Barry County, MO (January 29, 2021) – Wisper ISP, LLC expands their service network to Barry County, MO. Wisper Internet’s expansion to Barry County is due to their success in the Connect America Fund Phase II (CAF II). CAF II was a rural broadband auction held by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 2018. Wisper was named the winner of $220.3 million; funds were allocated across the following six states: Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. The equipment deployed will be fixed wireless technology and will be found on the commercial tower at Farm Road 2057; Monett, MO 65708. Fixed Wireless Technology uses elevated structures, such as water towers, cell towers, grain elevators, etc. to reach a resident’s home. Current capabilities do require the equipment on a resident’s roof to have ‘line of sight’ to the elevated structure. That means no trees or terrain can be blocking the visual path. A resident will reside no more than 3 -5 miles from the elevated structure to receive the desired signal strength. Eligible residents will be able to receive the following speeds and prices: Surf: 10 Mbps for $50/month Surf Plus: 15 Mbps for $65/month Surf Preferred: 25 Mbps for $75/month Surf Pro: 50 Mbps for $85/month Surf Extreme: 100 Mbps for $105/month To determine service eligibility, contact the Wisper Sales Team at (800) 765-7772 or sales@wisperisp.com. Wisper has partnered with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for their Lifeline Program. The Lifeline program offers a discount off of service for low-income households. If you believe you are eligible for the Lifeline Program and would like to apply, please visit: www.lifelinesupport.org. When approved, you will receive an approval letter. To receive the discount, the approval letter will need to be emailed to sales@wisperisp.com…. Read More

Camden County, MO (February 8, 2021) – Wisper ISP, LLC has upgraded sections of their existing network in Camden County, MO to offer speeds up-to 100 Mbps. Vivian P. of Montreal, MO has been a Wisper Internet customer since 2019. When asked about her service, Vivian said, “My home is right by the tower with Wisper’s equipment. I could throw a rock and almost hit it – that’s how close we are! Since we are located 16 miles into the country, we don’t get very good cell service. Luckily, we can connect our phones to our Wisper service, and it improves the signal. We also use it for online banking and email.” Vivian and her husband have recommended Wisper to several of their neighbors. Many of them also joining the Wisper family. Wisper Internet has been an Internet provider in Camden County since 2018. Their fixed wireless technology is on several elevated structures throughout Camden County. The elevated structures upgraded to offer speeds up-to 100 Mbps are as follows: Commercial Tower – 7638 State Road A.; Montreal, MO 65591 Water Tower – 636 Sunny Slope Dr.; Camdenton, MO 65020 Fixed Wireless Technology uses elevated structures, such as water towers, cell towers, grain elevators, etc. to reach a resident’s home. Current capabilities do require the equipment on a resident’s roof to have a ‘line of sight’ to the elevated structure. That means no trees or terrain can be blocking the visual path. A resident will reside no more than 3 -5 miles from the elevated structure to receive the desired signal strength. Eligible residents will be able to receive the following speeds and prices: Surf: 10 Mbps for $50/month Surf Plus: 15 Mbps for $65/month Surf Preferred: 25 Mbps for $75/month Surf Pro: 50 Mbps for $85/month Surf Extreme: 100 Mbps for $105/month To determine service eligibility, contact the Wisper Sales Team at (800) 765-7772 or sales@wisperisp.com. Wisper has partnered with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for their Lifeline Program. The Lifeline program offers a discount off of service for low-income households. If you believe you are eligible for the Lifeline Program and would like to apply, please visit: www.lifelinesupport.org. When approved, you will receive an approval letter. To receive the discount, the approval letter will need to be emailed to sales@wisperisp.com…. Read More

Dade County, MO (February 2021) – Wisper ISP, Inc. is expanding their service network to Dade County, MO. Starting the week of February 22nd, eligible residents will be able to preschedule their installation appointments. Wisper Internet’s expansion to Dade County is due to their success in the Connect America Fund Phase II (CAF II). CAF II was a rural broadband auction held by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 2018. Wisper was named the winner of $220.3 million in the auction; funds were allocated across the following six states: Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. The equipment deployed will be fixed wireless technology and it will be found on the three elevated structures listed below. Fixed Wireless Technology uses elevated structures, such as water towers, cell towers, grain elevators, etc. to reach a resident’s home. Current capabilities do require the equipment on a resident’s roof to have ‘line of sight’ to the elevated structure. That means no trees or terrain can be blocking the visual path. A resident will reside no more than 3 -5 miles from the elevated structure to receive the desired signal strength. Commercial Tower – 241 Route D; Lockwood, MO 65682 Commercial Tower – 94 North Dade 81; Lockwood, MO 65682 Commercial Tower – 14 Route D; Lockwood, MO 65682 Eligible residents will be able to receive the following speeds and prices: Surf: 10 Mbps for $50/month Surf Plus: 15 Mbps for $65/month Surf Preferred: 25 Mbps for $75/month Surf Pro: 50 Mbps for $85/month Surf Extreme: 100 Mbps for $105/month To determine service eligibility, contact the Wisper Sales Team at (800) 765-7772 or sales@wisperisp.com. Wisper has partnered with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for their Lifeline Program. The Lifeline program offers a discount off of service for low-income households. If you believe you are eligible for the Lifeline Program and would like to apply, please visit: www.lifelinesupport.org. When approved, you will receive an approval letter. To receive the discount, the approval letter will need to be emailed to sales@wisperisp.com. Wisper ISP, Inc. is a Wireless Internet Service Provider with 162 employees and 20,000 subscribers across Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Wisper is based out of Mascoutah, IL, in the St. Louis Metro Area, with regional offices in Joplin and Washington, MO. Wisper customers in rural and metropolitan communities receive fast, reliable service and friendly, helpful customer service…. Read More

For those of us who grew up with the internet, or have at least had several years of experience with it in our personal and professional lives, we can sometimes take internet safety for granted: don’t talk to strangers, don’t post your address or your personal information, double-check a website before you place an order. We do these things automatically, but if we want to make the internet a safer place for everyone, we have to pass these tips on to our children, parents, friends, and family. On that note, today is Safer Internet Day! The theme for this year’s event is “Together for a better Internet” and being an internet provider we know this is so important, especially for kids and older adults. We want to share some of our favorite safety tips, for kids and adults online. Use Parental Controls – We’ve talked about this a few times, but it’s so important to make sure you know what your kids have access to online. You can usually set up content filters on your devices with apps or with your internet browser, or if you have the Wisper Home app, you can set content filters and restrictions there as well, and keep an eye on what they’re trying to see. Set Family Rules – Setting family rules for internet use is another good one for kids and teens. Explain to them why those rules are there and help them if they have questions so they understand. And make sure they know to tell you if they see anything they aren’t sure about. Limit Personal Information Online – This one is hard these days with social media, but we really do need to be careful what information we’re posting about ourselves. In general, be careful not to put your phone number, address, or your personal email on your profiles. It can even be helpful to keep your school or employer’s information off of social media. Stay on Secure sites – One tip that you might not know is how to find out if a site is ‘secure’ before you buy something or enter your information. If you look up in your browser window, right in front of the web address there should be a little lock. If there’s not a lock there or there’s a warning icon instead, it’s best to leave that site right away. Keep Your Antivirus Updated – Antivirus is another big one that we’ve touched on before, but it’s worth saying again. A good antivirus will keep your devices and your information protected even if you do end up on a not-so-safe site. We do also have antivirus included in the Wisper Home App! Guest Networks and VPN – A virtual private network helps protect your information online by hiding things like your name and location. If you have our Wisper Home App, we’ve talked about the guest network feature, where you can set up a separate network for your guests to use that keeps threats away from your personal network and your devices. Some of these may sound pretty simple to someone who spends a lot of time online, but for kids who are just learning, or even for parents and grandparents who haven’t grown up with internet access, it’s important to share these tips to help keep your loved ones safe online. At Wisper, we’re working to make the internet a safer place for everyone by providing our customers with the tools to protect themselves online, but we also want to help educate everyone in our communities on how to navigate the internet carefully and use it to the highest potential. We have a number of resources available on our website and on our social media accounts, and we’re happy to answer any questions you may have about our Wisper Home app, our wireless service, and the internet in general. If you’d like more resources on Safer Internet Day, you can go to their (secure!) website, SaferInternetDay.org. So keep these tips in mind this week, and let us know some of your favorite safer internet tips!… Read More

