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Broadband Black Holes Continue
Massachusetts coverage remains the same
Last spring, we discussed “America’s broadband black holes” – those small towns in states like Massachusetts which do not yet have access to broadband services. Despite the widespread growth of broadband services throughout the nation, The Transcript reports that there are still “30 Western Massachusetts towns with limited or no access to broadband Internet service”. The reason cited for the problem is a lack of capital and issues related to combining public and private funding to make access happen.
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PlagueX1
Plague
join:2004-08-27
Twining, MI

PlagueX1

Member

Yeah?

Michigan would be on that list too. Nothing new.
bigjimc
join:2003-04-21
Middleboro, MA

bigjimc

Member

Eastern MA too

There is a Town called Lakeville which has both Comcast Broadband and DSL/FIOS. In a Commercial section of a main road there is neither available. No Wireless provider has wireless internet availability and a local City electric company who provides DSL cant serve it because it is two telephone poles away.

This is a town 30 miles south of Boston. Quite affluent, but hey. They are not required to provide 100% coverage.

The black hole continues

Herring_Run

Anon

Re: Eastern MA too

Hello fellow middleboroian! I used to live in Middleboro. Which road are you referring to?
bigjimc
join:2003-04-21
Middleboro, MA

bigjimc

Member

Re: Eastern MA too

Route 44 between 495 and 24. Its the Industrial park across from the Package store.
Glocker3
join:2007-01-20
Indian Orchard, MA

Glocker3

Member

This makes me sick.

What about the large city of western MA?? SPRINGFIELD!!! Springfield and Worcester need to be a separate state (the distribution of funding is WHACK!). It was o.k. for us to help fund the big dig though (largest, corrupt, fiasco in U.S. history, besides our current campaign of course). There is no word on a plan for Springfield to get lit with FIOS. I realize that it's a private company complaining about the capital and not the state that has to fund the expansion, but as always, we are last (like a step child). I bet we won't see the FIOS vans till mid 2009. Thankfully DSL and cable are available. My heart goes out to the smaller towns that don't even have those as an option.

WHAAA, WHAAA, WHAAA!!!!!
pn8
join:2001-01-11
Hannacroix, NY

pn8

Member

NY

Up State NY is a big black hole

hayabusa3303
Over 200 mph
Premium Member
join:2005-06-29
Florence, SC

hayabusa3303

Premium Member

think.

when you stop and think about there are black holes all over the usa not just some rich part of Massachusetts. OMG 30 towns in mass dont have HSI crap i know couple of thousand dont have have HSI.

If you dont like where you live because of you cant get HSI MOVE and quit bitching.
Glocker3
join:2007-01-20
Indian Orchard, MA

Glocker3

Member

Re: think.

Yeah and to you Ethiopians, quit bitching about having no food and move.

Great advise. (Sarcasm)

PDXPLT
join:2003-12-04
Banks, OR

2 edits

PDXPLT to hayabusa3303

Member

to hayabusa3303
said by hayabusa3303:

If you dont like where you live because of you cant get HSI MOVE and quit bitching.
That might be your attitude, but it is not the official policy of the United States. In the 1996 Telecomm Act, Congress decreed that it is the official policy of the United States to deploy affordable broadband to everyone, no matter where they may live. Also, the person who won the 2004 Presidential Election said that it would be his goal to deploy affordable broadband everywhere by 2008.

Of course talk is cheap, as is U.S. law (anyone remember how the Can Spam Act was gonna eliminate junk email?). The Powers That Be are ideologically wed to laissez faire philosophies, and believe they will solve all problems, no matter what their track record. I call it the "Starbucks Model" for broadband deployment; i.e., we have a laissez faire, hands off policy as to where Starbucks get built. As a result, some places have multiple locations where they can buy overpriced yuppie coffee. Some places have none, and that is not likely to ever change. Similarly, the "Starbucks model" will mean that many places never see broadband. This is contradictory to official U.S. policy.

