high-speed internet
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Virgin Media launches 50Mbps internet service in UK
Remember that fanciful cable modem that Virgin Media unveiled last month? Now it's clear as day what it will be used for. This week, the operator has announced the launch of its lightning fast 50Mbps high-speed internet service in the UK. The service has instantly placed VM at the top of the class in terms of speed, though it certainly won't come cheap. Reportedly, it'll run locals some £51 ($77) per month, though the monthly fee is lowered to £35 ($53) if users also take a Virgin phone line for £11 ($17) / month. There's no mention of what regions will have access right away, though it should be rolled out "country-wide" over the next six months. Not to be completely outdone, rival BT has also come forward with plans to trial a 40Mbps service during the summer of 2009. Who knows -- maybe our "status quo" 2Mbps connections will eventually be akin to 56k modems of yesteryear.[Thanks, Alex]
Comcast readies DOCSIS 3.0 rollouts for Chicago, Atlanta, Baltimore and Ft. Wayne
Comcast promised us all a few months back that it would be bringing its wicked fast DOCSIS 3.0 technology to a handful of other big markets before too long, and today the carrier has chosen to reveal the next four places where said service will be made available. The high-speed internet service, which is capable of hitting 50Mbps down / 5Mbps up, will be launched "over the next several weeks" in Chicago, Atlanta, Baltimore and Ft. Wayne, Indiana. Don't see your city listed? Hang tight -- the next wave should be announced in the not-too-distant future.
Verizon ramps up for 100Mbps FiOS internet in 2009
Verizon has tested the 100Mbps internet waters before back when it was rolling out Actiontec routers in select locales, but now the outfit is gearing up to roll it out en masse. Speaking at the recent Lightwave's Optical Access '08 virtual conference and tradeshow, Vincent O'Byrne (director of FTTP architecture and design within Verizon's Technology Organization) affirmed that the provider would dish out 100Mbit/sec internet service next year. Currently, it offers homes downstream options of 5-, 10-, 15-, 30- and 50Mbits/sec with up to 20Mbit/sec upstream, though trials are already underway to get that maximum doubled in short order. No word on which regions will get gifted first, but we've a sneaking suspicion that Massachusetts has a good chance. The whole "teacher's pet" thing, you know?
Insight testing 100Mbps high-speed internet in Kentucky
Details are exceptionally vague at the moment, but Insight Communications is currently testing an internet service capable of hitting (theoretical) download speeds as high as 100Mbps. Not that we haven't seen similar services offered from fiber providers or anything, but generally speaking, 50Mbps is the high-end of what DOCSIS 3.0 provides. Then again, the article never specifically mentions said protocol, so we're left to wonder exactly what's going on and when it'll expand from this so-called "trial" stage. Can you tell we're tense with anticipation?[Via DSLReports]
Sign up for AT&T's U-verse, get Guitar Hero World Tour
Now here's a promotion we can really bang our heads to. Forget those free HDTVs and 1-year promotional rates -- AT&T is offering something you really want for subscribing to its high-speed internet or qualifying U-verse TV plans. Starting on November 14th, consumers ready to make the switch to fiber will be gifted with Guitar Hero World Tour, complete with the game itself (on your console of choice, we presume) and a guitar. On second thought, we'd actually prefer a service discount.
Virgin Media shows off stylish 50Mbps cable modem
This truly may be a world's first: a cable modem you don't feel incredibly pressured to relegate to the rear of your networking stash. Yes friends, that succulent device you see above is Virgin Media's shockingly stunning 50Mbps cable modem, which unsurprisingly relies on DOCSIS 3.0 technology in order to provide such 1337 speeds. It's still not as speedy as Ambit Broadband's channel bonding modem, nor can it hold a candle to whatever Sigbritt Löthberg had going on in Sweden, but 50Mbps isn't anything to sneeze at. No word on pricing just yet (don't worry, you'll pay it), but it should be available for UK-based speed freaks before the year's end.[Via TrustedReviews]
AT&T launches Max 18: 18Mbps internet for U-verse TV customers
AT&T may be looking into the merits of capping bandwidth on its DSL users, but those currently tapping into U-verse services now have yet another option for sucking down files at a snappier rate. Beginning on November 9th, new and current U-verse TV users will be able to upgrade to Max 18, a new high-speed internet tier that provides up to 18Mbps down; curiously, AT&T fails to mention the theoretical upload speed that surely corresponds. At any rate, U-verse TV users purchasing high-speed internet as part of a bundle can replace their current level of service with Max 18 for $65 per month (total, not an upgrade fee). No word on any caps just yet, but you know some suit way up high in AT&T's ivory tower is mulling it over.
