Dreamscape Online
Encyclopedia
Dreamscape Online, LLC. is an ISP
operating out of upstate New York state. It was founded in the mid-1990s in the form of the Dreamscape BBS by Scott Brennan. In 1996, Northland Communications acquired Dreamscape Online to become an integrated communication company with diverse offerings.
in New York state to install DSL ever, using Westell ADSL modems and BANA local loop circuits. The first test circuit was installed at an employee's apartment on Hawley Ave in 1996/1997 (check date?) and provided a 1.5 Mbit/s downstream and 384 kbit/s upstream connection.
Dreamscape Online was also one of the first ISPs to implement 56k modem
technology. After extensive testing of US Robotics' X2 technology, versus Rockwell's K56Flex
technology, Dreamscape determined that K56Flex was the superior technology through extensive testing of over 200,000 individual connection tests. Dreamscape then invested heavily in K56Flex RAS equipment, and was later rewarded when the V.90 standard "winner" of the 56k dialup modem technology was the Rockwell K56Flex technology.
Dreamscape also pioneered the installation of IDSL at 128 kbit/s speeds (with ISDN signalling), as an alternative connectivity technology for customers who were too far from a central office (CO) to get ADSL/SDSL
speeds. As Dreamscape's primary market is Syracuse, NY, this is a common occurrence in the outlying areas.
As a result of being acquired by Northland Communications, Dreamscape Online was afforded the unique opportunity of being one of the few ISPs to merge the technologies of non-RBOC LEC switch technology and new IP based packet-switching technology. This included providing "converged services" to small businesses: voice channels and internet connectivity over a single physical connection (generally, a T1). This proved a valuable commodity.
In addition to being the first ISP
in NY state to provide DSL
, Dreamscape also pioneered many new technologies including wireless internet, remote hosted virtual email domains (LanMail), SMTP store and forward, and was friendly to power-users and developers of dynamic web content, via ColdFusion, MS FrontPage, Perl, and PHP.
's attempt to regulate the internet through the "Operation Sabbatical" raid, resulting in the seizure of Usenet
servers from three small ISPs in upstate NY, including Dreamscape Online. At the time, public understanding of the role of ISPs was not well understood, so New York State Attorney General Dennis Vacco
believed he could end internet child pornography by shutting down local ISPs services. This attempt was viewed by many in the budding internet industry as a tactic to earn votes in an election year. He subsequently lost re-election to Eliot Spitzer
, and the US government improved its methods of identifying the sources of illegal pornography - no further seizures of ISPs' equipment followed. Dreamscape Online cooperated with law enforcement and maintained the state of ISPs as Common Carriers.
Internet service provider
An Internet service provider is a company that provides access to the Internet. Access ISPs directly connect customers to the Internet using copper wires, wireless or fiber-optic connections. Hosting ISPs lease server space for smaller businesses and host other people servers...
operating out of upstate New York state. It was founded in the mid-1990s in the form of the Dreamscape BBS by Scott Brennan. In 1996, Northland Communications acquired Dreamscape Online to become an integrated communication company with diverse offerings.
Access Technology Firsts
Dreamscape Online earned the distinction of being the first ISPInternet service provider
An Internet service provider is a company that provides access to the Internet. Access ISPs directly connect customers to the Internet using copper wires, wireless or fiber-optic connections. Hosting ISPs lease server space for smaller businesses and host other people servers...
in New York state to install DSL ever, using Westell ADSL modems and BANA local loop circuits. The first test circuit was installed at an employee's apartment on Hawley Ave in 1996/1997 (check date?) and provided a 1.5 Mbit/s downstream and 384 kbit/s upstream connection.
