

I have a bit of downtime while I wait for my Comcast connection to come back to life. It was out Sunday for an hour or so, which might (or might not) have been a side effect of this major East Coast weekend outage. This morning it went down at about 11am and hasn't come back yet. Fortunately Verizon's data connection is strong enough to reach my notebook this afternoon - usually Verizon's coverage in west Sebastopol is so weak as to be useless for cell phones or computers.

Comcast has been darned reliable - I can't complain too much today. It's the first outage in a long time. Well, I can complain. It's quiet and lonely without email and the slow notebook connection is a poor substitute for 8Mb download speeds.

Labels: broadband

posted by bruceb at 4/08/2008 01:10:00 PM | permalink

NET NEUTRALITY EXPLAINED

At its heart, "net neutrality" involves a simple question: Should your Internet provider have any control over how you use your Internet connection? You're accustomed to being able to reach any Internet site freely and you assume you can run any kind of program that uses an online connection. AT&T and Comcast and the rest don't necessarily agree.

Damian Kulash, lead singer for the band OK Go, has written a lovely short piece for the New York Times explaining the issue of "net neutrality" - what it means and why it matters. Highly recommended!

"Most people assume that the Internet is a democratic free-for-all by nature - that it could be no other way. But the openness of the Internet as we know it is a byproduct of the fact that the network was started on phone lines. The phone system is subject to 'common carriage' laws, which require phone companies to treat all calls and customers equally. They can't offer tiered service in which higher-paying customers get their calls through faster or clearer, or calls originating on a competitor's network are blocked or slowed.

". . . But in the last decade, the network providers have argued that since the Internet is no longer primarily run on phone lines, the laws of data equality no longer apply. They reason that they own the fiber optic and coaxial lines, so they should be able to do whatever they want with the information crossing them.

"Under current law, they're right. They can block certain files or Web sites for their subscribers, or slow or obstruct certain applications. And they do, albeit pretty rarely. . . .

"When the network operators pull these stunts, there is generally widespread outrage. But outright censorship and obstruction of access are only one part of the issue, and they represent the lesser threat, in the long run. What we should worry about more is not what's kept from us today, but what will be built (or not built) in the years to come.

"We hate when things are taken from us (so we rage at censorship), but we also love to get new things. And the providers are chomping at the bit to offer them to us: new high-bandwidth treats like superfast high-definition video and quick movie downloads. They can make it sound great: newer, bigger, faster, better! But the new fast lanes they propose will be theirs to control and exploit and sell access to, without the level playing field that common carriage built into today's network.

"They won't be blocking anything per se - we'll never know what we're not getting - they'll just be leapfrogging today's technology with a new, higher-bandwidth network where they get to be the gatekeepers and toll collectors. The superlative new video on offer will be available from (surprise, surprise) them, or companies who've paid them for the privilege of access to their customers. If this model sounds familiar, that's because it is. It's how cable TV operates."

Labels: broadband, business, Internet

posted by bruceb at 4/06/2008 12:11:00 PM | permalink

SONIC & SATELLITE SERVICE

Sonoma County's broadband coverage is spotty. Comcast and AT&T are not doing anything to expand cable and DSL service to new areas. There are too many areas with no good options. Random examples: most rural areas in West County; anywhere more than a mile or two from downtown Petaluma or Healdsburg; odd holes near Santa Rosa (Old Redwood Highway north of Fountain Grove, Cleveland Avenue north of Coddingtown); and many more.

A few people have a line of sight for ground-based wireless service from Pogowave or Broadlink or Sonic a couple of other local providers. If there's a strong cell phone signal, it's possible to get a decent connection using Verizon's or Sprint's broadband wireless service.

And then there's satellite service. When all else fails, there's satellite service.

I wrote up these notes about satellite service a couple of years ago. It's nobody's first choice. The lag is frustrating and the connection can be erratic; there's no relief in sight for those issues.

But Sonic, the most lovable company in the world, is now offering satellite service, which means that the installation is more likely to go smoothly and support will be delivered with Sonic's inimitable charm and good grace.

Sonic has contracted directly with WildBlue, the company that AT&T uses for its satellite service. Reliability and quality of service is actually pretty good with WildBlue. Cost is based on the speed of the connection, starting at $50/month for 512kbps download/128kbps upload, up to $80/month for 1.5mbps download/256mbps upload. Sonic is currently discounting the startup costs for equipment and installation.

