February 2006 Archives

With so many options for services nowadays, it is smart to make sure you read thoroughly any order you make online. Some important links that you should look for on your order page when ordering a service through WhiteFence include your plan details, your package details, terms and conditions and return and cancelation policies.

Also, you should also make sure that your service charge and your initial charges are what you expect them to be before you submit your order, as some additional services may change these prices. Make sure to check your account summary once you have completed your order to check your order status. If you have any questions about your order, please call or email WhiteFence's customer service department.

Do you like independent films? Don't like going to theaters, but don't want to wait until the movies come out on DVD? Well, starting next month, you can watch certain independent movies at home on the day they premier in theaters thanks to a partnership between Comcast Corp. and Cablevision Systems' IFC Entertainment. Some titles that you will be able to request through your Comcast video on demand service include American Gun which stars Donald Sutherland and Russian Dolls featuring Audrey Tautou. To find out more about Comcast's on demand offering called IFC in Theaters, go to the press release from Comcast.

As cable TV providers continue to provide DVRs with cable service, TiVo is trying to develop a way to stay on top. One of these ways may be to give away TiVo set top boxes for free. TiVo's CEO Tom Rogers has revealed that TiVo may soon be making varying price plans available; one of these plans will include a free set top box.

According to CNET in their article TiVo may give away free set-top boxes, Wall Street is pressuring TiVo to expand their client base as competition for TiVo-like products and services from both cable and satellite companies heats up. The company is trying to decrease the upfront cost of the TiVo product to make the service more desirable to consumers. 

If you are wondering how the FiOS roll out is going for Verizon, Verizon's CFO Doreen Toben said that the  customer take rates for FiOS (Fiber Optic Services) are "well on plan." She made these comments at an investor conference in Florida, saying that deployment costs are actually declining.

For a limited time, you can get a $25 Visa™ Gift Card when you order home gas service from Georgia Natural Gas. Georgia Natural Gas offers competitive pricing and easy payment options, making it the #1 natural gas company in Georgia. To take advantage of this offer, go to GasGeorgia, where ordering Georgia Natural Gas Service is secure, fast and easy. You can also compare rates from other leading natural gas providers in Georgia

I found a good article about the argument between a la carte cable and bundled cable. Although research released by the FCC has said that a la carte cable would be cheaper for consumers, cable companies insist that it would be much more expensive. Check out the article here: Industry fiercely opposes unbundled TV

Ted Turner, media mogul and founder of CNN, will be leaving the board of Time Warner this year. This announcement has come after months of turmoil involving Time Warner and its board. You can read this article to find out more about Ted Turner's resignation.

Last week, DIRECTV announced that they are planning a broadband based video service, which will have about a 2,000 title catalogue. Customers will be able to download movies from their DIRECTV service straight to their DVR. Though it won't be as quick as cable providers' VOD services, customers will get the movies quicker than if they had to order them via mail, said a DIRECTV executive. You can read this article to find out more on DIRECTV's VOD plans.

Cox is the third largest cable provider in the nation and is noted for its high-capacity, reliable broadband delivery network as well as the company's ability to provide superior customer service. You can currently get Cox Oklahoma City through WhiteFence's Cable and High Speed Internet categories. In addition to Oklahoma City, this system's footprint also covers Tulsa. You can find out more about Cox Oklahoma City at WhiteFence.

Verizon has released its new on-demand line-up for its broadband and FiOS customers, which will include programming from ABC News, Disney Online, ESPN and Movies.com. Verizon customers will be able to get unique content due to Verizon's content agreement with Disney that was announced last September.

Online programming, which is targeted for Verizon's broadband customers, will include live video news feeds, sports events and children's programming. Verizon's FiOS network will be offering its customers over 80 hours a month of free video on demand. Read this article to find out more about Verizon's new lineup.

The Dallas system was the first market in which WhiteFence launched Cebridge Digital/Analog Cable and High-Speed products, and WhiteFence recently launched the remainder of the Texas area, including suburban, small-town and rural communities. Digital packages start at 49.95, and high speed Internet service is $29.95 ($49.95 for non-Cebridge cable subscribers). For information on this provider and others, visit the WhiteFence Web site.

EarthLink executives outlined some initiatives at an investors' conference yesterday. According to Telephony Online, these initiatives include:

"Helio, the announced MVNO EarthLink is launching with Korean mobile provider SK Telecom. As CEO Sky Dayton, EarthLink's founder, explained to analysts, the spring launch of this venture will focus on post-paid customers, targeting the 18- to 34-year-old market and Korean-Americans.

New Edge Networks, the data CLEC EarthLink is acquiring. When the deal closes in April, EarthLink will provide new funding for marketing and sales to enable the company to post double-digit growth in the SMB market, and add EarthLink's Web hosting and security products to its successful VPN sales.

TrueVoice and Home Phone, EarthLink's two VoIP offerings. The company is actually offering free PC-to-PC calling, a la Skype, then hoping to move those customers up market to trueVoice, which is more Vonage-like and requires an ATA, and then to Home Phone, the line-powered ADSL 2+-based service EarthLink is trialing with Covad Communications in four cities and will be rolling out across its markets later this year.

Satellite video resale. The company earlier this week announced distribution deals with both DirecTV and EchoStar, owner of Dish Networks, to resell their video services, and it could add content of its own, such as video-on-demand, going forward."

If you want to read more about EarthLink's current direction, read EarthLink to telecom world: Watch us now.

