When most people think of Netflix, they immediately recall nights of binging TV series and movies at the touch of a button. But there are other benefits that accompany a Netflix subscription, too, including gaming. And we’re especially delighted about a fun farming mobile game included with Netflix that informs as much as it entertains: Farming Simulator 23. But just because it’s a video game, don’t think that Farming Simulator 23 is only for the kiddos in your life!
Grown-ups can also dive deep into the game and learn the ins-and-outs of agriculture, farm life, and how rural economies keep Canada both well-fed and well-invigorated. Keep reading to learn the basics of Farming Simulator 23 on Netflix Games, which you can enjoy on Northern Lights Fiber’s high-speed fiber internet, while better understanding just how essential farms and rural communities are to our country’s present and future.
The Technical Basics of Farming Simulator 23
Farming Simulator 23 is a mobile game, which means it can be played on a smartphone or tablet through your Netflix account. The game works brilliantly on both Android and Apple’s iOS systems (i.e., iPhone and iPad), so it doesn’t matter which brand of device you use.
To begin your Farming Simulator 23 journey, simply download the game from the Google Play Store or Apple’s App Store and then make sure you’re logged into your Netflix account from your device to start playing. Keep in mind that the game does not save your progress to the cloud as you go along, so you could lose your hard-earned virtual farming efforts if you don’t save to your device!
For an optimal gaming experience, be sure to connect your mobile device to your Wi-Fi network, powered by Northern Lights Fiber’s fiber. If you don’t, you’ll depend on your device’s data plan while playing, which won’t be as reliable, stable, or fast as fiber.
Virtual Farming Fun from Your Home
Farming Simulator 23 brings the joys—and significant challenges—of farming and rural living to life on your mobile devices. Many players also find the game relaxing and even calming, a pleasant way to unwind as they’re charmed by its lovely, bucolic graphics and countryside aesthetics.
From the start, you’re put in charge of all aspects of running a farm and creating a thriving agricultural business. Farming Simulator 23 lets you raise and tend livestock, select crops for planting and harvesting, and develop production of many products.
But, as any “real-life” farmer will tell you, it’s not simply a matter of picking out the animals and seeds you want to produce. Indeed, success in the game will take some careful thought and planning, too, as well as longer-term vision for your farm.
For example, just as you would on a real farm, you must feed your livestock—and each animal’s dietary needs are different. Take cows, for example. To keep your bovine friends happy—and fattened up—you’ll need to select a proper mixture of feed, including hay and straw, but also mineral feed. Chickens, of course, will have a very different diet, so you’ll want to make thoughtful choices for them about feed and how much space to provide them, as well.
Players must also make choices about crop selection and soil preparation. After all, both money and property space are not unlimited! And Farming Simulator 23 provides ample crop choices for your consideration. Some crops are more profitable, like soy and sugar beets. But you can also try your hand at growing many other crops, too, from longtime staples like cotton and potatoes, to more specialized produce like grapes and olives.
However, each crop has different soil conditions, space requirements, fertilization types and schedules, and even machinery needs. Cotton, for example, has a unique harvesting machine that must be used to properly collect the cotton when it’s ready for market. Even the seemingly humble potato has specific demands, from seeder machines to harvesters.
Farming Simulator 23 Teaches Agricultural Economics and the Value of Rural Communities
Through the process of playing, Farming Simulator 23 also teaches practical farming concepts and agricultural economics. For instance, players need to watch their budgets when making equipment purchases. Sure, an enormous, shiny new tractor would be awesome (and often useful) for plowing—and super fun to drive around the farm!
But savvy players will learn to save their hard-earned cash for the essentials and grow their farm and business sustainably over time as they cultivate their land—just as Canada’s farmers do every day. Thus, larger capital investments in expensive machinery should be carefully planned out to focus on the crops and livestock critical to the farm’s success.