I guess rural areas (and all of us) can just count their blessing that this laissez faire attitude was not in place when electricity and telephone were being deployed. Rural areas would have neither; farming operations would be far less efficient, and food would be more more expensive and scarce.

wilbilt
Pronto Resurrected
Premium Member
join:2004-01-11
Oroville, CA

wilbilt

Premium Member

Re: think.

said by PDXPLT:

Also, the person who won the 2004 Presidential Election said that it would be his goal to deploy affordable broadband everywhere by 2008.
2007. He said 2007.....

“This country needs a national goal for…the spread of broadband technology. We ought to have…universal, affordable access for broadband technology by the year 2007, and then we ought to make sure as soon as possible thereafter, consumers have got plenty of choices when it comes to broadband carrier.”

--- President George W. Bush, March 26, 2004

fonzbear2000
Premium Member
join:2005-08-09
Saint Paul, MN

fonzbear2000

Premium Member

broadband is available everywhere

it's called satellite, but sadly it's expensive because you have to buy all the equipment and there are no promotional offers
Warmachine99
join:2006-03-20
Pleasant Prairie, WI

Warmachine99

Member

Re: broadband is available everywhere

But for some people, even Satellite is not available. My brother in law lives in the mountain area of Virginia and because of where his house is, he cant get cable, DSL or satellite. He is too far out for DSL, there are no cable providers for his area, and the LOS for the dish is blocked by the mountains. He has a real nice view though...

stomp357
join:2003-04-13
Lake Charles, LA

stomp357

Member

Not even dial-up

I wonder if there are still communities that don't even have local dial-up internet. Back in 98' a friend's Dad had just bought a PC, and was wanting to hook it up to the net. Any dial-up ISP was a long distance call. The next year a small local dial-up ISP setup in a near-by town that wasn't long distance. They might have cable their by now, but I doubt it.

batterup
I Can Not Tell A Lie.
Premium Member
join:2003-02-06
Netcong, NJ

batterup

Premium Member

Re: Not even dial-up

said by stomp357:

I wonder if there are still communities that don't even have local dial-up internet. Back in 98' a friend's Dad had just bought a PC, and was wanting to hook it up to the net. Any dial-up ISP was a long distance call. The next year a small local dial-up ISP setup in a near-by town that wasn't long distance. They might have cable their by now, but I doubt it.
All you can eat long distance plans are inexpensive now. Some Dial-up ISPs offer an 800 number for a price.

DoctorDoom
Troll hunter
Premium Member
join:2006-09-19
Becket, MA

DoctorDoom

Premium Member

In one of the 30

As a resident of one of those 30 WMa towns, I've explored all the options. The short summary is this: FIOS, DSL and cable are not now and never will be available here. The providers have flatly stated that.

A wireless company is exploring the area, but I don't expect that for a couple of years minimum, and then only with a tower tall enough to "see" over the trees. Ergo, the Hughes dish in the front yard will be my only option for the remainder of my days.

I fully understand the rationale of the providers. The population density here is not nearly high enough to justify the expense of providing wired broadband service. It's a simple economic fact of life.

batterup
I Can Not Tell A Lie.
Premium Member
join:2003-02-06
Netcong, NJ

batterup

Premium Member

Broadband IS available.

T-1s are available but the people want cheep porn and warez.
quote:
Borneo was asked by a friend to set up a
similar system around the center of Leverett with help from a high-speed T-1 line.
»www.slbc.us/news/recorde ··· 005.html

Lee N
@Level3.net

Lee N

Anon

Satellite not an option for broadband

I just came off a fifty dollar a month, year contract, with a two way satellite provider, an it was the worst experience I ever had with an isp. True broadband is only 2 miles away. I live on a State Road in New Salem Ma. and no cable provider will come into town. DSL is not an option because of distance, and the same with WiFi. It looks like dial-up will be the only option we will have for years to come unless, a true undertaking for broadband by the state is done.