So, you've always heard that moving is hard on your wallet, but just how hard will it be on you? With this online moving calculator, you can estimate how much you will spend on your move based on how far you are moving and how much you are moving. This is a smart tool to use, because once you know how much you are likely to spend on your move, you can budget your other expences accordingly.

Starting March 20, the Court TV Morning Show will debut on Sirius. The show will be hosted by Court TV's Vinnie Politan and will provide in-depth commentary on the day's programming on Court TV.

Comcast announced yesterday that they will begin to carry The Africa Channel, an independent channel that delivers content with the rich and diverse perspectives of those from Africa. This channel launched on Cox Communications systems last September in New Orleans and Baton Rouge. The channel will begin to air on Comcast's Atlanta system on March 20. David Jansen, Vice President of International Programming for Comcast, said that this programming will be a valuable addition to Comcast's programming. He said:

"The Africa Channel provides a unique and compelling lineup that we believe will be welcomed by viewers, and we look forward to working with The Africa Channel to bring this valuable programming to our customers."

In addition to announcing their 24 new DIRECTV local HD markets (bringing their total to 36 local HD markets) that I mentioned yesterday, DIRECTV also announced that they are expecting to have about 18 million DIRECTV subscribers by the end of 2008. They believe the lure of HDTV will bring people to the company at about 1 million new customers per year said DIRECTV's CEO Chase Carey at an investor conference in New York City. According to SkyReport.com, DIRECTV also announced that it will "deliver on-demand content to DVR set-top boxes via satellite and through a broadband connection. Hundreds of hours of popular content will be sent via satellite while niche offerings would be delivered by broadband."

As referenced in a previous article by Stas about Netflix, many Netflix subscribers who return movies quickly have been subject to Netflix "throttling." These customers do not get priority on new releases in favor of customers who rent fewer movies or are new to Netflix. Though this practice has caused issues with some customers, Netflix says they currently have an unbelievably high customer satisfaction rating. Netflix executives say they simply use a "fairness algorithm" to determine which customers get movies faster.

However, in response to a class action lawsuit filed by several unhappy Netflix customers, Netflix will soon be giving out free DVDs for a month to anyone who was a Netflix subscriber prior to January 15, 2005. According to the article Netflix Mulling Revision to Settlement, almost 4.1 million former Netflix subscribers will be offered a free month of service, while another 2.08 million current customers will be offered a free month-long upgrade.

After the recent truce was reached between Time Warner and stockholder Carl Icahn last week, some Time Warner bondholders have voiced their worry over Icahn's now close position with the Time Warner's board. These bondholders are worried that if Time Warner is too interested in the rights of the shareholders, the bondholders' interests might be forgotten. Read this article to find out more about Time Warner's bondholders' fears.

If you have tried VoIP in the past and weren't satisfied, you are not the only one; however, the quality of VoIP phone calls have increased significantly since just two years ago. Now, people are switching to VoIP without even realizing it.

"It's being marketed as digital telephone service and priced at what traditional VoIP is," explained Keith Nissen, senior analyst with research firm In-Stat, in the article VoIP getting better all the time. "It's a case where the customers are being asked to leave their telephone service and go to the cable company. It's totally transparent to the customer."

And it's not only the quality of VoIP that has improved, but also the perks that VoIP includes. So, if you've tried VoIP before and weren't satisfied, or if you've never tried VoIP before, you might want to look into it and see if it is right for you.

Cox is the third largest cable provider in the nation and is noted for its high-capacity, reliable broadband delivery network as well as the company's ability to provide superior customer service. You can currently get Cox Cleveland through WhiteFence's Cable and High Speed Internet categories. Cox Cleveland footprint falls under the following communities: Lakewood, Seven Hills, Parma, Olmsted Falls, Olmsted Township, Rocky River, Fairview Park, Broadview Heights, Parma Heights, Brooklyn Heights, Middleburg Heights and Independence. Go to WhiteFence to find out more about Cox Cleveland.

Fortune Magazine recently announced the most admired companies of 2006, naming AT&T number one among telecommunications companies. AT&T has reached this position more times than any other telecommunications company since Fortune began ranking the most admired companies.

"The best name in the business, once again, has the best reputation. The new AT&T is leading the way into a new era of integrated communications and entertainment services," said Chairman and CEO of AT&T Inc. Edward E. Whitacre Jr., according to the article AT&T Inc. Named America's Most Admired Telecommunications Company for 2006. AT&T is a leader in several telecommunications categories, including DSL broadband services, business communication services and wireless services (through Cingular).

One of the big concerns people have with satellite TV is whether they will be able to get local programs with their satellite service. With DIRECTV, not only can you get local programming, but soon more than 58 percent of U.S. homes with TVs will be able to get local programming in HD. To see the 24 markets where DIRECTV will be rolling out local HD programs, read this article.

If you are moving with kids, one of your big concerns will be where to send your children to school. A great tool to help you find out what schools are in your area is The School Report. With this free service, you can find out how many kids attend the schools in your area, awards and honors the schools have received and even the average SAT scores of each school.

Well, you shouldn't be, according to at least one analyst. Several blogs and news outlets bemoaned the fate of traditional cell phone operators after Microsoft announced a Microsoft mobile VoIP client that will be released soon. Microsoft still needs to release more information about this VoIP service before we will even know how much competition it will prove to be to established providers. Read this article to find out reasons why you should be wary of any dire warnings about the Microsoft mobile VoIP client.

MTV Networks has begun its own high definition channel, MHD. MHD will carry programs in HD format with Dolby Digital 5.1 audio. The channel's line-up will include both established programs, such as MTV Unplugged, VH1 Storytellers and CMT Crossroads, as well as new programs, such as UnCompressed and Music with Altitude. Read this article to find out more about Music: High Definition.

