Avoiding Local Loop Charges: Can It Be Done?

The most costly portion of any point to point data connection is the local loop, commonly referred to as the last mile? A local loop provided by the local exchange carrier (LEC) is a tariffed product that does not mirror current market rates. For many years, the LEC used commercial services to subsidize a mandate to provide services to all residential customers.

The Telecommunications Act of 1996 created competition to provide local loops to business customers. New companies commonly referred to as competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs) began to overbuild fiber networks to provide the last mile to business customers. The CLECs were not burdened with the requirement of providing service to all residential customers and therefore were able to provide aggressive prices for last mile connections.

The collapse of the telecom industry at the turn of the last century forced many of the early CLECs into bankruptcy. The fiber networks they built, however, are still in service. The trick is to know where to find them and understand how to leverage them. Finding alternative last mile providers is a combination of good detective work, tribal knowledge and creativity.

The first step in finding an alternative local loop provider is to determine what network providers have service to your building. If an alternative provider is already servicing customers in your location then you should be able to acquire a local loop for a fraction of the cost of one provided by the LEC. This is where the detective work comes into play. You can start by asking neighbors who provides their telecommunications service.

If there are no known alternative local loop providers in your building the next step is to determine which providers have network within 1000 feet of your location. This typically will classify your building as near-net?to a provider. In many cases an alternative local loop provider will consider extending their existing network to your location to provide service. The cost of the build out is then worked into your monthly service charge. Each network provider has a different business model to determine how much of the burdened cost of the network build is passed along to the customer. You want to search for a company that is willing to shoulder some of the cost in exchange for additional customers that they will acquire in your building.

The final option to consider is building a private fiber network to connect your locations, Although a large undertaking and extremely time consuming it can sometimes provide a short payback period of your bandwidth requirements are large. If you do not have a capital budget for this type of construction project there are companies that will build the network and lease it back in the form of a monthly service charge.

A prime example of a custom network build-out is a XXXXXXX company we recently serviced. They needed connectivity, but the LEC was going to charge $28K per month for lesser bandwidth. We were able to design and deploy a custom build of an OC48 connection for only $15K per month. With NEFs help, this company was able to get five times the bandwidth for nearly half the cost.

Deciding what connectivity solution is right for you will depend on your individual needs, time frame, budget, bandwidth and security, but you should take the time to find out if a fiber connection to avoid the local loop is possible.

Is there an easier way to find an alternative local loop provider? Call NEF at 877-DK-FIBER. One phone call will get you access to information on 40+ fiber providers and a database of nearly 30,000 lit buildings. If your location is not currently on-net with a service provider, NEF will map out the closest available networks.

At NEF, we have over 25 years of experience in the telecommunications industry, and we want to empower you with dark fiber information and services. Because NEF is carrier-neutral, our allegiance is to our customers and our charge is negotiating the best possible scenario to fit our customers' needs. Call us today at 877-DK-FIBER for more information!

Wireless Streamyx
Streamyx modem
Streamyx ISP
Streamyx
Streamyx
Streamyx Broadband
Streamyx
Streamyx Combo
Streamyx Promotion
Streamyx Online Registration
Streamyx Online
Streamyx Malaysia
Streamyx
Streamyx
Wireless Streamyx

Avoiding Local Loop Charges: Can It Be Done?

The most costly portion of any point to point data connection is the local loop, commonly referred to as the last mile? A local loop provided by the local exchange carrier (LEC) is a tariffed product that does not mirror current market rates. For many years, the LEC used commercial services to subsidize a mandate to provide services to all residential customers.

The Telecommunications Act of 1996 created competition to provide local loops to business customers. New companies commonly referred to as competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs) began to overbuild fiber networks to provide the last mile to business customers. The CLECs were not burdened with the requirement of providing service to all residential customers and therefore were able to provide aggressive prices for last mile connections.

The collapse of the telecom industry at the turn of the last century forced many of the early CLECs into bankruptcy. The fiber networks they built, however, are still in service. The trick is to know where to find them and understand how to leverage them. Finding alternative last mile providers is a combination of good detective work, tribal knowledge and creativity.

