# DSL options for rural locations? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 11, 2012, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dsl-options-for-rural-locations/612518 "2012-02-11T14:17:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2012, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dsl-options-for-rural-locations/612518/21 "2012-02-11T23:34:06Z")
Moved from GQ to IMHO. **samclem** , Moderator ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2012, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dsl-options-for-rural-locations/612518/22 "2012-02-12T00:18:08Z")
> [@Fubaya](#): > > If you have cable in the area, I can’t imagine anything beating that. Hughesnet’s website says 2.0 Mbps is $99 for 3 months\* (apparently that is with a $10 mail in rebate for those 3 months). My cable is advertised as 100 Mbps for $59… Shoot, time for me to upgrade. I currently have 30 Mbps for $30. No cable here. I already get 1.5 Mbps on my aircard. Hughes net would not be much of an improvement. ---
**Author:** ![IAmNotSpartacus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@IAmNotSpartacus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IAmNotSpartacus)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2012, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dsl-options-for-rural-locations/612518/23 "2012-02-12T07:35:24Z")
This here’s what’s known as being stuck between a rock and a hard place. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dsl-options-for-rural-locations/612518/24 "2012-02-13T15:44:30Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > No cable here. > > I already get 1.5 Mbps on my aircard. Hughes net would not be much of an improvement. I have [Hughes.net](http://Hughes.net) and am going to drop it and just use an air card. There is a real limit to the amount of data you can down load. Forget streaming anything. Once you go over the limit, they throttle the connection back to about 14k for 24 hours. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dsl-options-for-rural-locations/612518/25 "2012-02-13T16:38:55Z")
My parents couldn’t get AT&T DSL because they were too far out in the country. They got [suddenlink.net](http://suddenlink.net) it provides telephone and DSL for them. Works really well. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dsl-options-for-rural-locations/612518/26 "2012-02-13T17:06:50Z")
The OP mentioned Texas. I checked and Suddenlink covers that state. [http://suddenlinkfyi.com/states/tx/](http://suddenlinkfyi.com/states/tx/) enter address here to check availability > **[Optimum Broadband High-Speed Home Internet, TV & Mobile Phone](https://www.optimum.com/?welcome-to-optimum)** > > Optimum offers affordable high speed broadband Internet for the home, TV packages featuring live and on-demand TV and movies. Optimum has the latest 5G Mobile phones. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dsl-options-for-rural-locations/612518/27 "2012-02-14T02:51:25Z")
Thanks for the link, but not available at my location. ---
**Author:** ![markm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@markm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markm)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dsl-options-for-rural-locations/612518/28 "2012-02-14T15:23:18Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Thanks for the link, but not available at my location. Check for WISPs in your area: [http://www.wispdirectory.com/index.php?option=com\_mtree&task=listcats&cat\_id=3](http://www.wispdirectory.com/index.php?option=com_mtree&task=listcats&cat_id=3) ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dsl-options-for-rural-locations/612518/29 "2012-02-14T21:58:45Z")
> [@markm](#): > > Check for WISPs in your area: [http://www.wispdirectory.com/index.php?option=com\_mtree&task=listcats&cat\_id=3](http://www.wispdirectory.com/index.php?option=com_mtree&task=listcats&cat_id=3) Thanks! I found a place and emailed them for info! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![dan1500](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/34f0e0/32.png) [@dan1500](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dan1500)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dsl-options-for-rural-locations/612518/30 "2012-02-15T02:08:32Z")
We went from Hughesnet to a USB wireless modem from Millenicom. It’s a little faster than Hughesnet, cheaper and more consistent. It’s still only around 1 Mbps though in reality ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dsl-options-for-rural-locations/612518/31 "2012-02-15T04:54:17Z")
> [@markm](#): > > Check for WISPs in your area: [http://www.wispdirectory.com/index.php?option=com\_mtree&task=listcats&cat\_id=3](http://www.wispdirectory.com/index.php?option=com_mtree&task=listcats&cat_id=3) I got a reply from the one in my area. Speed is about 1 Mbps. I already get that more than with my aircard. I very much appreciate the suggestions! I guess I either need to move or wait for civilization to find me. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dsl-options-for-rural-locations/612518/32 "2012-02-15T12:03:53Z")
