Telecommunications

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Telecommunications

• Modems
• Communication Lines
• Internet Service Providers
• Agricultural Telecommunications Act

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Connecting to the Internet?
Computer
Modem
ISP
Internet
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Bits and Bytes A Refresher

• All computer data is transmitted as a series of
  0s and 1s. These are called Binary Digits.
• A Bit is one numeral, an 0 or a 1
• A Byte is 8 bits
• 01000001 is an A
• 00111101 is an
• A Kilobyte (K or KB) is 1000 bytes (really 1024
  bytes)
• A Megabyte (M or MB) is 1,000,000 bytes
• A Gigabyte (G or GB) is 1,000,000,000 bytes

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Modems Communication Lines
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Confused??
Cable Modems
ISDN
33.6 Kbps
T1 Lines
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Modem

• A device that translates the analog signals that
  travel over voice phone lines to the digital
  information understood by computers.
• The term modem derives from modulate/demodulate
  which describes the conversion process.

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Modems

• Analog Modems
• 14.4 Kbps (Kilobits per second)
• 28.8 Kbps
• 33.6 Kbps
• Analog/Digital Modems
• 56 Kbps
• X2 Technology U.S. Robotics
• Flex technology Lucent, Rockwell
• These two technologies compete and are not
  compatible (similar to beta vs. vhs)
• V.90 this is superior to either X2 or Flex

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Modems/Communication Lines

• ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) A
  true digital modem
• Requires a ISDN phone line (which is digital)
• Transmits data on two 64 Kbps channels which can
  be combined into a 128 Kbps stream
• More expensive than traditional phone lines and
  modems (Internet Service Provides may charge
  more)
• More complicated to setup and use
• It is rapidly loosing out to newer technology it
  is nearly a historical footnote now

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Modems/Communication Lines

• Cable Modems
• Rented from your cable television company
• Cable TV company serves as the Internet Service
  Provider
• Can achieve speeds 10X faster than ISDN lines
  (1,500 Kbps)
• Speed is slowed as more people get on the same
  cable
• Limited availability

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Modems/Communication Lines

• DSL or ADSL Digital Subscriber Line
• A system developed by the phone companies to
  compete with cable companies
• Digital signals are sent over existing phone
  lines
• The further you are away from the switching
  station, the slower the connection
• 25x faster than a 56 Kbps modem

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Communication Speeds
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Modems/Communication Lines

• T1 lines
• A fiber optic cable that carries voice and
  computer data
• It is 60X faster than a standard modem (1.544
  Megabits per second)
• Often used for networks
• Very reliable
• Costs 1,000 to 1,500 a month
• T3 lines
• 3X faster than a T1

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Would You Believe?

• Modems are available today that operate at
  speeds up to 9600 baud. As of today, speeds
  higher than 1200 baud are not common on most
  networks.
• Camp, Moore, Foster Moore Microcomputer
  Applications for Students of Agriculture,
  Interstate, 1988
• Note at low speeds a baud 1 bit

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Modem Speed Time Line

• 300 bits per second 1963 to 1983
• 1200 bps 1984
• 2400 bps
• 9600 bps 1991
• 19.2 Kbps
• 28.8 Kbps
• 33.6 Kbps
• 56 Kbps 1998
• DSL (10 Mbps) 1999

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Modems

• Internal
• Less expensive
• People dont mess with the settings
• Doesnt take up desk space
• No power cord to plug in

• External
• Easy to install if there is no existing modem

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Modem Brands

• The top two rated brands are
• U.S. Robotics
• 3Com

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Emerging Modem Trends

• Wireless Modems
• Cellular
• Satellite Modems
• Bounce signals off satellites
• 38 Mbps

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Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
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Internet Service Provider (ISP)

• ISP Short for Internet Service Provider, a
  company that provides access to the Internet. For
  a monthly fee, the service provider gives you a
  software package, username, password and access
  phone number. Equipped with a modem, you can then
  log on to the Internet and browse the World Wide
  Web and send and receive e-mail.
• There are about 10,000 ISPs in America