Comcast gets serious about DOCSIS 3.0 rollouts
Alright Minneapolis, you've had your fun. Now it's time for another swath of Comcast markets to indulge in the lavish joys that only DOCSIS 3.0 can provide. For those unaware, the aforesaid technology enables 50Mbps internet to be delivered over the cable company's infrastructure, which brings it up to speed (ahem) with offerings by fiber-based carriers Verizon and AT&T. In the next few weeks, the DOCSIS 3.0-based "Extreme 50" option will bring 50Mbps down / 5Mbps up to subscribers in parts of New England, Philadelphia and New Jersey. Better still, the company announced its intentions to bring the $139.95 per month service to ten other big markets where it will reach "about 10 million homes and businesses in the next few months." Oh, and if that's just too much intarwebz for you to handle, an "Ultra" 22Mbps downstream service will be available for $62.95 per month.[Via Reuters, image courtesy of TheRedWoodMotel]
Forum post of the day: Dialing it in
I've been what you might call and internet junkie for about 15 years. I remember the old days of 2400 baud dialup. Highlighs of that era include bulletin boards, IRC, and elm for email. At this point I could not imagine life without high speed internet. Data transfer for WoW during playtime is minimal, but I had no idea that some people use dialup for WoW. Kaikais of Azgalor asked the general forums today how far one could go on dialup. He says that he's reached level 70 and is now faced with the challenge of gearing up his characters. His concern is being able to seriously raid or PvP with such a connection. Some mentioned that they have either experienced dialup themselves or have had raid members that relied this type of internet connection. Many reported lag and limitations with Ventrilo, most seem to be getting along alright on an old school connection.
Verizon pushing FiOS internet to 50Mbps throughout US
With DOCSIS 3.0 (and the corresponding 50Mbps download speeds) being deploying in varying parts of America, Verizon understands what it's up against. Reportedly, the carrier is gearing up to push its 50Mbps FiOS internet -- which is currently only available in a few of its more favored states -- to its entire US footprint. Best of all, we're hearing that all 16 FiOS-enabled states could have access to the service as early as next week, and if you're anxious to sign up, just know that it'll run you $139.95 per month with an annual contract. Thankfully, Verizon is also planning to boost speeds in the basic and middle tiers as well, with the former going from 5Mbps to 10Mbps and the latter going from 15Mbps to 20Mbps. Yeah, we like where this is headed, but we've still got aways to go before we can even sniff Sigbritt Löthberg's connection.[Via Reuters]Update: Here's Verizon's official release.
Sell your soul to AT&T for three free months of WoW
Blizzard is in bed with the ginormousness that is AT&T; if you're presently using cable internet and you choose to switch to SBC AT&T DSL, AT&T will send you a free game card good for 3 months of World of Warcraft.There's no way for us to either recommend or discourage this deal, because the quality of the different high-speed internet services varies from city to city. But hey, it's kind of cool if you don't mind shameless corporate promotions and if for some reason or another your cable internet provider isn't doing its job. You do need to be an already-existing subscriber of World of Warcraft to be eligible for the deal. That's okay, though, since one would expect that only the WoW hardcore (if even them) would actually switch ISPs for three free months of game time.[Via WoW Insider]
DirecTV testing the broadband over power line waters
While analysts have long questioned how satellite television providers would answer the challenge of cable companies offering up bundled services with such little hassle, both DirecTV and EchoStar have traditionally partnered with DSL providers to tempt users to the dish, but change may finally be on the way. Reportedly, DirecTV's CEO recently suggested that it "may test delivering high-speed internet service through power lines in a major US city within the next year," meaning that broadband over power lines could be comin' down the pike. Notably, the company fessed up and stated that it "wasn't the only one" in talks to get such a plan in action, and while prospective test areas weren't named, the firm did say that it would probably aim for a "top 50 city where you're covering at least half the city." Of course, the talk of mergers was quickly shot down, but it's hard to think that a partnership isn't at least in the cards.
India could get free 2Mbps broadband internet by 2009
Entire cities getting free WiFi used to be quite the sensation, but now the real hotness is in connecting up an entire nation. According to IndiaTimes, the government is proposing that all citizens of India receive complimentary 2Mbps internet by 2009, and the service would be provided by the state-owned BSNL and MTNL. Officials backing the plan are hoping that giving all residents access to high-speed internet would "boost economic activity" as the citywide free WiFi implementations apparently have in America. The nation's department of telecom will purportedly be laying "an extensive optic cable network across the country, permitting the resale of bandwidth, setting up web hosting facilities within the country, and asking all internet service providers to connect to the National Internet Exchange of India." Unsurprisingly, this issue has created very polarized camps, as consumers cheer on the idea, current telecom providers are shaking at the mere thought of all future telephone calls being converted into free VoIP dialogue.[Via Slashdot]
