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How To Read Your Bill

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1. Overdue Balance – If you paid your last statement late, it will show up here.
Statement Summary at a glance – Summary of activity from the previous month to the current month, including total payment due.

2. Account number
Previous Bill – The amount on your previous bill
Payment/Adj – Your most recent payment or if a credit was made on your account, it will be placed here
Current Billing – The amount due for your next month of service
Total Due- The total amount due on your account. Any nonpayments or discounts will also reflect in this price

3. Message Center- Messages from All West Communications regarding your service and other services we provide.

4. Summary of payment information and when your bill is due.

5. Payment Address – Address where your payment should be sent.

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6. Statement Details – A comprehensive breakdown of all charges.

7. Charges include – Dates of service that are charged on this statement.

8. Change of address – Need to update the address of where your bills are sent? Fill this form out with your payment and we will get our system updated.

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What is the difference between download speeds and upload speeds and why does it matter?

So you have a fast internet plan, but you are trying to upload a video to the internet and all of a sudden it feels like it has stopped working. What happened?

Internet speeds are measured by how much data your internet connection can transfer per second, which is measured in megabits of data per second (Mbps). The number you see in Mbps measures the rate at which a provider delivers internet data to and from your home.

Download speed refers to how many Mbps it takes to download data from a server in the form of images, videos, text and more. Activities such as listening to music on Spotify, downloading large files or streaming tv on All West.tv all require you to download data.

Upload speed refers to how many Mbps you can send data from your internet connected device or server to another. Sending emails, posting photos or videos on social media and video calling a friend all require you to upload data.

If your internet plan doesn’t support the amount of data you are uploading or downloading, your internet may slow down. So the next time you’re using your internet connected device and it slows down, it may not be your internet provider but the upload and download speed of your internet plan. Learn more about All West internet plans.

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What internet speed is right for you?

If you enjoy online gaming, surfing the web or streaming All West.tv, you know having the right internet speed matters. But how do you know what speed to choose? If you only surf the web, do you need 100 Mbps? If you want to watch your favorite shows on All West.tv, how many Mbps do you need?

We’re here to answer all your questions and more!

• How does the available infrastructure affect your internet speed?
• General internet speed recommendations
• What internet speed do I need? Internet Speed Calculator

How does the available infrastructure affect your internet speed?

Depending on where you live, there is different infrastructure in place to get the internet into your home. The most common types are DSL, Coax and Fiber. Each of these creates a pipeline for your internet to move through. The more advanced the infrastructure the more opportunity you have to reach faster speeds.

The acronym Mbps stands for “megabits per second.” It is a measure of internet bandwidth that moves through the infrastructure. Bandwidth is the download and upload rate of your internet connection. The higher the Mbps is, the more you can do on your internet connected device.

Your router is what talks to both All West’s modem and your internet connecting device. Having a router that is compatible with your wire infrastructure and Mbps helps your device get the fastest speeds possible. If your router is not designed for the internet you have, you won’t be able to reach your full speed potential. (Read more about how your internet gets on your digital device)

General internet speed recommendations

Having a fast internet connection depends on what you use the internet for at home, how many devices are using the internet at the same time, and how many Mbps you have from your service provider. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recommends minimum internet speeds of 12-25 Mbps for families with multiple internet users or frequent online streaming.

Why would you need higher than 25 Mbps?

The FCC has defined broadband, or fast internet, as internet with download speeds of at least 25 Mbps and upload speeds of at least 3 Mbps since 2015. Download speeds of at least 25 Mbps accommodate many families’ needs, but the best download speeds and upload speeds for you depend on how you use the internet at home.

For example, let’s say you have a family of four, and nine devices split between them that include phones, laptops, iPads, and Smart TVs. When everyone is home at least six devices are being used at once for school, streaming TV, surfing the web and gaming. When you have that many devices in use, you need enough bandwidth to support them all. 25 Mbps distributed six ways is about 4 Mbps allocated to each device. Just doing school work on a laptop could use up to 25 Mbps, resulting in very slow internet, which is why All West offers a minimum of 100 Mbps. The more internet-connected devices you use, the more your speed is distributed amongst them.

What internet speed do I need?

Let us help you determine the speed you need for your home.

Tell us how many devices in your home connect to the internet. (Computers, smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, smart TVs, smart home devices, etc.)

*Calculations based on the FCC Broadband Speed Guide Next

Is everyone in your home online at the same time?

Recommended Download Speed

16.6 Mbps

*Calculations based on the FCC Broadband Speed Guide Back

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Top 10 tech tips to start your New Year off right

The new year is a great opportunity to tune up your technology. A well-working piece of equipment makes life so much easier. You spend less time fixing issues and more time enjoying your experience. Here are our top 10 technology tune-ups to start your year off right:

Update your passwords.