The interdependence among feed diversity, soil quality, weather variability, and reliance on the output of other farmers and ranchers from around the world are also significant components of Farming Simulator 23—just as they are in Canada’s rural communities. You’ll also gain knowledge of core farming principles like crop yields, supply chains, the science of fertilizers, and even the finer distinctions between raising pigs and sheep!
Taken together, players come to understand—and genuinely appreciate—the complicated but fascinating dynamics of farming and Canada’s broader agricultural and rural heritage. And you get to do so from the comfort of your home through Northern Lights Fiber’s cutting-edge fiber network and Netflix.
Don’t Sleep on Netflix Gaming!
Beyond being well-known for streaming on-demand TV series and movies, Netflix is quietly becoming a “player” in the mobile gaming world. And of course, there’s far more than just farming-related games to be played on Netflix.
You can enjoy over 80 games right now, with many more new games promised by Netflix over the coming years. Netflix’s games range from arcade-like games such as Sonic Prime Dash (developed from the venerable Sonic the Hedgehog series) to adventure story games like Stranger Things: 1984 (inspired by the iconic Netflix retro-horror TV series). You’ll find a complete list of Netflix’s current game offerings here.
Best of all, Farming Simulator 23 and the other 80+ mobile games available on Netflix are included in your Netflix subscription! In other words, you don’t need to add Netflix Gaming to your monthly plan—it’s already there and ready for you to start playing.
Gaming is just another way to take advantage of your Netflix subscription. But you can also exercise and even learn the basics of yoga through Netflix, too!
So keep exploring Netflix and all of your streaming apps to discover other benefits you may have overlooked. And for more ways to make the most of your streaming subscriptions, keep following Northern Lights Fiber’s social pages!
Move over kitchens and bathrooms–fiber has moved up on the must-have list for homebuyers. Now more than ever before, people want to work, learn, and access telehealth applications from home. Modern lifestyles require modern internet powered by a fiber network.
In fact, a 2023 study showed that fiber-delivered internet access could increase a home’s value by almost 5%. On average, consumers would require a 4.9% decrease in price for a non-fiber home, a 3.2% decrease for a non-fiber condo, and a 12.8% decrease for a non-fiber apartment.
What’s the Data Saying?
The Fiber Broadband Association’s (FBA) 2023 consumer research study highlights that fiber is no longer just a bonus–it’s a necessity. U.S. consumers rated high-quality broadband as the second most important amenity in a home, just after a laundry room.
Nearly two-thirds of all consumers consider fiber to be the best internet service delivery method in terms of speed and reliability.
Beyond that, there is an increasing body of research linking investment in broadband networks with accelerated economic performance. Communities with fast and reliable fiber networks often exhibit higher rates of per capita GDP.
Fast and Reliable Internet for Remote Workers
Not only is the internet a prime source of communication and entertainment, but it’s also essential for the Canadian white-collar workforce. With 5.1 million Canadians working remotely full-time or part-time, fast, secure, and reliable internet has become an invaluable asset.
Remote workers favor fiber internet because cable internet can be significantly slower and far less reliable than fiber.
Cable internet speeds typically range from 10-250 Mbps for downloads and 5-50 Mbps for uploads. Fiber internet, however, can provide 250-1,000 Mbps for both downloads and uploads—a critical benefit for those looking to use video conferencing tools at home.
The Future of Fiber
Even those who don’t work from home are more likely to want high-speed internet for telehealth applications than they were a few years ago. Five times more patients utilize telehealth services now than before the COVID-19 pandemic, and that number is expected to increase.
Thankfully, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) $42 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program is working to catch up to consumers’ needs. According to the FBA, the amount of fiber deployed over the next five years will nearly match the total amount of fiber that has been deployed throughout history.
The Bottom Line
Ultimately, better broadband equals increased property values, more opportunities for remote work, and enhanced access to digital services like telehealth and streaming. And, of course, better opportunities yield innovation.
Increased access to fiber promotes job creation, upward mobility, entrepreneurship, expanding local businesses, and attracting new ones.
