Alternatives to Getting Connected on the Hill
BY BEN THOMASSEN
LIFE BEYOND AOL
www.voiceofthehill.com
VOICE of the Hill / February 2003

The World Wide Web. The Information Superhighway. The Internet. It's out there, and it's waiting for you. Maybe you 've been connected for years, or maybe you're just looking into it; in any case, getting and staying connected to the Internet is a topic for consideration. Indeed, Internet Service Providers, or ISPs, are many in number, and they all want your business. It's up to you as a consumer, to pick what you want and what you need to get connected to the Internet. But how does one do this? What options are available for us Capitol Hill-ites and our DC-area kin? Who do you turn to? With the thousands of choices out there, it may be a bit intimidating - so without further ado, we present our very own Voice of the Hill Internet Service Provider Frequently Asked Questions, or VOTHISPFAQ, for short.

Q: I already have my America Online CDROM, so I 'm all set, right?
A: Despite what appears to be the common belief, there are ways to get connected to the Internet today beyond AOL; faster ways, cheaper ways, and, believe it or not, potentially better ways. As of August 2002, approximately 50 million households in the US were connected to the Internet through dial-up connections. Dialup is affordable, easy to manage and get going, and widely available across the nation. The price of a dialup connection ranges from the price of a local phone call, up to around $25 per month. Here, in our urban milieu, finding a dial-up ISP isn 't difficult at all. Ten years ago, getting connected to the Internet was a bit more difficult - not all computers were sold with modems pre-installed, and the number of ISPs were limited in number; today, on the other hand, you 'll be hard pressed to find a computer without a pre-installed modem, or an urban environment without good dial-up coverage. Chances are, if you purchased your computer within the last several years, you 're already set up for a dial-up connection.

Q: OK, dial-up access sounds good and easy, but I thought AOL owned the Internet!
A: While this is not an uncommon perception, AOL does not own the Internet. AOL is one of many dial-up ISPs available to Capitol Hill websurfers; it is also the most expensive option you can choose. Of the 50 million dial-up connections in the US, 35 million of them are served through AOL (and all are, currently, paying $23.50 a month).

Q: Wow, that's expensive! What are my other options?
A: When selecting any ISP, dial-up or otherwise, there are several questions you need to ask yourself to determine what ISP is right for you. While companies like America Online do come with certain advantages over their lesser known competitors, there are numerous options to consider: Price - as mentioned before, AOL charges close to $25 a month forInternet access. Other big-time national carriers, like MSN (Microsoft Network) and Earthlink, also charge around $20-$25 every month. Smaller ISPs, many of them being local carriers only, often charge around $10-$15 on a monthly basis. There are also, believe it or not, a few free ISPs still in existence, although the service they provide isn 't very reliable (or good for that matter). Access - the big advantage of the giant nationwide carriers is coverage. Just about every urban epicenter in the US will have AOL, Earthlink, and MSN connection numbers. If you 're doing a lot of traveling, nationwide coverage is something to seriously consider. Even if you 're not going to sign up with one of the biggies, ask your ISP how you can connect to the Internet on the go. Customer Service - AOL caters its service to the new computer owner. Their TV spots make connecting to the Internet look easy, exciting, and fun! While this might be true, you should ask yourself how confident you are that everything you install is going to work correctly, and how capable you think you are at fixing small, unexpected problems on your computer. Even AOL, believe it or not, can crash and cause other headaches. Getting a hold of knowledgeable customer service representatives to help you through your problems is something to seriously think about. The hold time at major ISPs can often exceed 30-60 minutes; since AOL caters to new computer users, they 're going to be swamped with excessive calls for help. Local or smaller ISPs, on the other hand, will likely be spread less thin - and able to better help you with your problems. Reputation - Ask around! If you have a friend that uses Earthlink to connect to the Internet, find out how satisfied they are with their service. You wouldn 't buy a car without checking it out first, and you shouldn 't blindly sign up with an ISP either. The more you look into your options, the happier you 'll be; I promise.

Q: Enough! I need concrete examples!
A: DC Access (www.dcaccess.net) is an example of a local carrier that has recently developed nationwide coverage. Based in Capitol Hill (at 118 Kentucky Ave, SE), DC Access has been providing dial-up Internet for DC for five years; last April, they extended their coverage across the nation. If you sign up with DC Access for a one year commitment, you pay $12 a month for a standard 56Kbs connection (that's 56 kilobits per second). You get access to the Internet for as long as you want; there are no connection limitations. If you 're not ready for a year's commitment, you can pay $16 on a monthly basis. Since DC Access has gone national, they 're a great example of a local provider that can cover you even while you travel. So how does DC Access stack up to a provider like AOL? Both services give you the same connection speed (56K). Both services give you nationwide coverage, and both give you unlimited access to the Internet. If you have a question or problem with your service, Matt Wade of DC Access, will come to your house to fix your problem ( " ...the first time's free," quoth Matt); in contrast, AOL has a lovely 800 number and even lovelier muzak. With AOL, you get instant access to a lot of additional services, like the ever-popular chat rooms, but you also get inundated with commercials, ads, and special offers at every turn. DC Access gets you connected to the Internet and sets you up with an email address, for much less than its national competitors. Call around! There are options out there, and many things to consider before signing a binding contract; if, in the end, you decide to sign up with AOL, then that's fine. Just make sure you 're informed of all your choices.

