Blog Archives - 123NET

What is Microwave Technology?

Feb 10, 2021

Microwave Technology, a line-of-sight wireless communication, uses specialized equipment to transmit and receive radio frequency (RF) over long distances without the use of wires or cables. Specific RF allows information to be transmitted through extreme weather conditions such as rain, hail, snow, dust, or even smoke.

History Behind Microwave Technology:

In 1865, James Clerk Maxwell used his famous “Maxwell’s equation” to predict that electromagnetic waves existed. In 1888, Henrich Hertz, proved the existence of these waves by building an instrument that not only produced but detected microwaves. After his experiment, other inventors became aware of wireless communications based on their microwave knowledge. This is the origin of the many kinds of wireless communication including AM/FM Radio, 2-Way radio technology, radar systems and the communication systems utilized in telecom industry today.

Utilizing Microwave Technology in the Form of Fixed Wireless:

Fixed Wireless is communication between multiple points of presence that utilizes Microwave RF to transmit high-speed data. These frequencies permit high bandwidth and low latency, which increases end user productivity. By utilizing fixed wireless, companies eliminate the need for costly and time-consuming installation of cable or local phone lines. There are many advantages for companies that use fixed wireless such as scalable bandwidth, network diversity, and quick installation.

How 123NET can Help:

123NET’s Fixed Wireless offers ethernet connectivity, supplied by microwave technology. This solution offers a high-speed access alternative for businesses, allowing your company to look past build-out costs and permits with a faster installation timeline. 123NET’s Fixed Wireless can be used as a primary, temporary, or a redundant solution.

Benefits of 123NET Fixed Wireless:

Quick Installation
Cost-Effective
Secure
Reliable
Scalable Bandwidth
Service-Level Agreement
24/7/365 NOC Support

ABOUT 123NET 

123NET is a Michigan-based Internet Service Provider (ISP) focused on equipping businesses with an industry-leading data center, network and voice services. Over a dozen Fortune 500 companies and thousands of Michigan businesses trust 123NET to provide them with world-class connectivity. Home of the Detroit Internet Exchange (DET-iX), 123NET operates one of the largest carrier-neutral data centers and peers with technology leaders such as Google, AWS, GM and others. 

OUR MISSION: BUILDING NETWORK TO MAKE MICHIGAN COMMUNITIES & BUSINESS THE BEST CONNECTED ON THE PLANET.

Customer Spotlight – Mindfield

Feb 3, 2021

Customer:

Mindfield

Services:

Voice & Data Solutions

Industry:

Marketing & Advertising

At-a-Glance:

Mindfield was founded in 2000 when three partners, who were successful freelancers, had hopes of a production company. They took an innovative approach on video and live engagement production. After several successes, the business included different positions such as video editors, graphic artists, interactive developers, and customer service specialists. As of today, Mindfield continues to design and produce high quality videos for broadcast, online channels, big screens, interactive experiences, and live engagements.

Challenge:

Mindfield needed a modernized network infrastructure that would ensure reliability and stability for their 120-year-old building. They hoped to find a solution that allowed their business to always remain secured and connected.

Solution:

The answer to their needs came with 123NET’s Dedicated Voice and Data Solutions, enabled Mindfield to improve their uptime and response time, as well as grant them a strong network connection. 123NET’S Dynamic Voice and Data (DVAD) provides customers with a more modernized utilization of integrated data circuits by granting bandwidth between voice and data. For their voice solution, 123NET provided Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) which allows a company to replace traditional phone lines with connectivity via 123NET’s SIP Trunking on an IP network. These services granted Mindfield the ability to always be available and functional for clients and customers.

Results:

Improving Mindfield’s network foundation allowed them to increase their up-time and response time, as well as provide reliable connectivity for their company. This let them stay connected to ensure they are available for their customers.

“We have been nothing but pleased with the service, the support, and the relationship.  I’d recommend 123NET to any and all.”

Sean Emery

Owner , Mindfield

Breaking Up with Your Internet Service Provider (ISP)

Dec 17, 2020

Slow internet, downtime, high costs or support are issues that lead companies to switch providers. Deciding to leave can be challenging, but the process does not have to be. If your current provider cannot support everyday business needs, this may be the time to consider a new alternative.

Before looking at a new internet provider, it is best to review existing services and determine if your ISP is fulfilling current and future business needs. At this time, companies consider increasing their bandwidth, adding a redundant connection, or reviewing failover solutions.

Steps for Transitioning:

STEP 1: Understand Your Current Contract

Knowing your contract end date is important, but the best time to start your research is while you are still contracted. Best case practices recommend businesses start their research 6-9 months before the contract end date to avoid hefty month-to-month or early-termination fees.