Dreamscape Online was also one of the first ISPs to implement 56k modem
56K modem
56k modems are voiceband modems nominally capable of download speeds up to 56 kbit/s . In the late 1990s, they were the most popular access method for personal Internet usage, but their use had declined as broadband technologies such as DSL gained wider availability.-Speed:The 56 kbit/s...
technology. After extensive testing of US Robotics' X2 technology, versus Rockwell's K56Flex
56K modem
56k modems are voiceband modems nominally capable of download speeds up to 56 kbit/s . In the late 1990s, they were the most popular access method for personal Internet usage, but their use had declined as broadband technologies such as DSL gained wider availability.-Speed:The 56 kbit/s...
technology, Dreamscape determined that K56Flex was the superior technology through extensive testing of over 200,000 individual connection tests. Dreamscape then invested heavily in K56Flex RAS equipment, and was later rewarded when the V.90 standard "winner" of the 56k dialup modem technology was the Rockwell K56Flex technology.
Dreamscape also pioneered the installation of IDSL at 128 kbit/s speeds (with ISDN signalling), as an alternative connectivity technology for customers who were too far from a central office (CO) to get ADSL/SDSL
Digital Subscriber Line
Digital subscriber line is a family of technologies that provides digital data transmission over the wires of a local telephone network. DSL originally stood for digital subscriber loop. In telecommunications marketing, the term DSL is widely understood to mean Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line ,...
speeds. As Dreamscape's primary market is Syracuse, NY, this is a common occurrence in the outlying areas.
As a result of being acquired by Northland Communications, Dreamscape Online was afforded the unique opportunity of being one of the few ISPs to merge the technologies of non-RBOC LEC switch technology and new IP based packet-switching technology. This included providing "converged services" to small businesses: voice channels and internet connectivity over a single physical connection (generally, a T1). This proved a valuable commodity.
In addition to being the first ISP
Internet service provider
An Internet service provider is a company that provides access to the Internet. Access ISPs directly connect customers to the Internet using copper wires, wireless or fiber-optic connections. Hosting ISPs lease server space for smaller businesses and host other people servers...
in NY state to provide DSL
Digital Subscriber Line
Digital subscriber line is a family of technologies that provides digital data transmission over the wires of a local telephone network. DSL originally stood for digital subscriber loop. In telecommunications marketing, the term DSL is widely understood to mean Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line ,...
, Dreamscape also pioneered many new technologies including wireless internet, remote hosted virtual email domains (LanMail), SMTP store and forward, and was friendly to power-users and developers of dynamic web content, via ColdFusion, MS FrontPage, Perl, and PHP.
Legal Controversies
In 1999, Dreamscape Online became embroiled in Dennis VaccoDennis Vacco
Dennis C. Vacco is an American lawyer and politician. He graduated a B.A. from Colgate University in 1974, a J.D...
's attempt to regulate the internet through the "Operation Sabbatical" raid, resulting in the seizure of Usenet
Usenet
Usenet is a worldwide distributed Internet discussion system. It developed from the general purpose UUCP architecture of the same name.Duke University graduate students Tom Truscott and Jim Ellis conceived the idea in 1979 and it was established in 1980...
servers from three small ISPs in upstate NY, including Dreamscape Online. At the time, public understanding of the role of ISPs was not well understood, so New York State Attorney General Dennis Vacco
Dennis Vacco
Dennis C. Vacco is an American lawyer and politician. He graduated a B.A. from Colgate University in 1974, a J.D...
believed he could end internet child pornography by shutting down local ISPs services. This attempt was viewed by many in the budding internet industry as a tactic to earn votes in an election year. He subsequently lost re-election to Eliot Spitzer
Eliot Spitzer
Eliot Laurence Spitzer is an American lawyer, former Democratic Party politician, and political commentator. He was the co-host of In the Arena, a talk-show and punditry forum broadcast on CNN until CNN cancelled his show in July of 2011...
, and the US government improved its methods of identifying the sources of illegal pornography - no further seizures of ISPs' equipment followed. Dreamscape Online cooperated with law enforcement and maintained the state of ISPs as Common Carriers.