Switching to GBT has never been easier.  Shop services now. arrow_outward

Is all Internet created the same?
January 31, 2022

Is all Internet created the same?

Do you know what type of technology GBT or your current Broadband provider uses to provide Internet to your home or business?  Did you know there are about 6 different ways to provide Internet, and the type of technology used will greatly affect the capabilities and user experience your household can come to expect? GBT provides Internet to our customers via 4 methods.  Read on as we briefly explain each of their capabilities and limitations.

Internet provided via Fiber Optics

Fiber optics today is the best type of technology to provide Internet service. Fiber is a buzzword for those that do not have it but also the most expensive way to provide service. Fiber is the best because it can deliver very fast synchronous download and upload speeds and is the most reliable.  At GBT, we can provide up to 1000Mbps download by 1000Mbps upload to almost 95% of our Cooperative territory, including the rural areas. Fiber is also the best when it comes to latency, which is the time it takes to send information.  When it comes to latency, the lower the number the better, and typically fiber can produce latency at 17 milliseconds (ms) or quicker.  Fiber is typically a dedicated connection to every home or business and does not have its bandwidth shared between other subscribers within a service group.

 

Internet provided via Coax or Coaxial Cable

Coax cable, which at one time was mainly used to provide cable TV service, is a second way to provide Internet. Like fiber, coax connects to your house utilizing a physical cable that transports Internet from GBT’s facilities to each individual home. Like fiber, coax can provide fast download speeds up to 250Mbps on a GBT Internet connection, but it is somewhat limited on the upload speed to 25Mbps, and latency usually is the 50-60 millisecond range. Upload speed is used to send files to other people via the Internet and is also utilized when using applications like Facetime or Snapchat.

Internet provided via Fixed Wireless

Many people think they have Wireless Internet because most households only use Wi-Fi in their homes or businesses when using the Internet. For Internet Service Providers like GBT, when we refer to Wireless Internet, what we really mean is Internet that is getting delivered to homes without a wired connection, but instead using a point-to-point or wireless Internet connection. GBT has recently made several upgrades to our wireless Internet offering and now can provide speeds up to 100Mbps by 10Mbps to most of the non-cooperative areas we serve. Fixed Wireless is a great alternative to wired Internet service because it is often less expensive to deploy, but does have limitations based on Distance from the tower to the homes and elevation. For fixed wireless to operate, line of site is important, which can often be difficult when trees or other obstacles are in the way.

 

Related Posts

The Fiber Road Less Traveled – GBT’s 600-Mile Fiber Quest in Rural Kansas
The Fiber Road Less Traveled – GBT’s 600-Mile Fiber Quest in Rural Kansas

If you drove from Kansas City to Denver, it would take you almost 9 hours and a little over 600 miles to get there. Now what does this distance have to do with GBT? That’s the approximate amount of fiber optic cabling, 600 miles, that GBT is installing to homes and businesses in our Rural Part of Kansas, just in 2023!  Fiber optics is hard to visualize because it’s just a small piece of glass the size of a human hair, but if we stay on the roads theme, GBT is essentially laying 600 miles of a 1,000-lane highway to 100s of rural residents so they have the same access to broadband and the world that many of us take for granted.  As one resident who was recently connected to fiber Internet services conveyed to GBT, “For the first time since we have lived in the country, we now know what it’s like to have Internet that we can do anything we want with. We can watch streaming shows on our tv, my kids can do homework on their tablets, and my husband and I can browse or search the Internet all at the same time. It is amazing!” “For the first time since we have lived in the country, we now know what it’s like to have Internet that we can do anything we want with. We can watch streaming shows on our TV, my kids can do homework on their tablets, and my husband and I can browse or search the Internet all at the same time. It is amazing!” With 600 miles of fiber being buried in the ground, and hundreds of homes that need to be connected, planning, timing, and implementation is key. GBT understands everyone is excited and wants to be first to get fiber, and it is our goal to get fiber deployed as quickly as possible, but not at the expense of quality, safety, or reliability. When deploying fiber, many just see the final part of the process when GBT technicians install the fiber service inside the home, but few realize that staking, right-of-way permits, ordering and receiving of materials, main-line and drop-to-the-home construction, installation of central office electronics,...

read more
One thing that is costing Americans billions each year…
One thing that is costing Americans billions each year…

There’s a good chance you spend a considerable amount of time each day checking, reading, and responding to emails. It’s obvious why email is so popular because of the convenience to communicate in a very quick and timely manner, plus the ease of sharing information across the world with each other. With any type of high-demand product or service, criminals exploit and target these services. In 2019, it was estimated 3.4 Billion fake emails, such as phishing or malicious emails, were sent each day, and that number continues to rise. These fake and malicious emails cost Americans $Billions each year, so it is important to educate yourself and understand what to look for so you are not the next victim. Below are some of the most common scam emails to look out for.   Emails that ask you to reset a password or confirm personal or payment Information. Even if the email seems legit or from a person or company that you do business with, you should not click on links to reset passwords or update portal information unless you’ve initiated the request. If you think it might be legit, go to the official website to reset the password or update your information, or try to call the official phone number of the organization requesting the information.   If you are not expecting the email, you should never open any attachments or click on any links. Malicious emails embed ransomware or viruses into links and attachments within the email. Typically opening an email will not harm your device, but once you click the link or attachment, that’s when it’s possible for your device and data to be exposed or locked until you pay a ransom. Do not click on links or open attachments if you are not expecting them or did not request them. The email message creates a sense of urgency or curiosity. A notification that a charge was made on your credit or bank account or a purchase didn’t go through, a special offering if you click on the link within 30 minutes, or news about a change in...

read more
Phone Backups –  How important are they really?
Phone Backups – How important are they really?

Imagine coming home from a long day in the field and reaching in your pocket for your phone and realizing it’s not there. As you reflect on your day, you recall setting it on top of the swather while working on the equipment. Now your phone is lost! You go to your local GBT store to get a new phone, and you are told because your phone was not backed up, they are unable to recover any of your information, including contacts, pictures, notes and apps. You are now officially starting over on your new phone. How can this be prevented?  Backing up your phone protects your data if you lose your phone, it’s stolen, or it no longer functions. And when the time comes to replace your phone, a backup allows you to easily restore your data to the new device. Plus, backing up your phone helps you organize your data so it’s easier to access. You can lose your phone data accidentally and unexpectedly due to many reasons. It is always better to be cautious in such situations, rather than regretting it later. Backing up your Android, iPhone, or any other phone regularly in more than one place is very important! It will keep you relaxed, knowing all your photos, important files, and contacts are safe, and you can quickly and easily restore them anytime. The price you pay for losing all your valuable data will be much higher than the cost of the option you select to back them up. If you need help ensuring your data is being backed up, stop by any GBT store location, and we can check your settings and make sure your data is protected!

read more