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What are my high speed internet options?

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I live in an area that's not served by wired broadband providers such as DSL or cable. Am I really stuck with only dialup? It's so slow!

Surprisingly I can say this with all honesty:

I feel your pain.

OK, not the exact same pain, but my options are also limited, and it's frustrating.

Let me throw out the alternatives I'm aware of. Perhaps someone will chime in with something new and exciting and we can both get a faster internet fix.

My neighborhood also has no cable. As a result, my only wired option is DSL over the my phone line. Unfortunately, while I have a wonderfully strong signal, the technology at the telephone company limits me to 768kbps down and 128kbps up. Once upon a time that was blazingly fast - today it doesn't seem so. Until they upgrade their end, it's what I'm limited to.

So what options do we have?

Satellite

Satellite is what most people think of first. Companies like HughesNet (formerly Direcway) and StarBand give you a satellite dish, and you're on the net. It makes sense for many, many people, but there are drawbacks:

  • Speed: StarBand quotes speeds around my DSL speeds - between 500 and 1000kbps down and 100-256kbps up. That's certainly not an improvement for me, but it might be good for many. HughesNet quotes similar speeds.

  • Capacity: you may not get the highest speeds, and in fact you might be speed-limited if you use too much. This varies, dramatically, based on how busy the service is, but you can be reduced to nearly dial-up speeds without warning.

  • Phone: Speaking of dial-up, some services use the satellite in conjunction with a dialup connection. You may still need a phone line in order to connect. Double check with the service to make sure it's true "two way" satellite.

  • Latency: When you use a satellite the information is bounced off of that satellite 22,240 miles above the earth in what's referred to as the "Clarke Belt" after science fiction author Aurther C. Clarke, who wrote about using satellites in this fashion. 22,240 miles is a long way ... long enough that it takes about 1/4 of a second for the signal to make the 44,480 mile round trip. That doesn't seem like a lot to you and me, but to computers it's an eternity. In particular, certain communications protocols, often "ftp", will have problems and become very slow because of that delay. Normal internet browsing and downloading is, apparently, not as severely impact by the delay.

"Satellite is what most people think of first."

Satellite might be an option for you depending on your needs, and your usage. It's not for me.

Cellular

I've been quite surprised at how ubiquitous cellular coverage has become. As I've mentioned before it's my solution of choice for connectivity while traveling, and it works well for me.

Once again, there are tradeoffs:

  • Speed: cellular data plans now connect at around 128kbps. That's roughly twice quoted dialup speeds (54kbps), but more like 3 of four times more common actual dialup speeds of 28 or 33 kbps. There are new technologies in place such as EVDO that, if supported in your area, can take that up to something like 800kbps - but what I'm hearing from users is that it rarely gets that high. Regardless of technology, the speed may vary dramatically based on location and the strength of the cellular signal. In any case, it's once again no better than my basic DSL speeds.

  • Cost: most cellular providers give you two options for data: a small feed for a small amount of data (say $10/month for 10megabytes of data transfer), or an unlimited data plan. The "problem" here is that, particularly with newer technologies, I'm hearing reports that unlimited doesn't always mean unlimited - even after signing up for an unlimited plan, people are getting charged additional if they go beyond a certain amount of data transfer. Now, I've not encountered that, but I only use my cell as my primary connectivity while traveling. The bottom line: question your cellular provider, and question them hard. Skip the sales people and go directly to customer support or billing to make sure you're getting what you think.

  • Networking: most cell phones are designed to be plugged into a single computer. That's great when you need connectivity for only that computer. If you're attempting to set up a network, things get more complicated. The easiest approach is, probably, to leave that one computer on at all times, and use "internet connection sharing" to share the connection out its ethernet port to the rest of your network.

  • Dropped Calls: they happen in voice, and they happen in data. Depending on your phone, it's likely that you'll have to manually reestablish the connection if the call drops.

I love cellular - it's saved my bacon several times, but again, while traveling. Add to that the fact that my home is in a fairly cellular dead zone, it's not an option for me at home.

But it could be for you.

ClearWire

ClearWire's a cellular based ISP that attempts to address many of the issues I've just listed. When you sign up with ClearWire, you get something that looks more like a modem, into which you plug your computer or network. ClearWire then uses the local cellular network to provide you your connection. No worrying about dropped calls, limited data plans and the like.

And again, there are things to note:

  • Speed: 768 to 1500kbps download speeds are quoted. That's, at best, 2 times basic DSL, but represents great speeds using a cellular based system.

  • Availability: ClearWire is available in limited areas. For example, it's not currently available in the Seattle area.

If available in your area, ClearWire is worth a look.

WiMax

WiMax is another wireless technology that promises to provide high speed connectivity, along the lines of basic DSL, or somewhat faster, to large areas. I think of it as WiFi on steroids. (I'll speak to WiFi in a second.)

There are two problems with WiMax that I've seen so far: availability and price.

WiMax seems to be getting deployed slowly, and in limited, mostly business-core areas. And when it is available, it's prohibitively expensive for the home, or even the small business user.

But it's definitely a technology to keep an eye on.

WiFi (not)

WiFi, or the wireless connectivity that comes with many laptops today, is not an option as a replacement for broadband connectivity, unless you happen to live next door to an existing WiFi hotspot.

The problem here is simply that WiFi wasn't designed for this. Wifi has a limited range - roughly 300 feet unobstructed, less if there are things like walls in the way. That implies that you've already brought internet into your home through some other means, and use WiFi to simply connect your computers to what's already in your home.

Other?

