You are a telecommunications guru and love to help individuals and businesses. Assume that dial-up, cable, DSL, T3 line, and satellite links to the Internet are available everywhere unless the particular scenario indicates otherwise. Consider the following scenarios and suggest the best overall type of link (consider communication speed, cost, and any other factor you believe is relevant). Each scenario is independent of the others. For each scenario, explain why you selected the option..
- An author works at home writing articles for a magazine. Once per week she must transmit an article to her editor. She rarely uses the link for any other purpose.
- A large company maintains its own website for online catalogs and purchase transactions by its customers. Hundreds of customers visit the sites daily and make purchases.
- A small business uses the Internet for daily research. Owners have heard that some links are shared by other subscribers in the same area, which might slow down the connection or even pose security threats. Thus, they would like to avoid such a service. They do need a speed of at least 200 Kbps.
- A farm in New Mexico needs a link of at least 200 Kbps. People on the farm can receive television signals only through antennas. The closest telephone central office is 12 miles away.
- An Internet service provider specializes in hosting websites of small businesses.
- A cruise ship wants to provide Internet service to vacationers on the third deck. The ship cruises in the Caribbean. The link’s speed must be at least 250 Kbps.
Best Overall Type of Link for Each Scenario
Scenario 1: An author working from home
For this scenario, the best overall type of link would be a DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) connection. DSL offers a good balance between speed and cost, making it suitable for transmitting articles to the editor. It provides a dedicated connection, ensuring reliable and consistent speeds, which is essential for a writer who needs to transmit files regularly. Additionally, DSL is widely available and affordable, making it a suitable choice for someone working from home.
Scenario 2: Large company maintaining its own website
In this case, the best overall type of link would be a T3 line. T3 lines offer high-speed connections with a capacity of 45 Mbps, which can handle the heavy traffic generated by hundreds of customers visiting the website daily. T3 lines provide dedicated bandwidth, ensuring fast and reliable access to the company's website, online catalogs, and purchase transactions. While T3 lines are more expensive than other options, their high capacity makes them ideal for large-scale online operations.
Scenario 3: Small business with concerns about shared connections
In this scenario, the best overall type of link would be a dedicated cable connection. Cable connections offer high-speed internet access and are generally not shared with other subscribers in the same area. This eliminates the concern of slow-downs or security threats posed by shared connections. With a speed of at least 200 Kbps, a dedicated cable connection would meet the needs of the small business's daily research activities. Cable connections are also widely available and relatively affordable, making them a suitable choice.
Scenario 4: Farm with limited access to television signals
For this scenario, the best overall type of link would be a satellite link. Since people on the farm can only receive television signals through antennas and the closest telephone central office is 12 miles away, a satellite link provides the most viable solution. Satellite links can deliver high-speed internet access even in remote areas where other types of connections are not feasible. With a minimum speed requirement of 200 Kbps, a satellite link would ensure reliable internet access for the farm.
Scenario 5: Internet service provider hosting small business websites
In this scenario, the best overall type of link would be a T3 line. T3 lines provide high-speed connections and ample capacity to handle multiple small business websites hosted by an internet service provider (ISP). With their ability to handle heavy traffic and large data transfers, T3 lines ensure fast and reliable access to hosted websites, meeting the needs of the ISP's clients.
Scenario 6: Cruise ship providing internet service to vacationers
For this scenario, the best overall type of link would be a satellite link. Since the cruise ship operates in the Caribbean, where terrestrial connections may be limited or unreliable, a satellite link offers the most practical solution. With a minimum speed requirement of 250 Kbps, a satellite link can provide reliable high-speed internet access to vacationers on the third deck of the cruise ship, ensuring they can stay connected during their trip.
In conclusion,
selecting the best overall type of link for each scenario involves considering factors such as speed, cost, reliability, and availability. Different scenarios require different types of connections based on their specific needs and constraints. By choosing the appropriate type of link, individuals and businesses can optimize their internet connectivity and enhance their productivity and user experience.