Comments on: Recommendations for an ISP http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/jkbaumga/2007/02/06/recommendations-for-an-isp/ "All that is left to me is the sound of snow underfoot." --Haruki Murakami Sun, 07 Sep 2008 09:45:18 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Fred Welsh http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/jkbaumga/2007/02/06/recommendations-for-an-isp/#comment-4625 Fred Welsh Sun, 25 Mar 2007 01:15:52 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/jkbaumga/2007/02/06/recommendations-for-an-isp/#comment-4625 I would suggest either FiOS service, an integrated T1 Line (think of multiple T1 Lines) or a DS3 line. All-in-all any of these choices should provide enough bandwidth for your business. <a href="http://highspeed-internet-provider.co/" rel="nofollow">High Speed Internet Access and Broadband Provider</a> I would suggest either FiOS service, an integrated T1 Line (think of multiple T1 Lines) or a DS3 line. All-in-all any of these choices should provide enough bandwidth for your business.

High Speed Internet Access and Broadband Provider

]]> By: Shimon Rura http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/jkbaumga/2007/02/06/recommendations-for-an-isp/#comment-3541 Shimon Rura Mon, 12 Feb 2007 15:37:00 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/jkbaumga/2007/02/06/recommendations-for-an-isp/#comment-3541 FiOS is very nice, the installer I had was quite competent and accommodating, and I have never noticed service downtime. FiOS is a Verizon brand name, and Verizon is, AFAIK, the only company offering mass-market residential fiber-optic service. What does this mean to you? Not a whole lot. Fiber has greater potential but right now you can buy similar-speed service from Comcast or RCN via coax cable for a similar price. And any broadband service, including DSL, will be acceptable and will feel totally great compared to a modem. So buy something simple and cheap. I've had cable modem service from both Comcast and RCN, and have found Comcast slightly more reliable and better-supported but RCN is usually slightly cheaper for the same speeds. Finally, if you have/want home telephone service or television cable, you can buy these from the same provider as your internet access, and this might be convenient for you as the services can be billed together. Comcast, RCN, and Verizon all offer bundles, although Verizon TV is delivered over FiOS only (I think) and isn't even available in all municipalities where FiOS is available (I think) because in Massachusetts a new cable utility must be approved by each municipality it serves, rather than just state-wide as in most states. Looking back at what I've just written, it basically summarizes to: here's a bunch of information. But just do whatever's cheapest/easiest because it's all OK. FiOS is very nice, the installer I had was quite competent and accommodating, and I have never noticed service downtime. FiOS is a Verizon brand name, and Verizon is, AFAIK, the only company offering mass-market residential fiber-optic service. What does this mean to you? Not a whole lot. Fiber has greater potential but right now you can buy similar-speed service from Comcast or RCN via coax cable for a similar price. And any broadband service, including DSL, will be acceptable and will feel totally great compared to a modem.

So buy something simple and cheap. I’ve had cable modem service from both Comcast and RCN, and have found Comcast slightly more reliable and better-supported but RCN is usually slightly cheaper for the same speeds.

Finally, if you have/want home telephone service or television cable, you can buy these from the same provider as your internet access, and this might be convenient for you as the services can be billed together. Comcast, RCN, and Verizon all offer bundles, although Verizon TV is delivered over FiOS only (I think) and isn’t even available in all municipalities where FiOS is available (I think) because in Massachusetts a new cable utility must be approved by each municipality it serves, rather than just state-wide as in most states.

Looking back at what I’ve just written, it basically summarizes to: here’s a bunch of information. But just do whatever’s cheapest/easiest because it’s all OK.

