General High Speed Internet Information

High Speed Internet stands for Digital Subscriber Line. It is a proven technology that uses existing telephone lines to provide secure, reliable, high-speed Internet Access. High Speed Internet technology offers dramatic speed improvements to other network access methods like dial-up. And unlike traditional dial-up connections, High Speed Internet delivers continuous "always on" access. Multimedia-rich websites email and other online applications are immediately available to you, anytime.

What does "Broadband" mean?

Broadband encompasses the technology and equipment for the digital delivery of voice, video and data services.

What is the advantage of choosing High Speed Internet over Cable?

The dedicated circuit prevents other users from affecting your connection to any significant degree.

Can home users link multiple PCs to the same High Speed Internet connection?

Yes. This trend is quickly becoming popular, especially among families with children who use the Internet for school research, gaming, and e-mail. We recommend the High Speed Internet Premium Plan for connecting multiple PCs to a single High Speed Internet Line. Additional equipment such as a multi-port router may be necessary. This equipment can be purchased at a reasonable price at any computer store such as Best Buy or Comp USA.

Does ACN High Speed Internet allow voice service on the same telephone line as High Speed Internet service?

Yes! Filters on the phone line will separate voice and data traffic. And customers can surf the web and chat on the phone at the same time.

Can customers get online video clearly with High Speed Internet?

Yes. Most movie trailers and high-bandwidth videos use 80-128 Kbps speeds, which are well within the capacity of High Speed Internet. For example, CNN's news footage comes through crystal-clear in real time on ACN High Speed Internet connection, even if you're downloading e-mail and running other PC applications at the same time.

With ACN High Speed Internet, can customers use Microsoft Outlook or a similar email program, or do they have to use ACN’s email software?

Customers can use Microsoft Outlook and similar email programs with ACN High Speed Internet. Simple step-by-step instructions for setting up Microsoft Outlook with ACN High Speed Internet can be found on our High Speed Internet website at acn.net. These are third party software and therefore our help is limited to the information contained on the website. If customers are in need of any further help, they should contact the software vendor directly.

What are the primary differences between cable modems and ACN High Speed Internet service?

There are two key issues to consider:

1. ACN High Speed Internet provides a dedicated service over a single telephone line. Cable modems offer a shared service over a cable network. This means that the bandwidth available to a Cable Internet subscriber decreases as more subscribers in their neighborhood choose the service.
2. Since High Speed Internet is a dedicated connection, it is inherently more secure than a shared Cable line.