2020 was a year of firsts: an unprecedented number of people worked from home for the first time, kids tried out online learning, and most of our social activities were done behind a screen. And while it wasn’t always positive, we had to think on our feet to adapt to a new way of doing things. It created opportunities for innovation and new research in the tech world. We’re expecting to see a lot of these new trends and innovations grow even bigger and better in 2021. We’re definitely going to be seeing more video calls and virtual visits, but what about in the business world? Here’s what we’re expecting to see in 2021: The Future of AI Artificial Intelligence sounds like the plot of a sci-fi movie, but it is becoming more functional for data and analysis. Financial markets are using AI to monitor potential changes and predict their own trends. AI is also allowing employees in all fields to build models and examples to test possible outcomes. AI is becoming very user-friendly, and we’re probably going to be seeing it used in multiple applications this year. Growth of 5G 5G itself isn’t necessarily new, but this year showed us a need for speed in data transfer. 5G also helped people stay connected to family and friends on their phones and smart devices, and since it might be a while before we can go back to in-person conversations, speed and connectivity are at the top of the list for 2021. We’re also finding more uses for 5G in manufacturing for equipment monitoring and maintenance, so we expect that to continue this year as well. Cybersecurity We’ve talked about cybersecurity before, but with so many people shopping online due to COVID-19, we’re more aware of identity protection. Companies are also reworking their network security features as employees continue to work from home, using more AI to block threats and monitor activity on their internal and external networks. Cybersecurity companies like Alsid are helping companies of all sizes protect their information. Staffing Optimization Retail stores that remained open this year faced a lot of staffing issues, so we’re seeing more companies creating programs to more easily manage scheduling and store-to-store transfers of employees to help keep them on track. Health Data This trend started off with a bang last year as hospitals tried to organize contact tracing efforts for COVID-19. Now we’re seeing more AI in potential technology solutions, creating new apps to help identify symptoms and use photos to find possible conditions. We’re also seeing new programs that are able to help develop treatments by sharing data between hospitals. Human Resources Like we mentioned above, there was a large percentage of employees working from home this year. On top of that, the majority of the workforce will soon be millennials, so businesses are adapting to more tech-friendly programs, including digital recruitment and hiring processes, virtual training, and remote work capabilities. Zero Waste Technology is becoming more eco-conscious in 2021 and looking for ways to create less waste. We’re seeing programs to help decrease food waste by finding ways to redistribute leftover food, create better monitoring and stocking in stores, and even apps to help people find and buy excess food before it becomes waste. We have some exciting things coming at Wisper too! We’ve talked about some new features in the Wisper Home app, like device priority. You can go back and watch our show on that one from last week. We have even more announcements coming in February, so stay tuned for those! 2020 might have felt like a setback, but we’re hoping it will bring new innovations and opportunities to 2021!  … Read More

Barton County, MO (January 20, 2021) – Wisper ISP, Inc. is expanding their service network to Barton County, MO. Starting the week of February 22nd, eligible residents will be able to preschedule their installation appointments. Wisper Internet’s expansion to Barton County is due to their success in the Connect America Fund Phase II (CAF II). CAF II was a rural broadband auction held by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 2018. Wisper was named the winner of $220.3 million in the auction, divvied up across six states, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. The equipment deployed will be fixed wireless technology and will be found on the three elevated structures listed below. Fixed Wireless Technology uses elevated structures, such as water towers, cell towers, grain elevators, etc. to reach a resident’s home. Current capabilities do require the equipment on a resident’s roof to have ‘line of sight’ to the elevated structure. That means no trees or terrain can be blocking the visual path. A resident will reside no more than 3 -5 miles from the elevated structure to receive the desired signal strength. Commercial Tower – 623 Northeast 5th Ln; Lamar, MO 64759 Commercial Tower – 31 North Highway HH; Lamar, MO 64759 Grain Leg – 105 South Highway KK; Lamar, MO 64759 Eligible residents will be able to receive the following speeds and prices: Surf: 10 Mbps for $50/month Surf Plus: 15 Mbps for $65/month Surf Preferred: 25 Mbps for $75/month Surf Pro: 50 Mbps for $85/month Surf Extreme: 100 Mbps for $105/month To determine service eligibility, contact the Wisper Sales Team at (800) 765-7772 or sales@wisperisp.com. Wisper has partnered with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for their Lifeline Program. The Lifeline program offers a discount off of service for low-income households. If you believe you are eligible for the Lifeline Program and would like to apply, please visit: www.lifelinesupport.org. When approved, you will receive an approval letter. To receive the discount, the approval letter will need to be emailed to sales@wisperisp.com. Wisper ISP, Inc. is a Wireless Internet Service Provider with 162 employees and 20,000 subscribers across Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Wisper is based out of Mascoutah, IL, in the St. Louis Metro Area, with regional offices in Joplin and Washington, MO. Wisper customers in rural and metropolitan communities receive fast, reliable service and friendly, helpful customer service…. Read More

