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Need for speed
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Sympatico gets a turbocharged upgrade
by MICHAEL CITROME
Nothing gets computer geeks salivating like the promise of the newer and faster. For many, cable and DSL--the currently available high-speed Internet connections-- are a dream come true. They're fast and don't monopolize your phone line.
But even the fastest connection rates seem slow when downloading huge multimedia files. Compulsive file-nabbers have been holding their collective breath for months now, waiting for a speedier alternative. Fortunately for them, it's almost time to exhale.
Bell Canada is poised to roll out new modems for their Sympatico High Speed Edition ISP this fall. Designed by Alcatel, an industry leader in high-speed telecommunications, the new modems will be a heck of a lot faster than the Nortel units they're replacing.
Just how much faster? The statistics seem almost too good to be true. While the Nortel system tops out at about 1.2 Mbps, the Alcatel modem can reach speeds of 7 Mbps, five times what's currently possible. In contrast, Vidéotron's cable modems can achieve speeds of over 2 Mbps.
To put this into perspective, downloading an MP3 file from a Web site takes about 45 seconds right now. With the Alcatel modem, that gets cut down to nine seconds. While this doesn't seem like a great revelation, this speed boost comes in very handy when engrossed in the Net's Next Big Thing.
Trading video online is undergoing an explosion. Although the technology has been available for a while, most people aren't patient enough to monopolize their Internet connection for a few hours downloading a gigabyte movie file. But when that length of time is cut to a half hour, downloading films becomes a lot more practical.
The Alcatel modems also have an upload speed of up to 800 kbps, a huge increase over the current 150 kbps. If you've ever impatiently tapped on your desk sending e-mail with large attachments, those days are over.
Bell is already distributing Alcatel modems in the Montreal area, but for now they're running at about the same speed as the older Nortel units. If you're already a Sympatico customer, Bell Media Relations' Marie-Eve Savard says, "Someone from Sympatico will call you when the new modems are available in your area."
Although there is no specific date for the speed upgrade, the technology will be fully in place this fall. There's been no announcement of a change in pricing. Expect more detailed news in the near future, followed by a lot of people suddenly spending a lot more time at home.
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