]]> By: Jeff http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/jkbaumga/2007/02/06/recommendations-for-an-isp/#comment-3504 Jeff Thu, 08 Feb 2007 05:52:33 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/jkbaumga/2007/02/06/recommendations-for-an-isp/#comment-3504 It's cool to have the newest thing, but then again, being on the bleeding edge can also be pretty rough. I've read about Fios installs taking a long time because the folks doing the work just haven't done it often. I think for most people, cable modem is just fine. Low latency, so good for voice or video. Bandwidth is plenty for virtually anything you'd want to do. Cable modem companies are selling service now to businesses, complete with SLA. Your home cable modem is riding on the same infrastructure, so it should be good. Personally I've heard of more people having strange issues with DSL than cable. My cable pretty much just works 100% of the time. It’s cool to have the newest thing, but then again, being on the bleeding edge can also be pretty rough. I’ve read about Fios installs taking a long time because the folks doing the work just haven’t done it often.

I think for most people, cable modem is just fine. Low latency, so good for voice or video. Bandwidth is plenty for virtually anything you’d want to do. Cable modem companies are selling service now to businesses, complete with SLA. Your home cable modem is riding on the same infrastructure, so it should be good.

Personally I’ve heard of more people having strange issues with DSL than cable. My cable pretty much just works 100% of the time.

]]> By: James http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/jkbaumga/2007/02/06/recommendations-for-an-isp/#comment-3503 James Wed, 07 Feb 2007 21:40:57 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/jkbaumga/2007/02/06/recommendations-for-an-isp/#comment-3503 Using the ISP who can provide FIOS will increase disruption when you switch because your service will be out during the switch and you'll have no fallback if there's a problem with it. Using the dissimilar option lets you switch to FIOS later with the option of having several months of transition time with both services available. Using the ISP who can provide FIOS will increase disruption when you switch because your service will be out during the switch and you’ll have no fallback if there’s a problem with it. Using the dissimilar option lets you switch to FIOS later with the option of having several months of transition time with both services available.

]]> By: James http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/jkbaumga/2007/02/06/recommendations-for-an-isp/#comment-3502 James Wed, 07 Feb 2007 13:25:44 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/jkbaumga/2007/02/06/recommendations-for-an-isp/#comment-3502 Cable. More reliable in my experience and you get phone as a completely independent fallback solution. Check the upstream speed - the lower of the common 4000/384 combination - since that affects your own outgoing communication quality. 128kbit/s won't really do the job. 256kbit/s is sufficient but will suffer during internet multitasking. Cable. More reliable in my experience and you get phone as a completely independent fallback solution.

Check the upstream speed - the lower of the common 4000/384 combination - since that affects your own outgoing communication quality. 128kbit/s won’t really do the job. 256kbit/s is sufficient but will suffer during internet multitasking.

]]> By: Frankenstein http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/jkbaumga/2007/02/06/recommendations-for-an-isp/#comment-3499 Frankenstein Wed, 07 Feb 2007 02:58:40 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/jkbaumga/2007/02/06/recommendations-for-an-isp/#comment-3499 If you can get Verizon FIOS, get it. Otherwise, get a cable modem. Much faster than DSL, and, from what I've heard, far fewer annoyances. If you can get Verizon FIOS, get it. Otherwise, get a cable modem. Much faster than DSL, and, from what I’ve heard, far fewer annoyances.

]]> By: mako http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/jkbaumga/2007/02/06/recommendations-for-an-isp/#comment-3498 mako Wed, 07 Feb 2007 01:22:50 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/jkbaumga/2007/02/06/recommendations-for-an-isp/#comment-3498 You should buy service from Speakeasy. Verizon and the cable companies, because they own the lines, can probably give you a better price, but not a better deal. Speakeasy is free software friendly, competant, extremely responsive, offer unbelievably reliable service, and don't require that you buy a phone line. I was actually very excited to be moving to Cambridge so that I could use them. You should buy service from Speakeasy. Verizon and the cable companies, because they own the lines, can probably give you a better price, but not a better deal.

Speakeasy is free software friendly, competant, extremely responsive, offer unbelievably reliable service, and don’t require that you buy a phone line. I was actually very excited to be moving to Cambridge so that I could use them.

]]>