What do you use for internet?

[therunbunch]

Ok... finding internet and home phone out where we are moving is proving to be IMPOSSIBLE!!!!

DH and I are at a loss of what to do. Going to call the realtor tomorrow and ask them to find out what (if anything) the previous folks used out there.

We're moving to Turnersville (aka Buchanon Springs) TX... but it's a Gatesville, TX address.. if that helps anyone that may be near us.

[momtomany]

Not in your area, but out here people end up using satellite. I'm the new one in the block to try Verizon wireless broadband. Don't just accept when one of the companies says that they cover that zip code, ask for the specific address. In my area, they don't cover my street (no one does). Sue

[oneokie]

2 Phone lines?

Wild Blue

Hughes Net

Dish or Direct, maybe???? If you are in the correct location

Telephone Co. DSL?? Close enough to the switching office or to a Relay Terminal box.

Air card for cell phone?

[duckidaho]

Hughs net satellite internet. We can't get dsl or anything like it where we live.

[cfabe]

We've covered this before on the board - do a search there's lots of good information and user reviews.

My list in order of preference:

1. Cable/DSL/Fiber - fast and cheap if available
2. Wireless ISP - usually small local companies, speeds are usually decent, costs vary (This is what I have)
3. Cell-phone network data card - expensive, use caps, speeds vary a lot
4. Satellite - DirecWay or WildBlue - both are expensive, and fair access policy that slow you down. Very high latency too

[byexample]

We use Wild Blue satellite. We used to use Hughes... but got fed up with having to talk to "george" in India whenever there was a problem. Wild Blue is all US based and if you have a problem you get to talk to someone in this country.

I find outsourced technical support really, really annoying and I won't do business with any company that requires me to talk to someone in Asia in order to use their services.

Verizon also offers wireless broadband access in these parts... but they have a bandwidth limit of 5gb / month. For $10 more a month Wild Blue gives you 17gb.

All in all, satellite sucks. It's slow and doesn't like bad weather. If you can get DSL or some other terrestrial service -- I'd go with that first. Satellite should be one's last resort.

And don't try to use Voice over IP (skype, etc.) with satellite. The time it takes for signals to travel up into orbit and then back down to the Earth creates a lag that makes voice over satellite really difficult to work with. And both satellite companies forbid the use of that technology on their networks anyway, I think.

[7thswan]

Smalltown satellite and cell phones.

[LadyJane]

We have Wildblue here in rural NW Ohio.

[sammyd]

We use Celcom. 30 bucks a month gives me all the bandwidth I need. Equipment was only 100 bucks after a rebate.
Quite satisfied with it.

[amwitched]

We have our telephone line through Sprint ($20-ish month w/ no long distance) and our internet is through PeoplePC ($10.95 month). We are not able to get cable (Time Warner) so we have to use Dish Network for our television. I refuse to pay $$$$$$$$$$$ for anything other than dial-up. I know.......I'm cheap.

[ronbre]

i have an htc smartphone that works as a modem..it comes with a plug on the charger that will plug into a wall outlet to charge..but also there is one that plugs into the usb on your computer for a modem..smartphones also have internet access built into them.

some require you to pay for your internet access but HTC does not..so if you have it avail to use for internet access on the phone..it also will work as a modem on your computer..i use it on the pc and laptop..if you can't get cell access..then you can get an antenna that plugs into the back of the phone...i can get high speed with just one bar on the phone

[vicki in NW OH]

Millenicom wireless broadband, leases Verizon towers, no limit, no contract. Very happy with it.

[TnAndy]

We use wireless broadband.....but I had to build a 100' tower at the top of my mountain to get it in this valley.

This site says you have Clearwire there along with Embarq DSL:
http://www.gatesvilletx.info/default.asp?contentID=539

Also, try calling this bunch. You may have to put up a small tower antennae, like an old outside TV antennae to get reception, but wireless is nice, and fast....if they have a tower in your area, all you'd need is a small outside receiver....ours on the roof is just a 12" square deal.....way smaller than a TV satt dish.

Central Link Broadband
155 N League Ranch Rd, Waco, TX
(254) 754-1145 ‎


Then there's HugesNet:

http://www.ussatellite.com/?gclid=CL...FQYMDQodeXGGig

[ErinP]

Our little, three exchange phone company provides DSL to everyone.
I'm 12 miles from pavement and 100 miles from a (albeit small) shopping mall, but I have high-speed internet.

We're looking at moving, though, in the next year or two and the internet provided by our regional cell carrier has high ratings.

[Shrek]

$13 a month phone company provided dial up fills my internet requirements. If anyone calls me while I am online, they can leave a message on my phone service $3 a month voice mail. Internet, local phone service and voice mail cost me less than $40 a month and on the rare occasion I need to make a long distance call, I use one of the free prepaid minutes cards my stock broker gives out at investor meetings or the $10 nonexpiiring minutes card I recieved as a promotion through my phone service five years ago.

[WildernesFamily]

I sympathize! We have had similar issues trying to get internet to our new place.

If you still can't get help, go to the local Chamber of Commerce office and pick up a phone directory for the area. That will tell you who to contact for a telephone line.

Once you have a phone number it will be MUCH easier to find out who can supply internet to your new address.

We have a bit of a unique challenge - hubby will be working from home and HAS to have either DSL or Cable internet, not satellite. We have a phone number now but still haven't been able to find someone who will supply cable or DSL internet.

There are websites you can use where you type in your phone number and it pulls up companies who can supply internet access to the address linked to the number.

Good luck!

[Mallow]

I had a similar problem with the phone company in the area of my new house. I was going to pay for a T1 (I telecommute so wireless/sat wouldnt work for me). After dealing with them I eventually got them to put in a relay station that would service our area with DSL (extended the service area about another 3 miles). I have also had luck getting several people in the area to sign a petition and get it to the right people at the phone company and they will expand service areas if its going to make them money in the long run.

[scatyb]

Well, for me, I have Alltel's wireless internet. It's pretty good, runs the magicjack ok and well, you may want to take a shot at trying to get it. For $60 unlimited usage, it may be worthwhile.

[ronbre]

my htc smartphone is with Alltel also..didn't say that above...i would advise strongly against Hughesnet..we had it for a year and it was lousy

[GoldenCityMuse]

DSL i sprobably your best bet, but it is all up to the TelCo.