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What is AFN?
 Who can use AFN?
How can I
get connected?
What's the big deal?
What will
AFN do for Ashland?
Should the Public Sector compete with the Private Sector?
Can I keep my e-mail address?
Can I still use my current ISP?
What equipment do I need?
How will they hook AFN up to my house?
Do I need to buy a new computer?
How does
AFN compare to other internet services?
Can I communicate with people who aren't on AFN?
How
do I use AOL on AFN?
What is AFN?
AFN is an abbreviation for the Ashland Fiber
Network, Ashland's very own Cable Television
and High-Speed Internet broadband provider. AFN's
network consists of fiber optic rings that
weave through the city's neighborhoods.
The fiber originates from the "HeadEnd" - which is the
brains of the system. The HeadEnd receives television signals from our satellite
feed, and provides the connection for high speed internet and data. After
traveling through the fiber optic rings, this information and technology will be
delivered through a fiber or coaxial cable connected directly to customers'
homes or businesses.
AFN Internet and AFN Data users are connected to the world wide web through
the region's Point-of-Presence (POP) router - which will allows
users to surf the
web and use the internet to connect to the local or national ISP (Internet
Service Provider) of your choice.
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Who can use AFN?
AFN is for everybody living or doing
business in Ashland. And you don't have to
be a technology expert to benefit from it. AFN
not only provides high speed
internet connections and a real choice in television service - it
strengthens our close-knit community even further through added services and the
innovative communication it will bring.
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How can I get connected?
Call
552-2222 or visit our helpful Customer
Service Staff conveniently located on the lower level of City
Hall. They will schedule an appointment for
cable television and high speed internet
installation.
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What's the big deal?
The fiber optic ring and series of neighborhoods are
unlike any other system in Oregon. It's so revolutionary that software companies
are scrambling to create state-of-the-art products to make use of our network's
capabilities. A network that provides Ashland with incredible speed,
unquestioned reliability, competitive pricing and unlimited possibilities. In
addition to having access to state-of-the-art technology, the other benefit is
that AFN provides our community with real choice in internet and television
service.
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What does AFN do for Ashland?
AFN allows us to compete in the global market place!
With AFN, Ashland's growing high-tech community will be able to remain
competitive with urban areas like Eugene, Portland, Seattle and San Francisco.
Plus, the City will be able to attract high tech businesses not otherwise likely
to relocate to Ashland, and allow existing businesses to tap new international
markets.
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Should the Public Sector compete with the Private Sector?
A precedent has already been set in the electric
utility industry. Some communities in Oregon provide electric utilities, and
rates in those communities are significantly less than areas served by the
private utility sector. Ashland's utility rates are less than surrounding
communities where electric services are provided by the private sector.
When
AFN was created, high-speed data services
were only offered in metropolitan areas. AFN brings
the fastest high
speed-data services in the area and a choice for cable TV
services to Ashland.
AFN
is a true, Open Access Network. Rather than
compete with the local, private Internet
Service Providers,
AFN instead partnered with them and gave
these independent businesses access to
broadband technology. AFN assisted these
former dial-up ISP's to enter the broadband
age with no major infrastructure
expenditures incurred by them.
With
Open Access, residents are given a choice of
nine Certified ISP's to shop the best
service and price for their Internet usage
and budgets.
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Can I keep my e-mail address?
AFN's Open Network approach will ensure that users of
AFN for internet will be free to use the ISP of their choice and retain their
e-mail address as they choose.
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Can I still use my current ISP?
Chances
are you can. Currently AFN is available
through nine Certified ISP partners. If you
presently have a dial-up connection through
one of these ISP's, you can retain your
email address.
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What equipment do I need?
Users of AFN Internet will need to rent or purchase a
cable modem to take advantage of the high speeds offered through our service.
Cable modems are the connection point between your computer and the coaxial
cable in your home that supplies the AFN service. AFN Internet users will also
need an Ethernet card installed in their computer. This is a simple procedure
that can be done by a professional or the computer owner, depending on their
level of expertise. For more details, contact an AFN Certified ISP.
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How will they hook AFN up to my house?
Connecting AFN services to your home is a simple
procedure - much like installing traditional cable television. Co-axial cable is
connected to the fiber and then brought to your home.
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Do I need to buy a new computer?
AFN
is compatible with all modern personal
computers that have or can accept an
Ethernet card. For details, contact an AFN Certified ISP.
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How does AFN compare to other internet services?
AFN
is the fastest! AFN Internet offers download speeds of 3-5 Mbps,
compared with 56,000 bits per second for a
dial up.
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Can I communicate with people who aren't on AFN?
Certainly. You can e-mail friends and visit chat rooms
just as you did before only at much higher speeds.
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