Belleville, IL (January 13, 2021) – Wisper ISP, Inc. donates goodies, such as candy, energy bars, crackers, ear savers, and more to thank the essential healthcare workers at Memorial Hospital Belleville. As the second wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic took hold on America, Wisper decided to take action by thanking those at the frontlines in the communities they serve. When asked about the donation, Memorial Hospital’s Director of Communications and Marketing, Anne Thomure stated, “Memorial’s team is extremely grateful for the support, donations, and love from our community. We thank Wisper for remembering our team with their donation.” Wisper ISP, Inc. also dropped off donations to the Pharmacy Department at HSHS St. Elizabeth Hospital in O’Fallon, IL. When asked about the donation, HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital’s Director of Pharmacy, Julia Schimmelpfennig stated: “During these very busy times, my team truly appreciates supporters like those at Wisper Internet! The snacks and words of encouragement and appreciation mean so much. Thank you, Wisper, for showing that you care.” The hospital would like to remind the community that you can further support their colleagues as the pandemic is not over. Everyone must do their part to help flatten the curve by continuing to be diligent with hand washing, social distancing, avoiding large gatherings and family or friend get-togethers, masking, and staying home when we are ill. Wisper Internet realizes they have been fortunate during the COVID-19 Pandemic. The demand for reliable, high-speed Internet service has boomed since the lockdowns began in March 2019. Many Americans have been working from home or learning from home to prevent the spread of the virus. Both tasks are nearly impossible to achieve in today’s age of technology without a reliable, high-speed Internet connection. Wisper has been an Internet provider in O’Fallon and Belleville, IL since 2003, the year Wisper was founded. Their fixed wireless technology is on nine elevated structures throughout O’Fallon. Fixed Wireless Technology uses elevated structures, such as water towers, cell towers, grain elevators, etc. to reach a resident’s home. Current capabilities do require the equipment on a resident’s roof to have a ‘line of sight’ to the elevated structure. That means no trees or terrain can be blocking the visual path. A resident will reside no more than 3-5 miles from the elevated structure to receive the desired signal strength. Wisper Internet realizes they have been fortunate during the COVID-19 Pandemic. The demand for reliable, high-speed Internet service has boomed since the lockdowns began in March 2019. Many Americans have been working from home or learning from home to prevent the spread of the virus. Both tasks are nearly impossible to achieve in today’s age of technology without a reliable, high-speed Internet connection. We look forward to making more donations to our community in the future!… Read More

T’is the season to binge-watch classic holiday movies. Whether your favorites are mainstream classics or more off the beaten Christmas path (looking at you, Die Hard fans), you can find them streaming somewhere on the internet. We pulled some fan favorites and compiled them here to make your Christmas streaming stress free. Home Alone We’ve all been stuck at home this year, so Home Alone (1990) seems like the perfect 2020 Christmas Movie. A kid stuck in the house, fighting off intruders, with a healthy dose of slapstick comedy to cheer you up. And of course, a happy ending. Even if some of us can’t see our families for Christmas this year, we can live vicariously through Kevin McCallister. Home Alone is streaming on Disney+. White Christmas A true classic, White Christmas (1954) features Christmas music staple Bing Crosby, alongside Danny Kaye and Rosemary Clooney dance their way through the holiday season. Mostly a vehicle for the hit song of the same name, White Christmas is the perfect sing-along, old hollywood Christmas movie. White Christmas is streaming on Netflix. How The Grinch Stole Christmas Whether you’re a fan of the original 1966 cartoon or the 2000 Jim Carrey version, the Grinch is a cult classic holiday movie. The reclusive Grinch tries to ruin Christmas by stealing presents, but finds out that the true meaning of Christmas is connecting with family. While the original cartoon is not currently included in any streaming subscriptions, you can still rent the original Grinch on Amazon Video. You can stream the 2000 version on Netflix. Miracle on 34th Street Another old-hollywood Christmas classic, Miracle on 34th Street (1947) is a holiday staple. When Santa gets taken to court in a case of mistaken identity, one little girl learns to really believe in the magic of Christmas. “Christmas isn’t just a day. It’s a frame of mind.” Miracle on 34th Street is available on Netflix. The Santa Clause Watching Santa fall off the roof may not seem like a strong introduction to a holiday trilogy, but The Santa Clause is one of the more popular Christmas movies among the millennial crowd. The trilogy might have trailed off after the original Santa Clause came out in 1994, but watching Tim Allen assume the role of Santa brings back a lot of childhood memories. The Santa Clause and it’s companions are streaming on Disney+. It’s a Wonderful Life Often imitated but never duplicated, It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) follows George Bailey (James Stewart) and Clarence the Angel as he learns that the world would not actually be better off without him. After a year like 2020, the message of gratitude and love are especially relevant. You can watch It’s a Wonderful Life on Amazon Prime Video. A Christmas Story Is it really Christmas if you don’t want A Christmas Story? The 1983 film is pure nostalgia, a throwback to a time when you could give a child a BB Gun for Christmas. But truely, the look into the life of a kid at Christmas time speaks to all of us in different ways, and taught us all not to lick frozen flag poles. A Christmas Story is streaming on Hulu. Elf “The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear” — and of course watching Will Farrell in Elf (2003). The innocence and humor of Buddy the Elf trying to make his way in New York City is highly quotable (“Buddy the Elf, what’s your favorite color?”) and positively inspiring. It just wouldn’t be Christmas without it. Elf is streaming on Hulu. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation One for the grownups, Christmas Vacation (1989) shows Christmas the way it really is… an absolute disaster. Anyone who’s ever had their family over for Christmas can relate to Clark Griswold and his family as they desperately try to keep it together for the holidays. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is still a sweet movie, proving that Christmas is worth all the craziness. You can rent or buy Christmas Vacation on Amazon Prime Video or Apple. Charlie Brown Christmas For the first time in 50 years, A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) won’t be airing on network TV. Apple bought the rights to all the Peanuts specials last year, but don’t worry, you can still watch it without an AppleTV+ subscription! Apple announced that viewers will be able to stream A Charlie Brown Christmas for free from Dec. 11 to Dec. 13. A Charlie Brown Christmas is available for purchase from AppleTV. While they aren’t currently available for streaming, it would be remiss not to mention the Rankin/Bass Christmas specials. Rudolph, Frosty, Heatmiser and all their friends are available for purchase from AppleTV and Amazon. And finally, Die Hard Now, in our humble opinion, Die Hard is not a Christmas movie! But if you enjoy watching action movies at Christmas time, Die Hard is streaming on Hulu, Amazon Prime, HBO Max and Youtube. Looking for high speed, wireless internet to stream your favorites, contact us! Happy Streaming!… Read More

Struggling to find the right gifts for everyone on your list? We’ve put together a collection of our favorite tech gifts for 2020! Whether you’re shopping for friends, family, or even yourself, the perfect gift is out there! Larq Self-Sanitizing Water Bottle – $98 Got a germaphobe on your list? The Larq bottle is lightweight, keeps your drinks cold, but also cleans itself every 2 hours. With a built in UV light, this germ-killing water bottle will impress even the most discerning germaphobe. Moleskine Bluetooth Pen and Notebook – $159 Easily keep track of your notes between work and home with built-in bluetooth technology. The bluetooth pen records everything your write in the notebook and will save to your devices, so you can access all of your notes anytime, anywhere. Apple Watch SE -$299 The latest Apple Watch will always make the top lists, but the SE offers a slightly more affordable option, without sacrificing the bells and whistles. So if you have an apple fan in your family, take a look at the SE. EyeBuyDirect Blue Light Blocking Glasses – $28 With the amount of time we’ve spent on our devices this year, our eyes deserve a break. Blue light glasses are available without a prescription or a trip to the eye doctor. The protective lenses block harmful blue light from your devices to help cut back on eye strain and damage. Playstation Classic – $99 Who said tech gifts had to be new? For the retro gaming fans in your life, the Playstation Classic is being re-released, complete with a handful of preloaded games. If the playstation 5 isn’t quite what you’re looking for, consider the original. Roku Ultra 4K Streaming Player – $79 We’ve talked about streaming devices before, but now is the perfect time to help someone on your list catch up with their favorite shows. Roku is one of the top rated streaming devices and is compatible with most devices and services. Tile Pro – $35 Tired of helping them look for their keys? Tile pro and Tile mate clip onto just about anything to track your easily misplaced keys, headphones, purse, or your wallet. They even come in multipacks for everything you need to keep track of. Amazon Smart Plug – $25 Make their smart house even smarter with voice controlled devices! Plug in any lamps, tvs, or even coffee makers, and control them from Amazon Echo. Don’t have an Echo? Go ahead and throw one of those in too, you can catch them on sale for $19! Mophie Charging Phone Case – $80 Never run out of charge again with a charging phone case. With a portable battery built right in, and great protection for your fragile phone, cases come in sizes to fit any phone. Normally $80, you can still grab Cyber Week deals at $30. Click and Grow Smart Garden – $100 Don’t let their new gardening skills slip during the winter. This smart garden makes it almost impossible to kill kitchen herbs with a built in light and watering compartment big enough to sustain your plants for a month. Add some spice to their cooking and some greenery to their kitchen. And of course, all of those new devices will need more bandwidth, so don’t forget to check in with your Wisper sales rep about possible upgrades in your area! Happy Shopping!… Read More

