Step 3: Finding Answers to Technical Questions

Step 3
Finding Answers to Technical Questions

Plan and carry out practical steps for connecting to the Internet.

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Many organizations delay using the Internet because they are unfamiliar with the equipment needed, confused about the terminology used, concerned about the cost, or unsure about how complicated it is to set up the connection. In fact, with a computer and a telephone line you are well on the way to accessing the Internet.

However, you will still need to obtain some equipment and software and acquire an Internet connection through an Internet Service Provider (ISP). In this section you will learn the basics of getting connected and what to expect when selecting and working with an ISP.

Overview: Finding Answers to Your Technical Questions

The intent of this section is not to turn you into an Internet logistics expert, but to provide the basics so that you can understand and ask questions of the people who will be providing you with Internet access. Here is how to start:

1. Inventory your current equipment and phone system. After reading in the next few pages about the equipment needed for an Internet connection, fill out the worksheets to estimate your organization's costs to connect to the Internet, and compare these costs to some of your current communication costs.

2. Interview one or more ISPs to learn the levels of service offered and the costs involved. In addition, interview some of their customers to assess their satisfaction with the service they are receiving.

3. Make arrangements to acquire your Internet connection. Keep in mind that you can build a flexible system so that you start small and expand if warranted. For example, you can begin by connecting only one computer in the office to the Internet.

The appendices include references and a list of Internet-related terms for more technical information.

So What Do You Need?

Now that you have read about and seen some of the wonderful things you can do with the Internet, you are wondering how to connect to it. Below is a summary of what you will need to connect an individual computer to the Internet.

Computer

You will need a computer, but it can be one used for other office functions, such as word processing or database management. If you are purchasing a new computer, buy one with as much hard disk capacity and RAM (random access memory) as you can afford. A more powerful computer will help you to do many Internet functions faster.

Modem

A modem converts the digital signals of a computer to audible analog signals that can be transmitted on an ordinary telephone line. A modem can be either external to your computer (connecting to the computer with a cable) or internal (a small card with circuitry and computer chips installed inside your computer). Modems can transmit at different speeds. To connect to the Internet, you should have a modem that can transmit at a speed of at least 14,000 bits per second, but faster is far preferable. (Modems with speeds of 28.8, 33.6, and even 56 thousand bits per second are becoming standard.)

As part of your decision about what kind of modem to purchase, you need to consider:

any local rules or regulations about what kind of modem you can use;
the modem speeds that your local ISP can support; and
the transmission speeds (bandwidths) that your telephone company can support.

If your office runs on a local area network, or LAN, and you want to connect the entire LAN to the Internet, you will need more than a simple modem as described here. If you are interested in a LAN Internet connection, you will probably need to contact a local ISP, telephone company, computer consulting company, or another organization that has gone through the process to see what local services are available to support this more complex connection.

Uninterruptible Power Supply

An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) provides your computer with some degree of protection from electrical failures. A UPS will usually smooth the flow of power to your computer or system, preventing damage from power surges, and it will store a limited amount of electricity. When the power goes down, most UPSs give a warning sound so you know that you have a few minutes to shut down your equipment properly to avoid any damage or loss of data. It is also a good idea to have a device called a surge protector, which protects your computer from power surges and lightning strikes.

Internet Software

The computer needs special software to log o to the Internet, send and receive e-mail, and access text and graphics files. Your software decisions will be based in part on local capacity for connecting to the Internet. Rather than list the many software packages available, we recommend that you talk to your ISP to find out which software is most compatible with its capacity. In many cases, an ISP provides basic Internet software at no or minimal cost.

Internet Service Provider

What is an Internet Service Provider, or ISP? How do you find a good one?

An ISP is a company that provides the connection between your computer and the vast Internet network. In some places, only one ISP operates; elsewhere, many companies offer Internet access. You will have to choose one, just as you select where you purchase other products and services. Get recommendations from other organizations about reliable, knowledgeable ISPs that provide service to your geographical area.

Here are some considerations in making your choice:

Service costs

What is the first-time connection fee?
What are the recurrent costs?
Does the ISP offer different pricing plans, based on how may hours you spend online?
Does the ISP give away or sell Internet software? If there is a cost, how much?

Telephone charges

Is there a charge per local call? If so, are you charged by the length of the call?
What are the monthly charges?
Do different fee structures exist (flat fee, fee per minute or hour, etc.) and can you change to a different system of payment if it is more cost-effective later on?

Training, maintenance, and support

Does the ISP offer training? What types? How much does it cost?
How long will it usually take to fix service problems, and how much will it cost?

Interviewing an ISP

You may have one or more ISPs to interview about their services and fees. Hopefully you have recommendations from several other organizations that are already satisfied customers. Either by phone or in person, you need to ask a representative of an ISP some questions:

What modem speeds does the ISP support?

The minimum is 14,000 bits per second if you want access to the World Wide Web. The faster, the better—your connections will be quicker and, if you are paying per minute, cheaper.

How many dial-in modem lines does the ISP have? How many users are currently signed up to use these lines? What is the projection for the next six to twelve months?

Make sure that the ISP is not overloaded. If it is, you will have persistent problems trying to access the Internet.

ISPs offer a range of services beyond actual Internet access that may be useful for you. For example, Swaziland's M-Web hosts the Swazi NGO Page for the Coordinating Assembly of NGOs in Swaziland.

Does the ISP offer communications software as part of its service?

If so, find out from other users whether or not the software is reliable. Is it free or do they charge for it—and if they charge, how much? If they do not provide this software, find out what kind you should obtain yourself that is compatible with their systems. Eventually, you may download enhanced communications software from the Internet itself, but you need something to start with.