It’s important to update your passwords and keep things fresh to eliminate the chances of your accounts getting hacked. We also recommend using different passwords on every account in case you do get hacked; the hackers don’t have access to your other accounts. For more password tips, look in the winter issue of our InTouch Magazine.

Update your anti-virus software

Making sure your anti-virus software is up to date, and current is one of the easiest ways to make sure you’re protected. A good anti-virus program is always coming out with updates to keep your information safe. Some software also expires after a year, so it’s a good idea to find out when your renewal is coming up to stay protected.

Clear your device's cache

When you browse a website for the first time on the internet, your web browser stores information from the site in temporary files. This is the cache.

The next time you visit the same website, it loads directly from the cache copy instead of requesting the DNS server over the Internet. It’s important to clear your cache so that you get the latest version of the website you’re visiting. Clearing your cache also helps protect your temporarily stored data such as login credentials, phone number, and any other personal information you may use.

Activate “Find My Phone”

Have you ever lost your phone or dropped it in the snow without knowing it? Activating the “Find My Phone” feature on your mobile device is a handy feature that allows you to find your phone using a web browser map tracker.

This feature is available on both Android and iPhone devices. Click below to learn how to activate Find My Phone.

- Android
- iPhone

End cable clutter

Who’s guilty of having a spaghetti bowl of wires coming out of every electronic device you own? Declutter and streamline those cables. Not only will it be more aesthetically pleasing, but the next time you have to change a cord, you won’t be fighting a knotted mess. As a bonus, it reduces the risk of fires by reducing the heat a tangled mess can produce.

Recycle old electronic devices

We all have them. Yes, we’re talking about that old electronic device sitting in a closet somewhere. We encourage you in the new year to reduce your environmental impact and recycle your old devices at your local recycling center. The manufacturer of your device may also have their own recycling program in place.

Try new technology

Trying new technology can be scary. We like to stick with what we know because it's convenient and familiar, but new technology can open up so many possibilities you didn’t know existed. Get out of your comfort zone and switch over your cable TV to the All West.tv app, upgrade your internet so you can learn that new language you always are talking about, or get that new phone so you can FaceTime your grandkids.

Be nicer on social media

Interactions on Google, Instagram, and Facebook can all too easily turn into name-calling and inappropriate behavior. Remember there’s a person on the other side and they care about you and your experience. Instead of complaining, try complimenting, or giving constructive criticism.

Update Your Wi-Fi Router Firmware

Making sure your Wi-Fi router is up-to-date is one way to keep your connection to the web secure and performing optimally. When you use the internet, all of your information is going to be passing through your router, so if it’s compromised, it can really impact your privacy and the security of your devices. In addition to security, installing a firmware update can solve connection problems. See our Internet vs. Wi-Fi article to learn more about how your router works.

Backup your devices

Have you ever dropped your phone, gotten the blue screen of death, or spilled a drink on your laptop? There are a lot of mishaps that can happen to your devices. To ensure you don’t lose important information on those items, we recommend backing them up to either an external hard drive or a cloud drive. This way, you won’t have to worry about something happening to your important files.

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Streaming through your digital device

What does it mean to stream through your digital device?

Streaming is the digital distribution of video or TV content over the Internet. To start streaming, you need a device that can connect to the internet such as mobile phone, tablet, smart TV, streaming stick etc., paired with a streaming app or service. There’s a good chance you already use some streaming services like  All West.tv, YouTube, Netflix, HBO Now, or something else. These are all streaming apps that you can use to get TV or video on your devices at home and on the go. Most streaming services require a paid subscription to use their app.

Which streaming devices are compatible with the All West.tv app?

Mobile Phones:

  • iPhone (iOS 9+)
  • Android Phone (4.4+)
  • Windows

Tablet:

  • iPad (iOS 9+)
  • Android Tablet (4.4+)
  • Windows

Smart TV:

  • Philips Android TV
  • Sharp Android TV 
  • Sony Android TV 
  • Element Fire TV
  • Toshiba Fire TV 

Internet Browser:

  • Google Chrome (Win 49+, OS X 55+)
  • Internet Explorer (11+ on Windows 8.1+)
  • Microsoft Edge (13+)
  • Apple Safari (8+ Mac OS X 10.11+)
  • Firefox (47+)

Streaming Stick:

  • Amazon Fire Stick (Gen 2, Gen 3, & 4K versions)

Streaming Set Top Box:

  • Apple TV (Gen 4, TV OS & 4K)
  • Android TV Yes (WV)
  • Amazon Fire TV (Gen 2+)
  • Kaon box

Looking to cut the cable TV cord? Switching to the All West.tv streaming app is easier than ever! With four packages to choose from and up to 150+ channels that include WatchTVEverywhere and 100 hours of cloud DVR, you’ll never miss your favorite shows. For a limited time, All West is offering a FREE 30-day trial of All West.tv. Call today to start streaming now 866-255-9378.

Click here for more information on how to use your All West.tv. 

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