SERVICES :: Internet Access - Introduction

For a business to access web pages, send and receive emails and to participate in e-commerce (e- meaning electronic), a connection from the business to the internet is necessary. For the South West area of England, there are five common ways of connecting your business and staff to the internet:

1. Broadband - A high speed, always connected link provided via a standard analogue telephone line. Our BROADBAND section has further of information about this new technology, and specifics of where it is available. Broadband in Somerset/Dorset/Devon is supplied by ADSL technology (TECHNOLOGY section), but is also available via cable in those areas supplied by cable TV companies. In the South West, the main area with this sort of connection is Bristol.



2. Dial-Up - The most familiar means of connecting, but also the slowest and least reliable. A modem is used to convert digital data into analogue sounds which is then transmitted across a standard telephone line. Dial-Up incurs telephone call costs and is difficult to share between multiple computers.



3. ISDN - A similar setup to Dial-Up, also incurring telephone call costs but considerable quicker than Dial-Up. A digital telephone line is required which is more expensive both in installation charges and rental charges, but call costs are the same within the UK. ISDN appears to be only fractionally faster than the best Dial-Up modem, however in practice, it is noticably much faster due to significantly less 'latency' and very fast connection to the internet provider. Latency is the time it takes for data to begin transmitting, rather than the actual speed the data moves once it has started, a full explanation of this is in our TECHNOLOGY section.



4. Satellite - Frequently touted as a broadband internet connection, but rarely proves to fulfill a customers expectations. Satellite has the capability to move large amounts of data extremely quickly, faster than Broadband, but suffers greatly from latency, rendering it totally unsuitable for web hosting, VPN or voice over internet applications. Compology can help with satellite installations, but is careful to properly explain to customers the serious drawbacks with this technology.



5. Leased Line - A dedicated internet connection can be supplied to your premises by several internet providers. Leased lines are the fastest and most reliable form of connection to the internet and are consequently also the most expensive. Costs for a leased line in Somerset would be start at approximately £4000 / annum, and increase dramatically based on how much bandwidth (loosely meaning speed) is required.

By using on of these connection methods, your office computers can be linked to an Internet Service Provider, or ISP. It is this service provider that links you to the internet, and provides behind the scenes services that allow you to browse web pages, send and receive emails and do other tasks associated with being connected to the internet. The service provider makes a charge for these services, either obscured in the revenue they generate from the telephone call charges you incur, or by directly billing you for services like Broadband or Leased Lines.

- Our skills and experience

Internet access is closely linked with networking, and is a core part of Compology's business skill set. As your business becomes more dependant on the internet, and the speed that you can connect to it, Compology's staff are trained to keep up with the latest developments and ensure that you are given the right advice and assistance when setting up your connection.

We can assist and advise will ALL current means to connect to the internet, and have proven experience installing leased line, broadband and ISDN connections to local business.

- How accessing the internet can benefit your business

From basics like filing your VAT return electronically, through email and browsing web sites to hosting your own e-commerce website in-house all requires an internet connection. Internet access has become another utility businesses require for day to day operations.