 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
1. What is Friendly Network Broadband?
2. What are the advantages of Friendly Network Broadband
and how does this service compare to others?
3. How Much Is The Customer Premise Equipment(CPE) And What
Are The Installation Costs?
4. What Customer Premise Equipment Is Friendly Network Installing
and Providing?
5. Can I Install The CPE and Eliminate Installation Fees?
6. I have multiple computers and want to network my wireless
connection. What do I need? Where do you deliver the connection? Can I
use my notebook?
7. Can I keep my existing email account with my dial -up
ISP?
8. How much bandwidth will subscribers to Friendly Network
Broadband be provided?
9. Can I receive a demonstration of the services?
10. How fast can I really access information on the Internet?
11. What is "Line of Sight" and do I need to see
a communication tower to qualify for service?
12. How do I get started?
1. What Is Friendly Network Broadband?
Friendly Network Broadband is, very simply, an Internet connection that
doesn't rely on phone or cable lines. Friendly Network Broadband uses
microwave radio frequencies and a fiber backbone to send information to
various towers throughout our coverage area. The information is then broadcast
out from those towers to be received by a small unobtrusive "microwave"
antenna at your site. Wireless Internet competes directly with conventional
DSL, ISDN, and the Telco's-"private-carriers" high-speed service
subscription offerings. Friendly Network Broadband service utilizes the
2.4 and 5.8 ghz frequency range; this is the FCC 's ISM (Industrial, Scientific,
Medical) band, which is in unlicensed frequency spectrum.
2. What are the advantages of Friendly Network Broadband?
Price...There are no additional monthly telephone communications
service fees. With wireless, you pay only for what you use because your
wireless Internet fees are scaled to meet your needs. Although you have
a large amount of bandwidth available to you, you will only be billed
for the contracted amount.
Speed...Friendly Network's Broadband's network is capable of achieving speeds of up to 3 Mbps to our customers. To give you an idea of how fast that is, it's more than 100 times faster than a 28.8 modem, more than 50% faster than the fastest DSL, and even faster than the fastest cable modem. In short, it's the fastest possible way to connect to the Internet. With Friendly Network Broadband you can say good-bye to long download times. A file that would take 30 minutes to download via a dial-up connection and 10 minutes via an ISDN connection would take less than 40 seconds on a wireless connection!
Convenience...Because your wireless Internet connection is always available, you never need to hear another busy signal or get "bumped off-line" due to elevated volume levels again. Your computer is always connected, 24 hours-a-day, 7 days-a-week. And because there's no middle man like a telephone or cable company, you can deal directly with Friendly Network Broadband.
Compare...There are many types of services available, not all are available in our market. Visit our competitive matrix to acquire a sense of service offerings.
3. How Much Is The Customer Premise Equipment(CPE) And What Are The
Installation Costs?
Wireless Internet Service Providers use a wide range of products ranging
widely in both quality and price. Friendly Network Broadband is supplying
our subscribers with a superior brand Customer Premise Equipment (CPE),
which has an average retail value of $1500, for which we charge only $65.00/$495.00
+ tax due to our preferred purchase agreement with the manufacturer. There
may be additional fees associated with external installations based on
field conditions. An example of an increased fee due to a field condition
is a need to increase transmitter height above a normal building height
to access the signal.
Customer Premise Equipment (CPE)is being purchased by customer in (3) installments. The terms are 50% paid at installation and the balance paid in (3) equal monthly payments. No interest charges apply.
Friendly Network Broadband service provides an operating broadband connection to one desktop computer at a physical location no more than (7) feet from the Friendly Network Broadband termination point, which is defined as the interior point of entry from the remote or interior radio transmitter into the building or residence. Friendly Network and its affiliates can provide interior cabling services for an additional fee. A wireless router is often a economical and practical solution. Routers range in price from $180 to $300 and are available at Friendly Computer Systems.
