Rural broadband plan

[jmc]

Recent Indiana news release about getting broadband into underserved rural areas. Apparently it involves mounting broadband infrastructure on underutilized cell towers. Seems like it could happen anywhere (and, knowing Indiana, we're near the back of the pack). Sorry if it's old news.

WATCH: Lease Targets Rural Broadband - Inside INdiana Business

 

[rekees4300]

Thanks for posting the article link. I had not heard of this development. Hopefully it will provide an alternative to Verizon Wireless ludicrous data rates and usage caps. Competition is a good thing.

 

[prichard]

At our place we are stuck with Windstream. So we have nothing currently. (We don't live there yet). I'm hoping they catch up with this century soon so we can move there. High speed is a job requirement for me.

 

[coldsteelva]

Have you guys ever heard of OR have access to Exede Satellite Internet (ViaSat)? I'm out in the country and satellite was really my only viable option. It works well for my needs. #1 Fastest Home Satellite Internet – Exede

 

[TractorGuy]

Sounds expensive.

Seems like there was a federal rural internet initiative that us working stiffs got to pay for that we will never have access to.
Recovery Act Broadband Initiatives - Broadband.gov

 

[coldsteelva]

In the absence of a viable alternative with a school aged child that must have internet for school, it isn't that bad, but that is of course relative. For me it is $80 and is even capable of streaming (although not for long periods). It is available direct through Exede and is even re-branded and marketed by Dish Network and DirectTV and even my own electric co-op.

 

[vlcakc]

I switched from satellite internet service to wireless several years ago when the local isp installed an antenna on the commercial radio tower just across the road from me. At the time it was twice as fast and half the cost of satellite service. Also, no service interruptions due to weather. The wireless isp changed ownership last year and the new owner has installed a lot of new equipment and offers a choice of download speed options. I upgraded to a faster download option and am very satisfied. Even though the satellite isp's have apparently improved their speed and lowered prices, I would not be inclined to switch back. Vic

 

[oldnslo]

Here in Northern Il I have been using broad band service for the last five years. Like all systems it has some problems but for the most part it works well. In this area they have transmitter stations / antennas on several grain bin legs Vs actual cell towers. Only real downside has been line of sight required between your antenna and the transmitter / receiver tower.

 

[PJSprog]

We have satellite through HughesNet, and I'm not all that impressed. It's definitely faster than dial-up, but I would never describe it as "high-speed." Watching video is painful with all the constant buffering, and we didn't even realize we had a data limit until we got an iPhone for the youngest stepson a couple years ago. That may be the one thing I miss about living in town ... truly fast internet.

 

[mark02tj]

Sounds expensive.

Seems like there was a federal rural internet initiative that us working stiffs got to pay for that we will never have access to.
Recovery Act Broadband Initiatives - Broadband.gov

About 16 months ago they laid the "***** Fiber" (that's what the crew called it) right down the road in front of my house. But this cable was supposedly only to connect schools and government buildings so no homeowners, businesses, etc. The crew leader told me that it was $37.50/ft to bore in the orange conduit/pipe and another $37.50/ft to push the fiber though it. If he knows what he's talking about, that works out to $396,000 per mile. I don't know what it cost them to bore under the river, but they were at the crossing for over a week.