The first step in finding an alternative local loop provider is to determine what network providers have service to your building. If an alternative provider is already servicing customers in your location then you should be able to acquire a local loop for a fraction of the cost of one provided by the LEC. This is where the detective work comes into play. You can start by asking neighbors who provides their telecommunications service.

If there are no known alternative local loop providers in your building the next step is to determine which providers have network within 1000 feet of your location. This typically will classify your building as near-net?to a provider. In many cases an alternative local loop provider will consider extending their existing network to your location to provide service. The cost of the build out is then worked into your monthly service charge. Each network provider has a different business model to determine how much of the burdened cost of the network build is passed along to the customer. You want to search for a company that is willing to shoulder some of the cost in exchange for additional customers that they will acquire in your building.

The final option to consider is building a private fiber network to connect your locations, Although a large undertaking and extremely time consuming it can sometimes provide a short payback period of your bandwidth requirements are large. If you do not have a capital budget for this type of construction project there are companies that will build the network and lease it back in the form of a monthly service charge.

A prime example of a custom network build-out is a XXXXXXX company we recently serviced. They needed connectivity, but the LEC was going to charge $28K per month for lesser bandwidth. We were able to design and deploy a custom build of an OC48 connection for only $15K per month. With NEFs help, this company was able to get five times the bandwidth for nearly half the cost.

Deciding what connectivity solution is right for you will depend on your individual needs, time frame, budget, bandwidth and security, but you should take the time to find out if a fiber connection to avoid the local loop is possible.

Is there an easier way to find an alternative local loop provider? Call NEF at 877-DK-FIBER. One phone call will get you access to information on 40+ fiber providers and a database of nearly 30,000 lit buildings. If your location is not currently on-net with a service provider, NEF will map out the closest available networks.

At NEF, we have over 25 years of experience in the telecommunications industry, and we want to empower you with dark fiber information and services. Because NEF is carrier-neutral, our allegiance is to our customers and our charge is negotiating the best possible scenario to fit our customers' needs. Call us today at 877-DK-FIBER for more information!

Wireless Streamyx
Streamyx modem
Streamyx ISP
Streamyx
Streamyx
Streamyx Broadband
Streamyx
Streamyx Combo
Streamyx Promotion
Streamyx Online Registration
Streamyx Online
Streamyx Malaysia
Streamyx
Streamyx
Wireless Streamyx

Kuala Lumpur ?10 Things You Must See

Kuala Lumpur is a wonderful city with much to see and do. If you are not a native of Kuala Lumpur, it can be hard to decide what to see and do. This is a short synopsis of the 10 things I think you must see in Kuala Lumpur. This is meant as a guide to those of us who are not familiar with this great city.

1. Petronas Twin Towers

The Petronas Twin Towers dominate the sky scape in Kuala Lumpur. They are magnificent pieces of architecture which tower over the rest of Kuala Lumpur and are currently the second tallest buildings in the world, and the tallest twin towers in the world. They were built in 1998 and have 88 floors and reach 452 meters into the sky. The towers were planned in the form of an 8 sided star which in Islam symbolises fullness and regeneration.

There is a viewing deck on the twin towers, the sky bridge which joins the 21st floors of both towers, 150 meters above ground. If you are planning to do this, be sure to get your tickets early to avoid long waits of disappointment.

2. China Town

China Town in Kuala Lumpur is a special place with a fantastic atmosphere and market. The market is held on a street, but is now cleverly covered to prevent rain from disturbing the market.

In China Town you can get everything from quality hand crafted produce to fake clothes. Every major fashion house is represented in China Town by fake produce. If you are planning to buy something here on your visit, and you will, be prepared to haggle if your life depended on it. The people here are good natured, but they will try to sell you anything they can as if their life depended on it.

