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If you're thinking about getting internet service or are curious about the various packages available at Pioneer Telephone Company, we offer three distinct internet package options. For detailed broadband facts on each package, please select the 'INTERNET' tab in the Site Navigation Bar at the top of your screen.
· Bronze: (25Mbps Download x 3Mbps Upload)
· Silver: (50Mbps Download x 25Mbps Upload)
· Gold: (100Mbps Download x 50Mbps Upload)
Determining the right internet speed requires considering several key factors, including your family's or business's internet usage patterns. The necessary speed varies based on your household size or business scale and your specific online activities. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) provides official speed recommendations that serve as a useful benchmark. The following table outlines the download speeds needed for various common online activities, arranged from the lowest to the highest bandwidth requirements. To calculate your overall bandwidth needs, it's crucial to account for the number of these activities that occur at the same time.
Online activity Bandwidth needed for 3-4 users
Streaming music 2 Mbps
General web browsing 3 Mbps
email & social media
HD video chat 6 Mbps
(Skype, FaceTime, etc)
SD video streaming 8 Mbps
Online gaming (multiplayer) 8 Mbps
HD (High Definition) 10-16 Mbps
video streaming
HD teleconference 12 Mbps
Downloading files 20 Mbps
Ultra HD 4K video 45 Mbps
streaming
Remote work/learning 45 Mbps and up
Source: Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Broadband Speed Guide
Note: Values shown reflect download bandwidth. Megabits per second (Mbps) is the standard measure of internet bandwidth and speed.
Remember that the total bandwidth is distributed among all devices on your network. Therefore, the more devices that are connected, the lower the speed for each device. Considering your current internet speed plan and the aforementioned details, you might conclude that increased bandwidth is necessary to satisfy your requirements.
Your internet speed is significantly influenced by the performance of your modem/router. (Note: Your Pioneer Telephone equipment may consist of an internal modem and router or an external modem with an internal router.)
Adjust your router position
You might be surprised by how much your internet speed can be impacted by where your router sits. You want to find a spot that is up off the floor and centrally located in your home (or in the area of your home where most internet activity takes place).
Place your router out in the open for better connection strength. Avoid closets and crowded bookshelves.
Avoid placing your router close to heavy, dense appliances and large metal or glass objects.
Physical obstructions can also be major culprits in slowing down your WiFi speed. Look out for any of these things standing between your router and your connected devices:
Do your best to move the router or move other items so that these things are not blocking the path between your router and your main devices.
Distance, as well as obstructions like walls and floors, can weaken your WiFi signal strength.
Try moving closer to the router, if distance is causing your slow internet you might want to look into an extender or a mesh devices.
The simplest way is to upgrade to a faster plan is to contact us here at Pioneer Telephone Company (509) 549-3511 and request to be bumped up to the next tier. We are currently offering 3 different speed packages.
Our professional technicians will come to your home to install your internet service. Installation typically takes 1-2 hours, and our technicians will ensure that everything is working properly before they leave.
An internet speed test will tell you the download and upload speed on a specific device. Keep in mind that speeds can vary a lot from device to device due to WiFi signals and other factors. To get a better idea of your network speed, Connect your device to the internet via WiFi or wired (Ethernet) connection and run a speed test. You can go to our Home page and run a speed test using the Quick Access Link button labeled SPEED TEST .
We recommend testing over a wired (Ethernet) connection from a computer or laptop straight to modem or WiFi router.
It can be useful to compare that result to your speed on different devices, or try running your tests with other devices on and off to help determine if there's a slowdown occurring on one particular device. For example run a speed test with the Xbox on and note the results, then power it down and run the test again. We have found that some gaming systems and older smart TVs like to eat up your bandwidth.
Your wireless router uses radio frequencies to transmit internet to your WiFi-connected devices like smartphones, laptops, tablets and more. The difference between 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz WiFi comes down to speed and range.
Our Mesh 2100 WiFi devices have built in technology the will automatically select what frequency your device connects to, with that in mind, let’s take a closer look at the differences.
2.4 GHz vs. 5 GHz pros and cons
2.4 GHz Pros
2.4 GHz Cons
5 GHz Pros
5 GHz Cons
A 2.4 GHz connection travels farther at lower speeds, while 5 GHz frequencies provide faster speeds at shorter range. Your choice of 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz will depend on where and how you use your WiFi connection the most.
A lot of electronic devices and appliances use the 2.4 GHz frequency, including microwaves, baby monitors, security cameras, and garage door openers. If you have many of these in your home, or if you live in the town of LaCrosse or Endicott , that 2.4 GHz band is likely to be congested, which can damage speed and signal quality. Go and take a look at all the different WiFi signals that your device can hook to.
Use 5 GHz for a device closer to the router
If you're able to use most of your devices near your router, 5 GHz is your best choice to take advantage of higher speeds. Similarly, if you're doing a lot of high-bandwidth activities online, such as gaming or videoconferencing, it's best to use this frequency and move as close as possible to the router. (Better yet, plug directly into the modem with an Ethernet cable, as a wired connection is always more stable and faster than wireless.)
Use 2.4 GHz for a device farther from the router
On the other hand, on a device that moves around a lot throughout the day (like your smartphone), especially if you have a large home, the 2.4 GHz frequency is your best bet. This wavelength has a longer range and can penetrate solid objects more easily than the 5 GHz band, making it ideal for devices that are taken from room to room or are further away from the router.
There can be a significant difference between the speed potential listed on a WiFi device and what that device can really do in everyday use. Understanding the factors at play will help you understand how to get the best speed and performance possible.
Theoretical/Network speed is the maximum speed that is usually listed for a device. This can be misleading, because even if all conditions are ideal, you may not reach this speed all the time.
Theoretical speed:
Real-world speed accounts for factors like:
Keep in mind, every environment is different, and even in the same environment, you can get different speeds depending on the time of day and where you are located.
Being connected to the 2.4GHz (802.11n) frequency of your WiFi router you should expect to see half of you theoretical speed. For instance, if you are on the Gold package (100Mbps x 50Mbps) we offer and your device says you Theoretical or Network speed is 130Mbps you will most likely see a speed test of 65Mbps download and 50Mbps upload. If you go to your network setting on a desktop or laptop or smart device and select the status or details of your internet connection you will see your theoretical speeds.
We like to say that our internet service will be available 99.9% of the time. In the rare event of an outage, our technicians will work quickly to resolve the issue.
Our network does require maintenance and routine updates. Our technicians generally perform these outages during a maintenance window between 11:00pm and 6:00am.
If you are experiencing network troubles please give us a call.
During working hours @ 509.549.3511
After hours @ 549.help (4357)
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