If you are in Qwest's coverage area, you can get Qwest Choice™ Home for just $29.99/month! You get your home phone line with unlimited local calling and three features you want. Choose from Call Waiting, Voice mail, Caller ID and more!

Two recent studies conducted by Carmel Group and Leichtman Research Group found that people who have DVRs are very happy with them. In Carmel Group's study, DVRs ranked fourth place in digital "must-have" items, ranked only after delivery of local channels, HDTV and broadband access. In Leichtmen Research Group's study, nearly 75 percent of VOD users who have a DVR say that their cable service is better due to having both technologies. Read this to find out more about why people love their DVRs.

AT&T and Cingular announced AT&T Yahoo! Go Mobile today, a phone service that integrates Yahoo! services with your cell phone. With the AT&T Yahoo! Go Mobile service, users will be able to access their Yahoo! mail and other services, as well as save their numbers, pictures, etc. on the Internet rather than in their phone's memory. To find out more about this service or when you will be able to get it, read this article about the AT&T Yahoo! Go Mobile service.

EarthLink announced Monday that it will offer its services bundled with DIRECTV and DISH Network services. As mentioned in an earlier post, you can already bundle EarthLink and BellSouth services. The goal of these deals is to allow customers to pay for their telephone, Internet and satellite services on one bill. To find out more on the topic go to this article about EarthLink's bundles.

In an earlier post, I wrote about the agreement that was finally reached between Carl Icahn and Time Warner. If you want to find out more about the settlement, read the article Cease-fire in effect for Icahn, Time Warner that appeared yesterday in the Washington Post.

Microsoft announced last week that they plan to enter the VoIP world with a product that might change the face of the cell phone market. Their product will be a Skype-style free VoIP service for mobile phones. The program will be released as a part of Microsoft Office Communicator before the end of this year. Office users will be able to use the service through wi-fi enabled phones that are equipped with Windows mobile software. This announcement has got some mobile providers worried that the free VoIP service might severely cut into the business of established mobile service providers.

Verizon and MySpace are calling for unsigned bands to enter a contest sponsored by the two companies. The band who wins will have its song, music video and ring tones released by Verizon Wireless. Read this to find out more about the Verizon and MySpace competition, or go to MySpace to enter the competition.

It is important to shop around for your utilities to ensure you get the best deal. Several companies offer introductory deals or may or may not require deposits, so it is necessary for you to check out all your options to make sure that you are getting the best deal. At WhiteFence, you can compare and connect your utilities at one place, so you can free up the hours you would have spent on the phone, giving you more time to do the stuff you need to - like packing.

With VoIP, you can save big bucks. According to the FCC, VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) simply is a "technology that allows you to make telephone calls using a broadband Internet connection instead of a regular (or analog) phone line." Depending on your calling habits, you can save hundreds of dollars in phone bills just by switching to VoIP. When talking over phone lines, you are subject to several taxes, most of which you do not have to pay with VoIP. But not all VoIP providers are the same. You should look into what services they provide (like e911) to decide which VoIP provider is for you.

Now you can tune into FOX News on Sirius. Sirius Satellite Radio announced recently that they have signed a long term agreement with FOX News. On March 14, FOX News will join Sirius' information and news line-up on channel 131. Sirius will also begin airing FOX News Talk channel on channel 145, which will include shows featuring several FOX News personalities, including Tony Snow, Bill O'Reilly, Alan Colmes and John Gibson.

After months of talks, Carl Icahn and Time Warner have finally reached an agreement, one in which Time Warner will remain one company. In August 2005, Icahn, a significant stakeholder of Time Warner, tried to take control of the company, saying the company was undervalued and mismanaged. Icahn had pledged that after he took control of the company, he would break up Time Warner to boost the company's value.

Some of the concessions Time Warner gave Icahn in the agreement include increasing its stock buy back program as well as Time Warner promising to look into ways to cut costs. Read this article to find out more about Time Warner's agreement with Icahn.

dPi Teleconnect is one of the nation's premier providers of prepaid home phone and long distance services. They are committed to customer service and quality products. Customers can order from dPi with no credit checks, no contracts and no deposits. dPi provides service for 29 states in the following footprints: Alltel, BellSouth, SBC, Sprint, Qwest, Valor and Verizon. We are currently live in Tennessee, California, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut and Delaware. For information on this provider and others, visit the WhiteFence Web site.

Want good customer service? Well, look no further than Cox. Cox Communications took third place in J.D. Power & Associates' customer satisfaction survey in 2005. This marked the first time where a cable company has beat out a DBS provider in customer satisfaction. And this achievement wasn't by accident. Read this article to find out how Cox's customer service got so good.

Did you know that the average American household spent almost $1,900 on home energy costs in 2005? That is almost $160 per month. With the natural gas prices soaring throughout the year, Americans spent approximately $600 more than in 2004. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, nationwide natural gas prices delivered to the home averaged $16.49 per thousand cubic feet which is a rise of 41 percent from earlier in the year. This season's cost is actually twice that of the price from the 2001-2002 winter costs. Expectations for 2006 are even higher. So what can you do about it?

1. Since heating and cooling costs account for half of your overall bill, consider simple household repairs like weather stripping, proper insulation and programmable thermostats.
2. In most cases, for each degree you lower your temperature in winter, you can save 5 percent of your total bill.
3. Have you checked out your energy company's energy audit programs?  Many utilities are now doing free (or nominal cost) audits to show you how you can be saving money each month on your bill.

