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| New Year. New Look.
Powered by your input, we now present Netstar Connects in a “Lite” format, allowing you to see what we have to share faster and more easily.
Please take our 4 Minute Survey and help us continue to tailor our newsletter to your needs!
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New Testimonials
We’re grateful to announce two new testimonials courtesy of Mike Scarff Subaru and Kennedy Associates Real Estate Counsel, LP. You can take a look at snippets of both below:
“Netstar helped us dramatically increase our data bandwidth and implement a completely new WAN architecture. We were very pleased with Netstar’s level of service and the attention to detail.”
Doug Prichard, VP of Information Systems
“Not only did Netstar get the carrier to build out the cable for free, but the service they recommended reduced our annual telecom expense by 30%.”
Mike Scarff, Owner
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| Start Off 2010 Right… with Huge Cellular Discounts
Want to know how to get a 22% discount on your Verizon voice plans? And only pay 20 dollars/month for your data plan? As long as you meet the following two criteria, we can make it happen!
- You derive all, or substantially all, of your revenue from the construction industry.
- You are a construction company, home building company, remodeling company, or other trade craftsman (e.g. subcontractor such as an electrician or plumber whose primary trade is within the construction industry).
Email or call Tony Cheng [425.865.9811] today and he’ll give you the scoop on these exclusive deals. Don’t miss out!
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| Two Telecom Must-Dos for the New Year
With 2010 underway, our goal is to ensure that you have clear direction for your data services. Today we share two telecom must-dos to steer your data strategy in the right direction for the New Year.
– Remember, our Service Procurement service is free of charge. If you’re interested in acquiring or changing your cellular or telecom services, we want to work with you from start to finish; providing you with service quotes, network design, multiple proposals, and full implementation. –
Dive into Colo
As a result of the growing need to ensure data security, we helped successfully implement colo (collocation) solutions for many clients in 2009. Here are your primary benefits of using a premium colo solution:
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Acquire Disaster Recovery – back-up vital data and store critical equipment safely and securely off-site
- Receive reliable uptime
- Access better network speed and reliability
- Obtain better power redundancy
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Enjoy greater internet bandwidth and less latency
- Gain network and server specialists with 24/7 support
Interested? Let us know and we’ll give you smart, affordable options and follow through to procure all changes.
Leap into MPLS
Last year, we also worked with many customers to design and implement custom MPLS (Multi-Protocol Label Switching) networks. Your main benefits of MPLS include:
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Disaster Recovery: MPLS allows remote sites to reconnect to designated backup locations and data centers and other important locations to connect via cloud.
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Quality of Service (QoS): MPLS enables integration of your voice, data, and video.
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Data Network Convergence: MPLS allows the convergence of different networks onto a single infrastructure, reducing capital and operational expenses.
If MPLS makes sense for you, don’t waste another day. Contact us and we’ll give you multiple quotes and design options and carry out implementation.
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Avoiding Costly Cellular Termination Fees
New, expensive handsets and carrier price wars on voice plans are resulting in rising early termination fees (ETFs). I recently came upon a Phone+ article that outlined tips on how to spot and avoid painfully high ETFs. Here are some of its key pointers:
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Determine if you are in the ETF period: Contact your carrier or refer to your contract and find out if you’re in the ETF time frame. Note: if your cell phone and plan are two years old or older, it’s likely that you are no longer in the ETF penalty box.
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Do the math on your cell phone penalty: Consider calculating how long it will take for a switch to a cheaper plan to pay off your ETF. For example, if your ETF is $150, switching from a $90 monthly plan to a $45 monthly plan will pay off your penalty in 3 months.
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Know when to avoid a new ETF period: An Opinion Research Corporation survey from March 2009 found that 48% of cell phone consumers either were already at the end of their penalty period or in its last 12 months. Be proactive and consider your options before signing another long-term contract.
In related news, the Federal Communications Commission is currently looking into the ETFs of all major wireless carriers and sent out new letters of inquiry just yesterday. You can read about it here.
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Help Haiti with a Simple Text
Anyone seeking to contribute to Haiti’s international earthquake recovery effort, look no further than your cell phone. Major US wireless carriers and key organizations are working together to raise money for those devastated by the earthquake in Haiti. Here are ways you can help through simple text:
- Text HAITI to 90999 – More than $20 M has been raised by the Red Cross through this text message campaign. After texting, $10 will be added to your next cell bill.
- Text YELE to 501501 – Wyclef Jean’s Yele organization has raised over $2M to date for Haiti. Texts will contribute $5 to Haiti.
Special Note: Beware of scam artists. Look to CNN’s Impact Your World website to find a complete list of authentic humanitarian organizations.
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Attn: iPhone Users – A 2010 App Guide!
Looking for new and exciting apps for your iPhone? Look no more – here’s a list of 700+ apps reviewed by category via social news giant Mashable:
They have grouped their extensive reviews under the following categories:
1. Social
2. Business & News
3. Entertainment, Music, & Games
4. Family, Shopping, & Travel
5. Miscellaneous
Explore and enjoy!
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We want to give a special thank you to Dan Baldwin of the Telecom Association for mentioning Netstar Connects on his End-User Marketing Blog.
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“We’re sorry; we are unable to complete your call as dialed…” – ever wonder who the woman is behind that iconic telephone recording?
Jane Barbe [pronounced Barbie], AKA The Telephone Lady, is famous for her early intercept messages for the Bell phone company. You can watch a little montage on her here!
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