As a business owner you have a large number of options for different kinds of connectivity for whatever kind of data that you have. As a result, it is imperative that you not only explore all of the different options that are out there, but also pick the one that is going to work the best for you and your business.

When choosing a service provider, the first step is to determine which of the providers on your list have the ability to offer the kind of bandwidth that your business demands. Then you can continue to narrow down your selections by establishing who is able to provide the reliability that you’re looking for, the security of the data that you’re going to be running across the network, the network redundancy, as well as who has the reputation of effectively providing the service that you need.

As the largest privately held en-to-end, facilities-based provider serving SMBs and enterprise organizations nationwide, MegaPath is the ultimate one-stop shop capable of helping you find the ideal route. Offering the full gamete of services, from a comprehensive selection of data services and VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) to Security technologies, MegaPath is capable of addressing whatever kind of communications requirement you have.

Well known throughout the industry as a knowledgeable and experienced provider, MegaPath also offers a reliability promise of 99.999% reliability – which means virtually no down time at all for your service. Moreover, MegaPath offers flexibility, and is capable of providing effective and reliable services that are able to scale-up and grow with your business as it evolves.

Whatever kind of bandwidth needs you have, MegaPath has a service to fit your needs. At their lowest end, MegaPath provides both symmetrical and asymmetrical DSL. These are scalable services that allow you to transfer bandwidth back and forth, and are even able to handle voice and other advanced services your applications call for. If you demand more bandwidth, bigger options, such as scalable Ethernet or hard-wired Internet T1 service are available.

In a nutshell, MegaPath has the reputation of providing strong, reliable, and secure services and technologies to all of its customers. By leveraging its wide selection of services and technologies, MegaPath enables businesses nationwide to enhance their productivity and increase security while lowering their overall costs.

Additional Information

To find out more about MegaPath its available services, give us a call today!

Speed and Efficiency

Arguably the biggest benefit of employing a broadband connection is the increased speed it provides. This is because broadband Internet connections are a great deal faster than dial-up connections – in some cases they are up to 40 times faster! With increased speeds, you and your employees are able to get more done in less time.

Broadband connections are known for their always-on 24/7 connectivity, which allows you to enjoy your high-speed Internet connection whenever you desire it. When you use a dial-up connection, it can take minutes just to log on and access your email; however with a broadband connection, one simple click on your browser gives you high-speed access to the Internet where you can surf the web, read your email, hold a web conference, etc.

Moreover, broadband Internet connections permit quick and easy downloading and uploading of large files. For example, in the time it would take you to download just one pre-recorded web conference with a dial-up connection, you could potentially download as many as five via a broadband Internet connection. In addition, high-speed broadband connections provide you with access to applications and service features that a dial-up connection cannot support, such as streaming, real-time video/audio, etc.

Reliability

Archaic Internet connections – such as a 56k dial-up connection – are not only painfully slow, but also rather unreliable.

With a broadband connection, on the other hand, most providers typically offer a dependable 99.9 percent uptime, virtually eliminating your need to worry about unexpected “hiccups” that can lose your connection.

A Flat, Predictable Monthly Fee

Since a broadband Internet connection is always-on 24/7, you pay one flat rate to your provider every month, eliminating the need for you to guess how much time you and your employees have spent online and worrying about what it will cost you.

No Need for an Additional Phone Line

High-speed broadband connections are dedicated connections that do not interfere with your telephone line, as opposed to a traditional 56k dial-up connection that requires the installation of a second phone line in order for you to be able to simultaneously surf the web and make a telephone call.

Additional Information

Think a broadband connection would benefit your business? Not sure? Give one of our professional account managers a call today and let us help you find the ideal solution for your business!

T1 Broadband Speed

The new year is a great time to sit down and plan a strategy for the upcoming year.

I find that one of the most important items in any strategy is how your time is spent. If you were to take a second and ask yourself what would help you be more efficient, where would you start? Would you begin with your commute? The Applications in your Cloud? Or would you simply want access to your email and phone system?

One of the most important aspects to any company is the internet and voice services that are available in your office. The ability to streamline these services can significantly alter the amount work that one is able to complete in a day. As the cloud becomes more present everyday, the ability to connect to your applications will play a critical role in your productivity.

Our goal is to create a time saving environment that allows you to connect seamlessly between applications in your life, preventing any lost time with the things that matter most.

The modern business world requires companies to have the fastest Internet connection speeds possible in order to achieve success and stay one step ahead of the competition. As technological advancements continue to offer quicker, more reliable Internet speeds, many savvy business owners are looking at – and employing – DSL connections as a way to provide them that edge.

Digital Subscriber Lines are an “always-on” connection, meaning they offer a high-speed connection for your staff to upload and download large attachments, view emails, videos and attachments, as well as hold online web and audio conference calls 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

How fast is a DSL connection?

Depending upon the provider you select, DSL connections are available in a wide range of speeds and packages. Typical upload speeds fall between 128 to 768 Kb per second, and downloads between 768 Kb per second to 7.1 Mb per second. Furthermore, with DSL another factor that determines the connection speed is the type of connection you choose; symmetrical or asymmetrical. In a symmetrical DSL connection, the upload and download speeds are the same, whereas an asymmetrical DSL connection utilizes a bigger portion of bandwidth for faster download speeds.

