How about some internet provider advise?

[jinman]

My local landline phone company finally has DSL available for my area. I'm only 1 mile from a major highway by road, much less as the crow flies. That means we have several cell towers nearby and my cell phone modem works very well, even though I have a 5 gigabyte per month limit. My problem is that the cell modem is so convenient for taking with us on trips with our laptop that I can't bring myself to give it up and switch to DSL, even though the DSL service would be much cheaper. Having my wife surf the web and make hotel reservations while we cruise down the interstate is a "drug" I am hesitant to give up.

 

[Gooseneck]

There was no cell service in our area and I don't live within the requisite distance of the switch station to get DSL.

I knew about the DL limits on the sat services so they were no go.

There is cable running out on the road, but they wanted $500 to run it to my house.

I paid it.

 

[orezok]

You paid the phone company what you thought phone service was worth

I paid the phone company for the service I received. I had no choice on the fees they imposed on me so that others could have high speed service.

I'm sorry if this seems blunt. But the government has no business taking money from folks who have earned it so that others can download movies, trade baby pictures, etc.

Substitute "phone company" for the word "government" and tell me what the difference is?.

 

[biggerten]

I paid the phone company for the service I received. I had no choice on the fees they imposed on me so that others could have high speed service.

Substitute "phone company" for the word "government" and tell me what the difference is?.

You don't pay the government, they take your savings, your house and put you in jail. You need to pay them.

You don't pay the phone company, they cancel service. You want to pay them.

One is a choice, one isn't.

I know, I know. You'll argue that you have to have a phone. And I'll admit it is pretty darn convenient, to say the least. But people get by without phones all the time. And you could get satellite phone service and bypass the local phone company.

There *are* choices, you just don't like them. I understand. What I don't understand is folks (not just you) who want me to pay so their life is more convenient. If your house is on fire, I'm willing and glad to help. Internet too slow? I'll pay mine, thank you.

By the way, I have Wild Blue, so I'm living under the circumstances you find so frustrating, and find it's OK. So why should I pay more so you can have it better than I? Can't see it.

Good luck, I think this is talked out.

 

[MMagis]

Biggerten, are you under the illusion that if the government doesn’t pay for the installation of this system, that you’ll get your tax money back? It sure seems like it. I’d much rather them spend the money, that we’re paying regardless, on something that will help out so many people, rather than some of the enormous wastes we’ve seen.

 

[biggerten]

Biggerten, are you under the illusion that if the government doesn稚 pay for the installation of this system, that you値l get your tax money back? It sure seems like it. I壇 much rather them spend the money, that weæ±*e paying regardless, on something that will help out so many people, rather than some of the enormous wastes we致e seen.

I agree they waste enormous amounts of money. I am under no illusions about getting it back.

I am heartsick about the over $100 trillion dollars in unfunded promises our government has made that our kids and grandkids will have to pay.

We're in a deep, deep hole, and borrowing money to buy goldplated shovels.

Don't borrow money so someone can have faster internet. Just don't. PLain as that.

 

[MotorSeven]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Besides being rural, my farm is in a bottom, so I do not have a line of sight cell tower, but I do get spotty signal. I am going to try a cell signal exterior antenna/amplifier system & try and pull some signal in to run a Verizon web service. The location of the new house is 75' higher on a ridge and I can make a call from there, so I think the best bet is boosting cell signal.

My second choice, I will try Skyway. I have a friend who uses it and says it works "ok". Cable or broadband will not be coming thru here for 10+ years.

RD

 

[kidr]

Biggerten, are you under the illusion that if the government doesn稚 pay for the installation of this system, that you値l get your tax money back? It sure seems like it. I壇 much rather them spend the money, that we*e paying regardless, on something that will help out so many people, rather than some of the enormous wastes we致e seen.

Are you under the illusion. that they're spending tax money that they have? No, they're borrowing from China and printing money like crazy. Even China is getting the willies.

 

[forgeblast]

Very similar to our situation, about being at the bottom of two hills an no line of sight to a cell tower, thats why we waited for 7 years for dsl. Now in that time i wrote my state and local officals on feeling like a second class citizen since i was living in a rural area paying taxes and not getting the same benifits as people who live in the 'burbs. I would fire this email off once a year just so that they knew i was still with out it. I dont know if it helped or not but after seven years we have dsl.
no new construction in our area, no new houses.

 

[Mike Costello]

Well boys & girls, the wait is over! Obama wants us all to have internet service, so the FCC is rolling out the Big Plan for congress to chew on. Watch the news.
The estimated cost being bandied about is staggering. The money presses are going to slip a cog!

 

[CurlyDave]

...There is cable running out on the road, but they wanted $500 to run it to my house.

I paid it.

Consider yourself fortunate.

There is cable less than 1/2 mile from our house in OR. They would not run it to us for any amount of money.

I offered $10k and they still said no.

I offered to put in my own line to their ROW and they said no.

 

[JCB]

Don't borrow money so someone can have faster internet. Just don't. PLain as that.

big,

I think we all agree that we borrow plenty and it'd be nice if we did a better job managing. Like it or not, our economy is built on growth and wired access is the future of a large portion of our economy. Internet is infrastructure. Everybody wants fast internet and wants it cheap. We don't really know how this is gonna play out but widespread broadband access is the direction our country is heading. There will be some unexpected costs, but it will benefit all of us in ways we can't imagine.

Rural electrification was considered wasteful, yet it benefitted everyone and turning us all into consumers. While the benefit of that can be debated, it did lead to growth and that it what our country is truly built on.