A computer cannot be run on a dialup connection in 2008. Web sites are no longer optimized for dialup connections so even simple browsing is becoming impossible, and the volume of updates for the operating system and security programs cannot be handled without a broadband connection. If you're in the country with no other options, call Sonic!

Here's Sonic's page describing the new satellite service, and here's a forum where Dane Jasper answered some questions about it.

Labels: broadband, Internet

posted by bruceb at 3/10/2008 12:20:00 AM | permalink

BITTORRENT & BAGGAGE NEUTRALITY
Advocates of "network neutrality" have trouble conveying the real world implications of an arcane-sounding technical issue. Two items in the news help illustrate why it's an issue to fight about.

"Network neutrality" is the underlying principle of the Internet as we know it - generally, the idea that all bits of data are treated equally, unaffected by the various companies involved in carrying the traffic from one place or another. There is a long-term effort by communications companies to squeeze revenue from consumers and web providers by charging more for priority access to the available bandwidth - and the likelihood that other web sites and services will be slowed down or disabled if they don't pay up. Here's some background information about the "net neutrality" fight.

All the examples cited by net neutrality defenders have been theoretical until now, leaving cable/telco executives free to piously pretend they have no intention of doing anything that would interfere with their customers, all of whom are equally loved.

Comcast has now been caught deliberately and indiscriminately interfering with BitTorrent traffic. There had been prior evidence of Comcast's blockage but this article presented widely publicized proof. It's not a shakedown for money yet, but it's easy to imagine that Comcast can introduce a new "torrent-friendly" subscription package - for just a little more money each month.

The entertainment industry would like you to believe that BitTorrent is only used to trade copyrighted material, but it is also a widely used legitimate tool for quickly disseminating legal content. Comcast has been blocking my BitTorrent traffic for a couple of months now. (Specifically: Comcast is running software that prevents outgoing traffic for completed torrents. Seeding a torrent after finishing a download is a crucial part of BitTorrent etiquette as well as a requirement for participating in some of the sites I visit for non-copyrighted music and concerts.)

But if you're still not convinced that this might affect you, let's try a metaphor that you'll understand right away.

United Airlines Chief Executive Glenn Tilton is seeking to wring some extra money out of passengers, so he just floated the idea of making economy passengers pay an extra fee to get their luggage off the plane - or stand around waiting until the last of the luggage is unloaded if they don't pay the fee . Here's the interview.

You felt a chill when you read that, didn't you? Yup, the principle of "baggage neutrality" is under attack. Well, your Internet experience can be shaped by exactly the same demonic forces, the same rich white men in suits who see you as an open wallet. Fight for laws protecting network neutrality!

Labels: broadband, business, Internet

posted by bruceb at 10/22/2007 12:05:00 AM | permalink

COMCAST PUTS ON THE BRAKES
The press occasionally notices that Comcast limits the amount of bandwidth that a cable subscriber is allowed to use. The Washington Post just published an article about the Comcast bandwidth caps.

The idea is that a handful of people download a huge amount of data constantly (typically movies and TV shows) and demand an unfair amount of Comcast's available capacity. Comcast does not have a published "maximum" but throttles connections back at some arbitrary point. When asked, Comcast argues - pretty reasonably - that although it advertises 6Mb download speeds, it's not offering to support nonstop downloads at high speed 24 hours a day so that somebody can assemble a huge library of pirated movies. It claims only to slow connections in the most extreme cases, affecting a very small number of people.

Although Comcast appears to be the most aggressive about this, there are anecdotes about similar restrictions by other cable providers.

I have some sympathy for Comcast but there's two additional things that suggest this will become a much more grey area.

Comcast has recently begun specifically identifying BitTorrent traffic and slowing it to a crawl - for anyone using BitTorrent for any purpose. Here's one of the forum threads where this is being discussed.

BitTorrent is technology that facilitates downloads of large files by joining computers into little ad hoc mini-networks, with each computer uploading and downloading pieces of the files to and from each other. It has become a standard for distributing commercial software as well as being used for downloading movies, TV shows, music, and just about anything else you can think of. The movie industry hates BitTorrent because it can be used as a decentralized way to distribute copyrighted material, but it's also widely used by real companies for quite legitimate business purposes. (Azureus is my BitTorrent client of choice.)

BitTorrent undeniably uses bandwidth, but a generalized slowdown on BitTorrent traffic penalizes a useful and legitimate technology for no reason except that it has been demonized by the movie industry. It's a political choice by Comcast, not a technology choice.

