GCC AirNet Frequently
Asked Questions
What
is "Wireless Internet Access"?
Wireless Internet access is exactly what it says "wireless".
GCC AirNet is providing high speed cost effective solutions
for Internet access via wireless, NO PHONE LINES NEEDED! There
is no need to worry about slow down loads, busy signals, or
disconnections anymore, with Wireless Internet your computer
is always on the Internet. Using a brand new technology, GCC
AirNet is the first company to bring cost effective, high
speed Internet access to the rural central Texas area.
What
equipment is needed?
A typical setup for a wireless Internet connection is:
- Computer (Pentium 200 mhz or higher,
64 MB or higher, Windows 95 or higher)
- ISA ,PCI, or USB NIC (network interface
card in computer)
- Power Injector - provides Power Over
Ethernet to the radio
- Power Adapter - Plug into Power Injector
- Fixed Wireless Radio & Outdoor Antenna
Unit ( CPE)
- 50 foot Ethernet cable - Attached to
GCC AirNet unit and connects into home or property. Plugs
into Power Injector
- Small Ethernet Cable - Plugs into customer
side of Power Injector and plugs directly into a computer.
- Power Adapter - Plug into Power Injector
- Universal Mount - Attaches to side of
building or home
- Mounting loops and Kit - Attaches GCC
AirNet unit to Universal Mount
How
fast is Wireless Internet?
A wireless internet connection's speed depends on the plan
you purchase. At an absolute maximum, depending on weather
conditions and radio interference in your area, your connection
can receive information at about 1.544mb per second, equal
to the speed of a T1 connection.
How
secure is the signal?
We think it's secure enough for most uses. The gear we use
is also used for military applications. The nature of wireless
makes it very difficult to intercept. The hopping sequence
could be observed but only in the case of one unit transmitting
as an access point without other units in proximity. As soon
as more than one unit is in use, it becomes exponentially
more difficult to isolate one signal. A community string is
used to allow only approved radios clients to associate with
an Access Point. In addition to this we use encryption to
further secure the signal at the radio level. And finally
the system does something called "Frequency Hoping".
By hoping from frequency to frequency at periodic intervals
your transmissions are impossible to intercept. The frequency
hoping is completely transparent to the end user however.
Will
I have to learn anything new to use this system?
If you already know how to use a Web browser you will find
our system totally transparent. You are always online. You
click on your browser icon, and you are online with no delay-
no waiting for a free line or a connection.
What
are some benefits to having fast Internet access?
Many times you might find yourself sitting on your computer
waiting up to 5 minutes just for one home page to load. Most
of the time is because it is "Content Rich" Meaning
it has many pictures and active moving things, sometimes even
sound. Making very hard for a slow modem connection to process
so much information. As the Internet evolves so will "Content".
People are finding new ways to express them selves through
"Content rich pages" Leaving modem users frustrated
because they have to wait for the pages to load. With GCC
AirNet fast Wireless Internet access there is no need to wait
you can play real time videos, make Internet phone calls,
with out breaking up, play your favorite MP3 in real time,
watch live video streams ,send and receive files at blazing
speeds, and best of all general browsing is enjoyable.
What
does the equipment look like?
The antenna is a 13 by 11 rectangle panel. A link to antenna
pictures and other data is here. They are all very lightweight
and are no more difficult to install that a DishTV or DirectTV
dish. The cables used for exterior mounting come in set lengths,
but can be ordered longer, and sometime shorter depending
on the application. The Ethernet cables are 3/8" in diameter,
with the connectors being slightly larger. Ethernet cable
is extremely flexible stiff.
Do
I need a phone line?
NO! a phone like is not needed. The Wireless Internet connection
is Bi-directional. Meaning your unit will send and receive
information. Making it a complete solution for Internet connectivity.
Is
this like Cable modems, ISDN, or ADSL?
To start off with - Most of these services are not available
in our service areas. Cable Modems, ISDN, ADSL are all dependent
on physical wires, and a middle man ( i.e. phone company).
With Wireless Internet access you are dealing with no wire's
and directly with GCC AirNet Networks. There is no middle
man. There are also speed factors that allow GCC AirNet to
outperform most cable or DSL solutions.
Is
Internet access unlimited ?
With Wireless Internet access your computer is always connected.
There are no time limits or restrictions of how long you can
use it. Your computer is connected 24 hours a day 7 days a
week 365 days a year.
Is
this the same as "satellite" Internet?
No! Wireless Internet is bi-directional unlike most satellite
solutions, where you download via the dish antenna, but you
are also connected by phone line to the Internet for uploading
information. This wireless solution eliminates the need for
any dedicated phone lines, and therefore reduces your costs,
while providing data rates much better than possible with
modems or ISDN. Additionally, the 2-way satellite solutions
that are out there are very bandwidth restricted. Tens of
thousands of simultaneous users could be using a single satellite
channel to send and receive information. It's like trying
to squeeze a huge amount of water through a very small pipe.
Usually does not work very well.
Can
I run servers on this connection?
Yes. With our Business Accounts you are free to run your own
web, mail, or ftp server, etc. The running of servers of any
kind is prohibited with residential wireless access plans.
Will
I still need my modem?
NO, Wireless Internet connections do not require a modem.
You will need to keep your modem in your computer if you use
it for fax services, or if you intend to use it again for
internet services.
How
long will it take to install?
Once your location has been surveyed and approved for wireless.
A date will be set for installing your unit. When a service
tech is on-site it could take as little as 1 hour or several
days. Each location and applications differs in the degree
of difficulty.
Can
I get Busy Signals?
NO, you always have a Internet connection 24 hours a day,
7 days a week 365 days a year. A wireless connection requires
no phone line making it impossible to get a busy signal.
