Comcast Replacing Cable Customers With Internet Customers

Especially in recent years, many people have been looking for clever ways to cut some of their higher utilities costs. For some, that means taking shorter showers or keeping the air conditioner off during the hotter months. Many others have found that cable is a pretty substantial monthly expense that they can go without relatively easily. "Cutting the cord," as it's commonly referred to, can save consumers well over $100 per month, depending on the package of channels they had. According to Gerry Smith's L.A. Times article, they opt instead to use their internet connections, paired with streaming services like Netflix or Hulu, to watch their favorite shows.

Comcast Inc. is just one of the many cable providers that have suffered losses to their bottom line due to the cord-cutting frenzy sweeping the nation. However, on the other hand, Comcast has also observed that as much as people are removing cable, they are getting more new customers for their internet plans. This quarter, the number of cable customers dropped yet again, but an additional 350,000 customers bought broadband internet service, which helped to balance out Comcast's profits.

People aren't only getting more into internet because of its ability to replace their cable entertainment. In the modern age, it is incredibly difficult to have a job, attend school, or do pretty much anything else without a reliable internet connection. Everything these days is online, so Comcast and companies like it are naturally going to keep getting new customers and are going to be getting demands from their customers for increased internet speeds. Some of their new features, including personalized home Wi-Fi networks, have led hundreds of thousands of new users to try out their internet connections.

Some cable giants are offering cheaper cable packages with fewer channels, which is attractive to some users. To many others, paying anything for any amount of cable is simply too much, because they can get access to anything they want to watch via the internet. Why pay more for something you can get elsewhere for less? Comcast's profits went up this year due to the influx of internet customers, and they expect to increase their shareholders' dividends by around 20% in 2018, while increasing stock value at the same time.

***************************************************************************************************
Find out more about us at www.sepulvedaescrow.net. Any Questions? Contact our Escrow Expert! Sepulveda Escrow Corporation (818) 838-1831. Follow our company on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+.

**************************************************************************************************

Verizon and AT&T Both Plan to Introduce 5G Internet This Year

It's only been about 20 years since cell phones started to become popular among the common person. At around the same time, the internet became a commodity many people had in their homes. Yet, even though the history of both technologies is so recent, you would be hard-pressed to walk down any street in this day and age and not see someone surfing the internet from their cell phone. Smartphones have pervaded our society, providing entertainment, convenience, and connectivity to pretty much everyone around the country. According to David Lazarus's L.A. Times article, the newest update, 5G wireless, is coming soon.

In Las Vegas this week, there was a huge tech show called CES (which used to stand for Consumer Electronics Show). Many new electronic devices were debuted to the public for the first time. From fitness wearables to computers, tablets, and smartphones, the latest in tech was there for visitors to check out. One of the main innovations that is drawing major interest is that of the newest level of high-speed wireless internet: 5G. Both AT&T and Verizon Wireless, two of the top mobile phone providers in the world, have announced that they will be making 5G mobile internet available in several major cities, including Sacramento, before the end of the year.

For people who download or stream a lot of material on their phone, 5G seems like it will be exactly what they need. The 5G connections are expected to be much faster than the current standard 4G ones, and the connections will be far more reliable and less prone to lag. On the other hand, there are also some downsides to the faster connection. It is probable that the 5G connectivity will require that the user purchase a new phone, one that is designed specifically to use 5G. Additionally, the monthly cell phone bill will probably be significantly higher, and analysts believe that most average users won't need so much speed anyway.

Currently, mainly users who play a lot of high-bandwidth games or those who download large, high-definition movie would benefit the most from a 5G connection, but technologists expect that developers will rise to the occasion. Once 5G becomes commonplace, 4K video streaming, driverless vehicles, and immersive virtual reality are likely to follow quickly. 5G could unlock untold innovations of the future. Unfortunately, that path is likely to be expensive. Economic analysts expect the development of 5G to cost hundreds of billions of dollars, and those costs will be pushed onto the consumer with higher cell phone plan costs, but to many, the better internet connection is well worth a higher bill each month.

***************************************************************************************************
Find out more about us at www.sepulvedaescrow.net. Any Questions? Contact our Escrow Expert! Sepulveda Escrow Corporation (818) 838-1831. Follow our company on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+.

