PF Systems – for all your broadband needs

And the big news in this edition is Broadband is coming to Port Fairy. WestVic will be providing the good citizens of Port Fairy with business grade broadband Internet option (have a look at our online article for an explanation of broadband if you’re not sure). The most important aspects of broadband are its speed and that if you have multiple computers at home (ie a laptop and a computer) you do not rely on a particular computer to be on to share its connection to the internet. This means that by putting a wireless router in your home you can have access to the internet through your laptop in any room of your house without any internet cables.

Westvic Broadband

Westvic broadband is a local project involving many of the people at Ansonic IT in Warrnambool and will implement broadband for Port Fairy with the aid of wireless technology. The technology being used is direct from American army research and is one of the first implementations of this equipment in Australia. Installation involves the placement of a small antenna on your roof and a box that sits near your computer, much like a modem. The internet will be always on and will be completely independent of your phone line and phone bill.

Westvic Broadband has HiBIS approval, which means they are being subsidised by the Government to provide broadband to regions that do not currently have access to these services. It also means that they must meet or exceed specific service performance criteria – this is definitely a good guarantee for the end user as compared to providers like DODO. An application form is available from our website or directly from Phuong-Dung or Ben.

Westvic have an installation special of $99 until the 10^th of September. This is a saving of almost $300 on normal installation costs. They are signing up people now and will begin connecting people from September onwards.

Bigpond ADSL

Also imminent is Bigpond ADSL. There is no specific date for Telstra to turn on ADSL at our exchange yet but we do have indication from Telstra that it will be within the next 12 weeks. ADSL comes into your home through your phone-line whilst still allowing you to use your phone-line for voice calls. Those people already with Bigpond and who are receiving all their services on the same bill will be best to stay on this plan and wait until Telstra enables the exchange if they are eligible for ADSL.

To be eligible for ADSL in Port Fairy you will need to meet a few criteria. Firstly, you must be within 4km from the exchange (which is near Dublin Inn in Port Fairy) and even then you still may not be eligible due to the way your house may be connected to the exchange and the quality of your line. You will need to wait until Telstra enables the exchange to know whether you will have access. The pricing and installation charges for Bigpond ADSL is as follows:

Bigpond ISDN

Another Telstra service which works up to 17km from the exchange is Bigpond ISDN. ISDN home is most suitable for people who can’t get ADSL and want an unlimited access account. Its speed is half that of the slowest ADSL plan and about 3 times that of dialup. ISDN involves connecting two digital lines to your house. Both lines are used for internet and provide dialup at three times the speed of dialup. When you receive a phone call or fax, one line answers the call and your internet halves in speed, and after the call the internet returns to full speed. ISDN prices for 12 month contracts are shown below.

For those who can’t get ADSL and want a faster speed than ISDN then Westvic is your only real broadband option, and it promises to be an excellent service especially for people in the outlying areas of Port Fairy. For a limited time it sports the lowest installation cost. For any signups of broadband services please contact PF Systems directly and we’ll help you select the option that’s right for you.

Compact silent computers

A new section to appear on a website in a few days will be dedicated to a new form of computers currently entering the market. Since starting, PF Systems has aimed at providing its customers with the right technology for your requirements. Although some people are still pushing the performance limits of current day desktops, we know that many people simply want a computer which is reliable and can perform modest tasks such as:

* connecting to the net

* emails

* CD burning

* digital photography

* word processing

The future of computing will surely see the disappearance of the current desktop box and monitor and its replacement with large flat panel displays and tiny computers containing a great many USB ports. The computers will be silent, energy efficient and hidden behind the flat panel display.

PF Systems now offers these systems which measure a tiny 65mm(H) x 210mm(W) x 275mm(D). They are silent and can be hidden behind an LCD. Combined with wireless keyboard and mouse these desktop computers can meet any space (not to mention, style) requirements.

MP3 Players

Our popular MP3 player sale is ending on the 21^st of this month, so check out our website for our specials, coz the prices go up soon!

Best regards,

Ben Druitt & Phuong-Dung Hoang - PF Systems