When you’re in the midst of an intense match, every millisecond counts. But your lightning-fast reflexes don’t do much good if your internet connection can’t keep up! In today’s blog, we’re talking about the secret sauce for a flawless online gaming experience: low latency and ping.
(Spoiler alert: You’re about to discover why gamers prefer our fiber internet to power their fun!)
What Is Latency?
Let’s begin with some basic definitions, as both latency and ping are terms that are fairly technical. Latency and ping are often used interchangeably, but they’re actually separate (though related) concepts.
First, latency is the amount of time (measured in milliseconds, or “ms” for short) it takes for internet data and information (i.e., a “data packet”) to be sent back-and-forth from one designated point to another.
To put it in gaming terms, latency refers to the total time it takes anything a gamer “inputs” while playing a game on his or her device (and internet) to be received by the game’s server and returned back to the gamer’s device. In Fortnite, for example, that could be a “command” for a character to run in a particular direction or use a skill.
Those commands (or inputs) are sent from a player’s device and internet to Fortnite’s servers and then returned to the player’s home internet and device on the screen. What matters is just how fast that happens, and if there is any delay.
Low Latency (Good!) and High Latency (Bad!)
To reiterate, the measure of the time that round-trip of gaming data takes is called latency—and the shorter amount of time that trip takes, the better! Gamers need the response time of their own inputs and the game’s servers’ responses to those inputs in return to be as short as possible—even undetectable by the user.
This refers to “low latency,” which gamers (and other savvy internet users) value highly. The lower the latency, the faster the response time—and the better the experience for players. Typically, gamers will want latency to be 50ms or less. Ideally, however, 20ms or less is the sweet spot, with single digit latency being the “Holy Grail” for dedicated gamers.
On the other hand, “high latency,” which refers to longer, even delayed responses to a gamer’s inputs can be deeply frustrating and lead to dismal user experiences. Gamers will notice problems when latency exceeds 100ms (or to some particularly-discerning players, even when latency is higher than 50ms). Games will be practically unplayable when latency is higher than 200ms.
That’s why gamers must always consider an internet connection’s latency to optimize their play. And measuring that latency is where ping comes into play!
What Is Ping?
We now turn to ping, which can refer to two ideas in computing. But remember, it’s common to use the terms ping and latency interchangeably. So, first, in common parlance, ping can, like latency, refer to the delay of travel time of data being sent over an internet connection. (This is also sometimes called “lag.”)
Additionally, however, there is a second use of ping that is different but interrelated to latency. In that other context, ping also refers to a utility program on internet-connected devices that sends out a signal to measure the length of time it takes for a user’s device to hit (or “ping”) a server.
You’ve probably heard that you should “test your ping.” Well, testing ping involves using that built-in utility to measure the response time and even diagnose any network connectivity problems. To keep things simple, ping is usually tested as part of a speed test to help you predict your latency during game-time.
We know these terms can sound redundant or even confusing. What’s important to remember, however, is that gamers will want low latency, low ping, and minimal lag for a better experience no matter what terms are used!
Why Gamers Need Fiber
Having explained these terms, we next turn to why fiber is simply the best technology for gamers to drastically minimize latency and ping.
Compared to older forms of internet like copper-wired coaxial cable, fiber’s advanced materials can send data over an internet connection at nearly the speed of light. That means that fiber’s speeds routinely hit or exceed 1 gig per second! And in general, the higher the download speed, the lower the latency.
But fiber’s exceptional download speeds are just the beginning. Fiber’s generous bandwidth also plays a role in improving latency and ping, as the greater the bandwidth capacity, the more information can be transmitted back-and-forth over an internet connection at any one moment. That allows more data to seamlessly transfer in fewer milliseconds, dramatically lowering latency and improving the response times gamers experience.
Northern Lights Fiber’s Plans, Speeds and Pricing
So if you’re ready to rid yourself of high latency and the delayed response times due to slower, inferior internet reach out to Northern Lights Fiber today. Our knowledgeable agents can answer any questions you may have about our advanced fiber network and plans. And for more tips to optimize your gaming experience, follow Northern Lights Fiber’s social pages!
In today’s global economy, every minute and every dollar counts for small businesses. Whether you’re logging on for a videoconference with a prospect or running an ecommerce business, you’ll need fast, reliable internet to get the job done.
At Northern Lights Fiber, we deliver the very best internet available to small and midsize businesses in our communities over our advanced fiber network. With speeds exceeding 1 gig, our fiber has all the power your business needs to keep up!
Read below for the top four reasons why Alberta’s local businesses need fiber, and learn how we can help your business get ahead!
1. Keeping Consistent Contact with Customers
Customers today are accustomed to remaining in touch with their favorite brands at all hours of the day. Whether through appealing websites, well-crafted marketing emails, pithy social media and blog posts, or other forms of consumer outreach, the internet keeps the channels of communication open 24/7.
But a strong internet connection is essential. Everything from point-of-sale payments (POS transactions), to VoIP phone services, to digital marketing requires a reliable connection, and nothing is more reliable than fiber.
Utilizing glass strands that transmit data at nearly the speed of light, fiber keeps you connected to your customers better than any other form of internet. Fiber optic internet is both super strong and surprisingly flexible, so it’s less susceptible to interruptions due to bad weather.
And since every business we serve gets a dedicated line, you don’t have to worry about your connection slowing down during peak usage hours!
2. Video Conference Calling and Virtual Meetings Without Distortion or Interruption
One of the most truly special aspects of high-speed internet is its ability to let people converse face-to-face through video conferencing. Video meetings keep remote teams better connected while also making it easier to build stronger relationships with prospects and customers.
With fiber’s unmatched upload speeds, download speeds, and bandwidth capacity, you can rest assured that your video calls will be pristine and distortion-free—so you can stop worrying about your connection and start focusing on the job at hand!
3. Handling Multiple Applications and Users Simultaneously
Of course, many small businesses have staff that use a single common server to connect all their devices for all of their projects and output. Laptops, tablets, smart devices, and even cell phones have the advantage of making employees more productive—but they can also strain networks and slow down the internet for the whole business when it’s crunch time.
Fiber’s enormous bandwidth and 1 gig download speeds provides your business with the capabilities to meet the needs of multiple users and all their various tasks at one time. With our services, you can have one team member uploading large files, another on a Zoom call, and another livestreaming on social media without any slowdowns or delays!
4. Staying on Top of Market Trends and Other Critical Information
What happens around the country and the world can impact our local businesses and their bottom lines. From the constantly fluctuating price of oil and other commodities, to supply chain bottlenecks, to major industry and trade innovations, up-to-the-minute information is crucial to any business’s success.
Having reliable internet for your business means you don’t need to worry about missing out on the latest market trends and other invaluable data. Fiber’s exceptionally high speeds and voluminous bandwidth let you stay on task while monitoring key market information in real time, keeping you competitive no matter where you operate your business.
Why Northern Lights Fiber?
Here are a few important elements to consider when choosing an internet service provider for your business.
1. We are hyper-local. This means we are completely committed to the communities we serve by participating in the local business environment, supporting the community and celebrating the long-held traditions and culture of this place.
2. We are community accelerators. We make the investment. We empower residents with the awesome power of connectivity. We empower businesses with the technology to create relationships with their customers – from small and local with seemingly simple needs to large and multi-national with complex networking and technical needs that require custom approaches. And we do so to deliver connections – for business and pleasure – to what matters most.
3. We are future-proofing connectivity. We have designed a network of wires and technology that has been dubbed future-proof – built with 100% fiber optics. This network, which can be continually upgraded over time, has all the capacity and performance to exceed your expectations and demands.
4. More than just fast speeds. We also understand there are things more important than the technology-based aspects of our network. Which is why we are customer-first and customer focused; always fast to provide the service that ensures your internet experience always exceeds expectations.
This is what makes us unique – our focus on delivering reliable, rural connections that empower communities – which allows us to work toward our mission to connect all with reach. And, by the way, your business is well within reach.
