Suffering broadband withdrawl

[JimmyG]

:cry: I just moved out into the country. I'm living in a town with one 4 way stop. I'm typing this at 25kps :cry: In my old house I was on cable broadband and 3 mbs. The idiot cable people in this town offer digital TV but not broadband internet and I am 50,000 feet from the nearest telephone switcher so I can't get DSL either.

I looked into sattelite internet, but got sticker shock. Installation costs $600 and monthly fee is $60. That much $ for 500kps down and 50 kps uplink just seems like a ripofffffffffff! :temper:

Any suggestions????

[SAOverclocker]

Unfortunately, your SOL until they can get broadband in that area...Sorry bro.

[urbancontra]

Yes, i have an idea...get a wireless connection card. If you can use a verizon or sprint cell phone then your good to go.

I bought a sierra wireless 550 data card for sprint pcs off of ebay for about $25 bucks. Get it, call up and activate it, select which data plan you want...

It's not broadband, but you'll never connect lower than 153kbps per second. I use it and it's great.

[alphasl]

Move to Japan or S. Korea and get broadband shock :)

[Flamed_Chip]

I feel your pain... Life without broadband is like life without arms...

[ps2cho]

Yes, i have an idea...get a wireless connection card. If you can use a verizon or sprint cell phone then your good to go.

I bought a sierra wireless 550 data card for sprint pcs off of ebay for about $25 bucks. Get it, call up and activate it, select which data plan you want...

It's not broadband, but you'll never connect lower than 153kbps per second. I use it and it's great.

thats an interesting connection idea, sounds a bit different..

[Ddruid_SMP]

Check for a wisp in your area
Part15 Wisp Locator (http://www.part-15.org/maps/WISPSearch.asp)

[JimmyG]

I tried WISP, but no joy! :cry:

[JimmyG]

Urbancontra, I like your idea, but as far as I can tell the wireless data card is PCMCIA. I don't have a laptop. I want a solution that will work on my desktop machine.

[SK8]

man i love living in rich suberbs! lol. On the bright side verizon is laying fibre to my area soon so i can get 30mb!!!

[four4875]

we have a fat set of fibre cables runnin through ton, i dont think any of them are tapped int tho. they go across a river bolted to a train bridge iside a metal pipe, its about a foot diameter... pretty big. i dont think it does much for the broadband tho. we just have plain ole roadrunner :-|

edit: i assume they're fibre optic cables caus theres the post thingies that say "caustion, burried fibre optic cabling, call blah blah before digging"

[jajmon]

Seeing as they offer digital cable means they have the fiber backbone needed for broadband internet and they prolly don't have the infrastructure for broadband internet at the head end. Check with your city council, and attend their meetings and voice your concerns about broadband internet. Pole your neighbors and maybe get a petition going. Your city/township, like many others sub contracts cable and there is usually a plan for services. CALL your city hall, ask questions,,,,,,,,,,

[hkgonra]

Seeing as they offer digital cable means they have the fiber backbone needed for broadband internet and they prolly don't have the infrastructure for broadband internet at the head end. Check with your city council, and attend their meetings and voice your concerns about broadband internet. Pole your neighbors and maybe get a petition going. Your city/township, like many others sub contracts cable and there is usually a plan for services. CALL your city hall, ask questions,,,,,,,,,,

I would start raising a stink. A friend of mine works for a telco in rural Texas and they are giving high speed access to farmers that are 30 miles out of town with their closest neighbor 5 miles away from them. The universal access charge that we all pay is footing the bill for this. He said it cost them $120,000 to hook up 1 guy and he is only paying $29.99 a month for a 1.5 down 256k up connection to his farm house.

[JimmyG]

This little town I live in is so small I don't think they have a city council. I think I will just mosey down to the mayor's house and bug him...LOL

[Cytomax]

I wonder how hard it would be if you would set up your own WISP... talk to your neighbors and see if they would be interested in it...
Just food for thought...
Eddie

[samuraisam]

Urbancontra, I like your idea, but as far as I can tell the wireless data card is PCMCIA. I don't have a laptop. I want a solution that will work on my desktop machine.

You could get a PCMCIA PCI adaptor card for your computer, and that should quell that probelm.

-Sam

[JimmyG]

OK, here's an update:

I contacted DirecPC and they are running a special now where they will install satellite internet for $600 and $60 per month for 15 months. With this you get a $100 MIR.

Pet peave: What is up with rebates??? Why not just cut the price. I know the answer, they expect that not everyone will actually mail in the rebate. However, at the $100 level, I think the most people will mail it in. Give me a BREAK! :bang head

I am still mulling it over and meanwhile I connected up with Netzero. Their accellerator works pretty well. Surfing is reasonable, e-mail is OK. But, as you all expected, gaming is not possible. :cry:

[Flamed_Chip]

Gotta love been back at uni with 10Mbit to play with...