RE: [MLUG - DISCUSSION] Broadband besides DSL or cable

[Michael <EMAIL:PROTECTED>]

> Yeah, there are all kinds of neat things out there, but are they offered or
> practical? Answer is usually no. If it's not used a whole lot, it's going to
> be expensive, or not offered. I bet IDSL is not offered. Took long enough to
> get them to do ADSL, and that's only because there was a large market. Once
> you get outside of town, the number of people per square mile who want a
> service like this, or will pay for it, drop off dramatically. Also, to
> support a new technology takes training and people. They aren't going to
> throw something new out there unless it's worth their while, and verizon has
> to provide and support it since they are the wire carrier.
> I was looking into this since I am going to be moving soon, and it looks
> like it's going to be well outside city limits. I don't think they have
> cable out there, but I do want to keep my AT&T cable modem. Just to be sure
> I called AT&T and they said that signal strength was not up to it yet. I'm
> hoping the yet part means it will be there in the next couple of months :-)
> The other options would be bonded 56K modems. It would involve the cost of
> two modem lines, and you can get the bonded modems for around $100. The last
> option that is being released soon, is the 2 way Direct PC system. It
> involves a 36inch two way satellite system that has to be professionally
> installed ( the FCC requires it), and a little receiver box that has a USB
> connection. I hear you can hack to box to get a linux compatible Ethernet
> connection. There is also quite a bit of latency involved because of the
> satellite system's inherent limitations. Throughput is supposed to be really
> good ( on par with a cable modem), but the responses to requests takes a
> little while. Biggest problem is that the system run around $700, and then
> you pay $70 a month for the service. Kind of steep. Not horribly
> unreasonable, but kind of steep.

I think my general mental solution was to have one or more of these sats
connecting my neighborhood to the Net and to import a bunch of geek
friends to share my land (your yurt's would work) and run wireless
networking all over lcoally and use that to play groovy Net games etc.

If you can't bring yourself to the Internet bring the Internet to you. :)

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