Broke down and got Internet through Hughes. There are some big differences between wired Internet and satellite Internet.
Internet is effected by the weather, bad storm and the Internet will go out. There is a thing called a FAP ‘Fair Access Policy’ which is a limit on how much content you can download per day. My max on the premium plan is 450 MB per rolling 24 hour period while the FAP is in place. If you exceed your FAP, your service speed is reduced to 56kbs for 24 hours from the violation. There is a short window each day between 2 and 5 AM central where FAP policies are lifted, so you can schedule your downloads using a ‘download scheduler’.
Is it worth having fast Internet in my home, Yes.
I was able to cut my phone service back to only local, and now I use grand central for making free phone calls. The benefits far outweigh the cost at this point. If you have the extra money, and are willing to pay $50 to $80 a month, I would say it’s worth the cost.
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I talked to one of the engineers at total access, we are going to sit down and have a meeting about the solution. A few weeks ago I sent out postcards to neighbors talking about a solution in a mesh network which would provide the type of bandwidth and speed my neighbors want. My goal is to try to get something off the ground in the next few months (by june). I want to be able to have something which can provide the broadband access I need at home, while providing the services like Voip that can reduce my overall cost of living.
I found a local company (http://www.totalaccess.net) which will provide a wireless Internet solution to my rural home, the only thing is that they will need to build a tower, and that costs. I’m doing the footwork, finding my neighbors who are in line of sight and want broadband access. This service is great and can provide up to 3MB up and down, which means VPN and VOIP, plus all the other benifits of broadband. Today I sent out postcards to 95 of the people who live within 5 miles of my house, hopefully I’ll get a few responses, and maybe be able to provide a buisness case to Total access.
