The Internet is used for the majority of tasks we perform in our technology-based society. We use it for our research, our restaurant reviews, and our news. Without the Internet, our world would be vastly different.
Everyone agrees that slow internet can be frustrating. Luckily, Ting is making an attempt to tackle this challenge. Ting provides their services in three locations, including our hometown of Westminster!
Ting’s plan is to install fiber-optic lines underground throughout the city. Anyone can submit an agreement to allow free installation on their property, but there is a cost for the internet service. Prices range from $89 a month for 1000 mbps (mega bytes per second) speeds, to $19 a month for 5 mbps, in addition to startup costs.
According to Google, an average household has an internet speed of 4 mbps or slightly more. This broadband network has the capability of handling multiple gigabytes in internet speeds spread out over a long fiber-optic line. This is why Ting guarantees internet speed that is double or more than what your current service provides.
Jason Stambaugh, Executive Director of Mid-Atlantic Gigabit Innovation Collaboratory Inc., states, “on the surface, [Ting] will offer our residents and business owners more consumer choice and access to the fastest internet speeds around. In the coming years, we’ll see the network be a catalyst for innovation.”
Imagine no lag time, buffering, or slow search speeds. This could change a student’s experience at McDaniel. Need to finish that research paper at the last-minute? No need to worry about waiting for Google to load. Forgot what time your group meeting is? Look it up in a flash.
McDaniel senior Bryan Fidler, upon learning about Ting, says, “fiber-optic internet is much-needed here at McDaniel. The school’s WiFi doesn’t reach my room, so this upgrade would be fantastic!”
McDaniel could have fully interactive online courses, like a Skype call between all the students and the professor. The bandwidth is so strong and vast that it allows for the use of Internet anywhere on campus. These, along with many other ideas, can be accomplished with faster, more efficient, and widely available internet.
This project can open many doors in the future for everyone in the Westminster area. If this becomes a success, this could draw in more people not only to the community, but also the college. The more publicity the college receives, the higher the possibility for enrollment.
At the end of the day, the city of Westminster and McDaniel College could be propelled ahead of the curve in this Internet and technology dependent society.