The other troubling development is a recent development in a long-term policy drive that could change the very nature of the Internet - to Comcast's benefit and our detriment. The Department of Justice just sent a public filing to the Federal Communications Commission opposing network neutrality regulations. The DOJ's letter might as well have been written by lobbyists for AT&T or the other broadband providers. There's a long-term effort by the broadband providers to squeeze revenue from consumers and web providers by charging more for priority access to the available bandwidth - and the likelihood that other web sites and services will be slowed down or disabled if they don't pay up. The communications companies have been making steady progress in eroding the principles of net neutrality - one of the underlying principles of the Internet as we know it - thanks in large part to the Bush administration and its unceasing efforts to enrich big companies.

Labels: broadband, business, Internet

posted by bruceb at 9/08/2007 02:18:00 PM | permalink

SONIC OPEN WIFI PROJECT
Sonic is demonstrating again that it has its heart in the right place.

Now that Earthlink has officially killed its plan to deliver free wireless Internet access to San Francisco, Sonic has stepped up with a more modest plan for the city of San Francisco and downtown Santa Rosa. Here's Sonic's page about the Open WiFi Project.

As I understand it, the plan depends on the generosity of individuals. Sonic DSL subscribers are encouraged to buy an inexpensive wireless router at a subsidized price. When the router is plugged into the DSL line, it automatically broadcasts a free wireless connection, using 500K of the DSL bandwidth. Anyone within range can use the wireless network, with small ads appearing at the top of web pages coming through the wireless router.

The concept rests on the router's ability to pass on its bandwidth to other similar routers within range, eventually creating a "mesh" network. Imagine ripples spreading out from each router; there's a seamless wireless network when the ripples overlap.

Although there are vague references to small rebates, there's only one incentive for Sonic subscribers to help out with this vision, and that's because it's the right thing to do. It represents everything good about working together locally to accomplish something that big companies have failed to do. At a time when cynicism comes all too easily, Sonic deserves praise for believing in a project that can only be built on optimism and volunteerism. Call them if you're a DSL customer in Santa Rosa!

UPDATE 09/09/07: Sonic updated its coverage map to make it clear that its initial effort is focused on a square mile near Santa Rosa JC. The Press Democrat's article today adds an interesting detail - the mesh network also depends on repeaters installed in high places outside, typically on light poles. An ambitious project but Sonic is required to think big if it's going to survive. Support your local ISP!

Labels: broadband, wireless

posted by bruceb at 9/05/2007 12:05:00 AM | permalink

SF FREE WIRELESS, R.I.P.
In January, Google and Earthlink signed a contract to set up free high-speed wireless Internet access for the entire city of San Francisco. The deal provided that EarthLink would pay the city $2 million for the right to build, install and run a free Wi-Fi network that would be supported through advertising from Google; Earthlink would also offer a paid subscription that would offer higher speeds and fewer advertisements.

Last week Earthlink announced that it is pulling out of the San Francisco project. Earthlink is going through a financial meltdown and just laid off half its employees. In the last two years Earthlink had entered into a number of contracts for municipal wireless; it's dissolving or breaking the contracts everywhere, even if that means paying huge penalties, like the $5 million it agreed to pay to Houston as a penalty last week. Here's an article about the end of the San Francisco project.

Labels: broadband, business, wireless

posted by bruceb at 9/04/2007 12:05:00 AM | permalink

REDUNDANCY IS OUR FRIEND, AND SO IS REDUNDANCY
Very small businesses frequently depend on computer systems with several potential failure points, where a single failure can cause the network to go down for an uncomfortable length of time.

• Many small businesses - many of my clients - depend on a single server to hold files and run the company e-mail system. There are backups available if the server goes down, but those backups have to be restored onto working hardware - and it's not possible to run down to Office Depot and buy a replacement server. Ordering a server, waiting for it to be delivered, and doing the work involved in disaster recovery is time consuming, and few businesses can withstand a week or two without computers and e-mail.
• Almost everyone relies on a single broadband connection, a DSL line or cable broadband connection. If that line goes down, e-mail goes dead - and for many businesses, that's the same as shutting the doors. There's almost never an affordable alternative - few businesses are in a location where both cable and DSL connections are available, T-1 lines are expensive, and it takes expensive equipment to handle two Internet connections and switch from one to the other in the event of an outage. (Having two DSL lines kind of misses the point - if one is down, the other one almost certainly also would be.)

There was a dramatic example in the news of what happens when a network is not redundant. The outage at LAX that left 17,000 international passengers stranded on airplanes for hours was caused by a single malfunctioning network card on a single desktop computer. Here's the LA Times article that brought this to light. Isn't that remarkable?