EarthLink is helping you to feed your MySpace.com obsession. Soon the Web site and all its capabilities could be available on your cell phone. Well, at least cell phones released by Helio LLC, a joint venture SK Telecom and EarthLink Inc. Go here to find out more about this new possibility from EarthLink and MySpace.

As Verizon and AT&T try to get Congress to relax rules on local franchises, they are receiving pretty tough opposition from cable operators and local governments. If you're interested in finding out what's going on currently, check out Verizon, AT&T face local video franchising opposition.

Cox Communications, along with the American Lung Association of Oklahoma, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma and the Oklahoma State Department of Education, is sponsoring the third annual Don't Start smoking storyboard contest that begins this week. The contest invites Oklahoma elementary students to create a storyboard for a PSA advertisement aimed to keep children from smoking. Two grand-prize winners will have their storyboards made into reality by Cox Communications.

Currently, no. When a user submits a change of address order, WhiteFence submits a permanent change of address with the post office.  If the user needs to change his address for other services or identification, he/she still will need to contact the offices responsible, like customer service for their magazine subscriptions or their local DMV to make changes.

EchoStar X, a telecommunications satellite built by Lockheed Martin for EchoStar Communications Corp., was launched successfully on Wednesday. A representative from Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems said that the satellite will greatly enhance the capabilities of EchoStar's DISH Network^TM.

BellSouth has opted not to follow the trend of other large telecommunications companies, like AT&T and Verizon, and create fiber-optic networks to deliver video content. Instead, BellSouth has decided to continue its bundling relationship with DIRECTV for at least five more years. BellSouth has indicated that they will wait and see how AT&T and Verizon's efforts go in the arena of fiber optics before they dive into it as well. For more information on the deal between BellSouth and DIRECTV, see Expanded Alliance Makes BellSouth DSL Service Available to DIRECTV Subscribers.

Currently, you can get great deals with BellSouth in the southeast. If you're a resident of a multi-family dwelling, you can get a $25 Visa^® Gift card if you order local phone service online. If you do not live in a multi-family dwelling, you can get a $25 Visa^® Gift card when you order Value Answers^SM with Unlimited Long Distance.

IPTV might be a bigger competitor to cable and satellite sooner than you might think. According to a survey on IPTV by Harris Interactive, more than 56 percent of United States consumers say that they have heard of IPTV, and a good number of those who are aware of IPTV are interested in having IPTV in their home. Respondents said that the draw of IPTV is the perception that it will be less expensive and that the technology may allow the consumer to create their own programming schedule.

When you move, there are several people you have to alert that you are moving. To make changing your address with the post office easier, you can use WhiteFence to change your address. But you will still need to let others know about your move, including all of your utilities, personal and professional services (e.g. credit cards, pharmacies, insurance agencies, publications) and government offices. You should sit down before you start changing your address with anyone and make a comprehensive list of all those you will have to notify, so you can check off the list as you go to ensure you don't forget anyone.

Kagan Research recently conducted a study that found that  HDTVs will be in over 82 percent of households by 2010. One reason they suggest for this increase is that  "the average price of an HD set will decline some 38% by 2010, reducing the average price to $1,139." The price decrease may come as a result of a hard date finally being set for the switch to all digital TV, which has caused the production for HDTV sets to go up. To find out more about the study, go to Report: HDTVs to Top TV Sales in 2006

New Starz channels RetroPlex ^SM and IndiePlex ^SM will launch on April 3 as part of the Comcast Digital Plus service. RetroPlex will air movies from the '50s to the '70s, while IndiePlex will offer, yes, you guessed it, independent movies. Starz executives plan that these stations will help them realize their goal of having a channel for every taste, age group and demographic. Read this press release from Starz to find out more about the Starz stations and the Comcast roll out.

According to an article from the San Antonio Business Journal, AT&T plans to equip all AT&T switching locations throughout Texas with the ability to transmit AT&T high speed Internet. AT&T begun work on this project due a mandate set by Senate Bill 5, which Texas Gov. Rick Perry and other members of the government say will guarantee broadband services to rural areas of Texas. The AT&T high speed rollout is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2006.

In an earlier post, I mentioned that TiVo was having a speed-dating event to celebrate Valentine's Day. If you want to find out about the evening and what TV program interests most singles were looking for in a mate, go to TiVo's press release TiVo Singles Say Lost is the Show They Hope To Find in a Valentine.

Yesterday, Verizon filed lawsuits charging All Star Vacations and Marketing Group of Miami, Fla., Travel and Tours Marketing of Orlando, Fla. and Cambridge Marketing and Financial Services of Deland, Fla. of illegal solicitation.

Verizon says these companies used auto dialers and prerecorded messages to contact Verizon customers. It is against federal rules for telemarketers to use these methods to call any phone where it costs the phone subscriber money to receive the phone call; cell phones fall into this category. ZDnet has more information about Verizon's lawsuits on their Web site.

Soon, you will be able to have VoIP conversations through your Nintendo DS. According to a report by TNI securities, the new headset port for the Nintendo DS will allow gamers to make wireless calls with their DS through the built-in wireless 802.11b. To find out more about this new VoIP innovation, read Analyst note: Nintendo DS invites free voice-over-IP chat.

First Choice Power serves more than 200,000 customers in Texas. They have become a subsidiary of PNM resources an energy holding company headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Both companies share a commitment to exceptional customer service and to the communities they serve. They are a Texas-based company that is proud to offer residents the opportunity to save money on their electric bills. First Choice Power has easy to reach customer service representatives, different payment options and online account management. They service areas for AEP/ CPL, AEP/ WTU, Reliant/ CenterPoint, TNMP and TXU. For information on this electricity provider and others, visit the WhiteFence Web site.

