Frequently Asked Questions
How can I tell if a dial-up number is local for me?
The best way to determine that is to talk to your local telephone company. AcademicPlanet’s vendors provide us with the best coverage in Texas, although due to the often-times confusing regulations of the PUC (Public Utility Commission) some numbers may not be local though technically they should be.
If a given number is listed for a city (e.g., Breckenridge) it denotes that only members within the Breckenridge telephone exchange are guaranteed local access. It does not mean that the number listed for Breckenridge is physically in that city. Again, the best thing to do is to talk to your local telephone company to assure that it is local to you.
As long as you are dialing a local dial-up number there are no long distance charges. The great thing about the Internet is that you can communicate with people around the world 24 hours a day without incurring long distance charges, provided that you are using a local dial-up number.
AcademicPlanet is not responsible for any long distance charges incurred using the service. All members are responsible for verifying that they are using the correct local dial-up number.
Visit www.academicplanet.com and select Support-> “Access Numbers,” or if you are on a PC, you can double click on the AcademicPlanet Connection Manager icon and choose “Properties,” then “Phonebook” and select the appropriate number.
Please contact us as soon as possible at 866-584-9055 (outside of Houston) or 281-675-7350 (in Houston) so that we may assist you.
You can send e-mail to: support@academicplanet.com, or contact us as soon as possible at 866-584-9055 (outside of Houston) or at 281-675-7350 (in Houston) so that we may assist you.
Yes. AcademicPlanet has expanded its service to Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Tennessee. However, there are a few areas where we don’t have coverage in these states. If you live in or will be traveling to these states, please check the local access numbers in our database for the city where you live or will be traveling outside Texas to make sure you will have local access.
High Speed FAQ (14)
AcademicPlanet HighSpeed is an Internet accelerator that works with your existing dial-up connection and allows you to dramatically increase the speed of your Internet experience. As an example, pages that normally take 30 seconds to download can now be viewed in an average of 7 seconds or less.
AcademicPlanet HighSpeed is the next best thing to DSL or cable, at a fraction of the price! And unlike DSL or cable, AcademicPlanet HighSpeed:
* Works with any telephone line and modem
* Requires NO hardware or special equipment
* Installs in just a couple of clicks to your PC
* Works seamlessly with your PC
* Costs a fraction of the price of DSL or cable-just 16 cents a day!
Plus, AcademicPlanet HighSpeed also includes:
* FREE Pop-up blocker
* FREE Banner ad removal
Using AcademicPlanet HighSpeed, Web pages and e-mails load an average of 5 times faster. The more you regularly visit specific Web sites, the better the performance you will receive.
AcademicPlanet HighSpeed is designed to provide maximum acceleration for the Web sites you visit regularly. So the more you use the Internet, the faster your favorite pages will load.
Specifically, the AcademicPlanet HighSpeed accelerator speeds up the delivery of Web pages in four ways:
* Compression: AcademicPlanet HighSpeed delivers text and graphics more efficiently, using a proprietary compression technology that significantly reduces the size of Web pages and page elements sent to your browser.
* Caching: AcademicPlanet HighSpeed improves upon your browser's caching ability. It intelligently retains and reuses Web pages and page elements that have previously been sent to your PC. That's why the more you use AcademicPlanet HighSpeed, the faster your Web pages will be loaded.
* Persistent Connections: AcademicPlanet HighSpeed uses proprietary techniques to carefully manage and optimize the communication between your modem and our network of servers through a persistent connection. This eliminates the time wasted re-establishing and closing TCP/IP connections.
* Content Filtering: AcademicPlanet HighSpeed lets you block unsolicited content, such as pop-up ads and in-page ads, which contributes to long wait times.
* All text, HTML, mark-up and javascript
* Most graphics and photos including jpeg and gif images
* Most banner ads including animated gif images and Macromedia Flash content
* All browser-based e-mails
* All e-mails that contain images, even when read in a dedicated e-mail program
* MP3 files, executables and other files when downloaded from within your web browser (depending on the quality of your connection)
* Streaming media and audio and video files
* Secure pages, such as those used for online banking and credit card forms and pages accessed over VPN
* Files downloaded via ftp
AcademicPlanet HighSpeed has been through rigorous third-party testing to ensure that:
* It runs on most Microsoft® Windows™-based PC systems, including virtually any PC purchased within the last 4 years
* It does not interfere with other software or applications that you use
Please check the requirements below to make sure your PC will work successfully with AcademicPlanet HighSpeed.
