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GaFarm
join:2012-03-24
Waycross, GA

GaFarm

Member

Still Skeptical

I'm trying to read through the press release hype to figure out, in reality, what is truly being offered. Do I recall correctly that there is some government money behind getting "broadband" to rural residents? We are certainly an under served segment of the industry. It's understandable that cable and DSL doesn't seemed to have jumped to answer the call, it would require a huge investment. It could be recouped by a surcharge to the subscriber for a certain period. Much like old POTS land line was back in the '50s and '60s. I would certainly pay more for a time to help defray the cost of getting cable in this farming community 7 miles each from the two nearest cable networks. Farms, dairys and other rural businesses, plus rural residents, require internet access to the same extent that surb/urban businesses and residents do.
At our farm, where I also run another business that requires online access, we jumped on board when DirecWay/HughesNet became available. I don't need to detail the disadvantages, those who've had DW/HN know them, those that haven't don't need to read through the nightmare. The best that can be said is that it was better than dialup. We jumped offboard as soon as decent (3g) wireless broadband become available. It is getting better, but I think it's a GREAT day when I can get 1.5mg speed and that is sporadic. (Full disclosure, nearest tower is 7 line of sight miles, so that is probably pretty good.)
Not sure where Verizon and ATT get their % LTE coverage PR numbers, it has to be headcount, not geography. Both carriers admit converting towers that serve low volume areas will be the very last on their list. We JUST got 3G from ATT.
I worry a bit that the powers that be will adapt satellite as the universal acceptable solution to "broadband to the boonies" and we will never see an incentive to cable to extend their networks.
So, what do we do here? Several in the community still have HughesNet. They have just stuck with them, and the promise that "things are getting better". Several, like me, have mobile broadband. Others put up with dial up.
Is the new Dish offering truly something better--new technology--or just something warmed over and rebranded?