Getting tired of your slow Internet connection? Considering an upgrade to broadband? Remember, when comparing DSL and cable, both are enormously better than dial-up. You will get an improvement no matter what you choose, but which is best for you? Several issues can differentiate DSL from cable: ease of installation, speed, price, etc.

Determining where your cable jacks or phone jacks are in comparison to your computer will help you decide if DSL or cable would be easier to set up. If your computer is far away from a cable jack, you will have to get someone from your cable company to install another jack near your computer, which may take time to schedule. Because you probably had your computer near a phone jack for your dial-up service, DSL would be an easy choice since you can use the same jack you used previously for dial-up. Proponents of both defend the speed and performance of DSL and cable. Although cable's theoretical bandwidth is higher, this speed will not truly be reached due to many factors, putting DSL and cable on even ground.

As far as price goes, you need to shop around. Though cable is generally thought to be cheaper, different areas of the country offer different deals, so it pays you to look for the best price. Go to WhiteFence, where you have the freedom to compare DSL and cable offers side-by-side, to make your choice easy.

To help out in the search for missing children, BellSouth will post AMBER alerts for the nine southeast states in its coverage area on its Web site. The AMBER alerts will appear 24/7 in the "Today's Guide" section on the homepage. They are hoping this highly visible spot will help make people aware of AMBER alerts as soon as they occur.

Missing children experts say that programs such as this one established by BellSouth may even "serve as deterrents to abductions because of the heightened awareness and community involvement in response to the alerts." Read Southeast AMBER Alerts Now Posted on BellSouth's Internet Homepage to find out more about the new program and BellSouth's history of cooperation with the AMBER alert system.

AT&T recently accused Apple Inc. and several other companies of patent infringement. AT&T owns several patents to elements AT&T representatives say are vital to MPEG-4 technology, which is used by products produced by these companies.

To correct the situation, AT&T is offering that the companies buy licenses from AT&T for the technology. In response, Apple representatives say that they believe they "have all necessary rights and licenses with respect to all of [their] products." For more information on this developing story, read AT&T Warns Apple, Others, of Patent Infringement.

A study recently done by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) may be able to help you out with reducing your cable bills. They discovered that if cable companies would offer programming on an a la carte basis, many subscribers would save money. Surprisingly, the study's results actually reverse an earlier FCC findings made in 2004 that concluded a la carte programming would actually be more expensive than our current system.

With the new study as his backing, Sen. John McCain plans to introduce legislation that would create an a la carte system, in which you could pick exactly which channels you wanted. Once this system takes affect, your cable bills could be reduced by 13 percent, according to the study.

Our change of address service is one of the most frequently used features of WhiteFence. The change of address feature allows a user to simply go to WhiteFence, fill out the form and click the submit button. We print the cards, sign them for the user and send them out. The user authorizes WhiteFence to sign and act as an agent when they check the Authorization box. When the user checks 'Yes,' that allows WhiteFence to file an official mail forwarding change of address form on the user's behalf. By clicking the submit button at the end of the order form, the user is electronically signing and dating the authorization and consenting to the use of electronic records for the purposes listed in the authorization. 

Comcast has revolutionized the way ads are placed in video on demand (VOD). Previously, ads that were placed in VOD programming were stagnant and could not be changed once it began playing. However, Comcast and Tandberg Television have developed a way that advertisements can now be updated weekly. Go to this article to read more about the new way to view VOD through Comcast.

In the FCC's 12th Annual Report to Congress on Video Competition published on Friday, the FCC reported that cable had lost a little more than 2 percent of the market, while at the same time, Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) companies have gained more than two percent of the market.

Several developments have caused these changes, but an important issue highlighted by the report that may be speeding the change in the market is the method in which cable is trying to maintain its dominance. As DBS has become increasing competition for cable companies,  in general the cable companies have not lowered their prices for their cable services. Instead, they have responded by offering more services, like expanding their channel programming or offering a triple play bundle. But DBS providers and other competitors to cable have caught onto this trend, and have begun to expand their networks or partnerships so that they can also offer their own versions of the triple play, making the companies more viable competition to cable . A list of  key findings can be found on this press release of the FCC's 12th annual report on video competition.

Two months before you move, take an inventory of your belongings. If you find you have a good number of items that you believe will just be gathering dust in your new home, plan a garage sale to avoiding throwing away things at the last minute. If you don't have the time or the space to have a garage sale, you can call a local charity to arrange a drop-off or pick-up so the items will be used for a good purpose.

TiVo is helping the singles of San Francisco enjoy the couple-centric holiday. TiVo execs have organized the TiVo Singles Mixer, a speed-dating night out, where singles can let their "Now Playing" list be their guide. At the event, which is being held tonight, singles will evaluate possible mates based on their TiVo recording habits. Unfortunately, you can no longer signup for the event, but you can still celebrate Valentine's Day at home with your TiVo by creating a wishlist for romantic programs.

Willamette Broadband is a local, rural cable TV and high speed Internet provider offering service in the Willamette Valley, Sheridan and Stayton, Oregon. Willamette prides themselves on offering "local-style" customer care and working to create enthusiastically satisfied customers all of the time. The service territory includes both rural and urban areas, primarily south of the Portland area. For information on this provider and others, visit the WhiteFence Web site.