Joe

 

[buckeyefarmer]

DSL has a distance limit from your phone exchange. Around 5 miles is the theoretical limit, but phone companies usually keep it under 3 miles. If the copper cable between the phone switch (or Remote unit) and your house is longer, you won't get DSL, ever. DSL uses frequencies above the voice range.
I have hughesnet, and the only way I get FAPed is if I download a large program or if I watch a lot of video. I have never exceeded the limit with "normal" web browsing. I also now have the verizon MIFI which I use along with Hughes, but it is slower, and it has a per month limit.
I would rather be FAPed than have to have dial up again.

 

[texasjohn]

Hey, if we really try, this thread might include some political opinions and commentary.

Clearly, it has been key to move from a budget surplus to deficit to pay for: wars to remove weapons of mass destruction, hunt out indigenous peoples in high mountain terrain, bailout bankers with bonus money, personal harassment of tots and old ladies in airports, torture of people dozens of times, and surveillance of suspicious citizens are all good applications of family values and fiscal responsibility.

Yep, my grandkids really want to pay for these things that have already provided them so much direct immediate value-add to the quality of their young lives. Things such as nation-wide good roads, schools, internet/communications access, health care, immigration control, various family tragedy safety nets, a healthy environment and a few other items which are clearly arguably inconsequential should surely wait several generations until the budget is not just balanced, but running a surplus, again.

 

[MossRoad]

... the majority of our school district does not have high speed internet access for students at home- what position do you think that puts our students in to compete. ....

That's a touchy subject. Without mincing words, or trying to pick a fight, here's my opinion, not argument...

There are plenty of successful people that came out of poverty, rural areas, back woods, etc...

High speed internet access at home for kids usually means more time spent on social networking, music downloads, entertainment and plagiarism, not education.

I am more in favor of having my tax dollars spent on high speed access at schools and having open computer labs after school, supervised, for homework purposes.

 

[biggerten]

big,
Everybody wants fast internet and wants it cheap.

Everybody wants everything and wants it cheap. I'll add they also want it now. This is exactly why we are $100 trillion in the hole.

Rural electrification was considered wasteful, yet it benefitted everyone and turning us all into consumers. While the benefit of that can be debated, it did lead to growth and that it what our country is truly built on.

You're positing that REA = Internet, I don't think so. In any case, the original poster has internet, and can get it multiple ways, dial-up plus several satellite providers. The same ways I can, but wants me to pay more so he can have it better.

Joe

And one last thing. How much debt is enough? My cri de cour (cry from the heart), HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH?

 

[forgeblast]

I do feel that just because i choose to live in a rural area i should still have access to information. The internet is wonderful because you can find just about anything. Before that you had to have a well stocked library, or know people. Now you can google and find after searching the information you need. With the rural areas wired up, city life wont hold a shine, it never did to me anyway.
Having the power of the internet is an amazing thing, If it is used for good. (enter your defination of good).
Having knowledge available is true freedom.

 

[JCB]

Big,

I think we're on the same page. My point is that the internet is more than just baby pictures and facebook. It's also the new economy. Business is going to grow from widespread broadband use and people are going to benefit. TBN is a perfect example of both.

Debt is a problem, and service on our national debt is a significant portion of our national budget. Granted it's not something I track often, but in my lifetime I remember milestones when US debt passed 1 trillion, then 4, then 10 and now last I knew I thought we were somewhere around 12 and change. I'm not sure we've reached 100 yet.

Like I said I think we're all on the same page regarding debt. The difference is probably whether or not we think broadband is an investment. The upside is that even if rural broadband is a bitter pill to swallow as a use for public dollars there is at least the chance of an economic benefit for the public. With money that may have otherwise stayed in the bank, I've made purchase and repair decisions based on this site alone that I'm sure have rippled through the economy both local and otherwise. So there is at least a slip clutch, battery lead and quart of paint's worth of dollars swirling around out there helping drive us out of this recession.

Joe

 

[biggerten]

Big,


Debt is a problem, and service on our national debt is a significant portion of our national budget. Granted it's not something I track often, but in my lifetime I remember milestones when US debt passed 1 trillion, then 4, then 10 and now last I knew I thought we were somewhere around 12 and change. I'm not sure we've reached 100 yet.

Money we've actually borrowed = $12.6 trillion, you're correct as far as that goes. But when you include Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid promises that are not paid for, it's nearly $108 trillion. Gulp. Here's a hypnotizing link - U.S. National Debt Clock : Real Time

Joe

The congress critters conveniently disregard promises of future benefits as not real, and therefore not debt. If you or I promise future payments, we count it as debt, just ask your mortgage holder. The government takes funds from me and my employer and promises Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. I count that as debt, since they take resources from me and promise I'll see benefits. Your mileage may vary. But we are in deep, deeper than most people, even those like you who seem reasonable and knowledgeable, realize. Here's that link again, in case you missed it - U.S. National Debt Clock : Real Time

 

[RavensRoost]

Yes, there is a definite distance limit between house and telco Central Office (CO), somewhere around 3 miles for copper I think. So in a traditional copper-based DSL you are out of luck if too far from the CO, which is the likely situation in a lot of rural areas.

However, telcos are now deploying newer technology where fiber is used between the CO and a "neighborhood box", copper from neighborhood box to house. This arrangement significantly extends the distance over which DSL can be provided. However, it means an investment for fiber plant and for electronics at the neighborhood end. Not all telcos will be doing this -- think cost, budgets, and target market #'s. Something along the lines of the old REA might speed things up a bit. Someday.