If you’re between the ages of 25 and 45, you’ve probably been using computers for most of your professional career. You know how to create a spreadsheet, you’ve signed digital PDFs, and you’re probably familiar with the basics of Google searching. But how many times has someone asked you for help resetting a password or locating a particular website? While it seems simple to us, this lack of digital skills can hold someone back from accessing the knowledge and opportunities available online. With more of our lives now happening virtually, digital literacy is more important than ever. Businesses and individuals navigate the internet every day, but if you’re having trouble building those digital skills, it creates a barrier between you and the rest of the online world. What is Digital Literacy? The definition of digital literacy depends on where you look, but according to the American Library Association, digital literacy is “the ability to use information and communication technologies to find, evaluate, create, and communicate information, requiring both cognitive and technical skills.” That’s the very technical definition, but in regular terms, digital literacy is the ability to navigate and understand the online and digital world. For someone who grew up in the 90s, 2000s, or 2010s, we have a habit of taking these skills for granted, rolling our eyes at parents and grandparents who call us yet again to ask how to get to their email. But with everyone spending more time at home in 2020, being able to navigate that iPad you gave them for Christmas last year is one of the few ways you can stay connected. We do a majority of our shopping online, so much so that malls are going out of business. And why wouldn’t we, when companies like Amazon can have items to your house the next day. But what does that mean for small businesses who never created a website for their store, who are losing their foot traffic? Digital Literacy is more than just sending an email or responding to a Facebook message. It’s the skills, knowledge and opportunities needed to succeed. Why Do We Need Digital Literacy? Digital literacy is a hot topic for a few reasons. While the issues of building digital skills have been in the spotlight for a couple of years now, COVID-19 has increased the awareness and need to build these skills for personal and professional reasons. When it’s difficult to get together with friends and family face-to-face, technology offers a way to fend off some of the feelings of isolation and loneliness, which is key to maintaining our mental health. Being able to handle a laptop or webcam can make a huge difference in maintaining relationships, but also in allowing for virtual visits with doctors or mental health professionals. We also know that a large number of people lost their jobs this year, leaving people looking for work who may not have had to search for a job in many years. This can be especially challenging now that the majority of job searches and interviews are conducted online. It also poses a problem for mom and pop stores that have been ordered to close their doors. Without the ability to navigate popular platforms like Facebook or even basic website creation sites like Wix to keep sales going online, they could be forced to close their doors. Being able to navigate online job boards like Indeed and professional networking platforms like LinkedIn can play a large part in the ability to find new work in the current market. Being able to handle technology is also essential for remote positions and working from home. On a more positive note, now is a great time for anyone looking to switch careers or just to grow their skills in their current field. If you’ve ever been interested in starting a new career in technology, now is a great time to work on those skills. Digital Literacy Resources If you’re interested in building your digital skills, there are resources available! In non-COVID-19 times, local colleges and libraries often offer classes on things like Microsoft Excel, basic email and Google skills, and even Apple-specific classes. You check with your local institutions on what they may have available. Companies like Microsoft also have programs available to help you build career-specific skills, like data analysis and IT support, or soft skills like Excel and the entire Office 365 suite. The Microsoft Global Skills Initiative offers free courses to help people affected by COVID-19 build their digital skills, but also learn new skills to help them prepare for a remote career. Their courses are available at no cost until March 31, 2021. Digital literacy has become one of the most important issues in 2020, allowing us to stay connected even when we can’t be face to face. Take some time to check out digital literacy resources and see what skills may be useful for you!… Read More

Ever thought about ‘cutting the cord’ of traditional cable? Back in the day, the only way to access channels beyond your TV antenna was traditional cable. The cable company would come to your house, hook up your box, and hope for the best. It was expensive, and you often paid for channels you didn’t actually want, but they weren’t any other choices available. With internet streaming on the rise, the traditional cable TV monopoly is losing its footing. In 2020, an estimated 44.3 million households have ditched regular cable for streaming services, and most of them say they aren’t missing out on anything. With new streaming services coming out every month, there’s no better time to cut the cord on cable. But where do you start? What is streaming? ‘Streaming’, in video terms, can be two things: on-demand streaming or live streaming. On-demand streaming gives you the freedom to watch your shows whenever you want, without worrying about your schedule getting in the way or remembering to set a show to record. Services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, and AppleTV are just some of the most popular on-demand streaming platforms. When looking to change up your TV routine, look at what you most want to watch. Not all shows are available on all platforms, and a lot of platforms also produce their own exclusive content that will never air on live, traditional cable. Make sure your favorites are available on your chosen platform! Live streaming platforms are more similar to traditional cable with live channels. One of the top selling points of live streaming platforms like fuboTV and Sling is that they have access to live sports. Other platforms like Hulu are a hybrid of both, with on-demand and live content available, depending on the plan you choose. Streaming Devices Once you decide to cut the cord, you’ll need a streaming device to connect your TV to your new streaming service. If you’ve already invested in a Smart TV, you’re all set! But if you’re looking for a way to connect, you have a couple of options. The first option is to use a device you already have, like a gaming system. Newer consoles like Xbox and Playstation have apps available for most major streaming services. Other options include the Amazon Firestick, Apple TV, Roku, and Google Chromecast. These devices connect to your tv either by USB or HDMI, so be sure to check what will work with your TV. Roku won best streaming device from ‘cnet’ this year for its variety of available streaming apps, simple interface and easy search feature. Roku isn’t made by a streaming service, so they don’t have any particular loyalties either. There are several different Roku devices to choose from, so there’s probably an option for you! Google TV’s Chromecast device was rated second-best overall, Apple TV 4k got the top spot for Ultra HD streaming, and the Amazon Fire TV Stick was rated the best budget option. Check Your Internet Speed Now that you’re ready to cut the cord, you need to check your internet speed. Faster internet means less buffering and pausing while watching your new streaming service. Most services have their own recommendations, but the faster the better. For example, Hulu recommends 16 mbps for high quality, 4k content, but only 4 mbps for regular HD. Netflix’s recommendations are similar, 25 mbps for 4k and 5 mbps for regular 1080p. However, you can manually adjust these in your streaming settings, but it may affect the image quality. If you’re on a plan that includes a data cap, be on the look out for those as well. If you spend a lot of time on your streaming service, you may need to raise your cap, or look for a reliable, high speed, wireless, non-data capped provider like Wisper! If you’re already a Wisper customer, you can check your speed anytime on our website or Wisper Home app, and check with our team if there are higher speeds available in your area. So if you’re interested in cutting the cord on your cable provider, whether you’re looking to cut down on your monthly expenses or just looking for new things to watch, take some time to research different live streaming and on-demand services…. Read More

