Operating a micro business using TPG's ADSL2+ Broadband
Pixel ITT an IT Service Provider our broadband case study
| intro | our broadband use | broadband FAQ | getting connected | TPG |
Greg Martyn speaking on the TPG broadband advantage.
Greg has been providing computer service and support
since 1994 first as Pixel Power then as Pixel ITT.
We've been with you in person or on the phone when the internet came
alive for you and also when you needed help getting it fixed.
Our onsite and online service areas
As an IT service business we provide computer service, support and equipment to the home office, micro business, small business, or home user market both locally in the St George, Sutherland area in person and Australia wide by Remote PC Control software.
Empathy and experience
We've often experienced a similar position to our customers and we empathise with them in their need to receive genuine affordable, technologically advanced service in their home based offices and homes.
Internet service
As we've been using the internet since about 1996 we have experienced the same annoyances and frustrations as our customers and we really understand what drives them and what their concerns are.
End users needs and waiting for support
End users need help, support, understanding and most of
all short service queues. They need readily available info in a
non-technical form.
Providing On-Site service to customers I sometimes need to call their
internet service provider. If I then have to wait in the ISP's queue for 30
minutes it's both wasteful, frustrating and expensive. Their ISP
should be thinking about having more personel on customer support.
Diverse OnLine Support
Today, in 2008, we provide a quick easily affordable
remote service to companies as diversified as a cattle station in
central Queensland, a small mining related company in Kalgoorlie through to an
office
secretarial service in Tasmania, all via the power of the internet.
Of course, we still provide On-Site service to our local customers in
southern Sydney
No remote support without excellent broadband
Without the internet connected as we are through TPG
adsl2+ broadband we simply would not be offering the same diverse
service or products to our customers and potential customers.
Pixel ITT, a provider and user internet services.
In many ways Pixel ITT, as an IT service provider, would simply not be able to operate without the power of the internet.
The internet as we receive it through our adsl2+ TPG broadband connection allows us access to our suppliers and assist our customers.
Extensive internet user
We use the internet extensively to find support solutions and the necessary programs, drivers and test applications to efficiently provide IT service to our direct and remote customers.
Online payments and balance
Our customers often pay direct thus avoiding the need to post cheques, visit the bank, wait in a line, while we're able to check payments and balances without leaving the office.
Network hardware at Pixel ITT's small business home office
The user friendly, plain English network description
Our network is best described as a cascading, stepped or hierarchical with the top or outside world at the top where the broadband line enters the building, down to the computer, network devices or phone.
From the street the phone line comes in, combining the voice and broadband signals on one line
Where the phone line meets a phone or the modem a filter splits the signal to the right device
ADSL 2+ line connects to the modem
Modem connects to the Router which has both wireless and wired connections
Wireless connection from Router connects to authorised, encrypted, access allowed (as against access restricted) devices/adapters for computers, games devices etc
Wired connections from the Router connect to
Main PC
FreshTel internet phone device (ATA)
Network Switch (to spread) to other switches or PC
Other Switches and PC's so all network / internet related devices can access the internet or network
Network Switches
Computers
Internet devices
Services we use or provide through our broadband internet connection.
Pixel ITT's ASAP OnLine remote support for our customers
This service uses the DualDesk Remote PC Control tool, allowing us to see a customer's PC screen and control it's keyboard and mouse to make changes, repair problems and give quick training and support that may otherwise not be either affordable to our clients or reasonable for us to provide.
Examples of this service are the routine installation of license codes on many customers computers
Checking settings in a customer friendly manner without the customer needing to follow complicated instructions
Repairing computers that have spyware, viruses or other problems.
Providing geographically impossible support e.g.. Kalgoorlie or Central Queensland clients thru satellite broadband, or occasional support to clients in the USA (New Jersey) or Canada.
Email and internet connections
Website management and loading
Personal IM (chat) services
Web 2.0 use
Freshtel phone service for low cost domestic and international telephone calls
Experimentation with OnLine applications and collaboration tools
Bill payment and bank account transactions.
Internet based support searches, Driver download and application collection and trial software use.
Online gaming systems
IPTV (internet television from TPG)
Pixel ITT history of internet use and interest
1995, Saturday morning, a caller asking if we had any idea where to get 'Netscape'
1996 dial-up connection on one computer in the home business office - no network in existence and no sharing of data - no antivirus software needed, we simply didn't accept disks or files from anyone
between 1997 and 2001 we gradually created a small peer to peer network and later used Windows 98 ICS to share the internet connection. Often the family would be queuing for the home computer use while I was using the office PC for business use.
1998, Moved the office in the home and greatly expanded the local network with the family having a pc each.
2001, broadband 1Gb per month on a 256/64 speed
2003, increased broadband speed to 512/128 when we changed ISP
2007, TPG broadband with an ADSL 1 connection at 8000k/384k speed
2007, then upgraded to an ADSL 2+ connection running at speeds upto 20Mb/1Mb
Small note on reporting Spam
Each day pixelitt receive too many spam emails (often between 150 and 250). We report all Spam received to the ACMA using the ACMA Spammatters tool. If you're an Australian Pixelitt encourage you to report your spam to the ACMA as well.
If you're an Australian resident, then report the spam to the ACMA who have responsibility to prosecute spammers in Australia and who cooperate with international organisations to prosecute international spammers.Pixel ITT use SpamMatters, the ACMA software to forensically package and deliver the spam for their analysis.
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