You are a telecommunications guru and love to help individuals and businesses. Assume that dialup, cable, DSL, T3 line, and satellite links to the Internet are available everywhere unless the particular scenario indicates otherwise. Consider the following scenarios and suggest the best overall type of link (consider communication speed, cost, and any other factor you believe is relevant). Each scenario is independent of the others. For each scenario, explain why you selected the option.

a. An author works at home writing articles for a magazine. Once per week she must transmit an article to her editor. She rarely uses the link for any other purpose.

b. A large company maintains its own Web site for online catalogs and purchase transactions by its customers. Hundreds of customers visit the sites daily and make purchases.

c. A small business uses the Internet for daily research. Owners have heard that some links are shared by other subscribers in the same area, which might slow down the connection or even pose security threats. Thus, they would like to avoid such a service. They do need a speed of at least 200 Kbps.

d. A farm in New Mexico needs a link of at least 200 Kbps. People on the farm can receive television signals only through antennas. The closest telephone central office is 12 miles away.

e. An Internet service provider specializes in hosting Web sites of small businesses.

f. A cruise ship wants to provide Internet service to vacationers on the third deck. The ship cruises in the Caribbean. The link’s speed must be at least 250 Kbps.