General News Archives - Softcom Internet Communications, Inc.

Softcom policy on Chinese telecom equipment protects customers

February 27, 2019 General News, Online Security, Tips and Helpful User Information

There has been a lot of concern recently about telecommunications companies building their networks with gear made by Chinese telecommunications companies – namely, Huawei and ZTE. The concern centers around the Chinese government installing backdoors in the equipment to spy on users of the equipment. The equipment may be inexpensive, but the cost to security has been high, to the point that President Trump is considering signing an executive order to ban Chinese equipment from U.S. telecom networks.

How to pick the right internet service for you

January 22, 2019 4G LTE, Ask The Experts, General News, Tips and Helpful User Information

Everyone loves to clear out the clutter when it comes to New Year’s resolutions. Here’s a new take on that: Make sure you’ve got internet service that isn’t a mess by using our checklist to identify what it takes to make sure you’ve got the very best.

Understand your data needs

Activities like streaming, video conferencing and gaming will need a higher level of service than someone who just uses their computers for email and online shopping. If you have a home office or multiple devices that will all be online at once, this can also affect the level of service. Understanding this and discussing it with an experienced customer service representative will elevate your online experience asap. To learn more about connection speeds and choosing the right plan, read “What internet speed do I need.”

What internet speed do I need?

January 14, 2019 4G LTE, Ask The Experts, General News, Internet Service Area News, Tips and Helpful User Information

Signing up for internet service is easy. Deciding on the speed and level of service you want? That can be the hard part. Some of the most frequently asked questions we get are about understanding the difference in our 4G LTE plans, especially when it comes to connection speeds.

Here at Softcom, we don’t sell plans based on data usage because we offer true unlimited data for our customers, no matter what plan they choose and without affecting the speed of service. Other companies don’t do this, and in fact will reduce connection speeds once their customers exceed their set data caps within a billing cycle. Depending on how much streaming or data-consuming work is done from the home or office, this could result in a week or two of fast speeds, followed by frustratingly slower connections until the billing cycle resets.

Your NaNoWriMo survival guide

November 19, 2018 General News, Tips and Helpful User Information

If you ever dreamed of writing a book, now might be a good time to finally get it done. Why? November is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo to those in the know) and there are some amazing resources online to help you get it done.

The beauty of NaNoWriMo is that we’re not just talking about writing the next great American novel here. You can work on any writing project such as a family history compilation, a charity cookbook, or a children’s book. Business owners and entrepreneurs can create ebooks or guides they can sell or give away that support their business by attracting potential clients or customers.

How Facebook’s recent hacks affect us all

November 13, 2018 Community News, General News, Online Security, Tips and Helpful User Information

Stolen passwords, illegal hacks, election fraud – this may sound like a crime drama, but what we’re really talking about here is a short list of Facebook’s recent troubles. With more than 2.23 billion monthly active Facebook users around the world, even if you’re not using Facebook it’s very likely that someone in your home or part of your family is. And the troubles that Facebook has been going through highlight the importance of protecting your information no matter what you do online.

Softcom mythbusters: Real truths about rural internet service

November 8, 2018 Ask The Experts, Community News, General News, Tips and Helpful User Information

You may think you know your internet, but much of what is passed about as truth is often out of date or even pure fiction. As the premier provider of high-speed internet service for rural communities in Central California, we thought it was time for some debunking.

MYTH: With unlimited plans I get the speeds I’m promised

While other carriers offer unlimited plans and super-high speeds, there are hidden limitations that can affect what you really get. Data may be unlimited, but speeds are not guaranteed. Only a certain amount of data per month is guaranteed to be delivered at 4G LTE speeds. As of March 1, 2017, Verizon / AT&T caps it at 22 gigabytes; T-Mobile at 28 gigabytes. After you go over your 4G LTE cap, you are eligible to be “deprioritized” for the remainder of your billing cycle and your connection reduced to “3G speeds.” We know this can be confusing, so we’ve provided the information you need in this article, “The hidden limitations of unlimited plans.”

California vineyards and high-speed internet – a perfect pairing

October 23, 2018 4G LTE, General News, Internet Service Area News

How technology can help make a better wine

It takes a perfect synergy of elements to make a great wine. The right kind of soil, perfect weather conditions, healthy grapes and a productive harvest are all part of the process. While winemaking has been around for centuries, and vintners still depend on many traditional methods to make a great wine, technology is making inroads into vineyards and proving its value in helping to make a better wine.

The Overlooked Advantages of Softcom

October 11, 2018 4G LTE, Community News, Equipment Upgrades, General News, Internet Service Area News, Tips and Helpful User Information

Our ability to provide strong and speedy internet connections is about much more than just towers and techies. We’ve got a lot going on behind the scenes that helps us stand out from the crowd. From in-person customer service with people who feel like family, to no-tricks contracts and super-speedy installation, we go the extra mile to give our customers the very best.

We invite you to take a peek behind the curtain at a few of the things that make our internet services for rural homes, businesses and communities stand out:

Super-Speedy Installation and Service: There are definitely benefits to having our headquarters and operations based centrally where we provide our services. No long waits – in fact, most new customer installations and on-site services are scheduled within a week of inquiry. Need help? Just give us a call. Software fixes and upgrades are often accomplished remotely, within minutes, and without appointments.

6 Scary Things That Can Slow Your Internet Down

October 3, 2018 General News, Tips and Helpful User Information

Sudden slow-downs in internet speed, especially right in the middle of an important project, can be very frustrating. Lagging speeds can be the result of any number of issues. Luckily, many of them can be solved at home without calling in a swat team of IT experts. We’ve rounded up a list of reasons that can cause internet to slow down so you never have to fear that spinning wheel again.

Busted! Wireless carriers caught putting the squeeze on streaming speeds. Here’s why Softcom will never do the same

September 27, 2018 General News, Internet Service Area News, On-Line Streaming, Tips and Helpful User Information

A disturbing report showing a trend among wireless carriers of throttling down on streaming speeds for their customers – just because they can – has stirred up talks about net neutrality again.

A few months ago we shared our thoughts online about the Federal Communications Commission’s repeal of net neutrality rules and what could happen because of it. Net neutrality can be very difficult to understand, that’s why we laid it all out in an article on our blog, along with our official position that can be accessed here:

“Our Position on Net Neutrality”

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