One of consumers' main complaints about VoIP service is that when your electricity is out, your phone is out. Well, according to the article Time Warner seeks to retain phone customers, Time Warner is trying to fix that, or at least give you a couple extra hours of phone power while your electricity is out. Time Warner has been giving out phones with battery back-up for the past year, which gives the phone additional power for about four hours. But this isn't a fix-all. If an amplifier mounted on a telephone pole is knocked out, the phone will not be able to transmit phone calls even if it has a battery back-up.

DIRECTV Group, Inc. said DIRECTV and EchoStar are in talks to develop a U.S. wireless high speed network. The rivals are considering working together so that they can become more competitive with cable providers that are able to offer multiple services to their customers. The article DIRECTV Talks Up Wireless Network With Rival EchoStar gives more details on the subject.

How good is your penmanship? Don't put it to the test on moving day. Instead of trying to write a contents list on each and every box, try color coding the boxes with stickers to alert either you or your movers which rooms the boxes belong in. Not only will this save time and ink, it will also prevent movers or anyone passing by from seeing an interesting label on your boxes and deciding to rifle through your belongings.

The U.S. senate conducted hearings this week about whether broadband providers should be required to allow consumers access to all legal Web sites. The deliberation began because of fears that broadband providers would deny consumers access to competitors - competitors like Vonage and Google who provide services and information online. The CEO of Vonage made a good point, saying that if broadband providers are allowed to do this it would be like the electricity company saying which toaster you could plug in. However, cable and phone companies contest that there is no need for new laws, because there currently is not a problem. To find out more about this issue, see Google, Telecoms clash over "Net Neutrality."

When comparing cable and satellite, you have to evaluate the pros and cons of each. Some benefits of cable include local channels for no extra charge and easy to set up equipment. Also, cable is not affected by weather problems, like wind and rain, which can affect satellite dishes.

But before you decide to go with cable, you should note that satellite has several benefits as well. Satellite is usually less expensive and your equipment and service can go with you when you move. And, because satellite maintains a digital signal throughout, the quality of the signal when it reaches your living room is usually better than you get with a cable connection. However, you need to make sure you can place the satellite dish where it has a clear view to the southern sky to maintain your signal.

To choose between the two, you need to evaluate what is more important to you: quality of reception, ease of set-up, inexpensiveness of service, etc. Once you know what you want, your choice should be clear. For more information on this topic, see this article on cable vs. satellite.

By February 17, 2009, you will be watching digital TV, whether you like it or not. Congress signed a bill last week that put a hard date on when all analog channels would be switched off. Congress has put aside $1.5 billion to make sure no one is unable to watch their TV; they will spend the money on set top boxes or other devices to make sure everyone can receive the digital signal. See Congress gives OK to digital TV switch for more information.

Commercials that make us laugh are what we want - at least that is what TiVo has found. TiVo announced the top 10 most replayed Superbowl ads and said that most if not all of the most replayed commercials were designed to tickle our funny bone. But this isn't too surprising, as they found this to be true in past Superbowls. However, the funny ads did have some competition - the game itself. This year's analysis revealed that replays of the controversial referee calls during the game rivaled the replays of ads. Go here to see a list of TiVo's most replayed Superbowl ads.

Comcast has announced that they will test Nielsen's On Demand reporting service, a service designed to anonymously gather and report Video On Demand (VOD) usage. The results from this service will help Nielsen's clients to evaluate VOD trends. Comcast and Nielsen said the VOD reporting service will begin near the end of the first quarter of this year.

Varsity Media Group, Inc., a large media company which markets to teens and young adults, will be launching Varsity TV on the Verizon FiOS network. The Verizon FiOS network is currently available in areas of Texas, Virginia, Florida, Massachusetts and New York. Varsity TV's programming will be totally user created, and include a wide range of genres. You can read this article to find out more about Varsity TV or the Verizon FiOS network.

Cox is the third largest cable provider in the nation and is noted for its high-capacity, reliable broadband delivery network as well as the company's ability to provide superior customer service. The services include cable, digital cable, high-speed Internet and pay-per-view. Cox New England services Connecticut (East Granby, East Windsor, Enfield, Granby, Hartland, Somers, Stafford, Suffield, Union, Windsor Locks, Meriden, Cheshire and Southington), Rhode Island and Massachusetts (Holland). For information on this provider and others, visit the WhiteFence Web site.

EarthLink and BellSouth have decided to continue their DSL partnership. EarthLink will continue to provide DSL to BellSouth's customers through 2008. Representatives from both companies said the deal is a good situation for both BellSouth and EarthLink, and will aid them in growing their DSL client base. More about the deal can be found at Web Hosting Provider EarthLink Extends Agreement With BellSouth and BellSouth extends EarthLink DSL deal.

It appears that Google is going to be offering VoIP services in the near future. An SEC filing on January 31st shows that Google, Inc. has entered an agreement to use VoIP Inc.'s VoiceOne Communications to make their way into the VoIP industry. To find out more about Google's venture into the world of VoIP, click here to view the filing.

No matter if you have a fish or a dog, you have to take special care of your pets during a move. Many pets can notice the changes in their environment and become stressed even before they are brought out to the car. See this article to get advice on how to move your pet safely, as well as how to lower the stress level on your pet during your move.

Now you can watch primetime network programming from NBC, commercial free, within hours after it is aired through the new DIRECTV Plus Interactive DVR. You will also be able to get USA, SCI FI and Bravo programming commercial free. For just 99 cents, you will be able to order shows like "Law and Order: SVU," "Law and Order: CI," The Office," "Monk" and "Battlestar Galactica." Go here to find out about this great new service from DIRECTV and NBC.

