THINGS GET FASTER ON ABACO

March 2002 Table of Contents

THINGS GET FASTER ON ABACO

Cable Bahamas, which provides TV services to Abaco, launched its Coralwave Internet Service Provider on 2nd February during a presentation at Abaco Beach Resort. Coordinator Erik Russell greeted members of the public and led them to demonstration computers.

Your editor is used to logging on to SoccerNet and then pouring another cup of coffee, visiting the bathroom and checking a few flower beds before expecting a readable download. With Coralwave, SoccerNet flashed onto the screen less than two seconds after the URL had been entered. "Blows you away, doesn't it?" another prospective client commented.

Yes, indeed. The internet is now available on Abaco in the form we deserve - connectivity at 1,000 kilobits a second. And not using a phone line. We all want it, how do we get it?

Abacom and Computer Creations in Marsh Harbour are agents for the service. If you already have Cable Bahamas TV service then the installation for internet service will cost $49. The services available are gauged in download usage rather than time. Coralwave Geo at $19.95 per month allows 50 megabytes of download, virtually an e-mail situation rather than a surfing service. Coralwave Lite at $34.95 allows 100 megabytes of download a month. Each of these services have charges of $.90 per megabyte beyond the usage limit. Top of the line is Coralwave Unlimited at $69.95 a month. This gives maximum connectivity and unlimited usage. Leave the darn thing on all day. Check your e-mail as it comes in.

Owners of Apple Macintosh equipment will only have the option of Coralwave Unlimited, but they are used to first class service anyway so that's no problem.

For businesses the bandwidth can be split into up to four separate users for an additional $10 per month, plus the one time purchase of a router (approximately $135).

No doubt about it, Abaco has got faster.

March 2002 Table of Contents