Blog - Softcom Internet Communications, Inc.

Redefining privacy in these modern times

September 18, 2019 General News, Online Security, Tips and Helpful User Information

What defines privacy is constantly evolving in these modern times. Smart phones, live streaming video chats, family safety tracking apps and smart home devices have made life much easier. But the flip side of these devices mean that GPS location tracking, microphones and cameras accessible via most any wireless devices have made “living off the grid” an impossibility. Reasonable expectations of privacy have become the subject of debates ranging from our nation’s highest courtrooms to the family kitchen table.

As you read this article, for instance, there are currently 2,000 satellites orbiting in the skies above us. By 2025 as many as 1,100 satellites could be launching each year, including SpaceX’s Starlink plans to add 12,000 small satellites by 2027. These satellites are being created and launched to provide everything from weather monitoring to global GPS positioning to boosting internet accessibility and taking pictures of every angle of the Earth.

How to protect your home wireless network

September 10, 2019 Online Security, Tips and Helpful User Information

We are living in an age of data breaches, security hacks, social media shenanigans and all sort of online threats that can make anyone worry about their security. Businesses have their own solutions, but what about our homes? Home wireless networks deserve attention, too, as they are just as vulnerable to security risks. That’s why we’re sharing these actions you can take to protect your home wireless network for a safer, stress-free online experience.

What is a home wireless network?

First, let’s define what we’re talking about. A home wireless network is composed of the computers, gaming stations, phones and other devices that are wirelessly connected to your internet router.

How to avoid and block robocalls and fake neighbor calling

September 3, 2019 General News, Online Security

Robocalls. Fake neighbor spoofing. Cell phone spam. Whatever you call them, these types of illegal calls are getting worse, and definitely getting more annoying. In fact, according to YouMail’s Robocall Index, last month Americans received 4.4 billion robocalls during just that month. That breaks down to 145 million per day, or 6 million per hour, or 1,700 calls per second. In addition to the inconvenience, robocalls also pose a danger to those who fall prey to fraudulent scams that attempt to invade people’s privacy and often their bank accounts.

While registering on the “Do Not Call Registry” was an initial solution that helped a little, lately it doesn’t seem to matter how careful you are, they still get through. In fact, it’s gotten so bad that the U.S. government is taking action.

U.S. consumers use record amount of wireless data in 2018

August 27, 2019 4G LTE, General News, Tips and Helpful User Information

Wireless data allows us to access the power of the internet from practically anywhere we want to, and a recent study shows that Americans are putting that easy access to use as wireless data use more than doubled in the U.S. in 2018 as compared to 2017 and continues to grow at an impressive rate. In fact, mobile data use was up more than 82 percent growth last year – more data than was used in the first six and a half years of this decade all together.

This growth in voice calls, texts, and data is driven in part by the increasing number of wireless devices in the U.S. In 2018, Americans connected another 21.5 million mobile devices for a total of 421.7 million devices. But it’s not just about smartphones anymore as people are using data-only wireless devices that connect on-the-go such as watches, cars, health and fitness monitors, and household items with use growing 10 percent in 2018 to reach 139.4 million devices.

Simple ways to add smart technology to your home

August 19, 2019 General News, Tips and Helpful User Information

If you like the idea of adding smart technology to your home, but are worried about complications or expense, you’re in luck. All you need is a smart phone and high-speed internet and you can easily add “smart technology” such as thermostats, smoke detectors, garage door controls, home security cameras, doorbells and locks to your home. The good news is that a lot of this kind of tech can be installed quickly and easily by the homeowner and without spending a lot of money.

Ready to get started? Here are a few ideas for smart home-tech upgrades that are easy to DIY.

The best sports streaming services for fans who cut the cord

August 15, 2019 On-Line Streaming, Tips and Helpful User Information

If you’ve cut the cord but aren’t sure what your best sports-streaming options are, we’ve got you covered. Here are a few of the top sports-focused streaming services (as of summer 2019) to choose from.

Streaming for the casual sports fan

For fans who like to catch the game of the week, or watch shows like SportsCenter for an overview of the world of sports, most streaming services like DirectTVNow, Sling TV, Hulu Live TV, YouTube TV, PlayStation Vue, will give you access to channels like ESPN or Fox Sports as well as a variety of live sporting events.

The difference between 4G and 5G

August 6, 2019 Ask The Experts

Everywhere you turn, companies are singing the praises of 5G technology and how it will “revolutionize” everything pretty much everything we use that’s connected to the internet. If you’re not sure about what the difference is between 4G and 5G, though, you’re not alone.

What is 5G?

In short, the G stands for generation, so 5G is the collective term for the fifth generation of mobile network technology. At it’s most basic, 5G promises much faster speeds, but it requires a lot more equipment to do that. 4G LTE, the service that Softcom provides, relies upon relatively few large towers that are positioned miles apart. This is what allows us to bring stable, high-speed internet access to rural and remote regions.

How AT&T plans to use private customer info you may not be aware of

July 31, 2019 General News, Online Security

If you use AT&T, they are probably aware that you are reading this article right now, where you are reading it, what you click on before and after you read it, and storing all of that information to use in targeted marketing and advertising later on. It’s not just AT&T, either, but we’re sharing this info with you after a recent profile of AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson in Fortune magazine in which he openly laid out the mega-company’s plan to profile and target customers for advertising.

AT&T has transformed itself into a media colossus by buying Time Warner, adding to its incredible array of content from holdings including HBO, CNN, TNT, and others in combination with a huge distribution network across mobile broadband, DirecTV, and U-verse. Stephenson shared his vision of permanent, across-the-board surveillance of all those customers for extremely targeted – and personal – advertising.

Why keeping up with technology is good for business

July 23, 2019 General News, Tips and Helpful User Information

Keeping up to date with technology is important for every kind of business – even ones that have nothing to do with technology. Technology is inescapable part of life and business. Farmers carry smart phones, vineyards utilize drones, and brick-and-mortar businesses have sophisticated security systems. Crafters use the online shopping carts to sell their products, and cupcake makers use tablets to accept payments on the road. These are just a few examples of how everyone needs access and familiarity with technology to help their business thrive.

The risks of ignoring or trying to do without technology can harm a business in many ways, but the rewards can mean getting ahead of your competition and thriving in the long run. Here’s a few reasons why.

Election security concerns for 2020

July 18, 2019 General News

From checking in at your local polling venue on a computer or tablet, to registering to vote by smartphone, or using an electronic voting machine to cast a ballot, computers have become an important part of voting in America. As election time nears, however, concern about the security of those computers is high, and everyone from politicians to engineers are addressing ways to keep the process safe from hacking or harm.

Even though touch screen computers have been in use for more than a decade, the last four years have brought so much news of foreign and domestic computer hacking, disruptive social engineering, and potential election rigging that many people are asking to return to systems with paper receipts.

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