Signing up for AcademicPlanet HighSpeed is quick and easy! Just follow these steps:
* Call an AcademicPlanet Member Care Representative toll free at 1.877.584.9330 (in the Houston area 281.675.7300)
* Tell the Member Care Representative that you want AcademicPlanet HighSpeed!
* The Member Care Representative will sign you up and give you the download instructions
* Then, you simply download AcademicPlanet HighSpeed from the AcademicPlanet website
* The download will take approximately 5 to 7 minutes
You can get AcademicPlanet HighSpeed for only an additional $4.99 per month. That's only 16 cents per day!
The AcademicPlanet HighSpeed pop-up blocker reads some websites and media players (such as RealOne, Quick Time and Windows Media Player) as pop-ups. You can easily disable the pop-up blocker to access these sites and use media players:
* Right click on any blank area of the web page or media player you wish to enable or unblock
* Choose "Allow pop-ups on this site"
* Then, click "OK" at the bottom
The AcademicPlanet HighSpeed pop-up blocker reads the Webmail "Message and Compose" window as a pop-up. However, you can easily use your WebMail with your pop-up blocker on. Here's how:
* Right click on any blank area of the WebMail window you want to enable or unblock (you can also right click on any blank area of the AcademicPlanet homepage)
* Choose "Allow pop-ups on this site"
* Then, click "OK" at the bottom
It's easy to turn on your pop-up blocker. Just follow these steps:
* Right click on the "blue propeller" icon at the bottom of your screen.
* Click "Options"
* Then, click "Pop-up Windows"
* Choose "Block pop-up windows"
* Then, click "OK" at the bottom
AcademicPlanet HighSpeed is ideal for laptop travelers! Our HighSpeed software will give you a fast Internet experience from any remote dial-up location anywhere, anytime.
Membership FAQ (13)
The answer is very simple. The vast majority of our new Members find out about us by "word-of-mouth" (from existing Members) and the limited marketing we do in conjunction with school districts. Other Internet service providers have very high marketing and advertising expenses. Because we don't spend a small fortune on advertising, we are able to offer a very affordable price for unlimited Internet access and E-mail.
No! Financially, we are supported by Member subscriptions, not advertising revenues. At AcademicPlanet, you won't be bombarded by annoying "banner ads" and "pop-up ads" that distract from the Internet educational experience.
No, annual contracts are not required on most of our Internet access accounts. You may cancel a Membership any time within 30 days from the start date and receive a full refund of the annual Membership fee (not including check processing fees, sales tax or shipping/handling). After 30 days have elapsed, no refunds will be provided.
The e-mail addresses can only be used by Members of your immediate family who share your primary residence. Can I use my Campus e-mail address from home? Yes, unless access to remote networks is denied by your campus network administrator.
If you have correctly configured the software AcademicPlanet sends you, you should not incur long distance charges. The simplest way to avoid long distance charges is to verify that your computer has not automatically placed a "1" in front of your access number. In many areas, we are subject to 10 digit dialing and some versions of computer operating systems may need to be setup slightly different. AcademicPlanet is not responsible for any long distance charges you might incur. (Refer to the AcademicPlanet Use and License Agreement that is included in our installation software.)
If you have correctly configured the software AcademicPlanet sends you, you should not incur long distance charges. The simplest way to avoid long distance charges is to verify that your computer has not automatically placed a "1" in front of your access number. In many areas, we are subject to 10 digit dialing and some versions of computer operating systems may need to be setup slightly different. AcademicPlanet is not responsible for any long distance charges you might incur. (Refer to the AcademicPlanet Use and License Agreement that is included in our installation software.)
Yes, we accept VISA, MasterCard, Discover and American Express. You can also pay by electronic or paper check.
Dial-Up Internet access is priced at $7.99 per month for annual Membership and $8.99 for monthly Membership. For other products, services and prices, Click the products link at the top of this page.
You need a MAC running OS 8.1 or higher or an IBM compatible PC running Windows 95 or higher.
You call us at 281.675.7350 or 866.584.9055 (Outside of Houston); we have live technical support on-site. You can also open a trouble ticket by sending an email to support@academicplanet.com.
We currently support modem speeds up to 56KB, depending on modem compatibility and your telephone line.
We will send you "plug and play" software that will install all of the dial-in software you need. Along with it, you will receive your user ID and password as well as user IDs and passwords for the alternate e-mail addresses.
Yes, unless access to remote networks is denied by your campus network administrator.