4. What Customer Premise Equipment Is Friendly Network Installing and Providing?
Friendly Network is providing you with BreezeACCESS II Subscriber Units with an Outdoor or Indoor Radio Unit and Antenna. This equipment is manufactured by Alvarion, a premier worldwide provider of Broadband Wireless products and solutions. These Subscriber Units are comprised of an indoor desktop or wall-mountable unit and an outdoor unit. The Subscriber Unit connects to data equipment using a standard IEEE 802.3 Ethernet 10BaseT (RJ 45) interface.
Additional information on CPE may be found at our manufacturers website; Alvarion USA.
5. Can I Install The CPE?
Friendly Network is providing expensive CPE that must be professionally installed by an accredited installer to insure manufacturers standards, warranty compliance and a sound bandwidth connection at the time of your installation.
Current retail pricing for CPE is as follows and are subject to change: SU-A: $1595
6. I have multiple computers and want to network my wireless connection. What do I need? Where do you deliver the connection? Can I use my notebook?
Friendly Network Broadband service provides an operating broadband connection to one desktop computer at a physical location no more than (7) feet from the Friendly Network termination point, which is defined as the interior point of entry from the remote or interior radio transmitter into the building or residence. Service is defined as delivered when the Friendly Network technician confirms an Internet connection with owner on technician's computer. Friendly Network and its affiliates can provide interior cabling services for an additional fee. A wireless router is often a economical and practical solution. Routers range in price from $180 to $300 and are available at Friendly Computer Systems, Inc.
7. Can I keep my existing email account with my dial-up ISP?
Yes. Provided you maintain that dial up service. However , Friendly Network
is provisioning email accounts under the terms of your service agreement
and will be yourname@mycloudburst.net. Our email services have an extensive
feature list and will compare favorably to any other service provider.
8. How much bandwidth will subscribers to Friendly Network Broadband
be provided?
Up to 1.5mbps for a residential user. Up to 3mbps for commercial users.
Prices will vary based on your service plan. Subscribers will be supported
by a 45mbs wireless backbone.
9. Can I receive a demonstration of the services?
Yes. You are always welcome to stop in the Friendly Building @ 1383 Main Street , Stevensville, Maryland. Download a media file, view streaming media and compare speeds. We are a community style service provider and aim to help you make an informed decision on your Internet connectivity needs.
10. How fast can I really access information on the Internet?
Your actual speed depends on a number of factors. The local Internet connection used to be the bottleneck, but now with Friendly Network Broadband, your local connection is often faster than the Internet itself. The other links in the chain include your own PC or network, which may impose limitations, particular web sites, which may have lower speed connections, and general traffic congestion on the Internet, which slows everyone down. The connection also varies in speed according to your access agreement. Obviously, the more speed you want, the more expensive the connection will be.
11. What is "Line of Sight" and do I need to see a communication tower to qualify for service?
Our primary transmission tower is located in Chester, just West of the Narrows. If you have access to a GPS you can establish bearing, distance and LOS. The GPS coordinates are N38.58.02 x W76.15.30 We have installed our gear high on the tower, saturating our coverage area which extends 6-8 miles in any direction form the tower. . If you do have a visual line of sight your are qualified to receive service and drop our sales staff a note, which can accelerate your installation. If you do not have LOS this does not mean you are disqualified. It means that a Friendly Network representative needs to conduct a radio frequency examination at your property. In either case we confirm qualification status shortly after you submit a request for service.
12. How do I get started?
We have 3 easy steps:
First, initiate a service request online by completing this form and a representative will contact you shortly.
Second, when you are approved for service you will receive a work order and subscriber agreement. Simply sign the agreement and return to us per the instructions.
Third, a Friendly Network representative will contact you to arrange a convenient installation date.
rev. 12/02
Friendly Computer Systems, Inc.
& Friendly Network
1383 Main Street, Suite 201
Stevensville, MD 21666
(410) 643.4606 • (410) 639.7799 • fax: (410) 643.4216
© 2002, Friendly Computer Systems, Inc. To report problems with this web site, please e-mail webmaster@friend.ly.net