If you’ve never been unlucky enough to get a virus on your computer, let me set the scene for you: You’re sitting at your desk, typing away on a work or school assignment. You’ve been researching information online all day, including a few sources you weren’t so sure about. Suddenly your screen freezes. Everything goes black and lines of code begin scrolling across your monitor, and you realize that all of your work and data are gone. Or maybe you’re a pre-teen, sitting at the family computer circa 2007, downloading music from LimeWire. You finish saving “Sk8r Boi” by Avril Lavigne to your ipod shuffle and go to bed. The next day, your computer won’t turn on and your parents are furious. In both cases, you and your computer fall victim to malware. Viruses and malware have been around as long as computers have, and as technology advances, they become harder to avoid. Recovering your data after a virus can be expensive or even impossible, and often the easiest thing to do is replace your device all together. Computers are our whole lives, and to lose all your data can be devastating. So how can you keep your devices virus free? What is AntiVirus Software? Antivirus software has been around since the beginning of computers in the 1970’s, back when the very first virus, The Creeper, was created. The antivirus software industry developed in the 80’s, back when Atari still made computers. The 90’s led to the development of more widely available antivirus software from companies like Norton and McAfee, as well as the rise of the VPN, virtual private network. Technology has certainly advanced since then, but the idea is basically the same: scan for potential threats and eliminate them. So why do we need antivirus software? The short answer is easy: to protect your device from viruses. But there’s more to it than that. Threats to your computer and other devices come in many forms, collectively known as malware, including: Viruses – meant to damage your computer Rootkits – which mask malware Bots – which allow criminals to access your device Worms – meant to attack networks Trojan Horses – malware disguised as other programs that you can download Spyware – like the name suggests, can collect and access personal data Message scams – threats disguised at links in messages and emails A good antivirus software protects your devices from all of these threats, keeping your devices and your personal information safe from attackers. Regardless of the type of devices you use, a good antivirus program is necessary to protect them, as well as your information. Types of AntiVirus Software How can you get antivirus protection for your devices? The easiest and most common way is to buy antivirus software or subscriptions. While CD ROMs used to be the main installation method for antivirus programs, these days you can sign up for a subscription online and download the program right to your computer. But what about your other devices? Smartphones and tablets are also susceptible to malware and need antivirus protection as well. Most antivirus brands will offer extensions for your other devices, but often as an additional cost. There are also some free versions available online. Other antivirus methods are offered through some internet providers, blocking threats before they make it to your devices, rather than just finding and deleting them from your system. This also includes all of your devices through a single service. We offer this service at Wisper! If you’ve signed up for our Wisper Care plan, you’re already covered. Through the ProtectIQ add-on in the Wisper Home app you get access to built-in antivirus and malware protection for all of your connected devices. You’ll receive notifications in your app when a potential threat is blocked. You’ll also be able to see all threats that have been blocked, how many scans have been run and see a list of alerts. Viruses and malware can come from anywhere, so it’s important to keep your devices protected at all times. Whether you purchase a software subscription or go through your internet provider, you should seriously consider adding antivirus protection to your devices, if you haven’t already!… Read More

As we announced on October 1st, we’re launching a new service, Wisper Home! The new feature of the Wisper Care plan is the Wisper Home app. The app gives you total control of your home wifi, right from your phone. Wisper Home allows you to monitor any smart devices in your home, and it also protects your devices using a secure network. You can set parental controls, block viruses, and create guest networks, all in the Wisper Home App. Setting Up Your App Before we install our new routers, customers will need to download and set up the Wisper Home app. You can find us in your app store! Once the app is downloaded, you’ll need to set up an account. Start by setting up your information. Enter your email, create a strong password and provide a few extra details on your location. Once your account is created, you’ll be able to connect to your new router. There are a few ways you can do that: Scan the QR code on the router. This will automatically input all the information you need. Or you can enter the details manually. The MAC address and serial number are located on the router. Now you’re ready to set up your network! The app will prompt you to enter a Router Name and Network Name (SSID). The router name will help you identify the router when working in the app, and the network name is what you’ll select on your devices when connecting to the wifi. Finally, set up a network password. This should be different from your app password. Your network password is what you’ll use to access your internet on your devices. Now that your account and your router are ready to use, we can start getting into more of the available settings in the Wisper Home app. Parental Controls When you connect devices to your home wifi, they will be added to your Connected Devices list in your app. From here, you can choose a device that you want to set filters or profiles for. For example, you could select a child’s laptop, and a filter to block adult content or block specific websites. First you’ll need to set up a parental control profile. Using the parental control tab from the side bar menu, tap the plus in the upper corner to create a profile. Once you enter the profile information and add a photo, you can select the devices you want to include. Just be sure not to add the device that uses the Wisper Home app! From there, you can set time limits or disconnect all the listed devices. For more advanced options like content filters, go back into your main menu and select Enable Applications and select Enhanced Parental Controls. If it’s already enabled, you’ll already see these options in your profiles! Once that’s enabled, you can go back to your profiles and select Filters to create and view filters by content, applications, or websites. Network Security One of the best features of Wisper Home is the built-in antivirus and malware protection for all of your connected devices. This feature should already be available in your menu as Protect IQ, but if not, just select it from the Enable Applications menu. Once Protect IQ is up and running, you’ll receive notifications when a potential threat is blocked. No action is required! Threats are blocked automatically. Through the app, you’ll be able to see all threats that have been blocked, how many scans have been run and see a list of alerts. You can also skip devices that you don’t want to be scanned, but we don’t recommend it! You also have the option to add a potential threat to the Trusted List if there’s been a mistake. You can take content off the Trusted List at any time if you change your mind. Guest Networks guest network, wisper home And speaking of network security, Wisper Home makes it easy to set up guest networks. Guest networks allow people to easily access your wifi without leaving your private network exposed. Just select Guest Network from the main menu. Tap the plus sign to create a new network. You’ll also be able to see any active guest networks. Enter the information for your network. Event name can be customized for the purpose of your guest network, and the network name will be the option your guests select to connect. You can also choose to add a password using the AES security option. You can choose whether to make your network endless, something that is available all the time, or set dates for the start and end of the network. The network will expire and no longer be available after this date. When you’re done, select Save and Send to send the details to your guests. These are just a few of the options available to you in the Wisper Home app, so open it up, play around, and be sure to check out our Wisper Youtube channel for quick how-to videos if you have any questions!… Read More