Fiber brings massive benefits to communities, so it’s no wonder fiber increases individual home values too! To learn more about fiber availability at your home, contact Northern Lights Fiber today. We’d love to get you connected.
Sluggish speeds, data caps, hidden fees, and poor customer service? It’s not you, it’s them.
Today, we’re highlighting five signs you should break up with your current internet provider—and hook up with Northern Lights Fiber’s high-speed fiber internet service instead!
Reason #1 Your Internet Just Doesn’t Have the Speed to Keep Up with You
If you’re like most people, you just can’t wait to binge your favorite series or keep up with live sports or current events. But if you’ve noticed your internet is just too sluggish to keep up with the content you love, then it’s time to show your current internet provider the door!
Older forms of internet like DSL and coaxial cable just don’t have the download speeds that fiber does because they’re literally using materials built for other uses. Cable was made to transmit television signals, while DSL was designed for voice service. Fiber optic cable, on the other hand, can transmit internet signal at nearly the speed of light!
Thus, fiber internet, like the kind delivered by Northern Lights Fiber, is capable of extreme download speeds of greater than 1 gigabyte per second. Our internet can keep up with you and stream all the movies, TV shows and live entertainment you could possibly want.
Reason #2 Your Internet’s Bandwidth Isn’t Giving You the Space You Need to Thrive
You might also find that your current internet provider isn’t giving you the “space” you need to live your best life—and in this case, we’re talking about bandwidth. Bandwidth refers to the quantity of data an internet connection can send to your devices per second.
While internet speed is fairly self-explanatory and easy to understand, greater bandwidth is just as essential to a home’s internet service as speed. High bandwidth capacity is particularly vital in households with people that stream simultaneously on multiple smart TV’s, enjoy online gaming, or download (or upload) online videos.
Fiber’s cutting-edge materials and state-of-the-art networking make its bandwidth capacity considerably greater than cable and other forms of internet. And fiber’s generous bandwidth means that everyone in your household will have the space they need to do just about anything they want online without fighting over who’s using the internet at a given time.
Reason #3 You’re Done with Monthly Data Caps
If you’re tired of your internet company slowing down your internet with data caps each month, it’s time to dump them and switch to fiber.
You might be asking why your internet company caps your data in the first place. Well, they do so to keep from overloading their systems, which lack sufficient bandwidth to serve all their customers properly (because their technology just can’t cover it the way fiber can). Thus, these inferior internet technologies require providers to “cap” the amount of data each household uses each month.
Those data caps trigger dreaded slowdowns in internet quality, which can really annoy you when you’re trying to binge a series or watch a live sports event. And some companies will even charge extra fees for exceeding your data cap.
Because of fiber’s bandwidth capabilities, you’ll never need to worry about data caps! Northern Lights Fiber’s advanced fiber network gives you and your family enough room to spread your wings online without the limitations of data caps or slowdowns cable and other older internet technologies usually require.
Reason #4 Trust Issues—Like Hiding Fees and Costs on Your Bill
Another reason to break up with your current internet provider relates to a crucial element of any relationship: trust and candor. Way too many big internet companies seem to slide hidden fees and costs into their bills to unsuspecting customers.
Initially, these may be surreptitious additions to your bill, often in small amounts. But those do mount up over time, taking a larger chunk out of your annual budget than you originally bargained for.
At Northern Lights Fiber, we value being upfront and straightforward with you about our billing and services. We lay out all the costs and fees of our high-speed fiber internet, including any applicable taxes. Keeping trust and open lines of communication with you are top priorities for us, which we will keep throughout our relationship with you.
Reason #5 Communications Problems—or You Just Can’t Ever Get Through to Them!
Our last reason to split with your current ISP concerns how hard it can be to get through to them! Calling technical assistance or account support to larger internet companies can try the patience of even the best of us. Indeed, with some ISPs, it can take dozens of minutes—or sometimes even hours—to connect to a real human being to help you address your problem.