Qwest Communications announced yesterday that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has decided to go with Qwest for its national networking service. You can go to this article to find out more about the Internet services Qwest will be providing for NASA.

Cox, the third largest cable provider in the nation, is noted for its high-capacity, reliable broadband delivery network as well as the company's ability to provide superior customer service. Their services include cable, digital cable, high-speed Internet and pay-per-view. Cox Mid America services approximately 575,400 customers in East Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas. For this information on this cable provider and others, visit WhiteFence.

Want to learn more about the viability of IPTV? I found a good discussion about this topic in the recent article IPTV: Boom or Bust. Go check it out if you are interested in the topic of IPTV.

Although AT&T and Verizon are trying to get into the cable TV market, the phone giants might have some hurdles to jump before it can become viable competition for cable TV. In the article Congress unlikely to ease TV rules for US telcos soon, MSN gives more details on the situation.

Real Simple has posted a great article with cost-cutting tips you can use right now to trim your monthly expenses! Some of the most common "leaks" you can plug that apply to utility-related issues include:

• Subscribing for cable TV, Internet access and phone service from three different providers. Savings: $10 to $20 a month.
• A cell-phone plan that doesn't match your needs. Savings: An average of $16.50 a month, according to J.D. Power & Associates.
• Too much insurance. Savings: 15 to 30 percent on home and auto bills.

AT&T recently released its fourth quarter earnings, revealing that it is doing quite well after its merger with SBC. This report was the first the company had released since SBC bought AT&T to create one of the largest telecommunication companies in the world. Click here to find out more about AT&T's fourth quarter earnings.

If you have recently purchased a new LCD monitor, TV, PSP, PDA, iPod, laptop or any other device with an LCD, you may not have noticed a common problem with these displays known as dead pixels. The best way to check for dead pixels online is by visiting a Web site to test if your LCD has dead pixels. Once you have located your dead pixels, you might be able to save yourself some headaches and fix the LCD yourself. If your pixels are truly dead, you may be able to return it to the manufacturer. To do so, you'll have to check with the manufacturer to see if your LCD meets their criteria, which is typically based on the number of dead pixels and how they are clustered together.

BellSouth recently had a job shadowing day, where high school students were allowed to shadow individuals who work in all facets of the company, from technicians to company executives. Read BellSouth kicks off job shadowing program to find out more about the program.

AT&T Park has a nice ring to it, and hopefully the name will stick. Since the park opened in 2000, it has been under three names, the latest being AT&T Park. It began as Pacific Bell Park, and became SBC Park when SBC bought out that company. Now, the name will be changed again to reflect the recent SBC buyout of AT&T. The name change will take effect as of March 2006. To read more about the name change, go to San Francisco Giants Ballpark to be renamed AT&T Park.

The Federal Trade Commission has decided to allow Time Warner Cable Inc. and Comcast Corp. to acquire Adelphia's cable assets. The FTC dismissed objections that the buy-out would increase the price of sports programming, saying that the acquisition should not "substantially lessen" competition in any region of the United States. You can find out more about the acquisition by reading FTC clears acquisition of Adelphia assets.

Moving is a stress, no matter what, but planning well and picking the right movers for you can at least relieve some of the stress. According to the American Moving and Storage Association (AMSA), you should always choose an AMSA certified mover to make sure your possessions are in good hands. These movers have agreed to a Code of Conduct that was established by AMSA to protect consumers from unethical movers. For more information on how to know who is certified, go to the AMSA Web site to find AMSA certified movers.

Gill Security Systems, Inc. sells, installs and services security systems in Fayetteville, Arkansas and surrounding areas. Their products include burglary alarm systems, fire alarm systems, surveillance systems, intercom systems, structured wiring, whole house audio systems and home theater systems. Also, they provide services such as radio back-up, opening/closing reports, cabling, security system repair, surveillance camera repair, fire alarm system repair, Panasonic telephone system repair, maintenance agreements and security survey/analysis. For information on this security system provider and others, visit the WhiteFence Web site.

Did you go to the bathroom when the funniest commercial came on? Well, if you are a Sprint customer, you are in luck. Sprint customers have the opportunity to watch the commercials they missed, or just want to see again, using their Sprint cell phone. Tune in to Sprint TV^SM channels 1 or 50 to watch the commercials on a continuous loop. But act quickly; the channels will only be active today through one week from now. An article on TMC.net gives more details on the Superbowl commercials available to see through Sprint.

According to TWICE Magazine, DIRECTV revealed at the international CES that DIRECTV subscribers will be able to get FX shows 24 to 48 hours before their scheduled broadcast for a small fee. This service, starting in March, will be accompanied with other such fee based perks, like being able to watch NBC programming without commercials and being able to watch as many as five FOX Broadcasting series up to seven days after their national airing.

As an international news provider, staff members at Reuters must have the resources to keep their news reporting up-to-the-minute. To do so, they have opted to update their coaxial system with IPTV - allowing them to stream national, international and internal TV news to meeting and conference rooms as well as 2,500 PC desktops throughout their new headquarters. Go to this Web site to read more about Reuters switch to IPTV.

For a limited time, you can get AT&T Yahoo! High Speed Internet Express for only $12.99/month for the first 12 months or AT&T Yahoo! High Speed Internet Pro for only $17.99/month for the first 12 months. The offer is only available online. To find out more about this great deal on AT&T Yahoo! High Speed Internet, follow this link to WhiteFence and enter in your address.

