Part III of III

Thank you for coming back to read my final part in my identity theft series. In part I, I identified the different types of I.D. theft and in the second part, I explained how to prevent such theft. In part III I’ll give you tips on what to do in case your I.D. has been stolen.

Taking action to clear your name:

• Contact your bank and explain the issue
• Call all your credit card companies to alert them of the problem
• Notify all three major credit bureaus of your situation
• File a police report immediately
• File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
• Place a fraud alert on your credit report
• Order a credit report from the 3 major providers

Part II of III

Welcome back to Part II of my ID theft blog. In Part I I explained the five kinds of ID thefts, and this time I’ll give you tips to help prevent your identity from being stolen.

Safeguard your ID with the following 10 tips:

• Shred your mail with a cross shredder
• Protect your home computer with an antivirus and anti-spyware software
• Secure all personal information you have in your home
• Use reputable Web sites with secure servers when buying items online
• Report stolen or last cards as soon as possible
• Don not carry your social security card with you in case your wallet or purse gets stolen
• Don’t give personal information to a phone solicitor
• Check your bank statements and credit card statements each month
• Check your credit report every 12 months
• Select strong online passwords that use numbers and capital and lower case letters

Make sure to check back next week for my Part III of this ID theft blog to learn what to do if your identity has been stolen.

Part I of III

What do you think of when someone mentions identity theft? Most of us only think of credit card theft but did you know there are five types of ID theft? Knowing what those are is the first step in preventing anything from happening to your personal information.

Five Types of ID theft:

Credit Card – Credit card theft can happen anytime your card is out of your sight or when used on an unlock or unsafe Internet site. Never leave your credit card unattended and always use a Web site you trust to purchase items with your card.

Driver’s License – Thieves steal driver’s license information then commit driving violations in your name. By the time you find out, the cop is pulling you over and arresting you for a warrant in your name that was committed by someone else. Be careful with leaving your driver’s license information unattended.

Social Security Number – Most people don’t realize that they leave their social security number unattended on many papers. In the past, when it wasn’t dangerous to ask for your social security number, most forms did ask, but now-a-days you should leave that blank unless the company gives you a good reason why the number is needed. A good example is medical forms. If they already asked for your medical insurance information then they don’t need your social too.

Criminal Identity – Some thieves will steal your identity and commit crimes under your name. Again you will most likely not know until you find yourself being detained for a something you didn’t do. It boils down to being aware and protecting your personal information.

Medical Identity – This is quite possibly the most dangerous of all five offenses. Thieves will steal your identity to then get tests or procedures done in your name, so in your medical files it could show you are HIV positive or have had your appendix removed and neither could be correct. Incorrect information in your medial file can be dangerous in case you have an emergency.

Make sure to check back next week for my Part II of this ID theft blog to learn how to prevent your identity from being stolen.

Affordable Internet Service for the New Year

If you want to save money in the New Year then begin by taking a look at your Internet bill. ConnectMyHighSpeed has a couple of tips to help you evaluate your Internet usage to save you money.

Take a look at how often you use the Internet at your home. Also, evaluate how much you download files or play games. If you don’t use the Internet much or you don’t download a lot of items then a dial-up connection might be good for you and it’s the cheapest. There is no sense in paying for a faster connection if you’re not going to use it to its capacity. No one buys the red sports car to only drive it 30 mph.

Another thing to keep in mind is that most telecommunications companies offer low cost bundled prices. It is cheaper to set up your Internet, home phone and television services with one company. Not to mention that one bill a month is more convenient.

Now how to keep your children safe on the Internet

Do you know what precautions as a parent you need to take to keep your kids safe while they are ever so vulnerable online? Do you know how many predators are out there seeking to destroy a young person's life? Having a high-speed Internet connection is a wonderful tool but you have to be aware of the dangers that lurk on the Web so you and your family can be safe.

Below are some tips to help you keep your children safe while they are online.

• Talk to Your Kids — Have a general online safety conversation with your children to explain what they should be leery of and let them know you are always there in case they get into trouble.


• Monitoring Computer Use — Monitor what your child does on the computer and don't just turn a blind eye.


• Monitoring Softeware — Install or see if your high-speed Internet company offers monitoring software that will allow you to see what your child is looking at on the net and will permit you to block certain content.


• Family Room Computer — Don't let your child have a computer in their bedroom. Instead have the computer in a family room where you can supervise their online usage.


• Child's Behavior — Watch for signs that your child is acting differently as they could be being bullied or stalked while online.


