Q.
How does ULTRANET's wireless broadband compare to
dial-up?
Q.
How does ULTRANET's wireless broadband compare to DSL
and Cable Modem?
Q.
How does wireless broadband compare to Satellite?
Q.
How secure is ULTRANET Networks' Service?
Q.
How does the weather affect ULTRANET's Service?
Q.
How large is the antenna used to provide your service?
Will I need a permit or HOA approval for the antenna?
Q.
Are there any health concerns with the wireless signal?
Q.
What are the requirements for my PC to use ULTRANET's
service?
Q.
What router can be used with ULTRANET's service and why
is it required?
Q.
Can more than one computer share the connection?
Q.
What is involved in the installation?
Q.
What is the typical lead time to have the ULTRANET
service installed?
Q.
Do I need to have a separate ISP with ULTRANET's
service?
Q.
Can I keep my AOL service?
Q.
How financially stable is ULTRANET Networks?
Q.
How does ULTRANET's wireless broadband compare to
dial-up?
A. Dial-up operates at 56Kbps. Our service operates from
500Kbps to 5,000Kbps depending on the service plan
subscribed to, a performance improvement of 10 to 75
times dial-up. Our service is ‘always on’ so you
don’t need to re-establish your connection each time
you want to use it. ULTRANET Networks does not require
any phone lines.
--------------------------------------
Q.
How does ULTRANET's wireless broadband compare to DSL
and Cable Modem?
A. Unlike DSL or Cable Modem, our service does not
depend on telephone or cable TV infrastructure. This
enables ULTRANET to reach many communities and business
parks where DSL and Cable Modem are unable or unwilling
to go.
Our service plans offer performance comparable to DSL
and Cable Modem, but with some important differences.
* Better upload speeds than comparably priced DSL or
Cable Modem.
* Optional static IPs even on residential service and
few restrictions against using servers or VPNs.
* Superior customer service.
--------------------------------------
Q.
How does wireless broadband compare to Satellite?
A. Wireless broadband is sometimes confused with
Satellite because they are both forms of wireless
communication. The difference is that ULTRANET uses a
terrestrial microwave system that uses short-range
wireless links. The latency on these short-range links
is comparable to wired links like DSL and Cable Modem so
the performance remains high.
Satellite links have a large propagation delay due to
the roughly 23,000-mile distance to geosynchronous
satellites. This latency imposes a performance penalty
on two-way interactive applications, regardless of
bandwidth speed. For this reason Satellite should only
be considered as a last resort for Internet service.
--------------------------------------
Q.
How secure is ULTRANET Networks' Service?
A. There has been much press recently about the security
issues of Wireless LAN technology known as 802.11b or
Wi-fi. It is true that if the user uses the default
settings with most Wi-Fi products it is very easy for an
outsider to get onto the network. However, just changing
a few settings can make the network secure.
The wireless system ULTRANET uses is completely
different than 802.11 or Wi-fi technology. ULTRANET uses
a system developed by Motorola. This Motorola system has
3 features that make it very secure.
1. Proprietary. The Motorola system uses completely
proprietary technology for the Radio Frequency signals
as well as the data protocols. So a potential hacker
would first have to reverse engineer the Motorola radio
equipment.
2. Authentication. No Motorola radio can communicate
with our tower without first having its Electronic
Serial Number authenticated against our list of allowed
radios.
3. Encryption. The Motorola Canopy encrypts the user
data over the air using 128 bit DES encryption.
These combined characteristics make the ULTRANET service
secure for transmitting financial and other personal
records.
--------------------------------------
Q.
How does the weather affect ULTRANET's Service?
A. The effects of weather on Microwave radio signals
vary based on the frequency used and the distance the
signal travels. With the frequencies and distances in
our network, signal degradation due to heavy rain, snow,
or fog are negligible. The degradation due to heavy rain
is less than .2 db and our system is designed with at
least a 10 db signal fade margin.