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Selecting an ISP
According to readers of Inter_at_active Week

• Network Reliability
• Few busy signals
• Doesnt disconnect
• Value for the Price
• Network Performance
• Doesnt lose data
• Customer Service Responsiveness
• Technical Support
• Start up-time
• How easy is it for a novice to get connected

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Selecting an ISP

• Local Access Number
• In most medium and larger cities, there is a
  local access number
• In rural areas, this could be a problem
• If you must dial long distance to access an ISP,
  out of state is sometimes cheaper.
• Toll-free ISPs tend to charge by the minute, so
  they recoup the cost
• Customer Service
• If you need help setting up your service, will
  help be available

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Selecting an ISP

• Size
• Sizes range from 1-2 people to giant corporations
  employing thousands
• 48 of ISPs serve only one area code
• 96 of ISPs serve less than 10 area codes
• Size doesnt determine quality of service but
  does have an impact on access across the country
  for the traveler

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ISPs
Area Codes Served
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Leading ISPs (in subscribers)
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Customer Satisfaction with ISPs
According to readers of PC Magazine

• Dial Up
• Local ISPs A-
• EarthLink B
• ATT World Link B
• NetZero C
• Juno C
• Prodigy C-
• MSN D-
• AOL E

• Broadband
• Optimum Online A
• Road Runner A-
• Local ISPs B
• Earthlink C
• Charter Pipeline C
• Bell South C
• Verizon C-
• ATT C-
• SBC D-
• Comcast D-
• AOL D-

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Web Hosting

• Many ISPs allow you to maintain a web site at no
  charge.
• There are several companies that provide free web
  hosting service.
• The bigger ones are
• Tripod
• Yahoo Geocities

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Agricultural Telecommunications Act
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Agricultural Telecommunications Act

• Authorized in Section 1673 of the Food,
  Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990
• provides financial assistance through the USDA
  for the production and delivery of educational
  programs in agricultural extension, research, and
  academic programs.
• U.S. institutions of higher education are
  eligible to receive the grants.

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Agricultural Telecommunications Act

• Objectives
• Assure that producers, processors, researchers,
  and the public have immediate access to
  knowledge.
• Improve the competitive position of U.S.
  agriculture in international markets.
• Respond to food safety and environmental
  concerns.
• Improve the training of students for careers in
  agriculture and food industries.
• Identify new uses for agricultural commodities
  and increase demand.

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Agricultural Telecommunications Act

• Funds administered by the American Distance
  Education Consortium (ADEC)
• The NC State Department of Agricultural and
  Extension Education is the recipient of a 75,000
  grant to develop LEAP (Licensure in Education for
  Agricultural Professionals) a web-based
  alternative teacher licensure program to certify
  agriculture teachers.

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Future Projections
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Predictions

• Internet printing All printers will have URLs.
  You can direct a job to be printed on any printer
  in the world provided you know the URL.

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Predictions

• PNG Graphics The jpg and gif graphics now in
  use on the internet will be replaced by png
  (portable network graphics).

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Predictions

• People today walk around with their electronic
  tool belts (Palm Pilot, cell phone, pager)
  therefore we will soon have
• PANs Personal Area Networks
• links devices for security, entertainment,
  credit, medical monitoring, transportation and
  data communication.
• Wearable computers and communication devices

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Predictions

• In-vehicle computing and connectivity
• computers will be standard equipment on cars
• light poles will contain wireless hubs, these
  wireless hubs will transmit to central
  communication centers
• some towns today are nearly wireless

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Predictions

• Voice User Interface
• most computing devices will respond to voice
  commands

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Predictions

• Interactive Television
• most televisions will be internet ready
• there will be interactive programming

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Predictions

• Moores Law continues
• technology doubles every 18 months

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Predictions

• CPU Speed
• 12 GHz soon
• CPU Architecture
• 64 bit CPU soon (Merced Intel, Sledgehammer -
  AMD)

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Predictions

• Compact FlashMemory Cards
• Zip drives and floppies will be replaced by
  compact flash memory cards

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Predictions

• 120 GB hard drives will be standard by 2005