• Anti-Virus Software — Install anti-virus software on all home computers to keep hackers at bay.

How does your inner Santa purchase holiday gifts? Do you brave the crowded malls where shopping becomes a contact sport? Do you forgo the hassle and choose the convenience of shopping online using your high-speed Internet connection?

One of the leading consumer research companies, comScore, Inc., reports that online shopping from November 1 to December 16 has gone up by 19 percent compared to the same shopping days last year.

comScore research does show a choppy trend in online shopping with the heaviest being at the beginning and of the week. They aren't sure if the number will rise as some folks might be waiting for last minute bargains to complete their holiday spending, or if consumers are just not spending that much this season.

For now, it seems like consumers are choosing more and more to shop from the comfort of their home than to head out to the retail shops.

To read the study from comScore, see their press release.

Part II of II

In part I I wrote about the safety, and sometimes the lack there of, when we are online. Since most ISP's don't provide adequate security then who can we trust? Just when there appears to be no light at the end of the tunnel one provider stands out from the rest. Hughesnet, formerly known as DirecWay, protects its consumers in ways no other provider can. Hughes Network Systems is the global leader in the commercial transmission of data via satellite. They also contract with the U.S. military to connect our armed forces around the world. As you can imagine, the data being transmitted is of the most sensitive in nature and security is not a luxury but a necessity and to date the encryption has never been compromised. Hughes Network Systems owns this technology and extends its military-grade encryption algorithm to its residential customers at no additional charge. In fact, the basic residential system has the exact same hardware that is installed in the White House.

I will say that name recognition does play a role in my decisions when choosing products and services, and Hughesnet is not a name you see on billboards or in magazines. It may surprise you to know just how many times you have already used their services and not even known it. Ever shopped at Wal-Mart, ordered pizza from Pizza Hut or even used your credit card to pay for gas? All these establishments, just to name a few, are transmitting your data across the Hughes network and doing so at the speed of light. The Walton family, with over 3,800 Wal-Mart stores in the U.S. alone, actually attributes their success to the services they received from Hughes.

With their prices for high-speed Internet starting at $59, they position themselves way above the entry-level high-speed Internet packages. However, we have to ask ourselves two questions. How much would you pay to protect your family from the devastation of identity theft and how safe is your current ISP?

Part I of II

The days of waking to our house wrapped in toilet paper or washing eggs from the garage door seem to be a thing of the past. What used to be considered severe acts of vandalism are merely child's play. Today we are plagued by vandals that no longer destroy property but lives.

We all enjoy the benefits that super-fast Internet connections provide but few of us stop to ask the question, am I adequately protected from modern day vandals? As we roam freely looking for the latest news, finding the best deals on products and services or even locating and buying movie tickets to entertain us, we transmit pieces of ourselves thousands of miles across multiple networks &mdash leaving us vulnerable to losing our identities without even knowing what has taken place.

Our financial institutions have recognized this threat and accessing our personal information requires secure logins to highly protected servers. Unfortunately, traveling to our financial institutions is a small percentage of our overall Internet usage, and questions surround the securities that other institutions enforce to protect us as consumers. We really need to ask ourselves what should we do to protect ourselves. We should be able to turn to our Internet service providers (ISP's) for the answer but the majority provide very little security, if any at all. As we demand faster and faster speeds and choose providers based on price, we place the burden of data security on ourselves. We are forced to turn to software based solutions by digging through the piles of advertising slogans and gimmicks to make a highly influenced decision that may or may not successfully protect us. Who can we trust and how do we find them? Look for part II of my blog next week for the solution.

Race through the information super highway to the high-speed Internet portal that has all the information you crave. You can get the latest on Internet news, tips on how to make your connection faster and more! There is always something new you can learn and use to make your Web surfing the best experience possible, so take advantage and visit your high-speed Internet corner.

Promos, Specials, Offers—Do you Buy Them or Not?

Call them what you want but the concept is pretty simple. Internally, companies get together, and create the HOT new special pricing. Which of course is great news, who doesn't want to receive products at the best price possible? But, now, keep in mind, not all specials are created equal. The factors that go into creating these deals can be something simple and straight forward as one month FREE with any package; installation half off; required equipment at full price unless you send in the rebate or two months FREE with the right package with the purchase five of 12 additional features. It's up to you, the consumer, to shop around and determine what makes the most sense for your needs.

