Cutting the Cord Article on Dishes and Cable

[MacLawn]

One word: internet.

Forget TV. We all MUST have internet access.

 

[deserteagle71]

One word: internet.

Forget TV. We all MUST have internet access.

Amen!

I keep hearing all these government promises of expanding rural broadband but as yet those of us who live in the outback have only very poor and very slow choices. And intermittent service - lots of outages. Yet any more anything you want to do - renew your car registration, apply for a job, etc. needs to be done on-line.

I was amazed to read not long ago that there were NO fiber optic lines anywhere in rural northern Nevada.

 

[MacLawn]

Yep desert, USA is big, but something needs to be done to help us get good internet. Without being ripped off! I sure don't know the answer, except I know it's not worrying about stupid TV! Internet. That's what's needed.

 

[Dadnatron]

Yep desert, USA is big, but something needs to be done to help us get good internet. Without being ripped off! I sure don't know the answer, except I know it's not worrying about stupid TV! Internet. That's what's needed.

The big push in Internet connectivity is Wireless. Even though fiber optic cable was the 'best' thing just 5 years ago, so many advances in Wireless connectivity have been made that in many instances, the 'rural internet project' has changed lanes and is coasting because they believe the effort and cost of 'hard wired' service will be eclipsed in the next few years with total wireless.

Kentucky had a big push for rural fiber optic. They just installed the roadside cables last summer and already, they have halted on moving further, at least for the moment, because of the promise of wireless outstripping the services. Its frustrating, but understandable, because I certainly don't want my tax $ going to something which will be obsolete in 5 years anyway.

 

[Oaktree]

The big push in Internet connectivity is Wireless. Even though fiber optic cable was the 'best' thing just 5 years ago, so many advances in Wireless connectivity have been made that in many instances, the 'rural internet project' has changed lanes and is coasting because they believe the effort and cost of 'hard wired' service will be eclipsed in the next few years with total wireless.

The cell companies are certainly gobbling up huge amounts of frequency spectrum, displacing tv and soon C-band satellite bands.
Wireless may be fine in suburbia or even further out where terrain permits, but in rural or hilly/mountainous areas, not so much.
Even if they install micro-cells on telephone poles in every neighborhood, you still need to get connectivity to and from them, and that still means fiber. Does anyone think that'll ever happen for people who live waay out in the boonies?

 

[dmccarty]

...
Even if they install micro-cells on telephone poles in every neighborhood, you still need to get connectivity to and from them, and that still means fiber. Does anyone think that'll ever happen for people who live waay out in the boonies?

The thing that bothers me about 5G is what happens when power goes down? Right now with cell towers, even during power outages we still have had Internet over the cell phone. The last couple of power outages took out power to the cell tower but we still had service! :thumbsup: Not sure how one is going to power little 5G cells all over the power lines when a tree takes out the grid.

Later,
Dan

 

[deserteagle71]

I can understand wireless in populated areas. But what about us who live far from town? Can't see any company investing in fiber or wireless for the few people that live out here. For us, I'm thinking that some kind of satellite internet has to be the answer. Something better than what's on the market now, though. A couple of my neighbors tried Hughesnet (and I think DISH) but quickly gave it up, said service was awful.

 

[Oldoak]

Some of you have got it right. Rural areas all across our country will never see fiber optic cable service even in the east. Simply too costly to run to sparsely populated areas.

However, for our family, the advantages of living in a very rural area far out weigh the capability of having fiber optic cable service.

I am not one that has to be tethered to internet access 24/7. Don't even own a "smart phone".

 

[Diggin It]

The thing that bothers me about 5G is what happens when power goes down? Right now with cell towers, even during power outages we still have had Internet over the cell phone. The last couple of power outages took out power to the cell tower but we still had service!

Only temporarily --- as long as the batteries hold or as long as the generator has fuel.

 

[dmccarty]

Only temporarily --- as long as the batteries hold or as long as the generator has fuel.

We have been without power for days, at least 3-4, and still had cell service. The cell tower had enough fuel to keep us connected. I don't see how a 5G network is going to stay up once the first tree falls on the power line.

Later,
Dan