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December 2020 | |
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Let It Go (and Let It Snow) This little girl's snowy backyard performance of the song "Let It Go" from the movie Frozen will warm your heart. |
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Bravo Bublé and Bing! Through editing magic, Michael Bublé joins Bing Crosby in a 1971 Christmas special to sing "White Christmas." |
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What Is MVlink, Or Your ISP, Selling You?
Last month as part of this three part series we talked about understanding bandwidth. This month, you'll learn about Internet Service Providers (ISP). When you selected MVlink as your ISP, you ultimately selected the upload and download bandwidth you need for your home. You certainly noticed that the greater the bandwidth, the higher the cost; but why is that? Check out this diagram. Starting with A, you see the connection between your home and MVlink’s data connection point and that connection is what makes up a portion of your MVlink bill. Everything you see to the right of ISP (MVlink) is somewhat out of our control. Every time a person accesses the web, that request travels beyond MVlink across many different routes, collects the site data and then returns it back to you. Neither you, nor MVlink can control the routes or the experience beyond the ISP. In other words, you control your computer and your router if you choose not to use MVlink’s router. MVlink controls the modem and fiber lines between your home and our equipment. As a MVlink user, you also have some control beyond your router because you get to choose the bandwidth plan, and that is what determines how large the data transmission pipe is that feeds you. (Remember the milkshake and straw reference from last month? The larger the straw, the easier to drink the milkshake.) 
While MVlink can sell bandwidth, we can't guarantee you will receive exactly that amount every time you access the Internet. Many factors come into play from providers to the ISP. For example, some ISPs share a bandwidth feed among a cluster of homes and could experience overloading if too many people are utilizing it at the same time. MVlink users have the benefit of an "end to end" direct fiber connection, meaning your connection is not shared and is not subject to weaker infrastructure such as cable. Generally speaking, a dedicated fiber connection is much more reliable and why it is often referred to as the 'gold standard' for broadband service.
Download and Upload Capacity Most Internet users are familiar with download speeds as they watch YouTube or play a game. However, now upload speeds are being referenced more often as people need to upload files or videos to their offices or as Zoom requires sufficient broadband capacity to send your video upstream, just as much as it needs capacity for you to watch it. When you purchase Internet service, you want to be aware of both the download and the upload capacity you need. MVlink is unique in offering symmetrical upload and download speeds. Thinking about a 100 Mbps download pipe/capacity, you could simultaneously stream a 4K video, participate in four different Zoom streams, watch several 1080p (HD) video streams and still do some web surfing, social media and email exchanges. Members currently using another ISP with maybe a 25 Mbps download capacity, could only participate in two Zoom meetings while one HD video is streaming; the 4K video stream wouldn't even be an option. Moving to the upload explanation, it helps to understand what your needs are. If you need to upload a 2 GB file to YouTube, it could take as much as 90 minutes if your upload speed is 3 Mbps, but take less than one minute if you have a 1 Gbps upload capacity. Online learning and work-based video conferencing is much more prevalent today as we survive the pandemic. If the entire family needs to be on Zoom or uploading video at the same time, you will need a strong upload bandwidth as well. Members with limited bandwidth may need to shut down everything not needed while video conferences are in progress. Or, they may need to schedule uploads to occur overnight or during low-use times within your household or business. Next Month: Your Home Network 
Click here to read issues of The Fiber Download articles. Click here to read issues of the Watts Current Newsletter. |
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Unclaimed Property Every U.S. state has unclaimed property programs to find owners of lost and forgotten assets. Do you have missing money? Learn more... |
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Electronics Recycling If you have old electronics gathering dust, visit this site to learn what to do and where to take them for safe recycling. Learn more... |
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Holiday Zoom Backgrounds Make video calls more fun by using these free virtual backgrounds from the Christmas experts at the Hallmark Channel. Learn more... |
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Stained Glass Holiday Cookies What's the secret to these jolly cookies? It's crushed Jolly Rancher candies placed in the center of the cookie prior to baking. |
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The Ultimate Prime Rib Prime rib is expensive, so you don't want to mess up the cooking. Get step-by-step instructions to serve it with confidence. |
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Cookpad This app makes everyday cooking more fun. The world's largest home cook community shares recipes and inspiration. Learn more... |
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Rakuten Slice Never enter a tracking number again! This is a shopper's best friend for keeping track of all the things you buy online. Learn more... |
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Easily save articles, videos, and stories from any publication, page, or app. Then enjoy them later on any of your devices. Learn more... |
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Mini Christmas Trees While both trees are mini in size, they make a big impact. One is made from paper napkins and the other from yarn. |
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Holiday Houses from Recyclables Turn empty milk and juice cartons into holiday houses using only paint, sea salt, pipe cleaners, and gem stickers. |
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Phone: 319-462-3542 · 800-927-6068 This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer. |
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© 2020 Cornerstone Publishing Group Inc.
Trademarks: All brand names and product names used in this eNewsletter are trade names, service marks, trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. |
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