As the cost of a potential outage grows, even a small business will have to start investing in redundant systems. It goes along with our dependence on these interesting machines.

Labels: backup, broadband, hardware, network

posted by bruceb at 8/16/2007 12:05:00 AM | permalink

WIRELESS HEADACHES
The Wall Street Journal wrote an article last month about wireless networks, expressing a sentiment many of you have probably felt - namely, they're a pain in the neck. It doesn't help that the vocabulary has gotten muddled. There are now four basic types of networks covered by the term "wireless":

• 802.11g Wi-Fi, wireless networks covering small areas. This is what most people understand by the term "wireless"; this is what fills the shelves for consumers at CompUSA and Best Buy.
• 802.11n Wi-Fi, the "next generation" of local wireless technology, promising faster speeds and coverage of larger areas. Since this standard has not been finalized and approved, the shelves are filling up with "pre-N" technology - routers and PC adapters from one manufacturer that might not work with another manufacturer's "pre-N" devices, and that might not work with devices built after the final 802.11n specs are approved.
• Wi-Max, ground-based wireless networks covering large areas - the technology proposed to cover the entire city of San Francisco by Earthlink and Google, for example. It's great technology and lots of cities are discussing it, but so far projects have been remarkably slow to come to fruition. It doesn't help that the telecommunications companies hate the idea and are frantically trying to pass local and state laws prohibiting such projects, as well as trying to block legislation that would overturn those local laws. (Yesterday the Google/Earthlink project in San Francisco was put on hold yet again, amid signs that the whole idea might collapse.)
• Wireless broadband from cell carriers - Verizon, Sprint, AT&T - covering large areas and using existing cell phone towers.

Wi-Fi was supposed to simplify things but instead too often turns into a blur of unstable and dropped connections, poorly-understood security settings, lack of management tools for network administrators, frequent interference, and frustratingly small coverage areas.

There are signs of progress and equipment is appearing that promises to alleviate some of the headaches. Ruckus Wireless has drawn some attention recently for its architecture of 802.11g equipment that reportedly extends range and speeds and - more importantly - makes connections more stable. It is telling that the Ruckus CEO delivers this crucial point in her sales pitch: "We don't aim for the best average throughput… we make the worst case suck less."

In a few years, perhaps these issues will be behind us and wireless technology will be mature and stable. For home users and small businesses considering their networking options today, though, I still have the same advice: people relying on wireless networks call me for help; people with wires don't.

Labels: broadband, network, wireless

posted by bruceb at 8/06/2007 12:05:00 AM | permalink

GOOGLE AND WIRELESS BROADBAND
In 2009, new frequencies will become available in the US for handling voice and data. The frequencies are currently being used for analog television, but the FCC decided years ago that analog television would no longer be supported after 2009; the frequencies are being reclaimed and resold in an FCC auction.

A few days ago Google bid $4.6 billion dollars, the reserve price, for the 700Mhz band frequencies. Google's bid included a request that the FCC put conditions on any bid that might be successful:

'Google "requested that the Commission should extend to all CMRS-type spectrum licensees clearly delineated, explicitly enforceable, and unwavering obligations to provide (1) open applications, (2) open devices, (3) open wholesale services, and (4) open network access." For those of us who don't regularly hang with the FCC these proposed conditions mean: 1) users should be able to download software from anywhere and use it on their communication devices without restriction; 2) users should be able to use any communication device that meets the technical requirements for connecting to the network no matter who made the device; 3) third-party resellers should be able to buy wholesale bandwidth from auction winners, and; 4) other networks should be able to connect to the 700-MHz network.'

Although the major telcos and cable companies have made noises about supporting these goals, the reality is that they will never allow anything like this to become possible. US voice and broadband availability, speed, and pricing is built on the greed and selfishness of the telcos and cable companies, who have thrived on long-term contracts, closed networks, proprietary devices - every conceivable trick to restrict our choices and lock us in to a particular company. It would be a much different world if we could buy cell phones freely and activate them with any carrier, for example (ask the iPhone users stuck with Cingular). Or if VOIP - using the Internet to carry voice phone calls - was fully integrated into our devices, instead of being restricted from most mobile networks. Or if wide-area wireless Internet coverage was made available by cities, reducing the need for expensive DSL or cable connections.

This article discusses the Google bid and makes an interesting point. The telcos and cable companies can issue all the press releases they like about their support of Google's proposal, but there are two fundamental truths in the universe: (1) they will never allow those proposals to be realized, and (2) they will never allow Google to purchase these frequencies, no matter what they have to spend.

