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Computer Users Bring Shared Access Home

Posted on: Tuesday, 11 February 2003, 06:00 CST

Source: Tulsa World

Computer networks are no longer relegated to the workplace as more consumers bring the idea of shared access into their homes.

Home computer networks allow users to share one high-speed Internet connection, exchange files and use the same peripheral equipment such as printers and scanners.

The trend of multiple computer households is growing, and by the end of this year 34.3 million homes nationwide will have more than one PC, according to Parks Associates eMarketer report.

Providers such as SBC Communications Inc. and Cox Communications Inc. are eager to help customers set up home networks to get the most out of high-speed access.

SBC began selling network equipment and installation services in June 2001, and Cox launched its network services Monday.

By selling network kits, "we can help customers get the most out of their high-speed connection," said Alyssa Williams, product manager for the SBC home networking operation.

Home networks can take several forms and even use existing telephone lines or cable lines to share data. A crucial component of a network is a router, a piece of hardware that allows shared use of the high-speed connection.

Wireless networks also allow machines to share an Internet connection. They use routers with antennas to connect computers equipped with wireless network cards.

Routers range in price from $49 to $499 and get their name because the device routes data to its proper location.

Initially, SBC's home networking kits ranged in price from $199.95 for a traditional network to $599.95 for high-end wireless networks. The phone company discounted prices for its traditional kits in July to $149. Wireless access kits were discounted in December and now sell for $199, Williams said.

The SBC kit includes a HomePortal by 2Wire, a device that is a combination of a router and modem, cables, software, and network interface card.

Customers must subscribe to the SBC Yahoo! DSL, or digital subscriber line, a service that provides Internet access. Eligible customers can receive the SBC Yahoo! DSL Standard Plus Package for a promotional rate of $34.95 per month for the first 12 months of service after signing a one-year contract. Normally, the same package costs $49.95 per month. Other pricing plans are available.

The customer can use ethernet cable to network the computers or use an adapter to use the home's existing phone line to network machines and access DSL.

SBC offers technical support for its home network kits 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The company extensively tested the products it sells and encourages customers to install their own networks.

"We believe most customers can install a setup in about an hour," Williams said.

For a $200 fee, an SBC technician can come to a home and install the network on one computer, she said, pointing out that the same charge applies when technicians install DSL service. An additional charge of $120 is levied for each additional computer a technician networks. The SBC home network can accommodate up to 10 computers.

Cox has begun offering its home networking service in Oklahoma markets where the company already offers its Cox High Speed Internet service, said Charla Murrah, director of marketing for Cox in Tulsa.

Pricing for wireless and wired home networking service is $349 and $299, respectively, but Cox customers in Oklahoma will be offered a promotional rate of $199 and $299, Murrah said. The fees include the networking hardware, which includes a cable modem for new customers, a Linksys router and two nic cards, software and on-site installation by a Cox technician. The Cox home network can accommodate up to four computers.

Customers must sign a one-year contract and pay $9.95 per month for 24-hour customer service. The cable company will guarantee the hardware for up to three years, provided customers continue the service plan.

The high-speed Internet access comes at a price of $39.95 per month for Cox cable customers and $49.95 per month for noncable subscribers. Other pricing plans are available.

Representatives of Linksys, the California-based router manufacturer, spent last week in Oklahoma training Cox technicians and customer service representatives on the ins and outs of home networking.

According to Cox, more than 40 percent of Tulsa homes have more than one computer and "home networking is the next step for many people," said Kevin Downs, high-speed Internet marketing manager.

Both Cox and SBC offer network solutions for the PC and Macintosh platforms.

Interest in home networking has been on the rise in Tulsa during the past year, said Robert Raskin, owner of Combined Technology, a Tulsa-based residential and commercial technology consulting firm. He said he spends many of his days installing commercial and residential computer networks.

Raskin said an average residential network would cost one of his customers a total of $450 to $500 for equipment and installation.

The consultant stresses that each home is different and retrofitting older homes with modern networks can be more costly, depending on the clients needs.

More information is available by calling SBC at (800) 464-7928, Cox at 665-0200 and Combined Technologies at 492-2100.

(c) 2003, Tulsa World, Okla. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

COX, SBC, YHOO,

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