One of the best ways to “test” your relationship with your current ISP is to call them and start a stopwatch (or use a stopwatch app on your smartphone) and time how long it takes to get in touch with a customer service representative. Northern Lights Fiber prides itself on its efficient response time and the resourcefulness of our friendly, local staff. You can feel confident that you will reach us when you need us.
These are just five of the best reasons to cut ties with your current internet company and make the switch to fiber with Northern Lights Fiber. To learn more about our fiber network and why it’s simply the best internet you can get, follow our social pages!
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!
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!
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!
At Northern Lights Fiber our team of technicians, installers, and customer support professionals take pride in delivering the state of the art high-speed fiber internet you’ve come to expect. From responding to weather-related outages, to upgrading our cutting-edge systems, keeping you connected to the global economy and communications network is a 24/7 job—and we love being a part of it!
But you may have wondered why we occasionally schedules outages for our network. After all, isn’t the point of reliable internet to avoid outages in the first place? Well, yes, that is one of the main points, of course!
But an occasional scheduled outage is a crucial part of maintaining our fast, reliable network, and ensuring that your internet service is up to the highest industry standards. We explain more below.
The Importance of Scheduled Outages
First and foremost, scheduled outages are rare and, when they do happen, it’s because they are necessary. And scheduled outages are always implemented to improve your internet experience, protect your connection, or respond to an emergency situation.
It might be helpful to think about scheduled outages the same way you think about car maintenance. If you don’t take your car to the shop on occasion, it’s going to break down at the worst possible time—like in pouring down rain and you’re already running late for work! Though you can’t drive it while you let your mechanic service your car for a short period of time, the mechanic’s work is invaluable, increasing the performance of your car and extending its life and value.
Well, for high-speed fiber internet, scheduled outages are like taking your car into the shop. Yes, you will temporarily “lose service,” but gain tremendously long-term with a better, faster, more reliable internet connection.
Three Common Reasons for Scheduled Outages
There are three primary reasons why a schedule outage may occur: 1) network software updates, 2) broadband equipment and infrastructure upgrades, and 3) environmental and weather-related repair or mitigation work.
Software Updates: Broadband technology is constantly improving, and the complex software involved helps deliver and distribute internet efficiently across the network. To ensure there’s enough bandwidth for everyone—and that the technology doesn’t go haywire and stop working altogether—software engineers routinely tweak their programming to make the system even better. It’s fairly similar to your cell phone—occasionally, you need software updates to enhance quality and security, and you must restart the phone after the software is installed. Though you lose cell phone service for a period of time, your phone is much more secure and improved because of the planned maintenance and “outage.”
Equipment Upgrades: The infrastructure utilized to provide high-speed fiber internet is immense. Far more than just a “wire” connected to your house, an entire labyrinth of interconnected equipment dispersed throughout our community delivers broadband. We occasionally update our core routers or replace outdated hardware with new equipment, ensuring that our network is up-to-date. Naturally, a scheduled outage is necessary to install the upgraded equipment and improve your internet service.
Environmental and Weather-related Repair: Despite our best efforts to maintain a reliable network, sometimes Mother Nature intervenes—and we have seen it all! Heavy precipitation can inundate systems, unearthing fiber wires and shorting core routers. Animals sometimes chew through fiber lines, slowing down or cutting off your service entirely. Even an occasional car crash can damage our equipment and cause service interruptions. When these unfortunate incidents happen, we may need to physically relocate some infrastructure, resulting in a temporary scheduled outage, while developing a longer-term solution to mitigate against future hazards.
Typical Timing for Scheduled Outages
We understand that there is never a good time to not have internet. After all, we depend on high-speed internet for work, communication, and entertainment as much as you do! But with that in mind, Northern Lights Fiber only ever conducts planned maintenance and scheduled outages late at night, when overall internet usage is at its lowest level in our community.