There is ample evidence from the last hundred years in this country that the telcos and cable companies are mean and spiteful. "The telcos and cable companies are far more skilled and cunning when it comes to lobbying and controlling politicians than Google can ever hope to be. The telcos have spent more than a century at this game and Google hasn't even been in it for a decade. And Google's pockets are no deeper than those of the other potential bidders."

The columnist even speculates that they have ways of getting their revenge at Google for having the audacity to suggest that there be open competition. The ISPs have many means at their disposal to direct traffic away from Google; the most obvious is to change the defaults in the software distributed to new subscribers.

This will be an interesting battle to watch, but it's hard to be optimistic that the result will change anything for the better in this country.

Labels: broadband, business, Google, mobile, phone, wireless

posted by bruceb at 7/27/2007 11:00:00 AM | permalink

VERIZON BROADBAND FOR THE HOME
Broadband coverage is stalled. If you don't have access already to DSL service or cable Internet service, there's no reason to think it will be available tomorrow, or next year, or ever. Paul Krugman recently summarized the statistics - broadband coverage in the US lags far behind many other parts of the world, and broadband speeds are frequently less than those readily available in much of Europe and Asia. (We pay more, too.) (Krugman's article is here, but you might not be able to see it without a NY Times subscription. The Press Democrat printed it a couple of days ago, if you have your old papers handy.)

Verizon offers broadband service ("EVDO Rev A," or "BroadbandAccess" in marketing-speak) almost everywhere in its nationwide cell phone service area. If you live in an area with a strong Verizon signal but no cable or DSL service, you can now get a broadband connection. (Sprint is rolling out similar service with different acronyms; Cingular is lagging behind.)

The Verizon service comes with a hefty price tag - typically sixty bucks a month, plus the cost of the required hardware. New York Times columnist David Pogue just wrote a column complaining about the high price tag, but Verizon shows no sign of backing down.

Verizon sells several devices to process its broadband Internet signal. At first it was only marketed to people with notebook computers, so the devices were in the "PC Card" format - the one that's the size of a credit card. More recently they released a USB device, making the service available to any computer.

For billing purposes the device is actually assigned a phone number, and Verizon's service is locked to a particular device. You can move the device from one computer to another, but only one computer can use it at a time.

That's fine for a traveler with a notebook, using the Verizon service to have a persistent connection on the road. It's less appealing for a home with multiple computers. At the moment, Verizon is quietly discouraging the manufacturers from filling that need, but one device has appeared that allows a Verizon broadband connection to be shared.

The Kyocera KR-1 router has been available for a while, and my experiences with it so far have been good. It has a slot for a PC Card device as well as a place to plug in a USB device. The service has to be activated on the device before plugging it into the Kyocera router; once the device is activated, the router opens the connection and holds it open for anything plugged into it, just like any other router. (If you buy one, make sure it is running the 1.010 firmware, required for newer Verizon cards, USB devices, and faster speeds.) There's more information on this page.

Sprint realized that consumers would inevitably want to share their broadband connection among multiple computers, so it partnered with Linksys to release a similar router, reportedly a bit more buggy than the Kyocera router and not supporting as many devices. (Although Sprint markets it as the "Sprint Mobile Broadband Router," it's not limited to Sprint service, as near as I can tell - the important question is whether it supports the kind of device plugged into it.)

Labels: broadband, mobile, network, wireless

posted by bruceb at 7/26/2007 11:52:00 AM | permalink

THE FUTURE OF SONIC
Sonic.net, everyone's favorite Internet service provider, faces an uncertain future.

AT&T has been working for many years to undo the 1984 telco breakup and once again have the advantages of a monopoly. It has bankrupted many competitors with unfair business practices and it has aggressively worked the legislative and regulatory processes to get the rules changed in its favor. (This is a long-term effort. Competitors like Covad and Rhythms were forced into bankruptcy in the '90s; here's one of my comments about the situation four years ago, and as an example, here's one of the specific moments from a couple of years ago when regulators gave away the store to AT&T.)

This is not a true monopoly situation - Comcast is competing vigorously with AT&T for phone service as well as Internet access, and someday AT&T hopes to add video programming to its services. But the door is being shut to anyone except the corporate behemoths. Small independent companies are in jeopardy all over the country.

Until now, AT&T was required to sell DSL circuits at wholesale rates to companies like Sonic. Those days are over; Sonic will apparently be able to sell DSL circuits for another three years, but if memory serves, that's only because it signed long-term contracts with AT&T. When those expire, Sonic will continue supporting its DSL customers, but it will not be able to sign up any new DSL customers, just watch its existing customer base slowly dwindle.