--------------------------------------
Q.
How large is the antenna used to provide your service?
Will I need a permit or HOA approval to place it on my
building or home?
A. The antenna we use is 12" tall x 3.5" wide
and weighs less than 1 pound. Your installer may
recommend a dish to enhance the speed and reliability of
your connection. These dishes are 18".
Section 207 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996
prohibits restrictions on the use of “Over-the-Air
Reception Devices” from government (cities or
counties) or non-government (landlords or homeowner
associations) entities. The ruling pertains to antennas
less than 1 meter in diameter and less than 12 feet
above roofline. You may still want to contact your
homeowners association or landlord for any guidelines
they may have on placement of the antenna. For more
information, you can get a fact sheet from the FCC at
www.fcc.gov/mb/facts/otard.html or contact us with any
questions.
--------------------------------------
Q.
Are there any health or safety concerns with the
wireless signal?
A. No. The technology used by ULTRANET operates at very
low power levels (4 Watts), similar to a cell phone, and
much less than the amount that is emitted by your
microwave oven. Also, radio frequency power drops
dramatically as you move away from the power source.
--------------------------------------
Q.
What are the system requirements for my PC to use
ULTRANET's service?
Your PC must have a 10BaseT or 100BaseT Ethernet Network
Interface Card (NIC). We do not load any software onto
your computer. All your PC needs is TCP/IP software and
a web browser. Windows 95 or newer and MAC OS 8.5 or
greater include TCP/IP and a browser.
--------------------------------------
Q.
What router can be used with ULTRANET's service and why
is it required?
A. Any broadband router that has an Ethernet port
(10BaseT or 100BaseT) as its WAN or Internet port will
work. This includes the wireless routers that are
currently popular. If you get the router from ULTRANET
Networks, it will be a D-Link model DI-604, which is a
router and 4 port Ethernet switch. Other brands that we
know work include Linksys, Netgear, Belkin, and SMC.
ULTRANET Networks suggests but does not require the use
of a router because the radio transceiver we use does
not block non-Internet protocols (such as Windows'
Netbeui) or Ethernet broadcast packets.
Additional benefits of the router include firewall
protection as well as multiple Ethernet ports and IP
Addresses to allow multiple computers to be online at
the same time.
--------------------------------------
Q.
Can more than one computer share the connection?
A. Yes, there is no additional charge for multiple
computers. Our service requires a router to separate the
customer’s network from ULTRANET Networks’. The
router acts as a firewall to protect the customer’s
home network from Internet attackers and is an
administrative demarcation point that allows customers
to build their home network independently. ULTRANET
Networks supports the innovative use of home networking
and charges based on total household bandwidth
consumption rather than on the number of computers.
--------------------------------------
Q.
What is involved in the installation?
A. We install a small antenna on or near the roof of
your home or business. Then a Cat5 cable is run down and
into your home. See our "How it works" section
for a more detailed description.
--------------------------------------
Q.
What is the typical lead time to have your service
installed?
A. If your location is within range of one of our towers
and has line of site to that tower, we can usually
install within a week or sooner.
--------------------------------------
Q.
Do I need to have a separate ISP service with ULTRANET's
service?
A. No, the ISP is included as part of our service. We
provide IP addresses, and email accounts as part of our
plans. You may wish to continue using a dial ISP if you
travel much. For our customers who travel ULTRANET
offers a nationwide dial service for a discounted rate.
--------------------------------------
Q. Can I keep
my AOL service?
A.Yes. AOL offers a 'Bring Your Own Access' service that
will lower your bill. You may keep your existing AOL
email addresses. Contact AOL directly for information on
this service.
--------------------------------------
Q.
How financially stable is ULTRANET Networks?
A. ULTRANET Wireless operates its business around the
philosophy of managed growth and positive cash flow. We
are owned and operated by Lakeway Publishing in
Morristown, TN. We have been in business since
1979!
