Section Eight Section EightThere are a variety of alternatives for connecting to the Internet, ranging from individual dial-up accounts which are accessed by a computer and a modem, to direct connections, which ordinarily have to be connected to a LAN (Local Area Network). There are pros and cons for each of these alternatives.
These accounts demand very little technical expertise to set up, and require only a computer and a modem. Individual dial-up is also inexpensive and tends to be offered in a variety of payment packages. For example, Internet Providers will typically offer a $15 per month package with a $1 per hour connection time, or a $40 per month package which includes 30-50 hours of connection time in the month, and $.50 per hour beyond the allotted time.
One should inquire about the ratio of clients to phone lines when considering dial-up access. The disadvantage of individual dial-up access is that users need to dial a telephone number to get connected. If the Internet Provider becomes very popular, busy signals can seriously affect the ease with which users get connected to the Internet. Furthermore, periodic line noise over a telephone line can cause the modem to send a 'hang up' command, terminating your Internet connection. Finally, a dial-up account is always slower than the alternative, which is a direct connection.
'Direct Connection' is a general description of Internet access, which could mean an ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) line, a fiber optic line, or even a satellite connection. For a small- or medium-sized business, an ISDN connection will be the only economically feasible choice. An ISDN line is a telephone line which is digital-based from end to end, eliminating the need to convert a digital signal to an analog one (which is what a standard modem does) and send it along an analog telephone line. The result of this system is that users may access the Internet without having to dial a telephone number, and at much higher speeds.
The potential speed of an ISDN line is 128 Kilobytes per second, a substantial improvement over 28.8 Kilobytes per second, which is the speed of the fastest modems now available.
An ISDN line must be leased from the telephone company for approximately $100 per month (based upon service in the Ottawa area), and connection to an Internet Provider at a cost of between $500 and $1500 per month (not including one-time installation costs).
Not only are added speed and reliability advantages to ISDN, but with such a connection a business could run its own World Wide Web, Gopher or FTP site on their location.
The cost and the technical requirements are the main drawback to ISDN connections. However, although ISDN is more expensive, a company is better served by this option if it depends heavily upon Internet-related business, or if it plans to provide Internet connection for more than six or eight people.
Also, companies must consider that an Internet connection is a long-term investment. This does not mean that it is impossible to change from one type of service to another, but doing so will always mean a temporary decrease in productivity.
A company such as Fonorola I*Internet is able to provide ISDN connections in every major center in Canada.