With any of the solutions above, there are often ways to go custom or extreme - fancy antennas to pull in a distant WiFi or cellular signals, custom solutions from rural ISPs, and more. But those solutions typically require that either you have the time and resources to figure out what will work for you, and an ISP or other provider that will let you, or even help you, connect.

There may be other solutions, and I'd love to hear about them. Both general connectivity at that basic 768kbps DSL speed, and faster if at all possible, for those of us who've run out of wired options.

And no, moving isn't an option. :-)

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Recent Comments

You'll note that the article begins with "My neighborhood also has no cable.". Cable and DSL are the default types of broadband, and this article is about options when you don't have either.

Posted by: Leo A. Notenboom at November 11, 2006 08:53 AM

I am having an interesting experience trying to get AT&T highspeed here in Texas. I am already an AT&T customer and my rep told me today that it will be Dec. 15 before my account can be changed over for the service. I told him I would expect that in 1965 but this is 2006 and I thought you could swipe a crdit card and punch a few keys and get just about anything in a few hours. Makes you wonder who is running this show. If their service is not any better than their sign up speed then I probably don't want it anyway. Am I the only one who has experienced this?

Posted by: Barry Mahler at November 28, 2006 06:22 PM

I have one way cable internet, downloads at @2100kbps upload is at @76kbps, I work from home with voip, obviously my voice breaks up, is there any way to speed up my uploads? This is the best option where I live which is CRAZY, since just 5 minutes down the road there is 2 way cable internet.

Posted by: jenn at January 19, 2007 01:13 PM

I am one of the poor souls stuck with dial up. I live waaaayyy out in the country, with nothing but stinkin chickens and cows. No cable, no cell phone signal, notta. It sucks. Is it really 2007, cause I feel as if I have been abandoned in the 1980's. Somebody out there outta be coming up with a afforable solution to my problem, cause I know that I am not alone.

Posted by: Mindy at January 25, 2007 02:37 PM

I live with in a mile of several wifi hotspots , but none close enough for me to connect. Is there an antenna that will bring in the singal? who ? how much? thanks

Posted by: wayne at January 29, 2007 07:28 AM

The best option I've found is WISP but the companies offering it stink at advertising and getting ranking on the web so when searching it can be a nightmare. Since I VPN to work from home it must offer the ability to do so without consistent downtime or, as mentioned, latency issues like Satellite...check out my blog entries on the subject as they help point you in the direction of finding a company that services your area. Here's one to get you started: http://citytocountryjourney.blogspot.com/2007/03/rural-high-speed-internet.html

BTW good job at covering most of the technologies so even a redneck can understand them :)

Posted by: Joe at June 24, 2007 08:41 PM

I found your comments on the options for high speed access in rual areas most informative.
I too am stuck out in the rural areas of Texas and really have no options, other than dial-up. Now with the price increase that A.T.&T. has decided they "have" to have, I am really looking into other means of service.
You seem to really know where the info is and how to go about it...Thanks for the lesson in on all the different ways to access the internet!

Posted by: Meme at November 3, 2007 01:42 PM

I live in rural Texas - tall trees, deep rivers. ClearWire is not available in my area. Are there any other cellular based ISP's that may offer service here. My cell phone has fair reception. There is an old antenna that reaches quite high that could possibly be utilized. zip 75839 - but too far out for DSL or broadband thru our land line phone service.

Posted by: Marilyn at March 7, 2008 08:41 AM

I am so frustrated! At&T said DSL was available in my area, I knew this because every single one of my neighbors have it. My closest neighbor is about 300 feet away. AT&T then said I was too far away from the "center" and that I couldn't have it. Yet my neighbor is NOT too far away. CAn I buy something wireless that will go the distance between our homes and then we can share the DSL? My only other options at this point are dialup (junk) and Satellite, which is $50.00 a month minimum.....and it won't be used enough to pay $50.00 a month. Any suggestions? The neighbor is way willing to do it if we can figure it out. I have a desktop and my daughter has a laptop
Thanks!
Kerrie

Posted by: Kerrie at May 16, 2008 07:32 AM

if you have decent service on your cell phone then ur not completely lost!!!! ask ur provider (Sprint, ATT/Cingular, Verizon, T-mobile, ect.)for unlimited internet for your phone. for sprint it is only 15 bucks a mounth. then go to fry's or some electronics shop and buy a USB bluetooth adapter for your computer. i bought a 25 dollar Belkin one and its amazing. install the drivers for it with your disk that came with it. ok, now go to the bluetooth center, and connect with your cell phone from your computer. your almost there!!!! now go to internet explorer. click tools, internet options, then connections. remove all the current connections. then click Add. click on dial up to private network. then next. then uncheck everything. yes i said UNcheck. then check the bluetooth device. then next. put in your 10 digit mobile phone # (the one that has the internet on it) WITHOUT THE 1 BEFORE THE AREA CODE. press next, finnish. now ok. now u should be back to the connection screen. click on Always dial my default. then click Apply and then ok. now close internet explorer, open it again. go to the blue tooth control center and poke around ur device till u find something that said Dial up or something about it. u should be able to figue it out from there.


NOTE: i am not responsible for any extra charges from your cell phone company. I tried this with a Sprint Moto V3M Razr with a Belkin bluetooth device and it works better than i thought it would. the actual download speed is about 400 kbps, which isnt bad. hell of a lot better then dial up. and cheaper 2 if u have AOL lol. i hope this helped all of yall and it worked for yall good luck to every1 and if yall have any questions about it email me at bwerner81@gmail.com


oh yeah, and i heard that ATT is going to extend DSL to every ATT home phone customer by the end of this year... but thats just what i heard

Posted by: bWerner at May 25, 2008 09:56 PM

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