Does the small town near you have DSL? If so, how much would it cost to lay and hook up a fibre-optic cable from there to you? I’m assuming you can lay it on telegraph poles rather than have to bury it underground. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dsl-options-for-rural-locations/612518/33 "2012-02-15T12:12:29Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Does the small town near you have DSL? If so, how much would it cost to lay and hook up a fibre-optic cable from there to you? I’m assuming you can lay it on telegraph poles rather than have to bury it underground. I know it’s available in the small town I’ll research it. ---
**Author:** ![2gigch1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/2gigch1/32/3313_2.png) [@2gigch1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2gigch1)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dsl-options-for-rural-locations/612518/34 "2012-02-15T12:47:43Z")
Your wireless card may be your best option, but it might be a matter of location. My parents did dial up (ugh), satellite (double-ugh), then finally got a Verizon Hot-Spot card which can run up to 5 computers on house wifi. Because it is located wherever we want it to be we found a sweet spot in the living room that faces town and they get pretty good speeds. In any event separating the card from the computer may help. And the costs are reasonable. They even upgraded to the 4G card recently in anticipation that service will arrive this year where they live. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dsl-options-for-rural-locations/612518/35 "2012-02-15T17:19:52Z")
EUREKA! I may have found one… my old friend Internet America, my first ISP. Will report. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dsl-options-for-rural-locations/612518/36 "2012-02-15T18:31:47Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Right now I connect to the internet with an aircard plugged into my laptop or (like now) on my phone. Not totally unsatisfactory, but I’d like a faster connection, wifi in my house, and to be able to connect my TV and Wii to the internet. I’m way out in the country, about 30 miles from a major city and about five miles from a small town. > > I have an AT&T land line, and I called them but internet is not available for my location. I have a DirecTV satellite and I called them, too, and they don’t have it for my location. I’ve heard that Hughes Net is less than satisfactory. What else is out there that’s good? > > (Maybe this belongs in a different forum…?) Is cable an option? That’s obviously the direct competitor to DirecTV, and if you like the DirecTV service you’d have to subscribe to cable just for the internet - which is likely to be more expensive than having a TV+internet bundle. Of course if the local cable provider doesn’t service your area, that’s of no help, sorry. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dsl-options-for-rural-locations/612518/37 "2012-02-15T18:54:15Z")
Just something to note because I have customers who have run into this [http://www.wildblue.com/customers/data-allowance-policy](http://www.wildblue.com/customers/data-allowance-policy) almost all sattelite ISP’s have something like this. For casual use…no biggie, netflix via sattelite becomes a nightmare. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dsl-options-for-rural-locations/612518/38 "2012-02-15T19:59:05Z")
No cable in my area. Internet America has towers of some kind, so I’m guessing it’s a kind of WiMAX thing. I’m going to talk to them. They also have NO data limits. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![markm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@markm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markm)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dsl-options-for-rural-locations/612518/39 "2012-02-15T20:19:27Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > No cable in my area. > > Internet America has towers of some kind, so I’m guessing it’s a kind of WiMAX thing. I’m going to talk to them. They also have NO data limits. 🙂 They look to be a WISP similar to the others I posted, so you should be okay. WiMAX is just one of the standards that can be used for wireless internet (WiMAX is a licensed wireless using licensed radio spectrum, whereas other options, such as offerings from equipment manufacturers Alvarion, Ubiquiti, or Microtek use unlicensed 900MHz, 2.4GHz, or 5.8GHz spectrum). They all work based on a tower or other high point having an access point on it and the end user having an antenna pointed at it. It works similar to cellular service in layout and implementation. Just kind of a heads up so you know you might have more options in your area if one doesn’t seem to fit your needs. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dsl-options-for-rural-locations/612518/40 "2012-02-15T21:53:44Z")
Markm, I didn’t find Internet America through that WISP search link you posted, just a general google search. They appear to be the only viable option in my area with reasonable speeds. Hughes net and WildBlue were all slower than my aircard. . [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dsl-options-for-rural-locations/612518.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dsl-options-for-rural-locations/612518.md?page=3)