Wireless Internet Service Providers? (Satellite, cell phone carriers, etc)

exalted512

So...with my recent move to the country, I don't have access to wired internet service...booooo...Anyway, so I'm exploring options to get access to internet and was curious if any of y'all had experience with any particular options?

Thanks!
-Cody

Jimbo18

I have a friend that can't get wired either, he uses AT&T U-verse and has only good things to say about it. We apparently have good AT&T coverage in his area though, so make sure that's the case in your area if you go that way.

He gets 6mbps and says he has no trouble streaming TV and Netflix. There are faster options with U-Verse also.

rooftop59

If you have good 4G LTE reception, just use a smartphone as a hub.

exalted512

Jimbo18 wrote: »

I have a friend that can't get wired either, he uses AT&T U-verse and has only good things to say about it. We apparently have good AT&T coverage in his area though, so make sure that's the case in your area if you go that way.

He gets 6mbps and says he has no trouble streaming TV and Netflix. There are faster options with U-Verse also.

I've been looking at verizon because I get LTE on her phone, so I know they have good service. I think some places might even let you use it for free for a day or two to make sure it works well before you purchase. I'll definitely check out U-verse.

I don't get great internet reception on T-Mobile (personal phone) and my wife and I's verizon phones are both through work, so we can't use them as a hub. I'd like to be able to stream if possible...but I'll see what's possible first...lol
-Cody

Jstas

I've had good experiences with AT&T and Sprint. Depends on what kind of coverage you have in your area.

AT&T was stable in more places but when Sprint has a strong connection, their matrixed LTE connections are unbeatable.

Hermitism

I live in the country and have had problems with getting internet and cable TV. The house is back in the woods, far from the neighborhood street. I have to get my TV through DISH, because I'm too far away from the main line to receive cable TV from the neighborhood. I used dial up for years for my internet, until DSL was finally available. AT&T said that U-verse isn't an option because you have to be within 5000 feet from the line. Unfortunately, living in the country means that almost every time there is a storm, a tree falls somewhere taking out the phone lines. No phones, no internet. I'm interested in anyone with experience using a service that provides internet through satellite. Also, no cell signal here either.

ZLTFUL

HughesNet is pretty decent...when it works right.
The USDA uses HughesNet a LOT in remote plant locations.

The problem is, you face the same issues that you get with satellite TV. Dropouts due to weather. Line of site (not a big deal if you have no heavy tree cover to contend with) makes mounting tricky sometimes.

But when it does work, you can get some decent speeds.

But wired is still going to be king no matter how you look at it.

steveinaz

Cody,
We had the same issue and DSL was dreadful after years of cable internet. We now have a Verizon wireless 4G LTE modem and LOVE IT. Verizon has a number of solutions to include a more "heavy duty" outdoor antenna if you struggle to get 4G.

My seat-of-the-pants meter tells me that 4G is every bit as fast as Cox cable internet.

Jstas

Every cell provider can furnish a high gain antenna for a cellular modem that'll pull in the weakest signals.

But if your chosen cell provider doesn't have coverage in your area or is piggybacking coverage on another provider, you're gonna have issues.

Best bet is to find out who owns the towers in your area and get a plan through them.

Hermitism

Luckily the southern side tree line is far enough away and low enough that it's below the dish line of sight. I have had no complaints with DISH, except for cost, the signal only cuts out during bad storms and I'm in the habit of unplugging all my electronics and computers during any chance of lightning, so the signal loss is not an issue. Unfortunately, the northern view is completely blocked by a steep hill and tree line which blocks the cell towers. I can get a periodic hit and miss one bar cell signal by walking around in the driveway. But it's still impossible to have a phone conversation because the sound constantly drops out. Winter storms are the worst. No electricity, phone or internet. You'd think they would just go ahead and cut all the trees down near power and phone lines, but all they do is cut trees down that start growing straight underneath them.

exalted512

steveinaz wrote: »

Cody,
We had the same issue and DSL was dreadful after years of cable internet. We now have a Verizon wireless 4G LTE modem and LOVE IT. Verizon has a number of solutions to include a more "heavy duty" outdoor antenna if you struggle to get 4G.