Does the ISP provide service and installation support?

Will the ISP set up your system and help fix it when problems occur? If so, how much will it cost? How quick is the response time? (If they provide free service but it takes two weeks before they can come to your office, you may want to consider another provider.)

What evidence does the ISP have of good service?

Ask current customers about their level of satisfaction with this ISP. Get several references from the ISP itself or check around with people from other organizations that are already use the ISP.

You may find it helpful to use a list or chart to compare ISPs and select one at the end of the interviewing process. Also, a note about the technical terminology: If you are not a technically oriented person, do not be put off or intimidated by Internet jargon! Feel free to ask as many questions as you like. Refer to the glossaries of terms in the appendices and on the Leland Initiative Web site. You want to make sure that you are spending your organization's money wisely. An inadequate ISP will hamper your connection.

Can You Save Money with the Internet?

You may look at all these costs, as well as the time it takes to get everything together, and wonder: Is this all worth it? Are we going to save money?

Now that you have learned the one-time and recurring costs of Internet connectivity, you can analyze current costs and potential savings. Although the following worksheets do not quantify intangible costs and benefits, such as more efficient use of staff time or a wider network of professional contacts, they can give you (and others in your organization, if they are the ones who approve the funding decision) an idea of what you might save over the long run. These worksheets on the next pages contain HEALTHLINK 2000's costs; yours will of course vary. You will see how Tina looked at some current costs to determine how the Internet might save money over the medium to long term.

HEALTHLINK 2000 ESTIMATES AND COMPARES ITS COSTS

HEALTHLINK 2000 estimated it would cost $875 to get set up and connected to the Internet for one year. (See the worksheet Estimating Costs.) How did Tina and her team estimate this cost?

Tina purchased a 33.6 modem to install inside the computer for $200. Although she could have saved money by buying a slower modem, the team decided that a faster one was worth the investment. Internet access cost them $50 per month ($600 per year), with a $75 setup fee. The ISP provided Internet software as part of the fee.

Budget restrictions required that HEALTHLINK 2000 use its existing computer, a 486, and start out using its existing phone line rather than add a new one.

When Tina and her colleagues reviewed current communication costs, they saw that they spent about $500 per month on local phone calls and faxes, long-distance calls and faxes, postage, and printing. They compared these costs with the costs of various Internet services. (See the worksheets entitled Can You Save Money Using the Internet? on pages 42 and 43.) Although this exercise does not take into account such intangibles as saving time, it provides a way to measure costs and potential savings in using the Internet.

	Minimum	Preferred	Cost
Preparing for Connectivity
Computer	386 processor	486 or better	(HEALTHLINK 2000 already has)
Modem (and any connectors needed)	14.4 Kbps (kilobits per second)	28.8 Kbps or better	$200
Software (other than operating software and software for your normal work)	Telephone dialer and TCP/IP software E-mail client software Web browser software	Minimum software generally provided by ISP. Once you have an Internet connection, you can download additional software.	Free from ISP
Telephone line	With a dial-in connection, you can use the same line you use for telephone and fax.	Separate dedicated line	Separate line (annual cost)
Internet access	Provided through an ISP	Provided through an ISP	$50 per month; $600 per year
Account start-up fee	Some ISPs charge a one-time fee to start a new account.
Computer maintenance	Cost per repair visit	Ongoing maintenance	Staff will do (annual cost)
Total			HEALTHLINK 2000: $875

(For a blank copy of this worksheet, see appendix 8, Preparing for Connectivity.)

How much did we spend on...	Last month?	Two months ago?	Three months ago?
Can You Save Money Using the Internet? Reviewing Your Monthly Bills
How can you save money using the Internet? Use the chart below and on the next page to help you compare how much you currently spend on communications charges with what it would cost you to do the same thing on the Internet. Refer to your telephone bills for as far back as you care to go to help you find the following information.
Local phone calls?	$15	$12.50	$19
Local faxes?	Part of costs for local phone calls
Long-distance phone calls?	$175	$180	$128
Long-distance faxes?	Part of costs for long-distance phone calls
Postage?	$100	$67	$55
Printing and paper for newsletters, brochures, etc.?	$200	$250	$200
Other costs of communications?
Total	$490	$509.50	$402

(For a blank copy of this worksheet, see
appendix 9, Can You Save Money Using the Internet?.)

How much is...	Cost?	Per what unit (each, per minute, etc.)?
Can You Save Money Using the Internet? Reviewing Potential Internet Operating Costs
You should also consider the following factors in adding up the costs of using the Internet.
Local phone call:
Cost per single call	$0.10	Per local call
Cost per minute	No charge per minute, just per call
Other charges	Not applicable
Internet fax service:
Monthly (or other) fee	$12	Per month
Fee per fax page	Depends on destination and length of the
Other charges	Not applicable
Internet-to-phone service:	(HEALTHLINK 2000 decided not to pursue this service until they are more accustomed to the technology)
Monthly charge	No monthly charge
Charge per call	Not applicable
Charge per minute	$0.15 per minute for international calls
Other charges	One-time charge of $50 for software
Other potential services:

(For a blank copy of this worksheet, see
appendix 10, Can You Save Money Using the Internet?.)

Are You Ready for the Next Step?

Now that you have either completed the technical requirements for getting connected to the Internet or are almost ready to make the necessary decisions, it is time to consider how your colleagues will use the Internet.

In Step 4, we look at training and suggest ways to ensure that you get a quality training experience. You will find that once your colleagues have greater familiarity with Internet applications, they will come up with all sorts of ways to use them! And their good ideas and enthusiasm will be just what is needed to do the planning that comes in Step 5.

Step 2 | Table of Contents | Step 4