News & Residential Blog

The two best ways to extend Wi-Fi range in a home are to add a Wi-Fi range extender and additional router or to add a mesh network. Each solution has its own place, so it is crucial to understand the…

In today’s modern homes and offices, the internet has become more than a luxury. We need fast connections throughout our daily lives for not only the online surfing and searches that first sparked our reliance on the internet, but also for things like streaming TV shows and music, keeping our homes and workplaces secure, and in some especially advanced settings, even for controlling the lights and air conditioning, locking the doors, answering the doorbell, and starting the coffee maker with our smartphones.

How To Control Data Usage on a Child’s Phone Giving a child a mobile phone offers a direct line of communication with the child and a way to monitor their location at any time. But with these benefits comes the…

Statistics from the State Law Enforcement Division show the property crime rate in South Carolina has been steadily declining since 2011, including in each of the counties within FTC’s service territory. Unfortunately, homeowners can never entirely eliminate the possibility of…

VoIP is an alternative way to make and receive telephone calls, using the internet instead of the public telephone network. Also known as “internet telephony” or “IP telephone” because of its use of internet communication wires, VoIP is an abbreviation…

Used to connect consumers’ smartphones, tablets and computers — as well as televisions, video doorbells, air-conditioning systems, door locks and lots more — to the digital world, the internet has become a near-ubiquitous part of modern life. And while many…

For most homes, a good download speed is between 50 Mbps and 250 Mbps, depending on the number of devices simultaneously in use. A 250 Mbps connection allows a family of four to stream TV, movies and games on multiple…

While the official peak of the holiday gift-giving season may still be weeks away on Christmas Day, for FTC TV subscribers, a huge present is coming just days from now. This early December gift should be a very welcome one…

Fiber internet is a broadband internet connection that uses fiber cables, which are more efficient than traditional communication wires, to relay data at increased speeds with reduced lag times. This modern technology allows for internet speeds of up to 1…

In the digital age, it is a persistent question for parents, especially among those raising younger kids: How much screen time is OK for a growing child? Most experts suggest that for children it should be limited to two hours…

With Thanksgiving among its highlights, November is already a month that is strongly associated with giving thanks. And this November, FTC is giving its subscribers even more reason to put some gratitude on the menu this fall season! Beginning on…

He’s jolly, he’s bearded and he’s coming back! Santa is suiting up to pay a special visit to the FTC stores for Santa Photo Days Nov. 7 – Nov. 22. And this year, he’s bringing Mrs. Claus along with him!…

How To Get on the Do Not Call List & What To Do When It Does Not Work By now, many are fed up with incessant and unwanted telemarketing calls and have put their phone numbers on the National Do…

When young, inexperienced drivers are getting behind the wheel, safety concerns are always paramount for their loved ones. And for today’s teenagers, who are learning to navigate the roads in the digital age, the potential for distracted driving might be…

In the past, when on-the-go workers needed an internet connection for their digital devices such as laptops and tablets, they were forced to flock to coffee shops, libraries and other (often crowded) places offering public Wi-Fi. But thanks to an…

Once a term used almost exclusively by tech types, VoIP (an acronym that stands for “Voice over Internet Protocol”) has come to the forefront in recent years. In the digital era, the acronym has become more widely recognized by everyday…

In today’s digitally driven era, consumers use the internet for an array of purposes, ranging from the critically important to the downright trivial. But whether they are using their connections to get crucial work done, keep up with friends and…

According to the most recent available FBI crime statistics, Americans fell victim to more than 1.1 million burglaries in 2019, accounting for an estimated $3 billion in property losses. Further, more than 60% of the year’s burglary offenses targeted residential…

In the modern educational world, students’ primary learning tools go well beyond the pencils, paper, chalk and chalkboards that powered most classroom instruction in the past. And one educational tool, in particular, has become a go-to resource inside the classroom,…

For many 21st century parents, keeping kids’ screen time in check seems to be a never-ending challenge. But sessions spent on computers, tablets and smartphones do not always have to represent time poorly spent, even when the devices are in…

Named using an abbreviation that stands for “quick response,” QR codes originated in the 1990s in Japan’s automotive industry, where they were used to aid in the management of vehicle production. And since then, the pixelated squares that nearly instantly…

Today’s technology can enhance users’ lives in a broad range of important ways, from keeping them entertained and educated to helping get their jobs done, assisting with daily chores and connecting with loved ones. And sometimes, simple tasks even easier.…

As anyone who recalls the bulky size and limited functionality of the first commercially available cellphones can attest, mobile phone technology has come a long way since its introduction in the 1980s. And today, the technological gains being made with…