Author: racefiberblog

The Cloud Is Changing the Need for Speed

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We all have our heads in “The Cloud” and we don’t even realize it.

Cloud Computing

The days of installing applications software on your computer are over.  Many businesses and everyday consumers are already using cloud computing and they may not even know it.

What is cloud computing?

Cloud computing is the delivery of applications, software, data processing, data storage and networking over the internet.  

A great example of cloud computing is using Google Docs. Google Docs allows you to work on a word document online and saves the document in real time.  You’re able to work on the file from your computer, tablet or even mobile device without having to download word processing software.  All your device needs is an internet connection.  

Social Media and Streaming

Do you use Facebook, Instagram or Twitter?  Have you purchased anything on Amazon? Do you watch your favorite series on Netflix?  Every time we post, share, listen or watch something online it’s all happening in the cloud.  So with many of our daily activities already happening through the cloud there is an ever increasing need for faster internet speeds.

Need for Speed

Why is your internet speed so important?

Many households have multiple users and devices utilizing the same internet connection.   Watching movies, playing video games, sending emails and shopping are happening at the same time via the internet.  All of this requires adequate internet bandwidth in order for these tasks to be completed without interruption.  

According to a report by iGR research the average monthly broadband usage per household in 2016 was 190 gigabytes per month with 95% of the traffic coming from video. Streaming of HD video also doubles the amount of broadband used which requires adequate internet speeds. 

Gigafy and Fly Through the Cloud!

With speeds up to 100 times faster than DSL or cable, Race’s gigabit fiber-to-the-premises makes the Internet feel like it’s right next to you, on your own private network. Since the days when download speeds mattered much more than uploads are long over, Race delivers the same high speeds in both directions – unlike other providers who throttle uploads and make new tools like the cloud virtually unusable.

NFL Football is coming…

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Don’t miss out on all the NFL action this season! Not only does the Race TV Lineup include ESPN and the NFL Network but with Race Internet’s lightening fast speeds you could also stream NFL games with no interruption! This 2017 NFL Season will be broadcasted on FOX, CBS, NBC, NFL Network and ESPN.  For […]

Race Communications to Hold “Gigafy Phelan” Town Hall

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>>Click on our Facebook Events page to let us know you’re coming!<<

Approved “Gigafy Phelan” Grant Will Provide Fiber-Based Gigabit Internet to over 7,600 Households

San Francisco, CA – July 28, 2017:  On Thursday July 13th, The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) passed the Gigafy Phelan Project and granted Race Communications approximately $27.6 million from the California Advanced Service Fund (CASF) to bring fiber-based gigabit internet to the Phelan, Pinon Hills and Oak Hills areas of San Bernardino County.  These areas were labeled “high priority” by the CASF in 2014 due to not meeting the minimum requirements of upload and download internet speeds and the impact the lack of connectivity was having on the community.

Race Communications and several members of the community played a big role in gaining the approval of this project as competitors worked to block the grant. Providing services to a new area requires Race Communications to  a build new network, which can be an extensive process. Therefore, members of the community are invited to attend a Town Hall Information Session on Sunday August 27th at Pinon Mesa Middle School from 2-4pm. Details on the next steps after approval will be provided and residents are encouraged to attend and ask any questions they may have about the project.

Raul Alcaraz, CEO of Race Communications notes that: “This project has been in the works for a long time and we are very proud that the CPUC saw the need for better connectivity in the area. Our company looks forward to moving ahead with the project and proving to everyone why fiber-based internet is the way of the future. We look forward to providing more information on the project as well as our construction process during the August 27th town hall meeting.”

Location:

Pinon Mesa Middle School – Womack Auditorium

9298 Sheep Creek Rd

Phelan, CA 92371

Time: 2 – 4pm

Tips and Tricks – How To Improve Your Wireless Speed

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Last year, we released the blog “What can affect wireless speeds?” to help our customers get the most out of their internet connection.

Here are a few reminders and more tips and tricks to Gigafy Your Internet!