STEP 2: Installation Checklist

Setting your new installation service date will help determine when to end services with your old Internet Service Provider (ISP). Your business will need to determine:

Onsite Contacts
DNS Record Updates
Location of New Service Provider Equipment
Updates to Internal Network Cabling
Firewall/Router Upgrades
Notify Employees of Change
Impact on Current Software

STEP 3: New ISP Turn-Up

The best time to migrate your ISP is away from peak business time. Your internal staff or IT consultant should be made available to assist with the transfer of services.

STEP 4: Cut the Connection

You will have to determine when the best time is to end old services, to help ensure business continuity, both ISPs should remain active until the migration is complete. Before canceling, coordinate with your old provider the best way to return any equipment.

123NET’s team of dedicated professionals assists businesses with transitioning and upgrading to high-speed fiber and fixed wireless solutions.

Learn more about 123NET’s Dedicated Internet.

Discover more about the 7 Essential Considerations for Choosing ISPs.

ABOUT 123NET 

123NET is a Michigan-based Internet Service Provider (ISP) focused on equipping businesses with an industry-leading data center, network and voice services. Over a dozen Fortune 500 companies and thousands of Michigan businesses trust 123NET to provide them with world-class connectivity. Home of the Detroit Internet Exchange (DET-iX), 123NET operates one of the largest carrier-neutral data centers and peers with technology leaders such as Google, AWS, GM and others. 

OUR MISSION: BUILDING NETWORK TO MAKE MICHIGAN COMMUNITIES & BUSINESS THE BEST CONNECTED ON THE PLANET.

Wholesale Partner Spotlight – RJ Telecommunications

Dec 10, 2020

At-a-Glance:

RJ Telecommunications grew their relationship with 123NET based on mutual goals of augmented network growth in fiber and wireless but also providing customer service and helping their clients in a North Star Decision Making Process.

Wholesale Partner:

RJ Telecommunications

Number of Employees:

5

Background:

RJ Telecommunications began as a company, focused on Cat3/Cat5 Cabling and Nortel Norstar Option switch work. With Nortel going out of business, RJ began to focus its attention on finding their customers another solution. Previously, they connected Nortel Norstar together via the internet and asterisk to allow customers with locations in other states and countries to have calls without a high cost.

Mission:

Serving Michigan since 1995 to offer excellent customer service with a proven track record of providing and installing telecommunications’ service and equipment.

Services Offered:

Voice, Fiber, Colocation & Other Network Services

Primary Industries Served:

Automotive, Real Estate & Healthcare

Partnership Opportunity:

The mutual advantage came in RJ’s creation of a new revenue stream with premier services to their current customer base and their shared goals with 123NET in being like-minded and working hard to benefit both parties.

RJ Telecommunications and 123NET have spent over a decade working together. In the beginning, there was only one data center and the 123NET offices took up half of the first floor. With 123NET growing and its presence in Michigan increasing, as a result, RJ Telecommunications knows they can rely on 123NET for projects or issues they need assistance with. Excellent customer service continues to stem from this partnership.

Mutually-Beneficial Solution:

With a philosophical backbone and focus on customer service, RJ Telecommunications and 123NET found that they could rely on one another with flexibility in areas such as design and implementation whenever a situation arises. As they grow together in different areas, especially Fiber and Wireless, the two endeavor to increase their partnerships across new projects and campaigns in the future.

About Mark Friday, VP OF RJ Telecommunications:

Mark Friday became interested in technology when he was a kid. He was breaking and fixing the lone computer that was used by everyone in the house. Coming to learn from mistakes and others in the field, he continued to increase his knowledge. The career, he says, chose him. Like most teenagers, Friday started working at the local Meijer in Brighton, where he met the daughter of Robert Jeneraux, the founder of RJ Telecommunications. Through a solid recommendation from his daughter and introduction to Robert, he has worked there for 16 years, becoming Vice President and part-owner of the company.

Under his leadership, he learned a lot of old-school telecom and helped modernize the company with only one customer that had a traditional PBX hanging on the wall. Friday and his company are proud of how far they’ve come and continue to research and plan to continue to grow as well as change with technology. Beyond technology, Friday is interested in movies and if he wasn’t in this field, he would have opened up his own movie theater. He hopes to continue to grow RJ and work with like-minded technologically-interested professionals.

“This is really an easy answer, reliability! We have SIP Trunks, PRIs, Fiber, Fixed Wireless, and 4G circuits with 123NET. If 123NET was not reliable, we would have been long gone a while ago. Like I have always said to my employees and to 123NET staff, RJ can only be as good and reliable as 123NET is.”