We all know that packing at the last moment is not your best course of action when moving, but the question is: When to pack what? You should start packing about two months in advance of your move date, beginning with clothes that you will not need in the current season (if you are moving in the winter, pack your summer clothes). Another set of items you can pack early is books, knickknacks and other items on display. As you get closer to your move date and you begin to pack everyday items, there are some items that you should make sure stay unpacked, namely a change of clothing, pet food, snacks, can opener, corkscrew, towels, toiletries, shower curtain and cleaning supplies. Make sure you have room to pack these items with you in your car to make sure they are unpacked first as well.

Sprint Nextel is fighting back. The telecommunications company is suing First Source Information Specialists Inc. and All Star Investigations Inc. for allegedly illegally obtaining Sprint customers cell phone records. Both of the companies being sued run private investigation Web sites. To find out more about the lawsuits, read the article Sprint Nextel Sues Firm For Obtaining, Selling Customer Data.

Have you been wanting to get some concrete facts on VoIP customer satisfaction so that you can make your decision if VoIP is right for you? Consumer Reports conducted a survey and discovered that overall, customers are satisfied with their VoIP service; however, there were some common complaints. To find out more about the survey, you can read Consumer Reports: Is Internet Phone Service Right For You? You can also find out details about VoIP plans on the Consumer Reports Web site.

Sprint Nextel has announced that it will name its local phone spin-off Embarq. Embarq will separate from Sprint in the early spring, with 7.4 million access lines in 18 states. David Hesse, the new company's CEO, says that Embarq will offer service bundles that include wireless service, but he has not confirmed if it will offer these services through Sprint's network. For more information on Embarq, read Sprint Nextel names spin off 'Embarq'.

DISH Network announced new HD programming as well as new hardware at the International CES. Go here to find out more about  DISH Network's new hardware and programming.

In 2002, Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOCs) had almost 160 million access lines. Today, that number is less than 130 million. Berstein Research has forecasted that total access lines will decline at a rate of about 5 percent year-over-year through at least the end of 2007.

Two technology advances have drastically changed the landscape for the landline telephone market. First, as broadband high speed has become the norm for United States Web surfers (broadband penetration of online households has already exceeded 50 percent and is expected to reach 75 percent by 2010), the need for a second landline (for use with dial-up Internet service) has evaporated. Secondly, and more importantly, wireless phones have displaced landlines as the primary means of telephony communications in younger adults. Many households with adults under 30 do not have a landline at all. This phenomenon is known as "wireless displacement."

Comcast is not just for watching TV anymore. The service provider has expanded its on-demand services to include such off-the-wall services as dating and karaoke. And people are using the services like crazy; on Thanksgiving, over 100,000 songs were ordered from Comcast karaoke service. See this article for more on Comcast and other cable providers' innovative services.

I remember the good ole days when Netflix was waiting on me to return my rentals so they could send out the next items in my queue. Now, after several years of double-digit subscriber growth, I often find  myself waiting several weeks or months to get my hands on new DVDs. For those thinking about jumping the fence to Blockbuster or other similar services, the wait times are no better, as you can see at this Netflix blog.

Shawn Morton appears to have found a way to jump to the head of the line at Netflix (by the time you read this, they might have fixed this loophole). I have tried this trick with mixed results, and have found that it's somewhat of a hassle to do using the Netflix website. If you are a serious Netflix user, it would probably be worthwhile to download Netflix Freak (OS X) or Netflixter (WIN) to make your DVD queue management easier.

Atlantic Broadband was founded in March 2003 and is now ranked as a top cable operator in the United States. They service over 250,000 customers in the Western Pennsylvania, Miami Beach and Maryland-Delaware areas. They specialize in high speed Internet and digital cable and offer high speed support, digital cable support, account/billing support and location/payment centers. For information on Atlantic Broadband and other providers, visit the WhiteFence Web site.

The Communications Research Network (CRN) reported recently that it had found a weakness in VoIP, saying that the sheer amount of packets used by VoIP to transmit information provides perfect cover to launch distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. As described by Jon Crowcroft, a principal investigator with CRN, DDoS attacks are when "large amounts of low-level traffic are targeted at a particular organization, rendering its servers unable to cope and shutting the company off from the Internet."

To lessen the severity of the danger, Crowcroft suggest that VoIP providers that use proprietary protocols should publish their specifications or switch to open standards, which would allow the tracking of DDoS attacks. For more information, see VoIP gives attackers perfect cover, written by Crowcroft.

Customer service is an important aspect of the WhiteFence services.  We are usually the first to be aware of an issue or problem that is affecting the resident, leasing staff or service provider. Customer service takes the feedback and relays the reoccurring issues to the proper departments. Our customer service representatives are well trained and here to help you navigate the site, track your order and make sure your experience using the WhiteFence services are satisfactory. Feel free to call these representatives if you have any issues with our Web site.

Despite the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina, BellSouth ended the year better than Wall Street had predicted. Although the company experienced a 54 percent drop in fourth-quarter profits, it still did better than many experts had expected it to, resulting in BellSouth's stock going up 2 percent. To find out more about this story, go to the article BellSouth hurt by hurricane, but holds own in quarter or BellSouth's press release.

From February 8-15, AT&T Inc. will be conducting their largest-ever Network Disaster Recovery Exercise at the INFOMART in Dallas. In this test, self-contained equipment trucks will test how successfully AT&T Inc. can support its enterprise customers in the event of an emergency. Though NDR exercises are conducted multiple times each year, this is the largest test yet conducted by the company, with 43 trailers participating. For more information on the exercise, you can go to AT&T's News Room.