AT&T is finally promising to get some fiber in the ground, capable of carrying far more data - faster Internet access plus phone and video. It has no obligation to give access to those circuits to anyone. Sonic, for example, will be shut out of that business. AT&T and Comcast will literally be the only game in town. Oh sure, Earthlink is experimenting with wireless networks and satellite providers will still deliver television stations, but for all intents and purposes the telcos and cable companies will reign supreme.

Sonic has drawn up plans to install its own equipment for DSL service that sidesteps AT&T. The Press Democrat has a nice article about Sonic's plans to save itself. Details are pretty hazy, perhaps because what they describe is wildly expensive and difficult to accomplish.

I believe in Sonic more than almost any other company I can think of (with the exception of my clients, all of whom are the most intelligent and talented people in the world). It's a tough world for small companies and Sonic has a hard road ahead of it.

Labels: broadband, Internet

posted by bruceb at 5/29/2007 12:05:00 AM | permalink

GOOGLE ANNOUNCES FREE WIRELESS BROADBAND
A potentially world-changing announcement from Google today - the launch of Google TiSP, a free in-home wireless broadband service that delivers online connectivity via users' plumbing systems. A simple fiber-optic cable running through any toilet on a municipal sewage system can be used to make the connection with a TiSP Access Node.

Google intends to continue development on a high-performance version of TiSP tailored to small and medium-sized businesses, including 24-hour, on-site technical support in the event of backup problems, brownouts, and data wipes.

Complete details and installation instructions are on this page.

If you have a minute, you might want to look at the link provided for details about professional installations, and follow some of the links on that page as well.

Labels: broadband, Google, humor, wireless

posted by bruceb at 4/01/2007 11:07:00 AM | permalink

COMCAST INCREASES DOWNLOAD SPEEDS
Comcast cable Internet service is currently marketed at 6Mbps and 8Mbps download speeds - very speedy indeed compared to DSL service that typically runs 1.5Mbps or less. There are rumors that Comcast will increase speeds again next year.

In the meantime Comcast apparently has built its system so robustly that it has excess capacity - bandwidth to spare. Now Comcast has developed "Powerboost," patented technology that can soak up some of that excess capacity by using it to accelerate downloads. Here's an article about Comcast and Powerboost. Forum posts at Broadband Reports suggest that download speeds can increase tremendously for the first thirty seconds or so, then drop back to normal. Thirty seconds is enough to download all but the biggest files, so the effect is to create the impression that the connection is flying all the time.

I didn't know anything about it but my connection has been so perky that I went off to run some speed tests. The test results looked like a mistake:



30Mbps download speed! Whoosh! I did another test using a different test server:



Quite different, but still twice as fast as I expected. That seems to be the characteristic of this Powerboost trick - no guarantee, not necessarily consistent, just the possibility that some things will happen very, very quickly. Cool!

Labels: broadband, Internet

posted by bruceb at 12/09/2006 12:10:00 AM | permalink

VERIZON EVDO BROADBAND
Travellers love Verizon's EVDO service. You can get a reasonably speedy broadband connection for your cell phone/PDA or for your notebook computer, almost anywhere there's cell phone coverage.

For a computer, the service requires a new piece of hardware - "high speed cellular card" is as good a name as any. Here's a review of a Kyocera card, for example. Similar cards can be built into some new laptops at a similar price, $150-$300. Then Verizon collects $60-$80/month for data service.

Did you know there's a new slot in some notebook PCs called "ExpressCard"? It's smaller than the traditional PCMCIA slot, so new hardware has to be designed for it, like this Novatel high speed cellular card.

"ExpressCard"? What is ExpressCard?

Labels: broadband, hardware, mobile, phone

posted by bruceb at 8/24/2006 09:02:00 AM | permalink

NET NEUTRALITY
The telcos and cable companies are close to completing their attempt to take over the Internet. Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) almost pushed through legislation that would allow them to gorge on profits milked from other big companies, while disrupting or destroying small web sites unable or unwilling to pay the freight. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) currently has the legislation stopped unless a net neutrality provision is inserted to ensure that ISPs are not able to interfere with the content that passes through their pipes. (I've previously written about net neutrality here and here.

This article from Portland's Willamette Week is a great summary of the background and issues surrounding the net neutrality debate. It may seem like an arcane issue but it has the potential to change our lives enormously - literally changing the very nature of the Internet.

