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HOW
FAST IS YOUR SERVICE?
NCS Broadband currently offers three grades of
service ranging from 1 megabit to 256 kilobits. NCS
Broadband offers equal download and upload speeds resulting
in better performance for a wide variety of Internet
applications including Virtual Private Networks.
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DO I NEED AN
ANTENNA ON MY ROOF?
No,
most NCS Broadband subscribers use a compact indoor antenna
or attic mounted antenna professionally installed by NCS
Broadband. In some cases an outdoor antenna may be required
for best performance.
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I HAVE HEARD
ABOUT SATELLITE BASED BROADBAND TECHNOLOGY, HOW DOES YOUR
SERVICE COMPARE?
Satellite based broadband technologies suffer from very high
latency (long transmission delays). The time it takes for
one "packet" of data to reach the Internet and get back to
your PC can be as high as 3000 milliseconds, or 3 seconds,
compared to a round trip time of less than 100 milliseconds
on land based wired and wireless technologies. In addition,
satellite broadband provides very limited upload speeds
similar to a dial-up modem. The end result is a connection
that can download files fairly quickly, but offers generally
poor overall Internet performance. NCS Broadband does not
use any satellite links in the delivery of your service and
the latency on our network is very similar to DSL and Cable
Modem systems.
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THERE IS ANOTHER
COMPANY THAT PROVIDES WIRELESS INTERNET ACCESS IN MY AREA,
HOW DOES YOUR SERVICE COMPARE?
NCS
Broadband utilizes a proprietary Non Line of Sight wireless
network developed by WaveRider Communications, this
technology does not require a direct view of the base
station antenna and allows us to use indoor antennas. Other
wireless broadband providers rely on "line-of-sight"
broadcast systems. In order to receive their service you
will need a clear view of the broadcast antenna and a
carefully aimed rooftop antenna. The percentage of homes
that can be reached by this technology is limited and the
antennas are not popular with other homeowners in the area.
Snow accumulation on the antenna, tree growth in the area,
and new homes in the line of sight can all significantly
impact the performance of other wireless systems. While
other wireless technologies do exist, there are many factors
that make NCS Broadband a smarter choice.
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CAN YOU PROVIDE
ME WITH A STATIC IP ADDRESS?
Yes,
Static IP numbers are included in most corporate plans and
available on other plans for a small fee, this guarantees
that you will be able to take advantage of all web
technologies including Virtual Private Networking to your
office, Video Conferencing, and PC Anywhere.
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CAN I HOST A WEB
OR EMAIL SERVER ON MY NCS BROADBAND CONNECTION?
Yes,
our Business Plan does allow web and email server hosting.
There are some restrictions. Server hosting is not allowed
on residential service plans. Please contact an account
representative for more details.
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CAN I CONNECT
MORE THAN ONE COMPUTER TO AN NCS BROADBAND MODEM?
Yes,
there are many manufacturers that offer broadband "routers"
that are capable of allowing more than one computer to share
a single internet connection and Windows 98, Windows ME,
Windows 2000, and Windows XP all have an Internet connection
sharing feature built in that can be used with your NCS
Broadband service. Your computers need to be connected to
each other with category 5 cabling or a wireless networking
(WiFi / 802.11) router. Home networking services are
available at a rate of $90.00 per hour for NCS Broadband
customers. Unlike other providers, there is never an
additional monthly charge for a second computer.
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CAN I HAVE MORE
THAN ONE EMAIL ADDRESS?
Yes;
additional e-mail addresses are available for a small fee.
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IS THIS
TECHNOLOGY SAFE?
Yes,
our wireless network is very safe. The power transmitted by
our antennas is similar to a handheld cellular or cordless
telephone.
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HOW SECURE IS
WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY?
Our
data network is as secure as wired technologies such as DSL
and Cable Modems. Regardless of the type of Internet
connection you use, it is a good idea to use anti-virus
software and take some basic steps to prevent malicious
users from being able to access files on your computer.
Please ask your installer about options available to protect
your computer.
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WHAT IS NCS
BROADBAND'S PRIVACY POLICY?
NCS
Broadband has a very strict privacy policy. We never share
any information about our subscribers with other companies.
Your email address and personal information is safe with us,
in addition, NCS Broadband does not monitor or log regular
Internet activity.
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HOW DOES NCS
BROADBAND CHOOSE THE COMMUNITIES IT SERVICES?
Size
of the community, availability of other broadband services,
the demand for broadband services, and the willingness of
the community to work with NCS Broadband in selecting
antenna locations and promoting the services that we offer
are the criteria we consider when selecting communities to
serve. If you feel that your community is a good candidate
we would love to hear from you.
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DO YOU OFFER
SERVICE TO APARTMENT AND CONDOMINIUM RESIDENTS?
Yes,
if the complex meets minimum criteria, does not already have
broadband availability, and the association or management is
willing to work with NCS Broadband we can usually establish
a relationship that is mutually beneficial. If you think
your complex is a good candidate we would love to hear from
you.