  • Gigafy your equipment

Older computers may not be capable of handling the fastest internet speeds.  Check to ensure your computer’s WiFi adapter can handle a 802.11ac signal from your router which allows up to 1GBPS!

  • Choose the right channel

Most routers utilize two frequencies to provide a wireless signal: 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz.     We suggest connecting to the 5 GHz frequency on your WiFi since many household appliances like microwaves and cordless phones utilize the 2.4 GHz frequency and can interfere with your signal.  

  • Location, Location, Location

Is your router located next to furniture or one side of your home?  Materials like concrete and wood can be difficult for a wireless signal to penetrate.  Even placing your router next to windows can reduce your signal strength.  We recommend placing your router in an unobstructed area of your home or a room where you use WiFi the most.  

  • Monitor the number of connected devices

Bottom line….when you have several devices connected to your home WiFi this can reduce the internet speed per device.  Online streaming, like watching Netflix, requires adequate internet speed to avoid the dreaded buffering circle.  We recommend disconnecting devices that aren’t actively using your WiFi signal or better yet…..Get Gigafied with Race Fiber Internet!

 

General Use Plans Approved

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The following communities had their General Plans approved by the Mono County Planning Commission during the June 2017 meeting:

-Swall Meadows – Paradise

-Walker

-Mono City

-Aspen Springs

-Benton

-Bridgeport

– Sunny Slopes

So what does that mean? Residents in the area will now see our Race crews around town stranding fiber in the area, working hard to bring better connectivity to rural communities in Mono County. At this time, you will not be able to place an order, but we are getting closer and closer!

 

 

“GIGAFY PHELAN” MARKS TENTH CASF GRANT FOR RACE COMMUNICATIONS.

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The $27.6-million-dollar grant was awarded after multiple challenges and months of delays.

San Francisco, CA: On Thursday, July 13th, 2017 The California Public Utilities Commission voted four to one yesterday to approve the “Gigafy Phelan” grant, which will cover 60% of the cost of building a brand new fiber to the home network in the Phelan, Pinon Hills and Oak Hills regions. The single no came from commission president Michael Picker. The grant will provide fiber-based gigabit internet to over 7,600 households in a 98 square mile coverage area.

The decision to approve resolution T-17525 and award Race Communications the grant comes after years of planning and months of deliberation. Commissioners admitted that this was a difficult decision for them after a late challenge from Frontier came in April 2017. Frontier claimed it was in the process of upgrading services to 85% of the proposed project area using CAF-II funding, a federal program put in place to upgrade broadband in rural services. Unlike the CASF fund, CAF-II funding is limited to incumbent carriers and expenditure is not limited to construction.

After some research by CPUC staff it was determined that the upgrades proposed by Frontier would not meet the current minimum standard and would only serve 60% of residents at best, leaving many of the residents without adequate broadband. These findings echo what many residents already knew. In attendance at the Commission Voting Hearing were five longtime residents of Phelan who urged the commission to vote “yes” on resolution T-17525. The residents shared similar stories of poor or no connectivity and how the lack of service had negatively impacted their life and their community.

Support was not limited to the residents of the proposed grant area – once Frontier submitted their late challenge, Race Communications received support from elected officials and anchor institutions across the region as well as the state of California. Many of these had been supporters since 2014 when the project first became a reality after CEO, Raul Alcaraz confirmed that Race intended to submit a CASF application for the area.

Alcaraz was pleased with the decision and issued the following statement “After years of hard work from so many different parties we are excited and proud to see a well-deserved project get the approval necessary so we can get started. We have experienced first-hand the value of the CASF program and all that it brings to those who are involved. We look forward to Gigafying Phelan.”

The project is Race Communications’ tenth CASF grant. Phelan will be the second community in San Bernardino to receive service from Race, with Red Mountain (Part of the “Five Mining” project) being the first. In all of its projects, Race offers fiber-based internet plans that start at $25/month with their gigabit service costing just $60/month. Race also offers affordable, fiber-based phone and TV services in all of their project areas.