**************************************************************************************************

Key Reinstallation Attacks Can Allow Criminals to Hack Your WPA-2 Wireless Communication

Technological advancement, which can be greatly beneficial in many ways, can also make it more difficult for you to protect your personal information. Years ago, before the advent of the internet, rates of identity theft were far lower than they are today. Identification documents and private data were not nearly as available before the era of the internet. However, now that hacking is so prevalent, we must do what we can to improve our cybersecurity and prevent hackers wherever possible. According to Samantha Masunaga's recent L.A. Times article, the latest vulnerability to address lies in WPA-2 protocol, the current industry standard for Wi-Fi protection.

WPA-2 is the fundamental protection built into most wireless communication available around the world. Until recently, it was considered the best way to protect your online information, but researchers in Belgium found a vulnerability in the WPA-2 protocol that can allow a hacker to use "key reinstallation attacks" to intercept wirelessly transmitted information, even over encrypted networks. The hacking technique, also known as "Krack," is able to target systems powered by operating systems including Windows, Apple, Android, and Linux. From computers to modems to Wi-Fi enabled refrigerators; anything on your network could potentially be hackable.

The researchers found that Kracking is most effective against computers running Linux and devices running the latest version of Android OS. The hack could be used to capture information in sent emails, credit card numbers, browsing data, and even photos and videos sent to contacts. The hacking technique, while powerful, may not be as great a cause for worry as might be expected. According to the analysts, the hacker would have to be highly skilled and in close proximity to the targeted device. Therefore, any hacker looking to use Krack would likely target large corporations, where they might find a better payout.

To protect yourself, you should download any patches released by manufacturers as soon as they are released. For Windows devices, leaving "automatic updates" selected will let your computer take care of the threat for you. Many Apple devices have already received fixes for the vulnerability and others will receive software updates within the next couple of weeks. Google is working on releasing patches for Android devices as quickly as possible. Until that's all wrapped up, you can protect yourself by sending encrypted emails, being careful with online transactions from certain devices, and adding passwords to shared files that contain sensitive information.

***************************************************************************************************
Find out more about us at www.sepulvedaescrow.net. Any Questions? Contact our Escrow Expert! Sepulveda Escrow Corporation (818) 838-1831. Follow our company on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+.

**************************************************************************************************

Internet Connectivity is Becoming a Staple on Many Domestic Flights

Internet access is considered a "must-have" by many Americans, especially when on te move. In an increasingly spread-out and mobile world, consumers want constant access to the Internet to keep in touch with family and friends, or just as often, to get their work done. Long bus, train, or airplane trips can either be several hours of stress for a businessperson, or the perfect time for them to get through some of their work. Because of that, Wi-Fi aboard all forms of transportation has become more commonly provided throughout the country. In his L.A. Times article, Hugo Martin discusses Wi-Fi aboard airlines and their increased prevalence in recent years.

When Wi-Fi on airlines was introduced just a few years ago, it seemed like an overpriced gimmick that no one was really using. Eventually, though, as smartphones became more popular, airline passengers had a way to surf the Internet without lugging around a bulky laptop in their bag. So quickly that no one could tell when exactly the trend shifted, in-flight Wi-Fi became a highly-demanded amenity. From businesspeople keeping up with work emails to the average Joe checking their social media accounts, the technology had to quickly catch up to provide high enough speeds for users to feel like the high prices they were being charged were justified.

In-flight Wi-Fi has become so prevalent that a recent study showed that a passenger has an 83% chance of having access to the Internet on a domestic flight, which is up from 74% in 2015. Unfortunately, that same research found that the chance of having internet access on an international flight is only 28%. The three airlines with the most internet connectivity are Emirates, United, and Lufthansa, especially on long-distance flights where the demand would be higher.

While many American companies are trying to keep up with the trend, some are providing Wi-Fi that is good enough to check emails, but not good enough to stream a movie or TV show. Still, there a significant number of companies, including JetBlue and Southwest Airlines that are aiming to outfit all of their planes with high-speed internet connectivity by the end of the year. JetBlue's will be free, while Southwest's is expected to cost about $8 per day, per device. Overall, for most users, a high-speed internet connection while traveling is well worth similar fees. Eventually, it seems, in-flight internet will likely become an included amenity, available on all airlines. Only time will tell how long it will be until that becomes the status quo.

***************************************************************************************************
Find out more about us at www.sepulvedaescrow.net. Any Questions? Contact our Escrow Expert! Sepulveda Escrow Corporation (818) 838-1831. Follow our company on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+.

***************************************************************************************************