I'm moving to a house where I can't get broadband. Help!

[rotnoid]

My wife and I are buying a house south of Bethel where neither zoomtown or roadrunner are available. If that tells you anything, I'm out in the sticks. I need high speed internet for my job, or at least to avoid working all my over time downtown. I know I can get a card from verizon or some other carrier. I also know that dish is an option, but I've heard not a great one. We're looking, of course, to get the best bang for the buck here.

Anyone have any experience with this type of service? What do you like, who do you use, what does it cost (if you don't mind saying)? What don't you like, who should I avoid?

[RedsFan75]

Dish is expensive, but I suppose Verizon might be too.

I lived in Bethel for a while, I got cable modem through Adelphia out there. Your house won't have access to a Cable modem?

[rotnoid]

Nope. I'm pretty sure Adelphia was bought by Time Warner. I called them. There's nothing available on my street.

[Roy Tucker]

Is broadband over power lines (BPL) still alive?

It was designed for rural markets and the next big thing in 2005.

[SeeinRed]

Out where I'm from, my mom wasn't able to get broadband. No cable in the area, and most services wouldn't offer DSL out there either. One place did, SBC Yahoo!. Speed is OK, no where near cable, but better than dial up or enhanced dial up, thats for sure. I would check different carriers. Like I said, SBC Yahoo! was the only carrier that would even offer in that area.

[SeeinRed]

Originally Posted by Roy Tucker

Is broadband over power lines (BPL) still alive?

It was designed for rural markets and the next big thing in 2005.

I had forgotten about this. It was offered in very limited areas because of the equipment used to route the signals back to a reciever from the customers. It is still around in some areas, but there are a lot of bugs in it. I don't know that it has ever made it past the experimental stages.

[KronoRed]

I'd go with smoke signals before I used Internet over satellite again.

[rotnoid]

Originally Posted by KronoRed

I'd go with smoke signals before I used Internet over satellite again.

That's what I've heard. My options are quickly dwindling. It's looking like now I either work all my extra time in the office or shell out the money to have the fine folks at Time Warner come out and lay some cable. Both will cost, just differing degrees.

[EddieMilner]

I have verizon broadband card for my work laptop. It isn't the quickest thing, but its good for most things. I like to because I (typically) can have access, wherever I'm at. Meaning I don't have to waste time signing up for airport WiFi if I am only on a layover for 30 minutes. Just load it up and have all my work info right there. The Verizon software also automatically signs you in to your companies VPN (if you have one).

[LoganBuck]

Welcome to my world. My wife needed higher speed than dialup for continuing education. We ended up with Wildblue satellite Internet. It is ok so far. Pretty Salty price wise, $55 per month. I get $10 off for the first year because I have both Direct TV and Wildblue.

An option that is not available here that may be available for you is PTP (point to point, or line of sight) highspeed. It uses radio signals, and is very fast. It is about $40 per month in most areas. A word of warning is if you have alot of trees near you or a woods within .25 miles of your house between home and the signal source you may be out of luck. Some keywords "broadband over the air", "rural highspeed internet". They helped me find people that could tell me I was out of luck.

[bengalsown]

Don't do it!

A friend of mine lives in an area where DSL isn't available, Cable is only available across the street and they want to charge him a couple thousand to run it to his place, and they were forced to use satellite internet. It is garbage, and now they are back to dial up.

It's amazing to me. My cousin who lives in TN back on a gravel road in one of the poorest counties in Tennessee is the first person I know who had broadband (late 90's). My parents, who live in Montgomery County in Ohio just got DSL last year.

[GAC]

I've got a buddy who is in the same situation and is investigating HughesNet.

http://www.getdsltoo.com/?gclid=CK_h...FRQYsgod_wjfhA

[goreds2]

Originally Posted by rotnoid

I also know that dish is an option, but I've heard not a great one. We're looking, of course, to get the best bang for the buck here.

Have you checked to see if your work place will pay for any type of High Speed internet service for you? I did not know my work paid for it until I heard it through the grape vine. They don't advertise it, it seems.

I am now reimbursed $37.50 a month.

[rotnoid]

Thanks for all the advice guys. I'm working with my employer these days to see what they'll spring for. I may have an outside chance with Time Warner- the neighbors have it and my job paid for the guy that sits next to me to have cable run to his house. Fingers are crossed at this point.

[dougdirt]

Originally Posted by rotnoid

Thanks for all the advice guys. I'm working with my employer these days to see what they'll spring for. I may have an outside chance with Time Warner- the neighbors have it and my job paid for the guy that sits next to me to have cable run to his house. Fingers are crossed at this point.

Goodluck, that would be the best thing for you if they would cover that!