Depending on the specific needs of your operation, our business package or commercial solution can be great options. Each solution has options to help your business operate more efficiently. For a free consultation and to learn more, reach out to our business services team at 888-236-2947, or email cole@Canadianfiberoptics.ca. Our customer service representatives can answer any questions you may have about our fiber network and what it can do to make your business more productive, efficient and profitable. And be sure to learn more about our advanced fiber network by following Northern Lights Fiber’s social pages!
Virtual interviewing is becoming more and more common in today’s job market. While remote interviewing may be more convenient, the distance and technical difficulties can be awkward, or even jarring, to would-be applicants.
Fortunately there are tips from interviewing experts that prospective job seekers can use to get through—and even nail—a virtual job interview. We share some of their key insights and recommendations below.
The Interview Environment: Organize and Professionalize Your Space
You already know you should “dress for success” and make sure that you look your polished best for an interview. But when you’re interviewing from your home, the interview space and background could be distracting, even off-putting, to potential employers. Take the time to make your space look its best, too.
Clean and Declutter: This seems obvious, but make sure you take the time to de-clutter your surroundings, whether it is your bedroom or home office desk. Show your would-be bosses that you quite literally have it together at home, which will make a better impression of being grounded and composed.
Lighting: Proper lighting is a detail too-often overlooked. Be sure to “light yourself” from the front, and not from the back! The latter can create a rather eerie, even sinister visage. Where possible, aim for “cool light,” which is whiter in color, rather than “warm light,” which is yellower. These seemingly small details help put your best foot forward.
Interviewing Skills and Tips
There are countless tips on interviewing available online, but we share a few below that are particularly relevant to remote interviewing.
Keep Any Notes Short and (Mostly) Out of the Way
Like in any interview, try to not over-rely on notes. It is easy to get flustered and lose your place in notes, so keep them sparse and well-organized. Index cards placed outside the viewing area may be especially helpful, with key information and points printed largely and visible to you, but out of sight from the interviewers.
Keep Eye Contact—And Look Into the Camera, Not at Your “Mirrored Image”
Another common mistake is the awkward “stare” that people make when they forget to look into the camera, and instead watch their own reflected image while using the app. You will look less engaged, and even odd, at least compared to applicants that remembered to look “correctly” at the camera.
Watch Your Speaking Pace
Avoid speaking too quickly, a common giveaway of nervousness. Practice and rehearse answers to likely questions, and actually time how quickly you are speaking.
An Interview is a Conversation
Ultimately, an interview is just another conversation. A back-and-forth discussion makes for a much better interview, so be sure to have researched the job thoroughly and come prepared with questions. Look engaged when the interviewer is speaking by maintaining eye contact (see above about looking into the webcam!) and nodding your head occasionally. Don’t miss an opportunity to add something of value to what the interviewer says.
Get Internet You Can Rely On
One last tip: Make sure you have high-speed internet with fast download and upload speeds that you can rely on for a steady connection throughout your interview. (Adequate upload speeds ensure your video is clear for the interviewer on the other side of the virtual table.)
With internet from Northern Lights Fiber, you can video call without fear of a dropped connection or glitchy experience, so you can tackle your interview with confidence.
Winter is upon us—and with it are cold temperatures, heavy snowfalls and ice, and dry, chafing air. While parts of the country are lovely in winter, there’s no escaping the fact that colder temperatures and bleak weather can take their toll.
Wintry weather also brings higher energy expenses. Home heating units often pump out warm air constantly just to keep the house comfortable—and at great costs, too.
Thankfully, today’s technology can help make winter more bearable. And utilizing Northern Lights Fiber’s high-speed fiber internet not only connects you to the most reliable network available but also helps keep your home warm and snug.
Together with “smart technology,” it all adds to saving money this winter and beyond!
Below we highlight some of our favorite tech to help you get through the coldest months more comfortably. These unique items will make you and your loved ones feel cozier all winter, from Bluetooth devices to smart thermostats and even smart clothing.
Smart Thermostats
One of the best upgrades you can make to your home this winter (or any season) is to install a smart thermostat that monitors and controls your heating and air conditioning.
Smart thermostats can sense temperature changes in different rooms and can be easily programmed to get warmer or cooler at various times of the day.
Smart thermostats can connect to your home’s internet network, and through Bluetooth, to your smartphone and other devices for easy control.
Even more conveniently, many smart thermostats are controllable through voice-activated technology like Alexa or the Apple Home Kit (using Siri). And according to the federal government’s Energy Star program, which researches and provides consumers with reliable information on energy-efficient products and services, smart thermostats can save homeowners up to 30% on their energy bills.
Several solid options exist, including the Google Nest Learning Thermostat. We’re particularly impressed with Google’s device because, over time, it learns your temperature preferences in each room and at different times of the day.
Using a Smart Thermostat can more effectively heat your home than conventional thermostats—and because of its “smart” features and controls, it saves energy costs, too!
Smart Space Heaters
If you’ve reduced your energy bills by lowering your home’s temperatures a tad, but find that you or others in your household still feel cold, consider adding a smart space heater to those chillier rooms. Smart space heaters are ideal when one or two people prefer the temps just a bit warmer than everyone else or when the temperatures drop drastically.
The Atomi Smart Ceramic Tower Space Heater is among the best options available. The Atomi can heat up to 750 square feet, perfect for small rooms.
Its safety features are also top-notch, including notifying your smartphone if the heater tips over. Then, you can easily shut it off from your phone. It’s base sits evenly on multiple flooring types reducing the likelihood of tipping over at all.
You can also connect the Atomi Smart Space Heater to Alexa or Google Assistant for hands-free voice control through your home network.
Smart Clothing (Jackets and Shirts)
We recommend smart clothing for personal warmth, especially a jacket and shirt.
Smart clothing safely and steadily heats your body in different zones that you can control. And you can even quickly recharge them when you’re on the road with your car’s charging ports.
We recommend the DEWBU Heated Jacket because of its multiple heating zones. It also comes with a convenient 12V Battery Pack that can keep it powered longer on the go.
Also, check out smart shirts from Venture Heat, which make different styles for women and men.
Bluetooth-enabled, you can control Venture Heat’s smart shirts ten-temperature settings with your smartphone, helping to fine-tune the perfect temperature to keep you feeling comfortably toasty on even the most frigid days!
Smart Hats
Growing up, you may remember hearing that you can lose nearly half your body heat just through the top of your head.
While science has proven that that was not exactly accurate, you can still lose around 10% of your body heat off your head alone. So grandma was right—you should keep your head covered in colder weather!
And believe it or not, there are actually smart hats available for you to get the most coverage for your noggin!
We love the iLive Beanie (not only because it’s quite fashionable in a cute, wintry way) but because its Bluetooth-enabled speakers connect directly to your smartphone, doubling as a music-listening and hands-free calling device, too!
The internet and smart technology can’t stop Mother Nature’s annual blast of wintry weather. By utilizing these smart devices and a reliable fiber internet connection like Northern Lights Fiber’s, we bet you’ll cope better than you ever have before!
To learn more about how smart technology and high-speed fiber internet can work together to improve your quality of life and save money, follow Northern Lights Fiber’s social pages!
Though many parents may be skeptical about their teen’s passion for video gaming (and the seemingly extensive number of hours they play them), they might be surprised—and even impressed—by the economic opportunities brought about by gaming, especially in competitive esports. And perhaps the most eye-poppingly impressive statistic parents and their college-bound kids should be aware of is the tremendous amount of esports scholarships available for college: $16 million according to the most recent data!
Below, we provide several tips for gamers who want to take their hobby to the next level and help them pay for their college education through esports.
When combined with their own skills and many hours of playing on Northern Lights Fiber’s advanced fiber network—the fastest, most reliable internet a gamer can utilize—these tips may help students outperform the competition and get a well-merited scholarship for their future.
Tip 1: Join a Gaming Club and/or Compete for a Spot on a High School Esports Team
If possible, join a gaming club and/or compete for a spot on a high school esports team. Joining a gaming club or playing on a high school esports team puts you in direct contact with players you’re not used to playing against, which are probably your friends and other family members. Those players already know your abilities and weaknesses—and you know theirs.