Welcome to Wisper Home! Last week we unveiled our new Wisper Home app as part of the Wisper Care plan! We’ve been working on this for months, testing new routers and functions to find our customers’ best solutions. Wisper Care Plan To provide the new routers, we’ve made a few changes to our Wisper Care plan. We’ve changed the price from $9.99 per month to $15 for new customers, and included these added features: Our new router Service visits included Device set-up for routers and the app Built-in antivirus protection Speed Tests right from your phone Details on connected devices Guests networks capabilities Parental Controls And relocation services! For new customers looking to sign up, mention that you’d like the Wisper Care Plan when signing up for service! For current customers interested in upgrading, contact our sales team about upgrading your plan and getting set up with a new router! Wisper Home App Once you’ve signed up, you can download the Wisper Home app. It’s available for free in your phone’s app store. Just make sure that you have the app downloaded and your account set up before our technician arrives; that way, once your router is set up, you’re ready to go! The app allows you to control the functions of your router right from your phone. You can name your network, change your password, create guest networks, and set up parental controls and content filters. You can also check your connection speed, set up device profiles, and view connected devices. Speaking of connected devices, you can set up built-in antivirus protection for all your devices! Any ‘smart’ devices on your network are protected from threats, even if the device itself doesn’t come with protection. We’ll have more information on the new app and all of its features in the coming weeks. Keep an eye out on our website and socials, and don’t forget to watch our informational videos on Youtube!… Read More

Guest Networks and Network Security We know that visiting suspicious websites on your home internet can leave you exposed to malware and viruses, but did you know that letting guests on your network also leaves you exposed? Leaving your home network exposed also leaves room for hackers to access devices on your networks, like cameras, doorbells, smart thermostats, TVs, Alexa, and any device that is connected to your wifi. The ‘smarter’ your home is, the more important it is to protect your network. There are several strategies to keep your home network protected. You can set network strong network passwords, create guest networks, or start at the source with your internet provider. Network Passwords The number one way to keep your network protected is to create a strong password. Everyone who comes to your house will ask for your wifi password, but be careful. Once you give someone your password, they can tell it to their mom, their sister, their dentist, or just strangers on the street. We’ve talked about passwords before, but we’ll go over the basics: For network passwords, the longer the better! You want it to be something you’ll remember, but your friends won’t. A series of letters and numbers will be the best way to protect your network. Don’t give your password out to just anyone. This one is pretty obvious, but limiting the number of people who know your wifi password will limit the potential risks to your network. Change your password often. Create a system for yourself. Every 5 people you give your password to, change it up! Find a system that works for you, and stick to it. Guest Networks If you have a lot of people in your home for parties, holidays, or just have people over often, you may want to create a guest network. There are two different kinds of guest networks – a temporary network and an endless network. A temporary network has a start and end date. These are the most useful for events, so your guests can have wifi access while at your home, but the network will timeout when the event is over. You can set a guest password or leave it available. Either way, it keeps people off of your personal network. Let’s say your buddies are coming over for a Super Bowl party. Everyone’s going to be live-tweeting, checking stats, and googling the latest commercial. You don’t know where those searches will take them on the wide web, so you set up a guest network. The network starts the morning of the party, uses the password TouchDown#1, and expires at midnight when all of your guests have hopefully gone home. Now whatever your friends are searching will stay on that protected guest network, and the password for your personal password stays private. The second type of guest network is an endless network. These networks don’t have an expiration date, so you can keep up all the time. These are the most helpful if you often have guests in your home. Network Security with Wisper Home And finally, one of the simplest ways to protect your devices and your network is to start right at the source. Services like Wisper Home App and the Wisper Care plan block any negative invaders before they even get into the house. Wisper Home and other similar services run in the background 24/7 and alert you anytime something tries to get onto your network. It works by protecting all devices on your network, preventing any outside access to those devices, and blocking data from suspicious sites. As we mentioned before, some devices don’t have built-in antivirus capabilities like your phone or computer. Your smart TV or video doorbell has access to a lot of your information but isn’t inherently protected. Protecting them at the source keeps your information safe and private. Network security is important to protect your data, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. Keep your password strong and private, set up a guest network when you need it, and keep all of your devices protected from invaders with Wisper Home…. Read More

Does this sound familiar? You’re on a Zoom call in your home office, maybe in the middle of a presentation, when suddenly everything freezes and your call is dropped. How about working on a spreadsheet online when your internet crashes and your work is lost? If you’re working from home, this can be incredibly frustrating! Most of these issues get blamed on the wifi, and rightly so. If your connection is slow or jumpy, it can kick you off or refuse to connect at all. For most of us working from home, wifi has become the most essential accessory in our homes, but how do you get the most out of your wifi? Of course, choosing an internet provider you can count on makes a huge difference. Check to see if Wisper is available in your area! Plugging directly into the router would solve most connection problems, but what if that’s not an option? Here’s a couple easy ways to get the most out of your wifi. Router Positioning It’s not always possible to plug right into your ethernet, and that can make it difficult to get a steady connection. One way to make connecting a little bit easier is to pay attention to the position of your router. Sometimes just a small shift can make a world of difference. Choose a central location – Router positioning is often limited by the location of your wires, but if you can, try to pick a spot in your house that is in the hub of your home. Don’t forget to check how many walls your signal has to pass through to get your devices. The closer you can get to the most popular wifi access points, the easier your router’s job will be. Clear the way – Is there anything in front of your router? It might seem silly, but something as small as a book or a lamp can affect the strength of your signal from the router. High vs Low – Is your router closer to the floor, or the ceiling? Keeping your router up higher on a shelf or table makes it easier to create a clear line of sight to your devices and strengthen your signal. Antennas – If your router has an external antenna, don’t be afraid to move it! For example, setting antennas at either a 45-degree diagonal or parallel to the floor will work the best for a two-story house. Free up Your Bandwidth Are you trying to spread your signal too thin? Sometimes just one application can suck up all of your available bandwidth and slow down your connection. Things like downloads, streaming, and gaming all take up an enormous amount of your wifi capabilities. If you’re having trouble staying connected during work hours, take a look at what else is going on in your home. Are the kids playing video games in their rooms? Is your significant other streaming Netflix upstairs? Setting a schedule of who can use what and when can really help open up your bandwidth. Cutting down on multitasking can also make a difference. It’s tempting to watch a video in the background while getting your work done, but this can create a pretty significant slow down. You can also make sure the kids are offline by a certain time using systems like profiles and parental controls. Signal Boosters If you want to get really serious, signal boosters, or wifi extenders, might be a good investment. Boosters work by grabbing your wifi signal from another room and amplifying it, before projecting it back to the room that you’re in. So if your office space is in the back of the house or on a different floor, placing a booster near your device can help create a stronger signal and keep you from cutting out. For Wisper in particular, we recommend mesh wifi extenders, but there’s plenty of options out there. Wifi extenders connect to your internet via wifi, and can be plugged in just about anywhere to amplify your signal. This creates two separate networks within your home, so you can choose to connect to the one that is strongest in different areas of your home. You can connect your living room smart tv to the original network on the main floor, but keep your office devices on the extended network when working upstairs. Mesh wifi works by creating a single, seamless network. Mesh networks use multiple devices, or ‘nodes’, placed strategically around the house to amplify your overall signal. Your devices will automatically connect to the nearest node, essentially eliminating any dead spots. Mesh systems tend to be more reliable and don’t require you to switch between networks when connecting in different parts of the house. They can also be useful for offices, schools, or if you have multiple people working from home or online learning.  … Read More