Labels: broadband, business

posted by bruceb at 7/30/2006 11:35:00 PM | permalink

AT&T TEAMS WITH WILDBLUE FOR SATELLITE BROADBAND
Broadband Internet access by satellite has been available for years, but it's never been very appealing. Only the truly desperate signed up with Hughes - horrible speeds, frequent outages, and nonexistent tech support made for a lot of frustrated users.

Last year Wildblue came into the field with newer satellites based on different technology and satellite broadband became a more appealing option. There's still a lag that is difficult to get used to, but the experience is miles ahead of a dialup connection. There are many people in rural areas with no other options.

Now AT&T has announced that it is pumping money into a partnership with WildBlue. That helps ensure WildBlue will remain solvent for a while. It's still not going to be anybody's first choice, but if you're not within range of DSL or cable broadband, it's worth considering a satellite connection. Here's the AT&T / WildBlue web site.

Labels: broadband, business

posted by bruceb at 7/24/2006 03:17:00 PM | permalink

KYOCERA EVDO WIRELESS ROUTER
Verizon's EVDO wireless access is heavenly for some travelers. For a hefty monthly fee - $60-80/month - Verizon provides a reasonably fast Internet connection anywhere in its cell phone system. Some new notebooks have the hardware built in to support the EVDO connection, or cards can be connected to the laptop via USB or PCMCIA.

Here's an interesting alternative piece of hardware - the Kyocera KR1 Mobile EV-DO Router. Plug it in and it instantly connects to the Verizon network and sets up Internet access for any nearby computer, acting as an 802.11g wireless access point with all the usual options for WPA/WEP security, plus four ports for network cables. Not for everybody, but the concept is beautiful and there are a few people who will wonder how they ever lived without it. (No personal experience - your mileage may vary.)

Labels: broadband, mobile, network, wireless

posted by bruceb at 7/03/2006 12:22:00 AM | permalink

LENOVO THINKPAD X60
When Lenovo took over IBM's Thinkpad line of notebooks, there was some concern that the line might be changed and the quality might suffer. All the reviews are good so far, and the new ultraportable Thinkpad X60 is getting rave reviews. Here's PC Magazine with a review that praises the light weight, extraordinary battery life (seven hours under some conditions!), and a twelve inch screen that is as generous as you can get in an ultraportable.

The X60 is relatively pricey, and it's a bit disappointing not to have an integrated CD/DVD drive. The advantages in battery life, size and weight are compelling for frequent travellers, and the X60 includes the EVDO hardware for Verizon broadband access. People rave about the EVDO service if they need the coverage and convenience of immediate broadband wherever they are.

Labels: broadband, computers, mobile

posted by bruceb at 6/15/2006 10:56:00 AM | permalink

THE NEED FOR CELLULAR DATA PLANS
There are three Treo models (the Palm-based 650 and 750p and the Windows Mobile-based 700w), plus the Motorola Q, that are appealing combinations of cell phone and PDA. The Treos can send and receive e-mail from an Exchange Server running on Small Business Server 2003, and it's easier than ever to mail photos. All of those things require sending data over the Internet. The new Treo 700s use the speedy new EVDO network for that data.

Here's an article with a timely reminder: you must purchase an unlimited data plan with those devices or you should not own one. Period. There's no third choice. The cost of metered data is astronomical and there's no easy way to predict what will or won't involve data transfer that will be charged. These are tempting devices but they're expensive. Include the cost of an unlimited data plan in your mind as you consider them!

Labels: broadband, mobile, phone

posted by bruceb at 5/31/2006 04:41:00 PM | permalink

3G WIRELESS NETWORKS
There's new wireless technology that might represent a true step forward for some people - with a hefty price tag attached, of course.

The cell phone carriers are rolling out their third-generation ("3G") equipment to support high-speed Internet connections over the cell phone networks. Verizon and Sprint are first with their version named EvDO, followed closely by Cingular's HSDPA. T-Mobile and the others will be available soon.

If you have existing cell phone service with one of those carriers, you can add an unlimited data plan and use a 3G device. Verizon's data plan is currently $69.99/month with a two-year commitment, for example - and remember, that's on top of your voice plan.

The reward is an Internet connection that is available anywhere in the Verizon or Cingular networks. (Well, maybe. They're still building it out. At the moment it's not clear that the broadband connection is available everywhere on the carriers' voice networks, but they're expanding it quickly.) Speeds vary but the promise is that 3G supports true high-speed connections, beginning at 300k and potentially much faster.