Thus, to truly get ahead, you need to start playing against different people, and in a more competitive arena. Joining a gaming club can start you on the road to more competitive play, improved tactics and skills, and to college-level esports.
Similarly high school gaming teams provide an environment comparable to competitive esports at the collegiate and professional levels. They also teach additional gaming skills and techniques you might not be well versed in, introduce you to other games you haven’t yet mastered, and give you actual tournament experience—all the factors, in short, that collegiate teams are looking for and that improve your chances of achieving an esports scholarship.
Tip 2: Record Your Gaming Sessions
As you continue to hone your gaming skills and gain more experience playing competitively, we recommend you record your gameplay. It’s simple to do and there are many apps available to create recordings of your games, so check out their features and make a few practice recordings.
Recording your gaming sessions lets you see your progress—and learn from your own mistakes. It also gives you the opportunity to “show off” your skills and achievements to others and gain feedback from them, too. Even more importantly, esports recruiters, especially coaches, will want to see examples of your esports play (see Tips 3 and 4, below).
Tip 3: Create an Esports “Highlight Reel”
Having tested your mettle in a gaming club or on a team, and recorded and reviewed your sessions to improve your gameplay, consider creating a highlight reel of your best gaming experiences. This is similar to what other high school athletes in other sports like football and basketball do. It takes some time to learn to edit and splice a highlight reel, but it’s a useful skill for self-marketing—and for other areas of life, too.
But don’t just think of a highlight reel as a braggadocious ego-trip. An esports highlight reel can be used to pique the attention of esports recruiters and coaches, who are always scoping out rising talent and who need a quick pitch that stands out from the rest of the pack.
Tip 4: Reach Out to College Esports Coaches
Dedicated esports players should attempt to contact esports coaches as early as they can during their college search and application process—preferably even before the application and scholarship process begins, if possible. While esports coaches and recruiters follow Twitch and similar esports platforms to find and assess players, would-be esports scholarship winners should take the initiative and reach out directly to coaches.
Putting yourself on an esports coach’s radar early—and continuing to share progress, achievements and wins with them through your highlight reels—can have an enormous impact on scholarship success. Be confident and assertive in your communications with coaches, but don’t overdo it, either. Striking the right balance between self-confidence and humility is also key, so be mindful of your approach.
Tip 5: Think Beyond the Game
Finally, remember that most colleges aren’t just looking to train professional gamers. Indeed, many colleges award esports scholarships to gamers with tangential interests like video production, coding and programming, graphics design, and marketing.
Resourceful applicants should highlight these gaming-related interests, and any experience they may have in them in their college and scholarship applications and essays. These additional interests and experiences help candidates stand out—and may just be the decisive factor.
By joining up with other gamers you don’t usually play against, competing on high school teams, improving your gameplay, and showing off your talents online and to coaches, you’re well on your way to winning an esports scholarship. Above all, stay positive, keep challenging yourself, and keep playing!
With Northern Lights Fiber’s fast fiber network, you’ve got the speeds and the bandwidth to handle just about any game. And with any luck—and some hard work—all that distortion-free gameplay may pay off in the form of a generous esports scholarship, too!
Follow Northern Lights Fiber’s social pages to keep up with esports and to learn more about online gaming. And feel free to reach out to our friendly experts if you’re interested in an upgrade to make your gaming experience even better!
If you’re like most parents, you may feel frustrated when something as innocent and simple as turning on your smart TV can display gory images from ads for horror movies or suggestions for suggestive—or even outright raunchy—content on the home screen before you even navigate to your preferred apps and platforms.
While parental controls within streaming platforms don’t kick in until you open their apps, there is good news: Many smart TVs have parental control options and settings built right into their operating systems.
Below we discuss some of the settings parents can make on many of the most popular brands of smart TVs. Combining these parental controls on smart TVs with in-app settings enhances protection—and gives peace-of-mind to parents as they and their families enjoy Northern Lights Fiber’s high-speed fiber internet and pristine streaming quality!
Smart TV’s With Parental Control Settings
We begin with popular smart TVs that have parental control settings: LG and Samsung, as well as Google TV, which is preinstalled on many well-known smart TV brands such as Sony. Many other brands, including Fire TV, offer similar parental controls (and similar ways of establishing them), so we present these brands as models for exploring your options.
In general, you can search for safety, security and parental controls in the Settings Menu of any of the models below. Some brands include more features than others, so check each of them out carefully before buying a new model.
LG Smart TV’s
Most LG smart TVs made over the last several years have a few key features to help parents feel more comfortable about letting their children use their television. Specifically, parents can lock channels out entirely, block visual and sound content of certain channels, block programming with certain TV content ratings, and even block access to particular apps. LG also lets parents block inputs to other devices as well, giving an extra layer of protection against “work-arounds” a clever child may attempt.
LG uses the most common way smart TVs enable parental controls: the establishment of a PIN and passwords. Parents simply need to set up a PIN to create and manage the protections—and make sure they don’t share that PIN or password with their child! Though it’s probably obvious, be sure to choose a PIN or password that your child isn’t already aware of or cannot easily guess.
Set up is easy: simply navigate to the Settings symbol on the Menu, then click on System Settings, then to Safety Settings, and establish the password or PIN. From there, you can block channels or apps or block out content based on content ratings.
Google TV (Preinstalled on many Sony, TCL, and Hisense Smart TV models)
Next on our list is the increasingly popular Google TV, an operating system that is preferred by many customers for its easy integration within the Google ecosystem of apps and smart home devices, like Google Nest. You can find Google TV on many brands of popular smart TVs, including Hisense, Sony, and TCL, and on some Chromecast models.
Google TV has an option many parents will immediately appreciate: the ability to establish Restricted Profiles. Through Google TV’s Restricted Profiles, you can set content restrictions and limit what younger members of your family can watch when on their profile.
The only “downside” to Google TV’s approach is that parents (or any older viewer) need to remember to set the TV back to “Restricted Profiles” whenever the parent’s “unrestricted” use is complete. That way, when your children turn on the TV, they will immediately be in the Restricted Profile, with all the protections and limitations you previously established for their profile.
Samsung TV
Lastly, we consider Samsung, another popular smart TV. Like the LG smart TV discussed above, Samsung also lets parents set up a PIN or password to block channels or limit content to particular ratings.
Just follow these simple steps: First, head to your Menu and go to Settings. From there select Broadcasting, and then choose Program Rating Lock Settings. Next, create your PIN. Finally, choose your settings and limitations.
Other Parental Protections to Consider
Beyond setting up parental controls, PINs, restricted profiles and other limitations and protections within a smart TV, parents should also remember that there are other steps they can take as well. Most apps, like Netflix, have built in parental settings, including user profiles. These profiles can be set to filter content that is less-than kid-appropriate, while still allowing other users to stream what they want in their own PIN-protected profile.
Additionally, streaming sticks and boxes also have parental control settings and options, beyond just the individual apps. Recall that streaming sticks and boxes can turn any TV with an HDMI connection into a smart TV. Roku and Apple TV are two ever-popular streaming devices, and both have settings and restrictions parents can implement.
Protect IQ and Experience IQ from Northern Lights Fiber
Northern Lights Fiber’s ProtectIQ and ExperienceIQ are like superheroes for parents managing Smart TVs. ProtectIQ protects your devices from viruses, blocks malicious sites, and keeps sensitive info secure from cyber criminals – and from little eyes. And ExperienceIQ? It’s the sidekick that makes everything easy to manage from anywhere. With ExperienceIQ, parents can set time limits for their kids to watch, game, or use social sites online. You can filter apps and websites, monitor household/family online usage, and more. So, with these awesome features, you can relax knowing you’ve got the tools to create a safe and fun TV zone just right for your family! Just ask us about adding the ProtectIQ/ExperienceIQ bundle to your new or existing internet plan from Northern Lights Fiber.
By employing these recommendations, parents can breathe a bit more easily as they stream on Northern Lights Fiber’s advanced fiber network. And for more tips on staying safe online, follow Northern Lights Fiber’s social pages!
