OAKHURST, California - Sierra Tel Internet, a Sierra Tel Communications Group Company, announced that its GigaSkyNet Wireless Broadband service is now operational in Oakhurst. This affordable, high-speed, always-on Internet access is available to both businesses and residences. Installation of the wireless equipment began in Oakhurst in June. Installation will begin in Mariposa in September.

With speeds up to 150 times faster than a 56K modem, GigaSkyNet Wireless provides unprecedented performance and reliability for all of today's bandwidth-intensive applications and business networks.

Dan Scott, Oakhurst resident and self-described avid online game player said, "I used to have an ISDN connection to the Internet, averaging 115K, but now I have a connection that averages T-1 speeds (1.5 Mbps). I have done multiple speed tests over the Internet and they are never below 1,250K. There are times it reports "infinite loop" which means the connection is so fast that the program can't verify the end result."

Speeds will vary depending on how many Sierra Tel Internet (STI) subscribers are online at any given time. However; average speeds will range from 256 Kbps to 512 Kbps with bursts to 5 Mbps of bandwidth.

Scott added, "I have downloaded multiple 20MB files in about a minute. I even downloaded a 600MB file in about 35 minutes. Just for fun, I wanted to see how long it would take on my ISDN connection; after about an hour of downloading, it still reported that I had 25 hours before completion. That alone sold me on GigaSkyNet technology."

Wireless Internet access starts at just $49 per month for residences and $89 per month for businesses. During STI's summer special, installation and setup fees are waived with a 12-month commitment.

As an added bonus, with STI's GigaSkyNet Wireless service for networked multiple computers, everyone in your home or office can get on the Internet at the same time.

Tim Fruehe, president of Simply Smashing, Inc., said, "Our unique combination of MAC's and PC's on the same server posed no problems for the STI installation crew who not only performed a fast, clean installation, but also had all computers online the same afternoon. Now everyone is online all day; and downloading big art files takes seconds. Thanks STI for a job well done!"

For wireless service, a clear line of sight to a GigaSkyNet transmission tower is required. STI will conduct a free site survey to ensure that wireless service is available at your location. To be added to the site survey list, submit the reservation form available at www.gigaskynet.com. You can also access the GigaSkyNet website by clicking on the Wireless Broadband banner on STI's home page at www.sierratel.com. Visit GigaSkyNet online to learn more about the installation process, minimum computer requirements, and the advantages of GigaSkyNet Wireless over satellite service.

Scott concludes, "GigaSkyNet is a great value. I would highly recommend it even for the casual surfer since it makes surfing so much more fun, relaxing, and productive."

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