By Nathan Stooke, CEO of Wisper ISP COVID-19 has created a ‘new normal’ for all of us. Even though our day-to-day routines may have changed, strong leadership is more important than ever to guide your team through this transition. Leadership isn’t something you’re born into, it’s something you chose to do every day. And with new information coming all the time, we have to be ready and willing to adapt our leadership style and decision making. When I started Wisper in 2003, we had no office, no employees, no revenue, and no towers. We were ahead of the times. We knew there would be a demand for fixed wireless, we just had to wait for the rest of the world to catch up. By 2007 we had grown to 110 employees, we had an office, and we were still growing. As we grew our business, I realized that people were relying on me to make great decisions. As the CEO, people depended on me to feed their families, pay their mortgages, and to continue proving this job security for them. I realized I wanted to be an effective leader who deserved my position, not just because I owned the company. Leadership is hard. A good leader knows what kind of leader is needed and when. A good leader is also often unappreciated. It’s easy for someone to look at a situation and say how they would have handled it if they were in charge, but in execution it’s not that simple when your decisions make a difference. It’s easy to talk about what makes a good leader, but it’s hard to truly define good leadership. In this social distancing, where we aren’t around our team as much as we might have been, it might seem like there’s less opportunities to be a leader, but I would argue that there’s more. You just have to be more intentional with leadership choices. How do we define leadership? A number of words come up when you search for leadership styles, some positive ones and some that I’m so sure about. I would say the number one thing that really defines leadership is choice. Leadership is a choice you make regularly. You have the opportunity to be a leader everyday, but you have to choose to be that leader. Every day you choose how you are going to lead and how you are going to interact with your team. It’s not just the big decisions, either. Integrity is what you do when no one is looking. As a leader, what happens behind closed office doors is just as important as what happens in the conference room and even the lunch room. While driving around with my kids in the car, someone on the interstate cut me off. My son asked me if I was going to call him names because of his driving. I realized that yes, I could do that in front of my children, or I could use this moment to teach them. It doesn’t matter that he cut me off, because nothing actually came of it. We didn’t crash, there were no injuries, not even really an inconvenience. We talked about how he might be in a hurry to get to the hospital to see a loved one, or maybe he didn’t even know what had just happened. Me being upset about it doesn’t change the outcome of the situation, but it would affect my day and possibly my kids’ day if I let it upset me. It was just a small thing, but I chose to take the time to explain my response. Making choices in these everyday situations makes it easier to make big decisions in the long run. It takes years to build respect, but seconds lose it. With social media these days, any bad decisions will get out. Those decisions will change how and if people choose to follow you. Sometimes that means going against the grain, and that can be a hard choice. If I had listened to people back in the beginning of Wisper, it would never have happened. Being willing to go in the opposite direction at the right time is very important in leadership. How do we lead in this ‘new normal’ of COVID-19? I think it will have a lot to do with decisiveness, and being able to make decisions quickly and effectively. Earlier this year, we had to make quick decisions on whether to cancel annual events and conferences, or wait it out and see how things progressed. At Wisper, we had to change how we operated in our office environment and working from home, but also with our customers and service calls. I’ve had to personally reevaluate my leadership style to adjust for COVID-19. I usually like to plant seeds of change with the team, and help them grow and mature those seeds. But after several COVID-19 meetings, I realized I needed to take charge more than I usually would. I firmly believe that people can change, even if it’s not a permanent change. Information is changing rapidly. Nobody has all the information or time they need to make decisions right now. It’s ok to change your decisions, as long you know you’re making the best choices that you can in that moment. We’re all adjusting to this new normal. As a leader, your team will be looking at you to set the tone moving forward. We need strong leaders right now. We need people to step up and we don’t have a lot of time to prepare for it. We might want weeks to plan and discuss, but we need to make those choices in a few hours. And if you aren’t happy with the outcome, learn from those mistakes to improve next time. We’re all striving to do the best we can as leaders right now, so focus on your decisions, choose leadership every day, and be ready to adjust on the fly. You can watch our WISP… Read More

“Don’t talk to strangers on the internet, they’ll try to kidnap you!” As kids who grew up at the same time that the internet was coming into its own, we heard things like this constantly from our parents. Don’t put your real name on the internet, never give out personal information, and don’t respond to requests from people you don’t know in real life. A lot of us ignored that advice and spent a lot of time in chat rooms telling complete strangers our A/S/L (age/sex/location), or at least pretending to. There were no parental controls, no ‘safe search’ settings, and pop-ups were a constant annoyance. We chatted with strangers on AIM and made internet friends on Myspace, thinking we were old enough to stay out of trouble. Kids these days are often given an iPad before they take their first steps. They grow up taking technology for granted as a part of everyday life. So how do you teach them about internet safety and making good choices online? Parents turn to parental controls to keep their kids away from potential internet threats. Types of Parental Controls So where do you start? There’s a couple of different types of parental controls to look at when setting restrictions for your kids. Filtering and blocking restrictions limit access to specific websites, and filter out certain words or images. Kids search for some crazy things, and can easily stray into the less kid-friendly parts of the internet. Options like Safe Search keep potentially unsafe content from showing up in the first place. Blocking outgoing content helps keep your kids from putting sensitive or personal information out online. Once it’s online, you can’t get it back, and being able to keep them from sharing it can save you a lot of headaches. Time Limits let you determine how long your kids should be online for, and at what times of the day. Even adults have a hard time limiting our screen time, how can we expect our kids to? Setting and discussing time limits helps avoid the “five more minutes” fight and gives kids a chance to decide when and how they want to spend their screen time. Monitoring tools allow your kids to explore online, but keep you informed on where they’re going and what they’re looking at. We want to be able to trust our kids, but it never hurts to keep an eye on them, especially online. Monitoring tools can send you alerts when your kids venture out of the kind-friendly realm, or help you keep track of what they’re posting on social media. These settings can be made directly on phones or tablets, through your mobile provider, or in our case, your wireless provider! Our Wisper Home App and Wisper Care Plan allow you to set filters, block content, and make changes from your phone. It also alerts you any time a child’s profile attempts to get past the controls. You can apply them to TV’s, laptops, or any device that connects to the internet. Talk to Your Kids About Internet Safety In addition to restricting content, it’s important to teach children how to navigate the internet to help stop problems before they happen. Careful What You Share: Information that gets put out online stays online, so it’s important to show kids how ‘oversharing’ can happen and why it can be bad. Setting family guidelines about what information is ok to share helps set rules for kids to follow. As an example, try googling yourself and looking at the results together. Maybe your high school honor roll comes up, or maybe your resume, but whatever it is, be sure to point out how it got there, and how easy it was to find. Phishing for Information: Children and older adults are the top targets for phishing attempts, but children don’t know how to look for sketchy email addresses or grammatical mistakes. By teaching them to recognize common scams, like someone asking for credit card information, you can prevent your data from falling into the wrong hands. Password Creation: Silly passwords are fun and easy to make, but they aren’t usually secure. A password like ‘ihateschool’ is easy for hackers to break, and even hidden or private information can be revealed. Having a base password like A@ronS! (Aaron’s) with a specific detail to determine which account it belongs to, like A@ronS!T@b (Aaron’s Tablet) help’s keep passwords strong but easy to remember. And don’t forget to log out of devices and accounts when you’re done! This will keep friends and siblings from posting embarrassing statuses or releasing information. Questions? Talk about it!: If your kids find anything online that they aren’t sure about or that makes them uncomfortable, they can come to you. Walk them through what they found, and it’s not appropriate, figure out how to stay away from it in the future. The internet is a fun, educational place for kids to explore and learn, but it can quickly turn dangerous. Parental controls help limit the content your kids can access and keep them from sharing personal information online. Once you’ve decided what kind of limits you want to set, don’t forget to talk to your kids about why you put the controls in place! Teaching them safe internet practices build a strong foundation of internet-savvy to build onto as they get older and restrictions change. Whatever route you choose to take with parental controls, keeping your kids safe online is always the top priority!… Read More

