MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Communications Corporation is making high-speed cable Internet available to more station residents here starting this month.
The service is being presented to the residents of certain mid-rise towers and barracks as a more reliable and faster option to wireless or dial-up Internet.
“This is a faster and better product for everyone,” said Gunnery Sgt. Douglas Dickover, a maintenance management officer with Station S-6.
Though the speed of the cable Internet connection will depend on the number of simultaneous users on the cable system, normal connection speeds will be approximately 1 megabit per second compared to the slower wireless connection speed of 200 kilobits per second and dial-up speeds of 30kbps.
The faster speed offered through cable Internet means faster uploads and downloads along with a constant, reliable connection.
The faster speed provided by cable Internet allows people to keep in touch better through chats and video chats. Cable Internet is a better service than wireless or dial-up Hamuri Damura, an NT Communications clerk at the Sight and Sound Shop in the Marine Corps Exchange said.
Communication through wireless and dial-up is harder because of slower speeds and signal availability.
Wireless or dial-up signals could be weaker depending on where an occupant’s room is located in the barracks or mid-rise towers. A weaker signal makes download and chat connections less stable.
Dickover said acquiring high-speed Internet is a quality of life issue for everyone here and that all families and Marines would benefit from signing up for the service.
Station residents who have already heard of the new cable Internet service being provided in their buildings have begun to make the switch.
“The wireless has been really, really hard,” said Mary Beth Buenopatino. “We can’t use Itunes to download shows and my husband is going to start taking classes. It’s really hard for him to download videos or anything he needs for that,” she added.
Buenpatino said they use the Internet daily to communicate with their family by sending pictures and videos and that they are thrilled to make the switch over to high-speed cable Internet.
“It’s going to really change our life,” said Buenpatino. “We are really excited.”
To sign up for high-speed Internet, station residents must first go to the NT Communication’s counter located in the Sight and Sound Shop at the MCX here and buy a cable modem, an Ethernet cable and a coaxial cable totaling price of about $94.
Station residents interested in the service must then open an account with NT Communications by paying a $25 registration fee and a first $55 month fee.
Users will then be able to connect to the Internet within one business day after they sign up. To maintain service, users will pay a $55 monthly fee.
Damura said people interested in signing up should hurry since there is a capacity of approximately 129 users per building.
If station residents fail to be one of the first 129 users in their building they can sign up on a waiting list.
Mid-rise towers now able to sign up for the service are 589, 655, 657, 658, 906, 955, 1200, and 1210.
Barracks now able to sign up for the service are 203, 204, 313, 314, 330, 1190, 1191, 1193, 1368, 1388, and 1395.
Barracks 1358 is at full capacity, and those interested in the service can be put on the waiting list.