Due to the fact that DSL is employed mostly by small businesses, many providers offer small business DSL packages that offer fast download/upload speeds necessary to operate quickly and efficiently for an affordable monthly price.

What features are typically included in a DSL package?

In addition to a variety of available upload and download speeds, most providers offer added features that are popular among small businesses, such as uptime guarantees, 24/7 customer support, anti-virus and anti-spyware, firewall, remote dial-up access, web hosting and space, as well as email services free of charge. More comprehensive DSL packages include the ability to link more than one computer to a single DSL connection, static IP addresses, file sharing, online backup and merchant services.

How affordable is a Business-class DSL connection?

While pricing varies depending upon the provider, connection type and package you select, a DSL connection can run as low as $30 per month, making it incredibly economical – especially when you consider the increase in speed that you’ll receive by switching from a 56k dial-up connection.

Additional Information

Are you interested in learning more about DSL connections and how they can enhance your business? If so, give one of our professional account managers a call today!

What a difference a year can make!

Colorado-based Level 3 Communications has come a long way from its start-up days. Dubbed “the best funded start-up in history,” Level 3 Communications has persistently invested in infrastructure to become one of the prestigious six Tier 1 Internet operators in the world. Backed by a management team with decades of experience and knowledge in driving the development of cutting-edge voice, data, video, application and asset communication, Level 3 Communications strives to facilitate contemporary technology and improve communication while combining true partnership with broad telecommunications services.

This past summer, Level 3 Communications publicized its decision to sign a multi-year contract with Cox Communications in order to deliver high-speed transport and Internet Protocol (IP) services. At the same time, the provider also announced that it was enabling Cox Communications to resell and use its services, expanding the capabilities made available via the Level 3 wholesale partner program. In a statement, Cox Communications’ senior VP of technology, Jay Rolls said that “The strategic relationship with Level 3 allows us to bolster our network and more effectively deliver voice, video and data products to homes and businesses.”

In addition, it was stated that Cox Communications will buy supplementary dark fiber from the provider to strengthen its backbone as well as support the expansion of its broadband network. The contracts signed between the two companies build upon the relationship the two have shared for more than a decade and outline the conditions and terms that dictate the exchange of Internet Protocol traffic among the two providers’ backbone networks.

Flash forward five months, and this past Monday it was revealed that Level 3 is now involved in a California broadband project. The $66 million + project will utilize over 300 route miles of the provider’s infrastructure as part of a backbone network that will span 18 counties and provide sophisticated communications to bucolic, underserved locations all through California’s Central Valley.

According to Level 3, the project is partially funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act who is contributing just over $46.5 million.

Additional Information

If you are interested in learning more about Level 3 Communications, Inc. and its offerings, give one of our professional account managers a call today. Our unique partnership with Level 3 allows us to provide you with the industry’s leading business-class solutions for the best available price – and all with unmatched customer support.

Today’s technology is ever-evolving. What was once cutting-edge only a year ago has now quickly become obsolete. If technology continues to develop at such high speeds, where will we be 10 years from now?

In a recent blog post written on the Government Computer News website by Force 3’s VP of technology and innovation, Chris Knotts, he outlines the 10 major ways he believes technology will change within the next decade. While some of his points are valid, a few seem to be a bit too far-reaching to truly be plausible. For example, Knotts speaks of tablets replacing laptop and desktop PCs – a conceivable idea – however the thought of a smartphone “that expands to a 20-, 30- or 50-inch screen” is not. It’s difficult to fathom a tiny smartphone (powerful as they may be) being able to morph itself into a 50 inch screen with the same quality, functionality, and speed as a tablet or computer made for exactly that purpose.

The same holds true for his thoughts on Bluetooth technology. There will almost certainly be an improved version, but the idea of “embedded audio in or on our ears (or somewhere else on our body)” seems far too science-fiction to be true. It is, nevertheless, an interesting idea.

The last idea that appeared too far-reaching was Knotts belief that by 2021 all businesses will move completely into the cloud, eliminating the need to store anything locally. Knotts explains, “in other words, you will have a hard drive, but it won’t be part of your computer.” Moreover, Knotts says that “boxed software” will cease to exist, and that “all software will transition to a service-based approach.” This might very well be a possibility for SMBs and/or start-up companies (who can take advantage of these services today), but large corporations and those that deal with sensitive material will likely stick to on-premise solutions for a variety of reasons; the biggest one being security.

On the other hand, some of Knotts points leave me excited for what’s yet to come. The eradication of all network connections or hot spots in exchange for 24/7 online connectivity is music to any mobile workers ears. As is the idea that text messaging will still be around in 2021. It’s quick, effective, and so easy to understand that even my technologically-impaired mom knows how to send or receive one. The old saying, ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ comes to mind.

But perhaps the most exciting idea mentioned in Knotts blog article is the idea of 3-D video becoming the norm. Forget flying cars, (although, I am still hoping to get one sooner or later) imagine conducting a conference via 3-D video. Even though it will require mobile workers to wear something other than their pajamas to the meeting, it’s almost as if you can teleport yourself to anywhere in the world – and it doesn’t get any more futuristic than that!

What do you think is on the developing technology landscape?  What would you like to see available in the next 10 years?