Sometimes sales tactics are proactive, X company is focusing on high-speed Internet, so they create an incentive for you to "buy now." Other times, it's reactive, Y company feels the pressure and heavily promotes their new speed and six month locked in price, but you better hurry because the offer ends in three days. Clearly this works in many directions, and, honestly, it's no secret competition is getting pretty aggressive between all communications providers.

You can now get television service from what was traditionally your phone company and vice versa. Both have been in the world of high-speed, but it's an ever changing fun game of my speed is faster than yours. Oh, but have no fear &mdash competition is a consumer's friend. It's finding the time to make sense of it all that can be difficult, especially if you are planning a cross-country move or you work all day. Really, who has the time to call each communications company, get the breakdown of cost by packaging, premium channels and features, tally them all up side by side, then actually take the time to call each company back to set up service? It can be a bit overwhelming and sometimes you just go with what seems to be the easiest, but in the long run it may not make sense at all for you or your family.

As confusing as it may all seem, make sure you take a little time to visit comparison sites such as ConnectMyHighspeed.com. In just a few minutes you can view providers in your area, compare their rates and order your service all for free. Understanding what the actual offer is and getting the best deal after all is said and done is definitely worth checking out that site.

The lesson here friends, is shop around and compare. There are everyday low pricing and specials, promotions and offers to be had &mdash plus it's your given right as a consumer.

Does your Internet service choice show your age? It just might. In-Stat recently conducted an online survey among 1,013 North American broadband users. The survey found that the age group with the highest use of cable broadband is the 18-29 year old segment with more than 69 percent choosing cable over DSL. That same age group also had the lowest use of DSL broadband.

Compared to last year's results and that of December 2003, this most recent survey indicates a significant rise in cable broadband use for Generation Y. In February 2006, 56.2 percent of them had cable broadband. And in December 2003, 50.8 percent of broadband users age 18-29 used cable broadband.

In-Stat concludes that the 18-29 age group in North America seems to be finding cable broadband more attractive. Cable broadband has historically offered more bandwidth than DSL, and younger subscribers are considered power users who are looking for service that allows them to download the latest music, videos, and online games.

If you need help choosing between cable and DSL, check out the Comparing Cable and DSL High Speed section of the ConnectMyHighSpeed Internet Buyers Guide.

If you are planning to get high-speed Internet service for your home, you should also start thinking about how you are going to take advantage of the amazing broadband speeds you are going to experience. You probably already know about music downloading, video clips, and online gaming but did you know you can watch live TV online too? I currently listen to radio online and I knew that you could get subscriptions to various sporting events. However, it turns out there are a ton of other sites that offer live content.

Find Internet TV™ recently announced the launch of its program Listings for live Internet TV. According to their press release, Find Internet TV Listings is the first to provide Internet users a programming grid to find live online video content. The Listings contains schedules for a variety of programming from around the world, including entertainment television, sporting events, music, and news.

"Online video, whether live or on-demand, is expanding immensely, and it has become increasingly difficult for viewers to locate the content they want to watch online. While a number of companies and sites have made their focus to index video clips on the Web, they've left live streaming video on the sidelines," says Curtis Sund, Founder of Find Internet TV. "With our live Internet TV Listings, users now have the ability to visit one central destination for complete and updated lineup of live online content."

The company says that the Find Internet TV program grid provides a high-quality user experience through an easy-to-navigate, feature-rich format. Users have the ability to jump hour-by-hour through the grid or to specific dates and times. In addition, users can save their favorite Internet TV channels for easy access.

The Find Internet TV Listings includes sites broadcasting from all over the world, in different languages, and in different time zones. To provide the best end-user experience, the site automatically adjusts all program runtimes to match the viewer's time zone.

"The number of viewers who are looking for live television content on the Internet is tremendous and ever-growing. We have witnessed it through our directory and search engine when live events take place. This first-of-its-kind live Internet TV Listings is a win-win solution for both viewers and content providers," said Birgit Schelzel, Marketing Manager for Find Internet TV.

Leichtman Research Group Inc. recently release a report that revealed the nineteen largest cable and telephone providers in the US—representing about 94 percent of the market—acquired over 2.9 million net additional high-speed Internet subscribers in the first quarter of 2007. The top broadband providers now account for 56.2 million subscribers—with cable companies having more than 30.7 million broadband subscribers, and telephone companies having more than 25.4 million subscribers.