A female gamer is totally absorbed in the game while competing in an online competition
If you have a gamer in your life, whether it’s your own kid or a family friend’s child, you likely know how much video gaming is integrated into their lives. But even beyond the meteoric success and outright appeal of video gaming to young people (and even many not-so-young people), gaming now provides tangible benefits to serious players: competitive esports and esports college scholarships.
Parents of college-bound gamers might want to pay attention below, as we discuss college level esports and the burgeoning ecosystem of esports scholarships. And don’t forget that the high-speed fiber internet delivered to smart TVs and gaming devices by Northern Lights Fiber may just give the budding esports scholar in your life the edge he or she needs to own the competition!
Varsity Esports Are Exploding Across Colleges and Universities
Following the 2010s and the exponential growth of video gaming and esports, it’s obvious now that collegiate esports are truly taking off as a legitimate competitive endeavor. This explosive growth is mostly due to advancing internet technology like Northern Lights Fiber’s fiber network and apps that make gaming more social and more competitive, as well as increased talent among players. Indeed today, there are approximately 500 American colleges and universities offering esports scholarships.
Every year, more and more colleges and universities across Canada and the US add varsity esports programs to their rosters. And yes, we did say “varsity”—as in intercollegiate competition, not just a club or diversionary dorm room duel. Robert Morris University was the very first college to create a varsity esports team back in 2014—and the trend has only ballooned since then.
At the varsity and college level, schools typically create individual teams of players around particular games. This gives gamers the opportunity to advance and even excel at strategies and tactics suited to the complexities and skill needs of that title, enhancing the competitiveness of each game and of esports more generally.
Beyond enormously popular and well-known titles like Fortnite (played by untold millions of people around the world both casually and competitively), several other titles are most commonly played at varsity level esports in colleges and universities in North America. In particular, Call of Duty, League of Legends, Rocket League, Smash Bros, and Valorant are among the most frequently duked-out games in collegiate esports.
Other games are also increasingly popular, however. Overwatch is noted for its hero customization and intense fighting, requiring stout players and almost preternatural reaction skills to succeed. Additionally, Rainbow Six: Siege and its almost alchemical blend of gaming genres like strategy and tactical shooting has attracted legions of players to the game based around Tom Clancy’s novels. Both games are fielding more varsity teams and are increasingly seen at college level esports tournaments.
Collegiate Esports Give Rise to Generous Scholarship Opportunities
Because there are actual competitions and bragging rights to be bandied about, colleges are also competing for the best talent in esports. Thus, more schools are also providing scholarships for their best esports players. That means real dollars are increasingly available that the top gamers can put toward the costs of their higher education. Indeed, in 2017, Harrisburg University became the first college to offer full-rides to its leading esports competitors, including room and board!
Already, an estimated $16 million in college scholarships exist just for esports players—not a small sum for a sport that barely existed only a decade ago. And as collegiate esports continue to rise, we can expect more schools to establish varsity programs, as well as expand their existing esports teams, too.
All this burgeoning esports growth at the college level means that more scholarships—and even larger dollar amounts—are likely to be dedicated to esports gamers. Hence, for the truly talented and committed gamer, esports should be taken seriously, and gamers should consider taking steps to making themselves more competitive for esports scholarship opportunities.
The Esports Gender Divide
Despite the stunning growth in collegiate varsity esports, we hasten to note an important issue inside the gaming and esports community—the gender divide. Though females make up almost 50% of all video gamers (49% to be precise, according to one 2023 analysis), statistics show that men receive 90% of esports scholarships.
With patently lopsided statistics like that, the divide has not gone unnoticed. Arguments abound for this staggering disparity, but at least one likely reason for the imbalance is that most of the games more typically played by female gamers are less likely to be the games that comprise competitive varsity esports in colleges.
With that in mind, however, savvy female gamers with a keen interest in esports games that are played at the varsity collegiate level may want to be particularly on the lookout for scholarship opportunities that have too frequently landed in the hands of their male counterparts. Their unique backgrounds and talents may help give young women an edge over their compatriots in the coming years—and also help broaden and improve the sport as well.
To stay on top of the ever-changing and always-exciting esports scene, follow Northern Lights Fiber’s social pages. We’re confident that our high-speed fiber internet can improve any gamer’s experience and perhaps even help prepare them for competitive esports and the worlds of opportunity they open!
In Calmar, the love for two sports runs deep: hockey and football. As Canadians passionately devoted to these games, we often find ourselves eagerly searching for the best platforms to stream NHL and CFL games. Fortunately, with a reliable high-speed internet provider like Northern Lights Fiber, you can experience seamless 4K viewing and stay connected to the action.
Canadian Hockey: Where to Stream
Ask any diehard fan and they will tell you: hockey is more than just a sport; it’s a way of life. If you’re looking to stream Canadian hockey games, you have several great options:
Sportsnet +: For professional hockey enthusiasts, NHL Live is the go-to platform. Subscribers gain access to all NHL games, including those featuring Canadian teams like the Edmonton Oilers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, and the Vancouver Canucks. With a Sportsnet + subscription, you can stream NHL games aired on Sportsnet. Sportsnet is home to many NHL broadcasts, and this is an excellent choice for keeping up with NHL.
TSN Direct: TSN Direct offers access to games broadcast on The Sports Network (TSN), which includes a variety of Canadian hockey content. You can watch the thrilling matchups involving your favorite teams, such as the Calgary Flames and the Winnipeg Jets.
CBC Gem: The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) provides a free streaming service called CBC Gem. While it doesn’t cover all games, you can watch selected NHL matchups, particularly during the playoffs.
CFL: Where to Stream
Canadian football, with the iconic Canadian Football League (CFL), also has a dedicated fan base. To catch CFL games online, consider these options:
CFL.ca: The official CFL website offers live streaming of games. You can watch CFL action with a subscription or enjoy free games if available.
TSN: TSN broadcasts a significant number of CFL games. You can access these through TSN Direct or the TSN app, ensuring you don’t miss the thrilling matches featuring the Calgary Stampeders, Edmonton Elks, Toronto Argonauts, BC Lions, and other CFL teams.
DAZN (DA-ZONE), a global sports streaming service, has gained popularity in Canada. While it primarily focuses on international sports, it occasionally offers coverage of CFL games.
The Role of Northern Lights Fiber
When it comes to streaming your favorite Canadian sports, a reliable internet connection is essential. This is where Northern Lights Fiber comes into play. With its high-speed fiber internet service, Northern Lights Fiber ensures that you have the bandwidth needed for a seamless viewing experience.
Here’s why Northern Lights Fiber is the ideal choice for sports enthusiasts:
Blazing Fast Speeds: Fiber-optic internet provides unparalleled speeds, allowing you to stream games in high definition without buffering or lag, even during peak usage times.
Stability: Unlike traditional copper-based connections, fiber internet is less susceptible to disruptions from weather or interference, ensuring a stable and uninterrupted viewing experience.
Low Latency: Fiber internet’s low latency ensures real-time responsiveness, which is crucial when you’re watching live sports events and want to engage with fellow fans on social media or online forums.
Multiple Devices: With Northern Lights Fiber, you can connect multiple devices simultaneously without compromising on performance. This means you can stream games on your smart TV, laptop, tablet, or smartphone all at once.
To fully immerse yourself in the excitement of Canadian hockey and football, a strong, reliable internet connection is a must. Northern Lights Fiber ensures that you won’t miss a second of the action, making it the perfect complement to your sports streaming experience.
In Canada, our passion for hockey and football knows no bounds. Thanks to streaming services and reliable internet from Northern Lights Fiber, we can indulge in the thrill of the games from the comfort of our homes, cheering for our favorite teams as they chase glory on the ice and the gridiron.
Small businesses and their leaders have way too much going on to spend time tracking down invoices or waiting for the bank to process payments. Fortunately, advanced internet-based payment systems have substantially cut down paperwork processing, as well as the time it takes to receive funds.
Below we highlight six of the best online e-commerce and in-person payment options available for small businesses today. When connected to Northern Lights Fiber’s fiber network, your small business can use the technology it needs to grow and thrive—and you can get back to doing the actual work of your business instead of worrying about receiving payment for your efforts!