Headquartered in Southern Illinois, Wisper ISP, Inc. provides high-speed reliable internet to residents in Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma (Arkansas will be added to their coverage area soon). Wisper is a rising competitor in the Wireless Internet Industry, as they were the second-largest winner in the FCC’s rural broadband auction, the Connect America Fund II (CAF II). With funds totaling $220.3 million, Wisper is expanding its efforts to become the leading Wireless Internet Service Provider (WISP). What is the Connect America Fund Phase II (CAF II)? The Connect America Fund II, or CAF II, is the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) “program to expand access to voice and broadband services for areas where they are unavailable.” The FCC states the funding will “subsidize the cost of building new network infrastructure or performing network upgrades.” Recipients of CAF II funding must follow requirements for speed, latency, usage allowance, and pricing to ensure service is of a predetermined quality standard and affordability. The requirement specifics, according to the FCC’s CAF II FAQs page, are as follows: Speed: Service providers must offer broadband at speeds of at least 10 megabits per second (Mbps) downstream and 1 Mbps upstream. Latency: Service providers’ network latency cannot be higher than 100 milliseconds round trip. Latency is the time it takes for a data packet to travel back and forth through a network. Usage Allowance: Service providers must offer at least one plan with a minimum usage allowance of at least 150 gigabytes (GB) per month or a monthly usage allowance that reflects the average usage of a majority of fixed broadband customers as announced by the Wireline Competition Bureau annually, whichever is higher. Alternatively, service providers have the option of offering a usage allowance that is at or above the usage level for 80 percent of their broadband subscribers if it is at least 100 GB. Pricing: Service providers must offer service at rates reasonably comparable to rates in urban areas. In addition to these predetermined standards, recipients are required to provide internet to their allotted areas within a six-year timeframe, while receiving funding over a span of ten years. Are you included in the CAF II build-out? The CAF II Map shows the build-out areas. Please contact Wisper’s Public Relations and Advocacy Specialist, Alison Tupiri, if you have questions on how to read the map. Wisper’s plan is to build out to more than the areas required by CAF II; however, the team cannot promise at this point in time that they will be able to service your exact location. How can you stay informed? Wisper received its first round of CAF II funding at the end of February 2020. Subscribe to Wisper’s CAF II Newsletter, The Connection, to stay up-to-date on the latest developments. Are you in a CAF II build-out area? Help us, help you. Do you have access to fiber? Or do you have access to a tall structure, such as a grain silo, grain elevator, water tower, etc.? Wisper would like to work with YOU and bring reliable, high-speed internet to your area. Provide your name, address, phone number, email address, and a description of your resource(s) to Alison Tupiri…. Read More

Today there are several ways to get an Internet connection. Families rely on it more than ever for homework, work, entertainment, and to stay connected. Many are familiar with traditional Internet options such as Dial-Up, DSL, Cable, Fiber-Optic, and Satellite. However, fixed wireless is a new name in the game. It is gaining more and more attention as a valuable alternative Internet option. What is Fixed Wireless? Fixed wireless is another way to receive broadband Internet. Users are connected using radio signals, and no cables are needed. Wireless Internet avoids costly, time consuming inground fiber installations. This allows the wireless Internet service provider (WISP) operator to get service where it is needed much faster! It also saves the customer money! It is more common in rural communities where other providers won’t go. It is fast and consistent with unlimited data, which is perfect for streaming all your favorite shows. How Does it Work? How it works is really pretty simple. A wireless broadband provider mounts a radio outside of your home and aims it at a nearby structure. Structures include towers, water towers, grain bin elevators, poles, etc. The structure and the radio securely send and receive your Internet content. A wireless radio (CPE) is installed on the outside of the home. From the outside radio, a cable is run into your home, along with a wireless router. This allows you to connect your wired and wireless devices to the Internet, so everyone in your home can get online. How Does Wireless Compare To Satellite, DSL, Cable, And Fiber-Optics? Satellite: Most satellites are floating in orbit between 100 and 24,000 miles away. That’s how far your data is traveling – so latency (the delay between the signal being sent and reaching its destination) is going to be much higher than just about any other option. By comparison, your nearest Wisper tower will be less than 5 miles from your house. Wisper latency times (i.e. 30ms) are a fraction of that of satellite (i.e. 400ms). Customers who switch from Satellite to Wisper are often amazed by the improvement in Internet speed and reliability. Unlike Satellite, weather does not affect Wisper service. DSL: Only available in towns, or within a certain distance to the DSL Central Office. Usually requires a phone line, so bundling with phone is usually required. Most DSL speeds are between 1 and 3 Mbps. Beware – the older the phone lines in your town or neighborhood, the slower and less reliable your DSL Internet connection can be. If you are looking to cancel your landline telephone and get Internet only, or you want more speed than DSL can provide, Wisper could be your solution. Cable: It can be very fast. Cable providers rank highest on lists of companies with the worst customer service. Wisper’s speeds are comparable to cable, and customers enjoy local, friendly, and knowledgeable support. Fiber: It can be the fastest – but it’s not always. Providers can vary a lot – from the speeds they offer and how much they charge, to how long it takes to repair a cut fiber line and restore an outage. It’s not available everywhere, so if you have the option to choose fiber, you might want to look into it if speed is important to you. Does Weather Affect Wisper Internet? Unlike satellite, which can lose signal during heavy rain, weather does not typically affect the wireless signal. There are some exceptions to this, such as, severe storms and ice. Lightening can sometimes damage tower equipment. Wisper monitors the network 24/7, so tower techs know when there is an outage and can work quickly to restore service at all hours. Ice buildup can affect a specific type of antenna called a Yagi. This is the long, skinny, pronged antenna that is only used in areas with no line-of-sight to the tower. Is Fixed Wireless for Me? If your current internet providers are limited and not offering the speeds you need, it may be time to look into a fixed wireless solution. Service is fast and consistent with unlimited data which is perfect for streaming all your favorite shows. Check to see if it is available in your area! About Wisper Internet The idea of connecting others started when a friend didn’t have Internet access at his business. Therefore, Nathan Stooke accepted the challenge. It took a little research, a few maxed out credit cards, and hard work. After that, Wisper Internet was born. Wisper thrives by bridging the gap in rural America with fast Internet. In other words, we help you connect and create opportunities in your community. Headquartered in Mascoutah, Illinois, our team is known for problem-solving, and spot-on customer service. Above all we have an ever-growing staff, which means you can now find us across Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. To sum up, we are here to help you.  … Read More