Not too long ago, people only had a few options when it came to connecting with friends and family who didn’t live nearby:
- You could talk to them on the phone, but only by incurring expensive long-distance charges.
- You could send them a letter, but letters take time to get from place to place, slowing down the exchange.
Those were the only two long-distance communication options available to most people until the internet entered people’s homes and workplaces in the 1990s.
Today, staying connected with the people you love is easier than ever. Between social networks, videoconferencing, email, and other platforms, staying in touch with friends and family is simple, whether they’re located across town or on the other side of the world.
In this article, we’ll share several ways a lightning-fast fiber internet connection from Public Service can help you maintain your personal connections.
Email Is Still a Great Way to Connect
Although less popular than when it was first introduced to a broad audience in the ’90s, email remains the most commonly used digital communications channel. Every day, 347.3 billion emails are sent worldwide. While the majority of those are business or commerce-related, hundreds of millions of people still use email as their primary way of keeping in touch.
Most internet service providers – Public Service included – provide personal email addresses for every customer who uses their services. Dozens of free email services allow you to set up an email address and manage your messaging with a full-featured, robust web-based platform. Gmail, Outlook.com, and Yahoo! Mail are widely used, easy, free email services that allow you to send messages, photos, videos, or other files to your contacts.
Videoconferencing: Be There When You Can’t Be There
In the days of long-distance calls and stamps and envelopes, it was hard to imagine that one day, we’d be able to talk to family members and friends from anywhere – and see their faces while we talked!
Today that technology is built into every smartphone, comes installed on every computer, and is so commonly used that we almost take it for granted. With a high-bandwidth, high-reliability fiber internet connection, your video chats with loved ones can be crystal clear, lag-free, and last as long as you like – for free.
Phone Video Chatting
If your phone is your preferred device, there are plenty of platforms to facilitate your personal video calls. iPhone users can use the popular FaceTime program installed on every iOS device to connect with other iPhone users with a simple tap, and newer versions of the software will allow anyone with an Android or Windows device to connect to a FaceTime call. Android users can use Google Meet to connect with friends and family using any device.
If you prefer a different platform to connect with your loved ones, most of the services listed in the next section also offer apps for both Apple and Android devices that allow connections between any devices, anywhere.
Desktop/Laptop Video Calls
One potentially good side effect of the COVID-19 pandemic was that we all got more familiar with using videoconferencing software on our laptop and desktop computers as we shifted to relying on video platforms to work from home, make safer “visits” to our doctors, and maintain our connections when we literally couldn’t be there in person.
Setting up for video calls from your home computer is simple. If you’re using a laptop, you probably already have a built-in webcam. If you’re on a desktop (or if your laptop doesn’t have a camera), there are hundreds of incredibly high-quality, easy-to-use webcams available for less than $100, and many in the $40-$50 range that work great for video calls. Most now come with built-in microphones that provide good audio quality, as well.
Once you have the hardware, you’ll need to select a platform for your video calls. Mac users can take advantage of the same FaceTime app as iPhone users and Windows users have free access to Microsoft’s Teams app for personal video chats.
If you prefer to use a third-party solution, there are countless free and paid video chat apps available for Windows, Mac, or both. Some of the most popular include Zoom, Google Meet, (Facebook) Messenger, Discord, and WhatsApp. Whichever app you choose, you’ll need to ensure that everyone you’re connecting with has access to that app.
Social Networking Sites for Everyone
No discussion of personal connections over the internet would be complete without mentioning the ever-growing world of social networking. Through these sites, you can connect not only with friends and family but also with others around the world who share your passions and interests. Nearly every platform offers the ability to share written content, photos, videos, and more with individuals or your entire social network.
While there are hundreds of social networking sites out there, some focused on specific interests and others on particular types of content, the most commonly used as of 2023 are Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, and TikTok. Each has its unique strengths, and the user base for each platform is slightly different.
Facebook, for instance, has the largest but oldest user base and is the most popular among people over 30. Instagram has a much younger user base, but has limited functionality for sharing longer pieces of written content, relying almost entirely on photos and videos for its content.
Beyond these four leading platforms, others are more specialized – such as LinkedIn, a network for making professional connections, or BeReal. This relatively new service has a unique operating model that only allows users to post during a randomly selected 2-minute window each day.
With any of these services, you’ll get the best results when you can share your content and see your friends and family’s content quickly and reliably with a reliable high-speed internet connection such as Public Service’s fiber home internet offerings.
Stay Connected With Lightning-Fast Fiber Internet From Public Service.
Your network of friends and family lives all over the world, and the internet gives you plenty of options for keeping in touch. That means you need the speed and reliability of Public Service’s fiber internet service. Call us today to get connected – 478-887-4267
Related Articles
Public Service has provided exceptional communications service to Middle and South Georgia since 1910. Public Service is in the 4th generation of family ownership and remains one of the oldest privately owned communication companies in the United States. Our mission is to bring the latest technology to rural and city customers, offering affordable prices and exceptional customer service.
Public Service offers service to customers in and around these South and Middle Georgia communities:
- Reynolds
- Roberta
- Musella
- Macon
- Lizella
- Geneva
- Forsyth
- Culloden
- Butler
- Box Springs