1. Square
We start our list with Square, an overwhelmingly popular payment service that continues to attract new vendors and customers alike.
Square is an excellent fit for businesses that are mobile or whose clients often pay on-the-go rather than in a brick-and-mortar business establishment. At the same time, Square’s in-person point-of-sale options are still well-respected and its software and app are noted for their ease of use.
2. Stripe
Stripe is a sophisticated online payment processing app with versatile features many savvy small business owners love. Highly customizable with numerous options to aid in bookkeeping, databasing, and generating revenue reports, Stripe excels well beyond basic payment processing.
Its software fully integrates payments and invoicing as well as other essential business needs, including tracking accounts receivable and processing refunds. Given these extra features, however, there is a steeper learning curve for Stripe than with other simpler payment processing options on our list.
3. PayPal
Perhaps the most well-known payment service on our list, PayPal has been a part of e-commerce culture since 1998 and is particularly useful for vendors that prefer sending and receiving online invoices.
Its near-universal name recognition also means customers know and trust it. However, compared to other options on our list, PayPal is relatively sparse in terms of features and versatility, and does not offer businesses as much in the way of in-person transactions as other services.
4. Shopify
Like PayPal, Shopify is another familiar name in online shopping. Shopify’s ecommerce ecosystem encompasses vendors both large and small, offering a significant advantage to many online retailers.
That advantage comes with a cost, however, as Shopify charges a monthly fee in addition to per transaction fees, which can be a drawback to many small businesses. Still, its seamless and simple interface and many features have drawn many happy small businesses to Shopify.
5. Clover
Next up is Clover, an exceptional in-person payment processing program with many online features as well. Industry experts are impressed by Clover’s vast library of fully-integrated third-party apps that do much more than just accept payments.
With Clover, small businesses can get accounting, tax, databasing, marketing, and other critical business features all in one place, making it a solid value. Clover’s pricing is notable for its flat rates, but be sure to check out the differences between plans, which can vary based on sales volume and other factors.
6. Lightspeed
Our last recommended option is Lightspeed, one of the leading cloud-based in-person and retail-oriented point-of-sale payment services in the industry. Popular both for its simplicity and competitive pricing, it also offers a range of features from simple retail purchasing to online shopping and e-commerce.
For businesses with extensive inventory to track, Lightspeed’s acclaimed inventory management systems are a huge timesaver, even helping you reorder when stock gets low.
Fiber’s Speed and Power Lets You Process Payments and Run Your Business Simultaneously!
Now that you’ve checked out the above six payment options, small businesses should remember that to be truly productive and efficient, they also need the fastest, most reliable internet they can get. After all, the systems above, along with all their many benefits, are only as effective as the quality and speed of the internet that delivers them. And fiber internet is quite simply the best internet a small business can get today.
Contact Northern Lights Fiber today to get the speed you need to power your business. And for more helpful hints to keep your small business productive and efficient, follow our social pages!
At Northern Lights Fiber, we’re proud to be known around Calmar as the best internet provider for residents and businesses. But did you know that we also support a third group with our high-speed fiber internet network? Today, we’re taking a moment to celebrate local community anchor institutions.
Read on to learn more about this important group—and how, as a local company ourselves, Northern Lights Fiber is committed to keeping them connected.
What Are Community Anchor Institutions?
Anchor institutions are mission-based, publicly-oriented organizations that provide services essential to our area’s economy, health, safety, culture, and general well-being.
Anchor institutions include hospitals and other medical facilities, emergency services like fire and police, universities and other institutions of higher education, and public services like libraries.
These institutions all play a critical role in our society, and they all depend on reliable access to the internet to function effectively in the 21st century economy.
Hospitals and Medical Clinics
Universally appreciated by everyone fortunate enough to have one close by, a hospital is an anchor institution that many of us depend on in the starkest moments of our lives. Whether they’re treating chronic illnesses or responding to life-threatening injuries, hospitals and other medical clinics provide critical services every day.
And in a true health emergency, every second counts. Rapid access to medical records, keen and swift analysis of radiological and similar medical imagery, and urgent consultations among experts—these are often matters of life and death. Thus, perhaps more than anywhere else, having internet as reliable and fast as fiber in our community hospitals and health clinics is most critical.
Beyond the immediate health needs of patients and the broader community, hospitals and medical clinics regularly communicate with both patients and other health professionals. Maintaining a solid internet connection to transmit medical files and even hold telehealth follow-up visits is crucial to the missions of hospitals and medical centers.
Fiber’s bandwidth capacity is substantially larger than other types of internet and can make indispensable communication and data transfers quick and seamless, helping health providers fulfill their calling—and keep our communities healthier and safer at the same time.
Fire, Police, and Other Emergency Services
Local first responders–the good people of our fire stations, paramedics, and police departments–are our community’s heroes, often putting their own lives at risk to help others. And they are regularly on call at every minute of every hour of the day.
Without the brave and resourceful men and women in fire, police and other emergency services, our community would be far less safe. Thus, it goes without saying that our first responders are anchor institutions in our area, and everyone is grateful for their service.
Reliable communications and connectivity is an absolute necessity for these essential services. Fiber internet keeps emergency service providers informed about hazards, real-time traffic information, hazardous weather and natural disasters, and other problems our community faces. And fiber keeps fire, police, and paramedics connected to everyone in our community–including to hospitals and emergency rooms–providing an instant connection when and where help is needed most.
Local Schools and Educational Facilities
The quintessential anchor institution in Canada is the educational facility or school. Centers of learning employ talented and skilled individuals in many fields who educate children and young adults and provide them with skills and knowledge for success.
But local schools and educational facilities do far more than just teach students. They also serve as learning, cultural, artistic, and athletic centers for our entire community, greatly enriching our lives with special events, art exhibits, dramatic performances, musical concerts, and sports.
And given the beehive of online activity generated at centers of learning, a steady and fast internet connection is a veritable requirement for 21st century education.
The broader community, which often has access to a school’s sporting events, fine arts exhibitions, and even certain library materials also benefits from fiber’s high speeds and greater bandwidth, multiplying the benefits to our region even more.
Libraries and Museums
Often overlooked, but nonetheless invaluable, public libraries and museums of all kinds provide educational, artistic, and cultural opportunities offered almost nowhere else. They bring together resourceful, knowledgeable experts and support staff that create experiences that both inform and inspire.
Groups as diverse as toddlers, school children, book clubs, tourists, and seniors are enriched by the facilities and programs libraries and museums provide. Without fiber internet, however, neither of these anchor institutions can fulfill their unique niche in our community, including facilitating beloved programs like story hour, reading clinics, film nights, visiting exhibitions, club meetings, and guest experts.
And the community can often access many of these features—including e-books and other electronic materials—from home through remote and online access. Thus, fiber keeps each of us better connected to our area’s libraries, museums, and related curated institutions and their bevy of information and collections that set them apart.
Fiber Internet Keeps Our Anchor Institutions Well-Connected to Our Community—and to You
As much as our community depends on anchor institutions to improve our daily lives and make our region a better place to live, anchor institutions in turn rely on dependable and fast internet to get their jobs done. And they also look to the local team of experts and technicians that keep Northern Lights Fiber’s fiber network running strong and efficiently—and with the local knowledge and care to respond fast and effectively to any technical issue that may arise.
Indeed, the team at Northern Lights Fiber are more than just internet service professionals. We’re also your neighbors. Like you, we live and work in our community, which means we rely on and appreciate the work of our community’s anchor institutions.
As a local company ourselves, we’re highly committed to responding swiftly to emergencies like outages, which in turn lets the good people at our local anchor institutions do their jobs serving our community and keeping it healthy as well.
When you choose Northern Lights Fiber for your residential or business internet, you support our business—enabling us to turn around and support our community. Thank you for shopping locally for your internet. We’re proud to keep Calmar connected!