Mark Friday

Vice President, RJ Telecommunications

e: mfriday.rj@outlook.com
p: 248.442.2100
w: rj10.com

Customer Spotlight—FlexTech High School

Dec 1, 2020

At-a-Glance:

The high school aimed to upgrade its network and phone system with DVAD and SIP. This provided faster connectivity for their internet, voice, and business needs.

Customer:

FlexTech High School

Industry:

Education

Services:

DVAD, SIP

Employee Number:

20

Background:

FlexTech High School began as a vision in 2009 when a small group of innovative educators designed a high school that could address meeting the needs of all their students. The high school provides students with essential skills, allowing them to succeed in college, work, and citizenship. The educators agreed upon a few non-negotiable program elements: real-world connections, personalization, adult world interaction, and mission-driven decision making. FlexTech High School strives to merge technology with content in a structure that honors the interests, intellect, and talents of the 21st century high school student.

Challenge:

FlexTech High School had to seek a solution that provided connectivity for their high school and staff phone system. 123NET’s SIP offered a reliable solution to boost their phone service, as well as grant a robust network infrastructure for their high school.

Solution:

The goal focused on ensuring dedicated network and voice solutions that provided robust connectivity and reliability for the high school. 123NET’s objective was to solve their network and voice needs through DVAD and SIP, which let the law firm upgrade its network foundation.

Results:

Updating FlexTech High School’s network base allowed them to have reliable and robust connectivity for the high school’s internet and voice needs. This always enables them to remain connected and stay in communication always as an educational institution.

Partnership:

“If I had to summarize my experience with 123NET, I would say that it was so simple and easy. From the sales reps to the techs, everyone was easy to work with and very friendly! Working with 123NET doesn’t feel like working with, ‘just another ISP.’ It feels like working with a family who cares about our needs and tries their utmost to provide the best possible service and support!”

Trevor Leffert, IT Director, FlexTech High School

123NET Constructs 52-Mile Dark Fiber Ring for Tier-1 Carrier

Nov 24, 2020

SOUTHFIELD, MI., Tuesday, November 24, 2020 – 123.Net Inc (123NET), a Michigan data center and network services provider, has signed a deal with a Tier-1 carrier for a 52-mile large dark fiber ring in the Greater Grand Rapids Area.

This new construction of dark fiber will open up connectivity options for the carrier and its customers presently as well as in the future.

123NET Carrier Relations Manager Bob Evenson said the deal represents a major achievement of a nimble and regional carrier helping a Tier-1 IP provider.

“Our dark fiber solution proves how important regional carrier partnerships are to helping Tier-1 partners arrive at their network goals,” Evenson said.

Evenson added this continues 123NET’s commitment to growing network for Michigan communities and businesses.

“Partnerships with carriers let us build network that will have a fundamental impact on the state of Michigan,” Evenson said. “Our pledge to Michigan municipalities and companies for network growth has never been stronger than it is now.”

Evenson said it continues 123NET’s business and community-focused dark fiber network builds for different carriers active in the state.

“123NET’s flexible custom dark fiber network options in Michigan continue to seek opportunities with our different carrier partners across the state,” Evenson said. “We welcome any chance to offer connectivity options to other carriers in need that seek additional network in the state.”

123NET Sales and Network Development Director Chuck Irvin said one-third of 123NET’s business comes from the Grand Rapids market.

“This new ring brings 123NET’s full suite of fiber services to thousands of additional business customers along the route,” Irvin said. “It also allows us to upgrade services to our existing customers by offering diverse paths back to our network, the Detroit Internet Exchange, or one of the many great data centers in the Grand Rapids market, including DC1.”

ABOUT 123NET

123NET is a Michigan-based Internet Service Provider (ISP) focused on equipping businesses with an industry-leading data center, network and voice services. Over a dozen Fortune 500 companies and thousands of Michigan businesses trust 123NET to provide them with world-class connectivity. As home of the Detroit Internet Exchange (DET-iX), 123NET operates one of the largest carrier-neutral data centers, peering with technology leaders such as Google, AWS, GM and others.

OUR MISSION:

BUILDING NETWORK TO MAKE MICHIGAN COMMUNITIES AND BUSINESSES THE BEST CONNECTED ON THE PLANET.

ABOUT DET-iX

The Detroit Internet Exchange (DET-iX) is a not-for-profit Regional Internet Exchange Point (IXP) with a switching fabric expanding throughout Michigan. Membership and ports are free. The collaboration of carriers, ISP’s, content providers and enterprise businesses connected to DET-IX allows for traffic to be exchanged freely, rather than paying upstream service providers for the connection and traffic. For more information, visit www.detroitix.com.