Current wireless technology is based on the 802.11x protocol; it's generated by a transmitter with a range of 300 feet or less and tends to be tricky for many people to configure as they move from one place to another. Charges for 802.11x wireless connections can add up - a daily charge at the hotel, an hourly charge at Starbucks, or the like. A consistent connection through the cell phone networks could save a lot of headaches.

There are PCMCIA cards that can pick up this signal, so any notebook computer can be set up to use this service. A better solution will come with notebook computers with the required adapter built in. Dell just introduced the Latitude D620 and D820 notebooks, which can be ordered with an adapter for either Verizon or Cingular; Dell will then facilitate turning on the service. EvDO- and HSDPA-ready notebooks will flood the market later this year.

This article from PC World has background on the technology and anecdotal evidence of what it's like in the real world. The results are mostly positive (a bit erratic - speeds varied, the signal sometimes dropped out); the magazine concludes that the new services represent a big step forward for mobile computing.

Labels: broadband, mobile, wireless

posted by bruceb at 5/03/2006 01:12:00 PM | permalink

NET NEUTRALITY
"Net neutrality" is a hot topic in Washington. The Internet was developed with a guiding philosophy that Internet service providers would treat all traffic equally. The cable companies and telcos see a chance to generate huge additional revenue if they can discriminate - speed up traffic for paying customers, slow down (or stop) traffic for non-paying customers and web sites.

This is the kind of debate that will shape our world for decades to come. Keep your eyes on this one!

Legislation is flying around. The House started the process of giving away the Internet to the telcos a few weeks ago but the momentum appears to be shifting. A Democratic lawmaker just introduced a bill to protect net neutrality. The New York Times has a strong editorial about it today (online here but probably only available to subscribers).

If you're new to this debate, this Slate article is a good place to start.

"The debate centers on whether it is more "neutral" to let consumers reach all Internet content equally or to let providers discriminate if they think they'll make more money that way.

"The cable firms and the Bells have (to their credit, but under pressure) sworn off blocking Web sites. Instead, they propose to carve off bandwidth for their own services—namely, television—and, more controversially, to charge selected companies a toll for "priority" service. FCC Chairman Kevin Martin thinks there is nothing wrong with that. But critics say technological prioritization and degradation are the same thing—that given limited room on the network, whoever isn't prioritized is by implication degraded.

"In trying to figure out who's right, let's forget about the Internet and look at KFC. The fast-food chain discriminates. It has an exclusive deal with Pepsi, and that seems fine to pretty much everyone. Now, let's think about the nation's highways. How would you feel if I-95 announced an exclusive deal with General Motors to provide a special "rush-hour" lane for GM cars only? That seems intuitively wrong. But what, if anything, is the difference between KFC and I-95? And which is a better model for the Internet?

"Two obvious differences are market power and the availability of substitutes. KFC is a small fry, relatively, locked in competition with the likes of McDonald's and Popeye's. KFC sells Pepsi? So what? McDonald's sells Coke.

"It's a lot harder to substitute for an interstate. And if highways really did choose favorite brands, you might buy a Pontiac instead of a Toyota to get the rush-hour lane, not because the Pontiac is actually a good car. As a result, the nature of competition among car-makers would change. Rather than try to make the best product, they would battle to make deals with highways.

"That's what would happen if discrimination reigned on the Internet: a transformation from a market where innovation rules to one where deal-making rules. Or, a market where firms rush to make exclusive agreements with AT&T and Verizon instead of trying to improve their products."

Labels: broadband, business

posted by bruceb at 5/02/2006 09:46:00 AM | permalink

NEW DELL WIDESCREEN NOTEBOOKS
Dell will roll out new business notebooks today, the Latitude D620 and D820, with two interesting features. Here's an article about the rollout.

First, they will have built-in support for Internet connections through Verizon or Cingular cellular networks. Up to now, a reference to "wireless" referred only to 802.11g networks - the 100 foot cloud created by a wireless access point somewhere on the ground. The cell phone networks cover the entire country (with the exception of a small area just west of Sebastopol), making it far easier to travel and count on a persistent connection.

Second, the displays are evidence that the industry is moving to the "widescreen" format for computers as well as for televisions. The screen aspect ratio (the relationship between the screen's width and height) was 4:3 on traditional TV screens and monitors - almost square. The new notebooks will have the same shape that you see on all the high definition TVs inside the door of Costco, a 16:9 ratio - roughly the shape of the screen at a theater. Here's a discussion of what that means.

Labels: broadband, computers, mobile

posted by bruceb at 3/29/2006 08:43:00 AM | permalink