Not all internet options are created equal. All it takes is one missed virtual meeting or one lagging video game to realize that your current internet speeds may not be sufficient. If you aren’t happy with your current speeds, you may want to look into other options. But which service is best for you? Let’s explore the speed, reliability, and bandwidth of the three major service delivery options—landline telephone line (DSL), cable TV line (cable), and fiber-optic line (fiber)—to understand why fiber is the clear choice for today’s citizens of the internet.
Internet Speed
Fiber-optic broadband, which uses glass, offers faster internet speeds over greater distances than its copper-based competitors such as DSL and cable. “Fiber to the Home” (FTTH) internet service providers (ISP) boast gigabit-level speeds up into the 100–1,000 Mbps range—several times faster than the maximum offered by its counterparts. Comparatively, DSL speeds max out at about 45 Mbps, while cable hits top speed at 300 Mbps. While that may sound like more than you’ll ever need, the capacity and speed of cable and DSL fluctuate during times of demand, which can leave you lagging when you have a pressing deadline or virtual meeting to attend.
Internet Reliability
Simply put, if reliability is important to you, choose fiber. DSL and cable experience significant slowdowns during peak hours and during extreme weather conditions such as drastic temperature changes and flooding. Fiber alone withstands all of these conditions, including the heave usage of peak hours. Keep in mind that unplanned downtime adds a serious cost to both your productivity and bottom line.
Internet Usage
Don’t make the mistake of underestimating your internet usage. The reality of technology advancements is that most of us are now high-capacity users. How many desktops, laptops, tablets, phones, and gaming systems are competing for bandwidth in your home? Do you stream Netflix or Hulu or videos on YouTube? Do you play video games or games on your phone? Do you have a security system or a video doorbell monitor that requires internet connection to function? What about a home assistant device? Even smart appliances like washers, dryers, and refrigerators usually need an internet connection. As we get more connected, a lightning-fast internet connection becomes increasingly important.
Ready to make the switch to fiber? Contact Northern Lights Fiber today at 888-CFO-2947 today! Or order online now!
So you’ve made the right choice, switched to Northern Lights Fiber’s high-speed fiber internet, and already experiencing faster downloads and improved reliability while you’re online.
You may be wondering about some of the best ways to enjoy your new fiber internet connection.
Well, there are several things you can do to make the most of Northern Lights Fiber’s fiber service and improve life in your home. Faster, more reliable internet opens doors to great entertainment, more efficiency, and even cost savings.
From getting rid of cable TV and enjoying streaming entertainment to living more efficiently through smart technology and staying better connected to loved ones, fiber internet provides a new world of convenience and amenities right in your home.
Below we discuss some ideas and suggestions to make your new fiber internet work for you!
Cancel Cable and Cut the Cord
Now that you’ve switched to fiber internet, you no longer need cable—or any additional devices, wiring, and clutter that takes up valuable space in your home. And you certainly don’t need its extra bills, either. So you can now cancel cable for good!
And we’re not just talking about canceling cable internet service, but cable television service, too. Many streaming services are available for watching your favorite shows and movies online, even live news and sports. And with fiber’s quality and dependability, you can enjoy streaming them as you did with cable TV.
Sign up for Streaming Services
Since your internet connection through fiber-optic technology is faster, more consistent, and more reliable than ever, it’s time to take advantage of streaming services and outstanding entertainment available to you.
Hulu keeps you up-to-date on your favorite shows, both current and classic, while Disney+ streams old Disney films and new entertainment hits.
You’ll be hard-pressed to exhaust the number of movies and TV shows available to stream today.
You can select one of many live TV streaming apps available, too.
With a live TV streaming service like YouTube TV, FUBU, or Sling TV, you can watch live television programs, real-time breaking news and analysis, and live sports and games.
Stream Music Anywhere in Your Home
Streaming entertainment includes more than just movies, TV shows and live sports.
Today’s technology lets you fill your home with music through streaming music apps such as Spotify, Amazon Music, or Apple Music. These apps let you create playlists of all kinds. Mix your personal “greatest hits list” from a particular artist, or select a playlist from a specific music genre, whether yours is rock, classical music, country, or all of the above!
These apps can also introduce you to new artists and songs you may have never heard. They also create lists of music the app “thinks” you may enjoy based on your prior selections and preferences. And you can ask these apps to shuffle songs from your favorite bands to listen to while you multitask!
Use Smart Devices and Set up a Smart Home
You’ve made the smart choice to switch to fiber internet—so why not use more smart devices?
“Smart devices,” even inexpensive gadgets like Amazon’s Echo Dot with Alexa, can really make your home more pleasant than before. For example, when you pair your Echo Dot to your Spotify account, you can say, “Alexa, play songs from The Eagles.” Before you know it, you’ll be living it up at the Hotel California!
But don’t stop with these smart devices!
You can make your entire home a “smart home” and far more efficient. For example, smart thermometers can monitor air temperature and even humidity in different rooms in your house.
They can also adjust their temperature based on times of the day and other conditions, saving you around 30% off of your energy bills, according to the EPA!
Also, consider smart lighting devices, which do more than save you money—they can also make your home’s atmosphere more appealing.
Use Video Conferencing Apps to Talk to Friends and Family
Having a phone conversation can be rewarding, but it cannot beat the joy of seeing a loved one’s face and smile.
With faster internet through fiber technology, you can experience more than just a person’s voice through conversation. Using apps like Zoom or FaceTime can make you feel like you’re in the same room with your friends and family. You can stay in touch and remain better connected no matter how far apart you may be.
The above suggestions and recommendations are just some of the many ways fiber internet makes life more convenient and fun. So try them out and keep exploring!
And for more helpful tips about how Northern Lights Fiber’s high-speed fiber internet can make your home more livable, follow our social pages or visit our website HERE!
Over the past several years, the remote working and work-from-home movement has boomed. Even before the global COVID-19 pandemic forced millions to work out of their homes, more and more employees were making the switch from the commute-and-office lifestyle to the improved flexibility of remote work. It is estimated that 25% of all professional jobs could be remote by the end of 2022, with the numbers only building upward from there.
As the work-from-home trend gathers steam and more people enjoy the conveniences of remote working, innovative ways to increase productivity and improve staff connectivity and team-building are growing, too.
And with the reliable high-speed fiber internet delivered by Northern Lights Fiber and Canadian Fiber Optics, work-from-home employees can be confident that their internet will support their careers just as well as if they were in an office complex.
So how can you maximize your work-from-home efficiency? And what online tools and applications are available to improve your remote work experience?
Below we present several websites and applications that may help any remote work employee make the most of their at-home workspace and environment.
Brain.fm
To help fill up the silence that can build up over the course of a work-from-home day, Brain.fm provides unique music and soundscapes to play in the background as you work away. But Brain.fm is more than just a streaming radio station or playlist. It utilizes neuroscience for its offerings to facilitate more concentration, focus, and even stimulation, so you can keep working productively while you’re on your own.
Evernote
Evernote takes the seemingly mundane tasks of note-taking and scheduling to savvy new heights. Its innovative document search and organization features greatly improve efficiency and the quality of your drafting. More than just a productivity or project management app, Evernote is loaded with features that connect you to fellow app-users and facilitate and maintain teams to help keep everyone on task and on time!
OmniFocus
With its sleek interface and powerful features, OmniFocus breaks new ground in task management and team organization software. We’re most impressed with OmniFocus’s cool to-do list, which helps keep you focused on your progress (and detects delays) for your most time-sensitive tasks at hand. OmniFocus also keeps you connected across all of your devices (both Windows and Apple products), as well as to your fellow team members from wherever they happen to be working.
We Work Remotely
There are numerous websites that help remote workers find jobs, and you can and should search through many of them for your next gig or career move. But we believe We Work Remotely (WWR) stands out for its enormous jobs posting board (around 25,000 all-remote job listings!) and its connections to some of the pioneers of the work-from-home movement. Job seekers can create a free account to access all of WWR’s listings, which are conveniently broken down into many categories of remote work—a feature that makes searching for new jobs much easier.
One thing we know for certain: the work-from-home trend is here to stay. So be sure to check out the above apps, programs, and websites to see how you can make your remote working experience even better.