Late night is when the fewest number of people are relying on our network for work and communication. But we also recognize that there are some people who do work late at night or take occasional night shifts. And we know that some people rely on their connection to relax and unwind at night, too, whether it’s streaming a favorite TV series, listening to music, or gaming
Please know that when we schedule these outages, we are limiting the inconvenience to the fewest number of people as possible. Just as highway repair work is often done at night, when traffic is at its lowest point, scheduled outages occur when internet traffic is at its lowest, too.
After the Scheduled Outage
Once the scheduled outage and planned maintenance is complete, you shouldn’t notice any difference to your service the next day. On the off chance you experience any difficulties accessing your internet, make sure your devices’ connections and settings remained as they were prior to the scheduled outage. Your device may require you to sign-in to your Wi-Fi after an outage, but this is rare. Of course, if you have any issues whatsoever, our customer service agents and technical support specialists are always standing by to help you.
To learn more about our fiber network and how you can get the most out of our high-speed internet, be sure to follow our Facebook by clicking Here
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!
What’s the difference between the Internet & Wi-Fi?
The Internet is connected networks all over the world., while Wi-Fi is your personal wireless network within your home. Sometimes, your WiFi signal can be weak – which is why WiFi6 technology come with ALL our packages. And if the WiFi signal is still struggling to get to the important areas of your household, then we offer WiFi Mesh!
Why can’t I get a good signal in my bedroom?
Think about it like a speaker, the further you get away, the softer the sound is. Your Wi-Fi works the same way. The further away you get, the weaker the signal. If there are things like metal, concrete, thick walls, and mirrors, between you and the router these can weaken the signal even more.
Will my Internet speed tests slower when I’m on Wi-Fi?
The further you get away from the WiFI Router (i.e. lower bars), the slower the speed will test. But with the latest in WiFi6 technology that we offer, our signal is not only better – but it tests out at MUCH FASTER SPEEDS. So with proper placement, we know there will be no problems.
Please remember that all our internet packages come with a FREE WiFi router – if you sign up for a 2-year contract!
How can I get a better signal in my bedroom (or other places, like my patio)?
The placement of your router or gateway determines where the Wi-Fi signals are strongest in your home, or outside your home. Our technicians will find the most logical place for your WiFi Router. The more centrally located, the more of your home it will reach. However, if your router or gateway is in a location where it can’t be moved you can add extenders to push the signal further into other areas of your home.
What if I still can’t get a signal everywhere?
With our WiFi MESH/EXTENDER solution, we can easily add a mesh extender to make sure all areas of your home is covered. Our WiFi Mesh is only $15.00 more a month! Some homes are just too big for a normal router signal and will need the mesh device to get signal to all areas.
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!
When it comes to the dependability and speed of the internet service in your home, a lot depends on your WiFi router―specifically its location in the house.
At PRTC, we’ve already got you covered with the area’s fastest and most reliable internet service. Now here are a few tips on getting the most from that service throughout your home.
Make Sure You Have Enough Coverage: If your home is less than 1,500 square feet, one router should provide enough coverage for your whole house. However, if your house is larger, you may want to look into creating a mesh network. A mesh network is a series of access points that communicate with each other to blanket your home with the WiFi signal. They optimize the speed of your connection and reduce “dead zones.”
Consider Where You Spend the Most Time Connected: If you have key locations in your home where you spend the majority of your time online, such as a home office or family room, take that into consideration when placing your router.
Look for a High and Uncrowded Space: Placing your router on a high shelf will help distribute the signal more widely and evenly through the house. It’s also best to avoid placing the router behind any large objects or closed up in a cabinet.
Give the Signal a Clear Path: While the WiFi signal can do a pretty good job getting through the walls and ceilings in your house, the one thing that can stop it cold is metal, including shelving, metal desks, and large appliances.
For more information about router placement, or to order the fastest Internet in town, call 888-236-2947!
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).
