Q. How does CIT Broadband's service compare to dial-up?
Q. How does CIT Broadband's compare to the big DSL and Cable companies?
Q. How does wireless broadband compare to Satellite?
Q. How secure is CIT Broadband' Service?
Q. How does the weather affect CIT Broadband's Service?
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?
Q. Are there any health or safety concerns with the wireless signal?
Q. What are the system requirements for my PC to use CIT Broadband's service?
Q. Do I have to use a router with CIT Broadband's service?
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 your service installed?
Q. Do I need to have a separate ISP service with CIT Broadband's service?
Q. Can I keep my AOL service?
Q. How does CIT Broadband's compare to the big DSL and Cable companies?
Q. How does wireless broadband compare to Satellite?
Q. How secure is CIT Broadband' Service?
Q. How does the weather affect CIT Broadband's Service?
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?
Q. Are there any health or safety concerns with the wireless signal?
Q. What are the system requirements for my PC to use CIT Broadband's service?
Q. Do I have to use a router with CIT Broadband's service?
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 your service installed?
Q. Do I need to have a separate ISP service with CIT Broadband's service?
Q. Can I keep my AOL service?
Q. How does CIT Broadband's service compare to dial-up?
A. Dial-up operates at 56Kbps. Our service operates from 400Kbps to 6,000Kbps 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. CIT Broadband does not require any phone lines for wirelesss service. DSL requires a phone line , but you can talk on the phone and use the DSL at the same time.
Q. How does CIT Broadband's compare to the big DSL and Cable companies?
A. CIT Broadband is very unique in that it is one of the few internet services in North Texas that provides DSL and wireless. Our wireless service does not depend on telephone or cable TV infrastructure. This enables CIT Broadband to reach many communities and business parks where DSL and Cable Modem are unable or unwilling to go.
We are your local ISP- We are owned by Texans and we employ Texans. All of our operations are based right here in North Texas. We believe in keeping money in our local economy. That means you will never be transferred to "support" in another country.
Rock Solid-Our systems average 99.00% uptime. That's Rock Solid stability- It just runs.
Blazing Speeds- Up to 6.0 Mbps- Click on something and it pops onto your screen. No waiting for screens to load.
No Special Software-Our DSL connections require no special software. We do not require you to load any software on your computer. This means you never have to worry about taking your laptop on the road and it not working on a hotel or other network because of ISP configuration software. Some ISP's require special software for their connections that can cause problems with your computer when you try to use it at a different location.
Always on connection- You never have to log in or start your connection.
Support that actually, well, supports. We have a great support team that is here to help you with any questions or service issues you may have.
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 CIT Broadband 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 CIT Broadband' Service?
A. All of CIT Broadband's networks are very secure. 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 a person 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 will make the network secure. CIT Broadband uses systems and procedures to insure the security of the network. Comparing our wireless to the wireless you hear about in the media is similar to comparing a Corvette to a Kia. While technically they are both cars, they have just about Zero in common.
Q. How does the weather affect CIT Broadband'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 is insignificant.
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. In most cases the equipment used is smaller and less obtrusive than a TV Satellite Dish.
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 CIT Broadband 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 CIT Broadband'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. Do I have to use a router with CIT Broadband's service?
CIT Broadband does not require the use of a router, you can hook it up directly to a single computer. A router allows you to have multiple computers in your home connected to the internet simultaneously. Additional benefits of the router include an extra layer of firewall protection beyond the typical software firewalls built in to the most popular computer operating systems
If you choose to use a router, any broadband router that has an Ethernet port (10BaseT or 100BaseT) as it's WAN or Internet port will work. This includes the wireless routers that are currently popular. If you get the router from CIT Broadband, it will be a Trendnet router, which we have found to have superior relability and longevity in comparison with most consumer grade routers. If CIT installs the router for you, we will also configure its basic security and passwords, several of the most common security holes missed by most consumers when installing a router.
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 CIT Broadband when using multiple computers. 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. CIT Broadband supports the innovative use of home networking and charges based on the selected service package rather than on the number of computers.
Q. What is involved in the installation?
A. DSL- You can choose to have us send you the equipment and you can install it. It is normally quite simple. You can also choose to have one of our professional technicians install your system. See our services page for more information.
A. Wireless- Wireless must be professionally installed. 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 to the computer or router. There is not a self install option.
We require all of our installers to pass background checks and perform random testing to insure the quality of the individuals that come to your home or business.
Q. What is the typical lead time to have your service installed?
A. DSL takes about 5 business days to activate. Wireless can normally be done within one week, depending on our install schedule. The sooner you call the sooner we can get you scheduled!
Q. Do I need to have a separate ISP service with CIT Broadband's service?
A. No, we are the ISP. We provide unlimited internet access and up to 5 email accounts on residential accounts. Business accounts may have additional email addresses if needed.
Q. Can I keep my AOL service?
A.Yes. You may keep your existing AOL email addresses. Contact AOL directly for information on this service.