And for additional tips on being more productive while working remotely, follow Canadian Fiber Optics and Northern Lights Fiber on our social pages!
Your neighbors at Northern Lights Fiber understand that rural communities are a quintessential part of the Canadian experience. And millions of Canadians know that the friendly people and charms of country life make rural areas ideal places to raise a family. Indeed, over the last few years, hundreds of thousands of people have relocated from large cities to the cleaner air and amiable country lifestyle rural Canada offers.
But compared to urban and suburban portions of the country, rural Canada still lags well behind in one fundamental area—consistent access to high-speed broadband fiber internet service. And this lagging access can affect job growth, economic development, workforce retention, and even education and community health.
The Value of Fiber Broadband—and Rural Canada’s Need to Catch-up
Rural broadband internet is critical to bridging that opportunity gap and improving country living. Whole communities can be revitalized and invigorated with fiber internet technology, improving communications and connectivity to the global economy. Schools of all grade levels through technical colleges and trade schools, can provide more programs, services, and training through broadband, reaching more people and promoting rural development.
Indeed, broadband high-speed internet is as essential a community service in the twenty-first century as electricity, telephone or even water and other utilities! And Northern Lights Fiber is proud to be a part of revitalizing our community and rural Canada by providing, fast, reliable fiber broadband internet to its people and businesses.
Below are just some of the ways fiber broadband serves rural Canada and helps make it an even better place to live.
Faster and More Reliable Internet Means Greater Economic Growth and More Jobs
Increased access to high-speed internet, such as the fiber internet provided by Northern Lights Fiber, is linked to boosting local job opportunities and economic growth. Through reliable broadband, local businesses like farms and artisans can reach customers well beyond their communities—even around the world.
And high-speed internet lets these rural businesses more readily access goods and services that their competitors in larger metropolitan areas can already easily access. So, bridging the broadband divide also helps grow and diversify the supply chain and squelch the overall economic gap between urban and rural areas, too.
Additionally, rural broadband helps keep younger talent in their communities, rather than seeing them move away to larger cities. Because so many of today’s careers require access to reliable internet in order to conduct business, companies can—and do—hire talented people around the country and let them work where they already live, including remotely from home—as long as there is a reliable, fast internet connection. In this way, rural high-speed internet helps keep communities together and whole.
High-Speed Internet Helps Deliver Health Care to Rural Communities
As the COVID-19 global pandemic demonstrated, timely access to quality health care and medical interventions can make all the difference in saving lives and mitigating long-term health problems. But while cities and suburbs had greater access to health care facilities—including online medical care—rural communities do not have anywhere near the same level of access to such vital services.
Bridging the broadband divide helps eliminate that fundamental disparity, and brings life-saving and life-changing health care to patients, as well. Telehealth providers, which grew exponentially during the pandemic, depend on reliable, high-speed internet to appropriately interview and assess patients and their immediate needs. And patient portals and electronic media files and records, which are often large files containing extensive medical imagery, require broadband to quickly transmit their essential information to physicians and patients alike.
Thus, rural fiber broadband helps level the playing field for all health care consumers, regardless of where they live. And it helps keep rural and Tribal families healthy and provides peace of mind that their medical needs can be better met and served.
Relocation, Relocation, Relocation: Broadband Helps Turn Around Rural Communities
The flight of younger people from rural Canada is not a new story. It’s been happening for over a century, as bright and industrious students and workers seek to build their careers “where the jobs are”—i.e., in cities and metropolitan areas.
Rural broadband is helping reverse that trend, however, through a more recent economic and social phenomenon: relocation.
Relocation is centered on the idea that in today’s innovative economy, just about anyone can live and work from just about anywhere—anywhere there is reliable high-speed internet, that is. So, for the millions of Canadians yearning for the virtues of rural country living and its high quality of life, communities with rural broadband offer options for relocation to a town or village from which to work, raise their families, and live their lives.
And relocation, through broadband internet service and other economic enticements, helps recruit talented younger people and reinvigorate communities that have been slowly dwindling away decade after decade. In essence, relocation is the reverse of the trend of moving away from rural areas—with broadband, people are now choosing to relocate and settle in rural Canada!
At Northern Lights Fiber, we believe that rural Alberta and other provinces are a truly special place to live and work. And we are honored that our cutting-edge fiber broadband technology is expanding our community’s horizons and helping its people and small businesses realize their dreams and thrive in the decades to come.
To learn more about how Northern Lights FIber’s high-speed fiber internet enriches your community and helps make you more productive, follow our social pages!
Northern Lights Fiber is committed to providing the safest browsing and connectivity possible. We achieve this through our ProtectIQ software in the Northern Wifi App. ProtectIQ is a network-level security service which protects ALL devices connected to your Wi-Fi. If it’s connected, it’s protected!
What does ProtectIQ do to keep my home network safe?
Proactively monitors your home’s incoming traffic and automatically blocks anything suspicious.
Blocks attempted visits to known harmful websites, presenting users with a browser message indicating that the website is not available.
Provide an active security monitoring service that uses a large and constantly growing database of threats (database is updated weekly).
Uses IPS to monitor, notify, and prevent activity like hacking. It will stop a device from trying to gain access to technology like Wi-Fi connected doorbells or baby monitors, virtual meetings, and streams.
Actively terminates data transfers before a malicious payload is delivered to any network device.
Notifies users whenever security is triggered, with details about the device that was attacked, where the attack came from, and when the attack occurred.
Northern Lights Fiber is commited to providing its customers with the safest, fastest and most reliable connections possible. ProtectIQ is just one more way that we strive to provide a world class experience to our customers. By providing ProtectIQ as a service we ensure safety and security for everyone using their in-home network. Sign up with Northern lights Fiber now and download the Northern WiFi App so you can enjoy premium, managed WiFi today!
ExperienceIQ is a service that protects children or grandchildren from harmful or inappropriate content, limits screen time on devices or applications, and displays online usage through our enhanced parental control app.
How is this going to benefit my family?
Block inappropriate categories like pornography or violence
Block applications that you deem inappropriate (e.g. gaming applications like Call of Duty, or social applications like Snapchat
Set time limits for specific applications, like TikTok to cap screen time
Set Safe Search and YouTube Restriction to block harmful or inappropriate content with searching on Google, Bind or YouTube. YouTube restrictions also blocks all comments on videos which often include inappropriate language.
View usage for all devices to better understand HOW the internet is being used in your home.
Prioritize application groups or specific devices to ensure the best possible experiences for your most important needs.
Set schedules so that work applications get priority during the day, and streaming applications get priority in the evening.
Northern WiFi is an app that allows you to have absolute control over your homes network, commonly referred to as managed WiFi. With the Northern WiFi app you have a vast array of controls, personalizations and safety measures to customize your network to work best for how you like to connect.
Core Functions
Change or reset your Wi-Fi network name or password directly from the app
See the devices currently using your Wi-Fi
Categorize your devices (e.g. personal devices, work devices, mobile devices, gaming devices.) Pause the internet for any device, at any time.
Run a speed test (GigaSpire only) to verify the speed you are getting is the speed you are paying for.
Receive updates about any planned network maintenance, or upcoming community events
Advanced features
Create routines for scheduled downtime (i.e. bedtime or limited access to gaming devices during school time).
Create a temporary or shareable guest network without sharing your main network name and password. Great for house gussets, visitors, babysitters, house sitters, or pet sitters. Text the guest network login information directly from the app.
Head to your app store and download “Northern WiFi” now to enhance your WiFi experience!
Northern Lights Fiber is excited to bring you fiber optic internet, with speeds up to 10,000 Mbps (10 Gigabit symmetrical service!). To future proof your community, these types of speeds and reliability is an absolutely necessity. But it would not be possible with the infrastructure that exists today.
To prepare your community for the future, we will be required to build an entirely new fiber-optic infrastructure.
If you want to sign up for service now, check out our world-class products and services HERE!