Is
it available in my area?
A site inspection will need to be performed for almost all
potential customers to evaluate the ability to use wireless
where you are. If you know where our access points are, and
you can see one, then you should be able to get a working
signal. A site survey must be done prior to installing any
wireless hardware.
What
are the downsides of wireless Internet?
Wireless Internet connections require direct radio line of
sight there can be exceptions for building within 100 meters
of the access point but in general if you can not get a direct
radio line of sight from your location to an access point
your out of luck. In some instances you might be able to see
one of our access points in the winter but in the summer when
the leaves come out you're connection will be lost. Installation
costs, can vary greatly (depending on location) but can be
justified by saving in recurring telephone costs, increase
in speed and reliability.
How
does this access method compare to Cable and/or regular DSL?
As with any internet connection your provider is sharing access
(bandwidth) with all of it's customers, so your most limiting
factor is the amount of bandwidth the ISP has. Cable and DSL
charge enticingly low rates for what they call "high
speed access", which might seem like a good thing, but
charging so little means there is not enough money coming
in to provide the bandwidth needed for your customers, so
typically you will find your connection slows drastically
when other people are using it heavily. You seldom actually
get the speed they boast you will. You get what you pay for.
You'll realize this to be true as more and more cable and
DSL providers are putting speed controls on the customers.
Cable and DSL are not generally available
in the area here, and probably won't be for at least a year.
DSL has a major limitation - Distance.
DSL slows down the further away from the telephone company
your connection is, and doesn't work at all if you are more
that 18,000 feet away (About 3 to 4 miles).
How
much does it cost?
As mentioned above, you get what you pay for. Bandwidth costs
money, and by charging a little more realistically for it
you get better connection rates and a higher level of service.
Installation can start as low as $399,
although some locations are hard to reach, or may require
additional hardware to make the connection and or mounting
points.
Click here for full Residential and Business
Pricing
What
does the Wireless Gear Look Like?
Both Residential and Business antenna and equipment look about
the same. There are some difference in the specifications
and functionality. For example, in a home system there is
typically a simple bridge that accompanies the
Residential 'CPE' Customer Premise Equipment
Business 'CPE' Customer Premise Equipment
What
does a typical install of the Wireless Equipment Look Like?
You can view pictures of both Residential and Business installations
on roof tops and TV towers at the following link:
Typical 'CPE' Customer Premise Equipment
Installed
GCC AirNet Wireless
NEWEST Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How does GCC AirNet Wireless compare with
ISDN, DSL and T1 connections?
Like a Cable, DSL, T1 or ISDN connection,
GCC AirNet Wireless (wDSL) service is always on; there’s
never a busy signal. Unlike DSL, the service speed does not
diminish with distance from the network (in this case, not
the central office, but the base station). Unlike ISDN and
T1 connections, which may be connected to the Public Service
Telephone Network (PSTN), GCC AirNet Wireless service, functions
like a private network IP connection between you, the end-user,
and the GCC AirNet Wireless Network.
How
quickly can you get me connected?
An GCC AirNet Wireless (wDSL) connection can typically be
established within 3-5 business days after order. The single
greatest reason an installation may take longer is if gaining
permission to, and installing the antenna on the roof of the
property are required (expected in less than 30% of installations).
Is
the service secure?
Yes, very secure. Underlying the GCC AirNet Wireless connection
is military-grade communication technology. Additionally,
the service is protected by authentication, proprietary signal
processing techniques, and directional antennas which it make
both very difficult to detect the radio frequency transmissions,
and very difficult to exploit. While no communications network
is absolutely secure, the ‘work-factor’ required
to exploit data sent over the GCC AirNet network is at least
as high as that for wired and satellite telecommunications
networks. If desired, the end-user can achieve an even levels
of security by introducing encryption at the application layer.
Is
it safe?
Absolutely. The GCC AirNet transceiver actually emits less
power than a cellular telephone (sub 1 watt), and the antenna
will be installed at least 12 feet above ground level.
What
do I need to get service?
The professional installation crew will install everything
you need. For commercial installations, the Indoor Unit or
access server will be connected to your router, hub or PC
equipped with an RJ-45 10Base-T Ethernet interface (cables
are included). For Residential installations, we provide equipment
for a single-PC (non-networked) situations. Networking equipment
for residential service is available for purchase and installation
for an additional charge. For commercial and residential installations,
the antenna is installed in the window, side or roof of your
building, and connected to the Indoor Unit by Ethernet cable.
The installer will configure the equipment with the necessary
IP addresses.
Is
the service affected by weather conditions?
No. Unlike some other wireless products that operate in bands
that ARE affected by weather, the GCC AirNet Wireless service
is unaffected by rain, snow, sleet, hail, fog or atmospheric
conditions of any kind, and all of the antenna options are
rated for wind loads in excess of 100 mph.
Do
you need access to the roof of my building to get me connected?
Probably not. In most cases, due to the unique attributes
of GCC AirNet’s products, access can be achieved through
a side of building or window mounted antenna, helping to achieve
the goal of service provisioning just a few days after receipt
of your order.
Are
you going to put an ugly antenna on my building?
Probably not. GCC AirNet has married
its customer premise equipment (CPE) with a family of aesthetically
neutral antennas that will not detract from your building’s
architecture or appearance. We will only install an aesthetically
challenged antenna if you say it’s okay, and then, only
if necessary.
Can
I get this service outside the GCC AirNet Area?
Initially, our service will be limited to the greater Idabel,
OK area but we will be rapidly expanding our network throughout
the southeast Oklahoma and northeast Texas region. For a map
of our current and planned coverage areas, click here.
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