Volume 6 Issue 9

April, 2001

New Services Planned

We are beginning to develop our own software programs to provide new services to Cove subscribers.
These new services include chat room features, web-based email, database applications and unique shopping cart functions.
The software packages will be Java-based and make use of Java's unique networking and security capabilities. We will be implementing the software on the Tomcat platform, a product of Apache's Jakarta Project.
You can expect to see these new services being offered in the late summer to early fall timeframe.
Other new services planned include enabling subscribers to be able to change their own passwords and manage email addresses.
We will also upgrade our modems to the new V.92 standard as soon as that upgrade is available.
If you have any service or feature you would like us to support, please let us know!

10 Digit Dialing

Please remember that Verizon requires 10 digit dialing on all phone calls effective April 2.
This applies to local calls as well as long distance calls, so even dialing into the Cove network now requires that you dial the area code and your local access number.
If you have not already verified that you are dialing into our network with 10 digits, please do so.
We have a web page you can refer to for help at www.cove.com/10digit.html.

Rescheduled Downtime

We are again re-scheduling downtime for several servers in Salem. This brief downtime will be on Saturday, April 21, in the afternoon.
This downtime is needed to install new backup power supplies for those servers.
The servers affected by this downtime are our NT (web and Real) servers, Silicon Graphics media servers, radius and terminal servers and a few auxiliary servers.
The downtime on our radius and terminal servers will cause an inability to login throughout the network and will prevent access to the network from Salem. All access services will be fully restored within a few minutes.

Help Desk Notes

Aside from the T1 outages, it was another quiet month at the help desk.
Some subscribers continue to try logging in using their real names.
Please remember; you must login using your user name (your email address without the @cove.com part).
As always, if you have any trouble, please call us. After business hours, our new toll free number is 877-221-2116.
We're here to help you!

SysAdmin's Corner

Verizon was up to its old tricks again.
We logged four separate T1 outages affecting service to Cape Ann on March 8, 9, 12 and 13.
These outages also coincided with service failures on our Cape Ann phone line.
Verizon technicians monitored the outages at our request. They identified and replaced several faulty pieces of equipment at the Salem Central Office, which returned our Salem-Gloucester link and phone line back to normal.

Subscriber Referral Program

Are you pleased with our service? Do you know someone who is unhappy with their current Internet/On-line service?
Why not do them and yourself a favor?
Just recommend our service. If they subscribe, we'll give you a free month of access!
They will appreciate your advice and you'll save a little money.
Again this month, over a dozen subscribers are getting their access in April for free - by referring new subscribers.

Everybody wins!

Internet Training

Have you seen our new web-based training packages?
They are convenient, up-to-date, and very inexpensive.
Visit this website at:
www.courses.cove.com
You can now even take introductory Internet and general computer use courses for free! Just visit our Help Page for access.

What's New at the Cove is a monthly publication of Cove Communications.

Publisher/Editor, Bill Ostaski

27 Congress Street
Salem, MA 01970
(978) 741-5300
(978) 282-3399
office@cove.com

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