Q: 56Kbs is slooooow. Why?
A: Dial-up is a good choice for people who want a basic internet connection. It's a fine speed for browsing most of the web, chatting, or sending and receiving email; if this sounds like what you want to be doing with the Internet, then dialup is the way to go. But dial-up comes with downfalls and limitations. First off, it's the slowest way to connect. The FCC has placed caps on the download (about 53Kbps) and upload (33Kbps) speeds of phone line connections. Secondly, using a dial-up account will use your phone line which means, quite obviously, that you 'll be unable to receive incoming calls on the phone line you use for your Internet connection. Also, you might occasionally get busy signals when your computer tries to connect to your ISP... Worry not! For a few extra bucks a month, you can be surfing the information superhighway at blistering speeds, downloading audio and video files in minutes (as opposed to hours), all the while talking on the phone!

Q: What's up with cable/broadband?
A: The potentially fastest way to connect to the Internet from your home is through a cable connection. A cable modem provides high-speed Internet access through a cable television network at more than 1 million bits per second (mbps)... that's a lot faster than dial-up. Cable modems are usually external devices placed next to your computer. A cable television system typically has 60 or more channels, and most of them are used for programming services like CNN, ESPN and HBO. These channels also can be used to offer high-speed Internet access service. Cable modems connect to the cable network with a standard coaxial cable, just like the wiring that's plugged into your television set to receive cable TV service. The cable modem then connects to your PC through a standard Ethernet interface. A limited amount of bandwidth (referring basically to the 'amount' of internet access) is shared over a neighborhood. When everyone on your block is using their cable Internet connection, the download and upload speed suffers a bit, but it's still a lot faster than dial-up. A good cable connection allows you to be constantly connected to the Internet at a very fast speed; you 'll be able to download large files in no time, and view media-rich websites (not to mention playing video games online).

Q: Cool! How do I sign up for cable access?
A: The joke's on you! Here in Capitol Hill, our underground cables are older than most computers and are, unfortunately, not capable of carrying high-speed internet connections. Other areas of Washington, Northwest DC in particular, do have up-to-date cables running under the earth, but until all the Capitol Hill streets are dug up and new cable is laid, it's TV only.

Q: What's up with DSL?
A: DSL, or Digital Subscriber Line, is a technology that lets you use an ordinary copper phone line for your high-speed Internet connection. DSL works via a provisioned phone line; the act of provisioning splits the line in two parts - one for the regular phone and the other for the DSL. You 'll have to get special adapters for all your phone jacks, but that's a small price to pay for up to 1.3mbps download speeds. In reality, your actual connection speed with DSL will likely be less than 1.3mbps, and generally slower than a good cable connection, but you 'll still enjoy connection speeds faster than any dial-up. Also, DSL services operate at a constant connection speed (as opposed to the shared bandwidth limitations of cable connections), so your connection shouldn 't falter. Around the Hill, the biggest DSL carrier is Verizon. The service it provides is reportedly pretty sound and consistent (largely due to the infrastructure already in place throughout Capitol Hill homes). A good DSL connection depends largely on the quality of your phone lines, so old homes might have to get some rewiring done before enjoying a good DSL connection. There are a number of other DSL providers around the DC area; selecting one follows the same rules as selecting a dial-up provider. Do your homework, and you 'll be fine. A DSL connection will run about $40 a month; not a bad price considering the increase in connection speed and the fact that your phone line will never be occupied by your computer.

Q: What about satellite connections?
A: High speed satellite internet connections are available throughout the US, and Capitol Hill is no exception. Normally, satellite connection services cater to people who live in more rural settings, where DSL and cable are not available. A monthly satellite internet bill will likely run around $60 (not including the cost of purchasing or renting a satellite dish). Urban settings aren 't ideal for satellite connections. First of all, you need an acceptable external wall to mount your satellite dish on (a major problem for those of us living in Capitol Hill basement apartments). Also, big buildings tend to interfere with satellite feeds. Nevertheless, if you 're interested in getting a satellite connection established, you can expect to see download speeds of 600kbps (depending on how good of a link you establish and various environmental conditions). Some satellite services are one-way only; meaning that you 'll still have to connect to the Internet via a modem if you 're planning on uploading any information. Around here, DirectTV carries most of the satellite Internet business.

Q: Are there any other options?
A: For Capitol Hill residents, dial-up, DSL, and satellite connections are our current choices for connecting to the Internet. DC Access, the local provider mentioned earlier, is currently toying with wireless internet access - a different service that holds a lot of promise. Wireless service depends directly on your physical proximity to a broadcast antenna. Currently, DC Access has one such antenna situated at their Kentucky Avenue address (close to Lincoln Park), so wireless Internet access will soon be a possibility for Capitol Hill residents. A low-end wireless connection, Matt Wade says, will run about $30 a month for 200kbps download and upload speeds. That's less than $10 more than the current AOL dial-up price, and flies about four times faster than any dial-up connection around. The service should be available around May of this year, and is definitely something to consider and keep on top of (you can do this by paying attention to the DC Access website, www.dcaccess.net). Since wireless access doesn 't depend on physical connections to the Internet, it is perhaps the most versatile of all high speed connection options. I, for one, am excited about seeing it develop... right in our own backyard!

Q: OK, so what do I do with my free AOL CDs?
A: That's a good question. Hopefully, you now realize that there are many options for connecting to the Internet, both in terms of actual providers and methods. New technologies are constantly developing, and high-speed access is spreading throughout the country at an alarming rate. Choosing your ISP boils down to figuring out your Internet connectivity needs and then doing some independent research on how to meet them. Believe me, you 'll be much happier and more satisfied if know exactly what you 're signing up for. As for me, my extra AOL, MSN, and Earthlink CDs make great fodder for the microwave (parents, don 't tell your kids about this one!). Think of it as a free fireworks show!

Ben Thomassen is a regular contributor to The Voice of the Hill (which in no way endorses placing anything in the microwave you don 't actually want to eat).