My seat-of-the-pants meter tells me that 4G is every bit as fast as Cox cable internet.

Is it something like this? http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/device/mobile-hotspot/jetpack-hotspot-mifi-5510e?selectedContractTerm=2

I assume you dont really do any streaming?
-Cody

steveinaz

That's a "hotspot" we have the full sized modem. I use my squeezebox touch via the Verizon modem, no problem.

exalted512

All I can find on their website are hotspots and USB modems...hmmmm.
-Cody

steveinaz

I suppose a hotspot would work, but we're 6 miles from Mexico---so we are on the fringe of 4G coverage and I felt the double antenna setup on the full size modem would work better.

steveinaz

Cody, try this link: http://www.verizonwireless.com/wcms/consumer/home-services.html#2

Looks like they've updated their devices for broadband 4G LTE.

Hermitism

steveinaz wrote: »

but we're 6 miles from Mexico.

I wonder how many Mexican border tunnels run underneath your property???

exalted512

steveinaz wrote: »

Cody, try this link: http://www.verizonwireless.com/wcms/consumer/home-services.html#2

Looks like they've updated their devices for broadband 4G LTE.

Exactly the link I was looking for, thanks! I should have specified, do you do any video streaming - netflix, etc?

steveinaz

There's plenty of tunnels in Naco and Nogales that don't require 6 miles of digging.

steveinaz

exalted512 wrote: »

Exactly the link I was looking for, thanks! I should have specified, do you do any video streaming - netflix, etc?

I don't Cody, but given it's performance on other things; youtube, Speedtest.net, etc I can't imagine it struggling. You might opt for a higher plan than 10GB, however.

exalted512

Sounds good. I appreciate all the help. I'm still hoping (never thought I'd say this) for DSL, mainly due to caps and price with said caps.
-Cody

steveinaz

The gal at the verizon store was very helpful. She asked us a bunch of questions about how we use the internet and our phones, do we stream, how many hours a day, etc. See said for our needs 10GB would be plenty, but we could up it at anytime if we needed to. 4G LTE was a lifesaver as I was dreading being stuck at DSL (level 1) speeds--which was basically a glorified dial-up connection. While we don't stream alot, or use netflix, we do surf alot, pay bills on-line, etc. Having outstanding cable internet connection speeds in the past, we were pretty spoiled.

txcoastal1

Stay away from Dish wireless internet. I rented a house in Hempstead (not to far from where you are) for the guys while doing the Waller Buc-ee's. Dish sent out 3 techs new equipment etc and never could get it stable something about the area that everyone has problems. Fortunately 3 weeks after move in DSL was available. All the neighbors used the Verizon hotspots as they worked much better than ATT in the same region.

So I agree that Verizon will be your best option till a hard line carrier becomes available.

Good luck

exalted512

That's the way I am now. The DSL close by is supposedly 10mbps, so that's not bad at all. Our current cable is 15. My work is ridiculous...



-Cody

steveinaz

I tyically get about 12-15Mb/s download, and about 2.5-3Mb/s upload speeds. But since we're in a fringe area, probably 15% of the time we're at 3G speed. I'll test it again when the blue indicator is lit (4G). Sometimes I have to dick with the antennas on the modem to lock onto 4G. The modem is in the (roughly) center of the house, about 3 ft from a East exposure front window.

On another note;
I'm sure you are finding, like we did, that you have to adapt some things to rural life. Like our move to heat with a wood pellet stove vs propane; and being the city boy I am, training myself that I cannot throw everything down the garbage disposal, like you can when you're on city sewer. Luckily Bev grew up rural, on a cattle ranch with septic/wood stove heat and hot water, and made me aware of lots of things I was doing wrong. I still do not enjoy rolling my trashcan a country mile to the road every Monday morning, but what the heck (actually it's about 150 yards). I wouldn't trade rural life for anything; inconveniences and all. I still haven't run RG6 out to the shop yet, but I would like to have TV out there for both the shop area and the bunkhouse. i DO have water and a 50amp RV hookup in the shop, which is nice.

Now I just need an RV!!! LOL!