Utility Locates
Before we hit the ground running (and digging) we need to find out where it’s safe to do so. We rely on calling in utility locates to map out critical infrastructure and make sure we don’t strike anything that could disrupt, harm, or injure the community or our construction crews. You will see small flags along alley-ways, roadsides, and even through your yard if you request our service! This is to map out what to avoid, so we know where it’s safe to dig in our lightning fast fiber optic infrastructure. This process can take some time depending on the backlog of the government locate crew, but as soon as they’re performed you can expect to see us within the next few weeks to build and connect our network.
Main-Line
The first part of our construction is called “middle-mile” or “main-line” construction. You will see large equipment of ours, including “hydrovacs”, directional drills, dump trucks, front end loaders, skid steers, and even vibratory plows. Our design in Calmar dictates that we will be digging in public easement, and most of our design, in the area, will be in back lanes.
There are some places that this is not possible. There may be a few places where our design determines that we will use front lot easement. This means we will have to dig along the curb of your front yard.
The Drop
Having fiber infrastructure will future proof your home for generations to come. And while cities already have this infrastructure, it is very rare for rural communities in Canada.
If you sign up for services during this process, we will also need to burry new infrastructure to your house. We call this “the drop.” We will also install a small box on the side of your house.
What About My Property?
This is a big private investment to futureproof the Town of Calmar, and it requires heavy duty construction. We will try to be as respectful as possible to everyone’s property and we will restore all landscaping to the best of our ability, properly backfilling, and replanting grass.
We have invested in specialized machinery to get this job done fast and as discreet as possible, especially when we leave public easement to get to your house. If you have any questions about our proposed route, please call us at 1-888-CFO-2947 (ext 1) or email at info@CanadianFiberOptics.ca
All services such as electric, water, and other utilities are professionally located to prevent damage. If you are aware of any private underground utilities (like underground sprinklers), please let us know at onecall@CanadianFiberOptics.ca
How Long Will it Take?
Build a world class fiber infrastructure can take some time! Main-line construction in Calmar will continue through the summer and fall of 2023. That said, we should only be on each street for about a week at a time. Burying the drop to each house will only take about half a day.
What if I Have Questions?
Please call us at 1-888-CFO-2947 (ext 1) or email us at info@CanadianFiberOptics.ca.
How do I future proof my house and get internet that is 100% fiber?
Visit our Products and Pricing page or Sign-Up page! Or give us a call at 1-888-CFO-2947 (ext 2 , for Sales)
Most of us understand the basics of the internet – just enough to log onto Wi-Fi and maybe turn the router on and off when it starts to malfunction.
However, are you familiar with the terms ‘bandwidth’ and ‘latency’? If you’re not, that’s okay – you’re not alone! Both terms are related to your internet’s ability to send and receive data, but despite their similarities, they refer to two very different concepts. So what’s the difference between them, and why should they matter to you?
Bandwidth
Bandwidth is a word that is thrown around a lot when discussing internet function. Many people assume it just means ‘internet speed,’ but that’s not exactly true. Bandwidth is essentially how much data can move from network point A to point B in a given amount of time.
Think of your bandwidth as a high-speed motorway with, say, three lanes. When an average number of cars are on the highway, everything is going smoothly, and the cars are moving at a good clip. But when it’s rush hour—that is, you’re trying to download something with more data than your bandwidth can handle—the highway gets congested. The traffic bottlenecks then slows to a crawl.
Latency
On the other hand, latency refers to the amount of time it takes for the signal to get from point A to point B and then travel back again. The lower the latency, the better your internet will be because it means there’s less time between when you take your action and when you see the result.
For instance, think about when you do a Google search. You enter your query into the taskbar, click ‘enter,’ and then you wait. If you have low latency, the search engine will return your answer within milliseconds. But if you have higher latency, you might end up waiting a few seconds – or even longer – while the internet retrieves your data. The ‘ping’ you sent is traveling, and you have to wait until it reaches the server, collects what you need, and makes its way back to you.
How Bandwidth and Latency Affect You
Both bandwidth and latency can affect the speed of your internet but in different ways. If you’re a gamer, you’re likely already familiar with ‘lag,’ which is when you perform an action, but it takes a few moments for that entry to manifest in the game. This is a latency issue, as most of the assets you need to game are already loaded onto your computer, and therefore very little bandwidth is needed. Conversely, if you’re trying to stream a show online, but it keeps buffering or appears infuriatingly grainy and broken, that’s likely an example of low bandwidth. All that content has to squeeze its way down the digital superhighway. Unfortunately, both bandwidth and latency issues can be a result of subpar high-speed internet. If you want the best internet experience available, you’ll want to invest in a good fiber connection from Canadian Fiber Optics and Northern Lights Fiber today!
The future of the internet is sharing―from capturing Instagram-worthy meals to enjoying video chats with friends―and PRTC’s unmatched upload speeds make that future a reality.
Here are a just few ways PRTC’s fast, reliable upload speeds make your life easier:
Video chat and live sharing
Skype, FaceTime, and other video messaging services all require robust upstream connections to ensure clear audiovisual quality and to prevent freezing and blackouts. Sharing big news on Facebook or Instagram Live also works better with greater upload speed.
Working or going to school from home
You need a robust upstream connection to interact with colleagues during video conferences, collaborate on team projects, and share important files. Online studies also can tax your upstream connection, especially if you join a virtual classroom or share large portfolios.
Keeping family, friends, and followers in the loop
Upload new videos to YouTube or share photographs with Flickr faster with a better upstream connection.
Faster data backups and online file synching
If you back up your data with a service like Backblaze or Carbonite, you need upload speed that meets basic requirements to ensure your data is protected quickly and without glitches. File and photo synching services like Dropbox, Google Photos, and Microsoft OneDrive all require a minimum of 5 Mbps upload speed to operate properly, and the more upload capacity available, the faster these services can sync and share files.
Online gaming, remote security and much more…
From online gaming to connected security systems that send real-time images through an internet connection, a fast upload connection is key to ensuring all your interactive online activities function well.
Testing the speed of your internet connection is easy, but it’s also easy to misunderstand the results. Your devices — TVs, routers, smartphones, laptops, desktops, etc. — have different capabilities, and you can get different results on each one, even while using the same internet connection.
This is particularly noticeable to users taking advantage of higher speed packages offered by Northern Lights Fiber (Powered by Canadian Fiber Optics)
Here are a few things to keep in mind when evaluating your speed test results:
HARD-WIRED VS. WIRELESS
That old-school cord-and-plug is simply more reliable than WiFi (wireless) connectivity. Even those super-fast 1 Gbps connections, now widely available across the country, won’t test out at higher than 500 to 700 Mbps when tested over WiFi. For the most accurate speed test result you must test with a hard-wired device.
Why? Because there are nearly endless variables that can negatively affect a WiFi signal, everything from nearby construction or the wireless printer in the home office to a baby monitor or microwave in use in the home.
Keep in mind that one limitation with a hard-wired connection is testing with a device that has a 100 Mbps NIC (Network Interface Card). This can cause you to consistently receive speed test results at 90-98 Mbps. Northern Lights Fiber recommends testing on a device that has a 1 Gbps NIC.
POSSIBLE PROBLEMS AFFECTING SPEED AND SPEED TESTS
Slow internet speeds are sometimes caused by malware such as adware and viruses. There are several free and inexpensive programs and apps to deal with that, and they’re important to use for many reasons.
This also sounds obvious, but it’s very easy to overlook any ongoing downloads or programs like video chat that may be turned on while you’re conducting a speed test on your device. Close these applications, reboot your device, and test again.
Even the browser you use — Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Microsoft’s new Edge, etc. — can affect your test speed. Try different browsers to see if that’s the case on your system.
If you have a WiFi extender, make sure you turn it off before you run a speed test. Otherwise, your computer may test the wrong connection.
This brings us to a final point about equipment. Technology advances constantly, and many older routers and computers simply cannot take full advantage of the blazing speed and bandwidth of today’s fiber broadband connectivity.
When you’re ready to upgrade your technology, make sure your new equipment has the network cards and internal processing power that can leverage the speed of market-leading fiber broadband like that from Northern Lights Fiber (Powered by Canadian Fiber Optics).
