Here I can't get DSL because good 'ol US West cheaped out on their infrastruture back in the 80's-90's, and there are extra A-D:D-A connections between me and the central switch. No DSL. Ever. Heck I've seen their availability map for Tucson...it looks like a checkerboard; about 50% of the metro area is never going to get DSL...
As for Cable, well, it's available, but I'm not willing to pay a $45 month premium on top of my already bloated cable bill. (yeah yeah, the service is less, but all the extra crap I have to have to get it pushes up the cost; we'd be paying around $100 a month for little more than basic cable and modem service. And they just announced rate increases for everyone, plus they're moving all of their premium channels to digital, which, of course, they get an extra $15 or $20 for every damn month. Gee, it's nice having a monopoly.)
Satellite? Fuggedboutit. That's winders-only.
But I have a BIG sneakernet and a fast connection at work: my 256 mb Sandisk memory stick and my (currently) 3.5 gig USB HDD.
If I didn't have that I'd be considering it, though $1200 a year would be a hit I'd rather not afford.
-- "Wherever you go, there you are." - B. Banzai, Ph.D. Bruce Johnson
I recently found myself in roughly the same position out in the boondocks of Nantucket (all 3 acres)... too far away for DSL, no cable, and a satellite dish network (DirecTV at $600 down and $69/month) that kept losing signal every time their was wind, fog, or rain (always on Nantucket). After years of 350 kb/sec I just couldn't make the adjustment to AOL, which required re-installing after every use in order to bypass the local number which (only worked twice for a total of 60 seconds). I was looking for a new place (seriously) when I heard about a couple of upstart wireless companies that were "wiring" the Island.
Anyway, the one that answered my email,
http://www.wiblast.com/
got me hooked up for $30.00/month plus $90 for a high speed wireless bridge. I've been down for a couple of days during an ice storm, otherwise OK. They guarantee speeds no slower than DSL right up to cable speeds or better depending on distance from nodes and traffic. I'm at the fringe (1.5 miles) of about 6 nodes so I needed to get a high-speed wireless bridge, otherwise all that's required is a wireless capable computer and a password. They support Macs and have roving plans available with other service providers all over the US. Being on the outskirts, I'm a bit slower than most cable connections,faster than DSL, and miles ahead of dial-up. A readily available "illegal" antenna on the bridge should help the speed issue. 24/7 connections are available (they knock you off every 8 hrs) if you ask nicely, and there are no restrictions to the use of your bandwidth. Tech support and willingness to work with/for me has been outstanding.
With the advent of long range WiMax technologies these "local" solutions may soon become readily available just about anywhere... providing the existing telcos/cable/service providers and their paid government enforcers don't step on them. Right now it's like a high-tech goldrush with smaller upstarts claiming territory and making deals with communities and bandwidth providers. My out-of-range neighbor had a long range gizmo installed on his house that serves him and his immediate neighborhood. These types of solutions have the potential to help create a truly independent "Global Village" if we can somehow prevent further media consolidation and corporate domination. Control of communication networks, airwaves, and media outlets belong in the hands the public in a free society, and ...
Guess I'll get off the soapbox now... got a whole nother year to vent... Happy New Years!
Frank --
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