3. Suria Shopping Center

The Suria Shopping Center at the foot of the Petronas twin towers is a shopping center aimed at the more affluent among us. Here you can buy designer fashion goods from all of the top designers. The Suria Shopping Center is not cheap and is mainly aimed at Arabs who visit Kuala Lumpur during August to escape the heat of their own countries.

The Shopping Center is linked by the LRT (Light Rail Transport) which can take you directly to Sentral Station. Even if you dont plan on buying anything here, dont miss this spectacle.

4. Merdeka Square

Merdeka Square, known as Independence Square was formerly the Selangor Club field on which cricket was played by expatriates, usually from Britain. The Club is now open to anybody who can afford membership. The square is called Independence Square because on 31 August 1957 the Malaysian flag was raised here for the first time. Today, the Malaysian flag flies from the tallest flag pole in the world, 100 meters.

Merdeka Square is a place of beauty, with the immaculately kept Square alongside the Selangor Club which is built in true British Tudor style and the beautiful Abdul Samad Building which dates to 1897 and now serves as a Government Building

5. Bukit Bintang

Bukit Bintang is the main street of Kuala Lumpur. This is a street that never sleeps and always enjoys a fast pace of life. This is a great place to find a caf to relax your shopping weary body, before you head back in for more shopping.

Bukit Bintang is home to many shopping centers, hotels and restaurants. Amzingly Bukit Bintang is home to 30,000 shops, many of which are in the shopping centers that have entrances from the Bukit Bintang.

6. Lake Gardens (Taman Tasik Perdana)

The Lake Gardens in Kuala Lumpur is a green belt that covers over 90 hectares of land. Originally built around an artificial lake, the gardens are now a major center piece in Kuala Lumpur and offer many types of gardens including an Orchid Garden, a Hibiscus Garden, The Butterfly Park, a Bird Park and much more.

7. Batu Caves

The Batu Caves are located on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur as you head east towards Kuantan or the Genting Highlands. You can see the entrance to the caves from the road which is in the form of an impressive set of steps leading upwards to the mouth of the cave.

The caves are a sacred place for the Hindu population in Malaysia and consist of three main caves and a number of smaller caves. The caves are an impressive sight at 400 meters long and 100 meters high. Be prepared to meet plenty of monkeys here as they vie for your attention in the hope of getting some nuts.

8. Telecommunications Tower

The Telecommunications Tower in Kuala Lumpur is very reminiscent of the famous Toronto and Seattle radio towers. The tower is the 4th tallest radio tower in the world after the CN Tower (Toronto), Ostankino Tower (Moscow) and Oriental Pearl Tower (Shanghai).

Standing 421 meters high and if you are in good physical condition over 2,000 steps await. For the rest of us there is always the lift. There is an observation platform at the top of the tower which many say is better than that on the Twin Towers for a number of reasons, you can see the Twin Towers in your view and you get panoramic views over the city. There is also a revolving restaurant here.

9. Central Market

Central Market in Kuala Lumpur, built in 1928, is set in a stunning building. The market is easily accessed by public transport. Here you will find all sorts of arts and crafts alongside souvenir shops selling models of the Twin Towers and Kuala Lumpur T-shirts.

Central Market is not just about arts and crafts, but more about a central location for a wider cultural offering. Here you can see cultural performances and sample some of the fantastic cuisine.

10. Mega mall

The Mega Mall is a massive shopping complex and if you are looking for a reasonable place to shop in comfort, this is it. There are hundreds of shops and restaurants here and it is an easy place to get lost in for a day. The shopping center is a short taxi ride from KLCC or a train ride from Sentral Station.

Ronan Menton is the webmaster for a number of travel related websites and has been for some time in Ireland, associated with search engine optimisation in the Irish travel industry. He spends two months a year in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and now sees it as his second home.Among the many sites he is currently working on are the following: hotels in Singapore and hotels in Kuala Lumpur

Streamyx
Streamyx
Streamyx
Streamyx
Streamyx
Streamyx
Streamyx
Streamyx
Streamyx
Streamyx
Streamyx
Streamyx
Streamyx
Streamyx
Streamyx