The top telephone companies, including AT&T, Verizon, Qwest and EMBARQ, added 1.49 million subscribers, representing 51 percent of the net broadband additions for the quarter versus cable. The top cable providers, a group that includes Comcast, Cox, Time Warner Cable and Charter, had a record tying quarter with about 1.45 million subscribers added—nearly the same as in the first quarter of 2006.

"Cable's record success in the first quarter of 2007 is emblematic of the industry's ability to evolve beyond its core television heritage," said Bruce Leichtman, president and principal analyst for Leichtman Research Group, Inc. "The top cable companies now have over 30 million broadband subscribers, and about 10 million telephone subscribers, to complement their enhanced TV offerings."

If you would like to read the full report, check out the press release.

According to the latest research by Cable Digital News, U.S. phone companies signed up at least 100,000 more high-speed Internet subscribers than cable companies during the fourth quarter of 2006.

CDN says that for the ninth time in the last 11 quarters, the phone companies topped cable companies as together the industries added more than 2.5 million subscribers for high-speed Internet service. The nation's largest phone companies added more than 1.3 million broadband subscribers during the quarter, compared to fewer than 1.1 million customers for the biggest multi-system operators and more than 1.2 million subscribers for all cable operators.

As the total number of U.S. high-speed customers hit 53 million at the end of December, the two rival industries finished the year with cable companies reporting more than 29.4 million subscribers, more than 55 percent of the market, and phone companies accounting for about 24 million subscribers, around 45 percent of the market.

Comcast reported the largest growth with a pickup of 488,000 cable Internet customers. Although down from its gain in the third quarter, the total is still one of Comcast's highest increases ever. Time Warner Cable followed next with 246,000 new subscribers.

The top two phone companies were Verizon and AT&T, with 409,000 and 383,000 new broadband subscribers respectively.

For more, check out the full Cable Digital News article.

Sprint Nextel , Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox Communications and Bright House Networks parent company Advance/Newhouse Communications have launched the branding of Pivot, the integrated service that gives consumers the ability to link their mobile service with their digital home phone, and certain high-speed Internet and digital cable services. Pivot combines powerful wireline and wireless networks to bring more useful capabilities to customers, such as one-button access to the Internet, home and wireless e-mail and mobile TV.

"Pivot was designed to help customers connect to home with an easier, more convenient and more affordable way to keep in touch, stay informed and be entertained. We want to make technology work better and faster for the customer—and with our unique partnership, we can do things our competitors cant," said John Garcia, president Sprint/MSO Joint Venture. "Pivot links your wireless phone with the comforts of home. Our common vision is to give customers anywhere easy access to the entertainment, communications and information services that are already important to them."

Pivot provides customers with the ability to watch live and mobile TV, access home TV listings using a programming guide like the one they use at home, check home e-mail and voicemail from one source, access the Internet, make unlimited calls between their cable home service and mobile phones, and have the convenience of one point of contact for service and billing.

Pivot is now available in eight metropolitan areas: Raleigh, North Carolina.; Austin, Texas; Boston, Massachusetts; Portland, Oregon; San Diego, California; Phoenix, Arizona; Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio.

Pivot is expected to launch in 40 metropolitan areas in 2007. The capability to program your home DVR from your Sprint phone will also be available to customers in select areas in 2007. The service can be purchased at Sprint retail stores in those markets or by calling your cable company's call center. Currently, four handsets from the Sprint portfolio are featured in the Pivot offering, although the service is available on any Sprint handset.

For more information, check out the press release Innovative Wireless Service Gives Customers the Power to Feel at Home Anywhere.

According to a recent Reuters article, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission took a step to address a growing debate on whether high-speed Internet providers like AT&T and Comcast should be barred from charging extra fees to guarantee access to the Internet.

The article reports that the five commissioners backed a proposal yesterday to start a "notice of inquiry" regarding broadband industry practices.

Net neutrality, the concept of broadband providers treating all Internet content in the same way, has been the subject of much debate among lawmakers. Their main concern is that if broadband providers charge extra fees for more reliable service, that they would also be able to block access to the Internet—a contention that broadband providers say is untrue.

For more information, check out the full Reuters article FCC to Examine Future of Internet Access.

As part of Verizon's continuing commitment to provide Spanish-speaking customers with in-language support, the company recently began offering an updated version of the installation kit for the company's high-speed Internet access service that includes the option to select instructions in Spanish.

Customers now can select either English or Spanish as their language of preference when they install and register Verizon High Speed Internet. For example, once customers insert the installation kit's CD into their PC, they can select "Espanol" on the first screen to upload the software and go through the entire installation process in Spanish.

