Volume 3, Issue 2
February, 2001

IN THIS ISSUE:

• Dialup: Is DSL for you?
• Dialup: Look out for "Vantua"
• E-mail: Virus infection?
• Web pages: Spring cleaning ... all year long
• Web pages: Power: Not just a California problem

Dialup: Is DSL for you?

For businesses and active personal users of the Internet, DSL presents a
viable alternative to dialup or cable access.

Offering speeds far greater than typical dialup access, DSL works over an
existing phone line and communicates on higher frequencies than the telephone uses -- meaning high-speed Internet access can be used without needing to purchase a second line.

Many local businesses and individuals are finding that DSL can virtually
eliminate wait time while browsing Web pages, and significantly reduce download times for larger files.

Most commercial DSL users are companies with fewer than 100 employees --
often, businesses with from 15 to 25 employees who need Internet access.

A recent study, conducted by the consulting firm Vertical Systems Group,
reports that broadband connections -- of which DSL is one kind - will jump some 264 percent by 2003. Dialup access is expected to decline about 10 percent during that time.

NATCO Technologies, committed to staying on the cutting edge of Internet
technology, offers DSL packages to residents and businesses in our Internet service area. For more information, please call us at 800-775-6682.

Dialup: Look out for "Vantua"

Scams crop up online all the time, and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
has warned consumers about one potentially devastating Internet scam having to do with long-distance Internet service.

According to a consumer alert issued late last year, some Web sites claim
to provide free or credit-card-free services or content. Then, they require consumers to download a "viewer" or "dialer" program -- which, once downloaded, disconnect a user's Internet connection and place an international phone number, at long-distance rates between $2 and $7 a minute.

You can protect yourself by paying attention to any program that uses your
modem to dial to the Internet. Check the number it's dialing and continue only if it's a local call. Also make sure to read disclosures and monitor children's use of the Internet carefully.

If you find charges on your phone bill that you didn't authorize, take
action. Contact the FTC toll-free at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357), or use the complaint form at http://www.ftc.gov. Make sure you save your phone bill -- it may help identify the scammers.

E-mail: Virus infection?

A new batch of viruses is making the rounds of the Internet, including
some NATCO customers.

Viruses are files or programs, often sent as attachments to e-mails, that
can wreak havoc on your computer. Your entire hard drive could be damaged or formatted because of a virus attached to an e-mail. What's more, viruses often come from people you know or trust, and cause trouble on your
computer before you realize something's wrong.

To protect yourself, it is imperative to install and keep current virus
software on your computer. Two popular brands of virus software, McAfee and Norton, offer continual updates when new viruses are detected.

In the meantime, if you receive an e-mail with "Snow White" in the
subject, delete it immediately - do not open the attachment. As an extra precaution, if you receive an e-mail with an attachment, even from someone you know, call the person to verify they meant to send it, and make sure you scan the attachment before you open it.

If you have questions, visit McAfee or Norton online, or call NATCO at 453-8822, 425-7325 or 449-5087 for assistance.

* McAfee: http://www.mcafee.com/
* Norton: http://www.norton.com/

Web pages: Spring cleaning ... all year long

As mentioned in last month's newsletter, NATCO has begun enforcing its
server space allocations. Those Web site hosting customers who use more space than their current package specifies will be charged for the extra space.

We now offer new Web site packages that include more standard storage
space. You can change your service to one of these new packages, which may well save you money.

Many times, you can stay within your server space allocations by keeping
your files clean -- in other words, not storing files on the server that aren't essential or that are out of date.

To inquire about our new packages, call us at 800-775-6682.

Web pages: Power: Not just a California problem

The power crisis in California may not affect the lights in your office or
home, but it could well affect your online experiences.

Deregulated power companies in California have experienced record
shortages of power in recent weeks, forcing rolling blackouts in the nation's most wired state. Many Internet companies make their home in the San Francisco area, such as Silicon Valley, and have recently found themselves without power for as much as 12 hours at a time.

NATCO maintains emergency backup generators in the event of power outages
locally. However, in the event of power outages elsewhere, some of the services you use online -- for example, a Web site providing weather information -- could be unavailable. When the infrastructure of the Internet is without power, dialup customers, as well as Web hosting customers who depend on services provided
by other companies, may well have trouble accessing the Internet as usual.

Natco Net News
Volume 3, Issue 2

Archives of Natco Net News are available online at http://www.natcotech.com/newsletter/.

Questions? Problems? E-mail custserv@natconet.com or call 453-8822, 425-7325 or 449-5087 for assistance.

(c) 2001, Northern Arkansas Telephone Company, Inc