"Through market research, we've found that Spanish-speaking broadband users feel more comfortable with an end-to-end in-language experience," said Jeff McFarland, director of multicultural marketing for Verizon. "The new Spanish-language installation kit offers consumers an added-value service when installing Verizon High Speed Internet."

Alejandra Martinez, senior manager of Hispanic marketing and communications for Verizon, said, "We are providing content in Spanish because we understand that it's easier to follow technical instructions in-language."

Verizon has launched a series of Spanish-language Web sites to better communicate with Hispanic consumers, including a redesign of its first bilingual Web site to recognize Hispanic achievements and to enable U.S. Hispanics to experience and express their passions about their culture.

Verizon has been a strong supporter of the Hispanic community and joined the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) and Scholastic Inc. to launch Lee y seras® (Read and You Will Be), a national Latino early literacy initiative that engages parents and communities in the literacy development of their children. Since 2004, the Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon Communications, has provided more than $24 million to programs and organizations that support the Hispanic community.

Broadband Internet access is gradually becoming a defining characteristic of advanced industrialized economies. In the latest update to ABI Research's online Broadband Subscribers Database, ABI forecasts that the total number of DSL and cable broadband users in the world will grow by an average of 9 percent annually over the next five years to reach 480 million subscribers by 2012.

"The Asia-Pacific region offers a potentially huge market to tap into," says broadband research analyst Serene Fong, of ABI Research's Asia bureau. "In terms of statistical benchmarking, the subscriber base in the Asia-Pacific region will grow substantially over the next five years, and is expected to outperform other areas. Much of the Asia-Pacific growth is expected to be fueled by the flourishing Chinese broadband market."

Broadband DSL will continue to be the fastest growing sector in the industry, as opposed to cable broadband. Asia-Pacific research director and general manager Jake Saunders comments, "DSL is set for stronger growth than cable across the globe mainly because it is able to leverage existing telecommunications infrastructure, leading to lower prices and greater ease of deployment."

ABI Research's "Broadband Subscribers Database", which is updated twice each year, profiles subscriber trends categorized by operator, by country, and by technology. To read more about this research, check out the press release Broadband to Reach Almost Half a Billion Subscribers Worldwide by 2012.

A broad array of technology companies, media organizations, trade associations and nonprofits recently announced their collaboration in launching Project Online Safety, an educational campaign focused on promoting Internet safety for children. The initiative provides parents and children with a centralized online resource of Internet safety tools and educational materials at www.ProjectOnlineSafety.com, and supports and encourages the broadcast of a series of related national public service advertisements (PSAs) being sponsored by the U.S. Department of Justice, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) and the Ad Council.

Project Online Safety is part of an ongoing, industry-wide effort working with leading advocacy organizations to educate parents and children about the importance of online safety. The partners of the initiative that are investing resources to support online safety programs are AT&T, BlogSafety.com, Cable in the Classroom (CIC), Charter Communications, Comcast, Cox Communications, Facebook, Fox Interactive Media (MySpace), Internet Education Foundation, National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA), Network Solutions, News Corp., Qwest Communications, Time Warner Cable and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC).

"Charter is proud to join this industry-wide effort to help make online safety information available to our nation's youth," said Jay Carlson, senior vice president of information technology for Charter Communications. "With the provision of powerful communication tools comes responsibility, and Charter takes the responsibility of raising awareness and education very seriously."

This educational campaign addresses concerns regarding abuse of the Internet to victimize children online. Many companies are currently taking important measures to reduce the potential threats posed by Internet predators and to prosecute individuals who utilize the Internet to prey upon children. For example, companies participating in Project Online Safety are conducting a variety of activities, including national traveling education programs; conducting extensive law enforcement training sessions; and designating specific online locations where parents, guardians and children can learn how they can have safer and more rewarding experiences on the Internet.

In conjunction with the initiative, a new online portal at www.ProjectOnlineSafety.com serves as a central repository where parents, guardians, teachers and children can access numerous Internet safety tools and educational materials, which are made available by the participating companies and organizations. The site serves as a portal through which users may access resources on specific topic areas of interest, such as parental control technologies, ways to report trouble online, cyberbullying, and safe web sites for children. In addition, users can also click on a participating technology company or advocacy organization web page to review their online safety materials and read more about their efforts to help protect children's online experiences.

For more information on this project, read the National Cable & Telecommunications Association press release.