My continued fight to get broadband internet

TexasRaceLady said:
Rural parts of Texas your choices are dial-up or satellite. Both are horrible.
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DSL is available right down the street.

The biggest problem is TV. I can't use Netflix, or Vue/Sling. I can't get cable. I can pay $120/month for satellite TV which doesn't come with anything close to those options.

And now FOX50 doesn't come in at my house. I'm convinced God wants me to be miserable.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
DSL is available right down the street.

The biggest problem is TV. I can't use Netflix, or Vue/Sling. I can't get cable. I can pay $120/month for satellite TV which doesn't come with anything close to those options.

And now FOX50 doesn't come in at my house. I'm convinced God wants me to be miserable.
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Kinfolk said, "Jed, move away from there."
 
BobbyFord said:
Kinfolk said, "Jed, move away from there."
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I'm starting to think that might be my best bet.

Betting on finding internet is tough though. The providers list having coverage in the entire state but no matter where I move, when I actually try to get internet, there's always a reason it's not actually available.

I never thought I'd see the day when I missed living in Maryland.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
I'm starting to think that might be my best bet.

Betting on finding internet is tough though. The providers list having coverage in the entire state but no matter where I move, when I actually try to get internet, there's always a reason it's not actually available.

I never thought I'd see the day when I missed living in Maryland.
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Just move to an apartment complex in the Raleigh area.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
I'm starting to think that might be my best bet.

Betting on finding internet is tough though. The providers list having coverage in the entire state but no matter where I move, when I actually try to get internet, there's always a reason it's not actually available.

I never thought I'd see the day when I missed living in Maryland.
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Can't you find a job in an area that has internet? Could do like my tight in-laws do, go to Hardee's and use their wi-fi.
 
you watch TV? Must be nice. i dont have a netflix/hulu. I watched the first few episodes of Grand Tour on Amazon Prime but never had the time to get caught up, same with Jay's garage on TV. I don't have time for entertainment. I wouldn't mind running off a set of rabbit ears.
 
Magnethead said:
you watch TV? Must be nice. i dont have a netflix/hulu. I watched the first few episodes of Grand Tour on Amazon Prime but never had the time to get caught up, same with Jay's garage on TV. I don't have time for entertainment. I wouldn't mind running off a set of rabbit ears.
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I used to live somewhere so remote that the rabbit ears only got me PBS and the local NBC affiliate. I didn't have cable either and could only get DSL internet.
 
oldgoat said:
Saw this on Yahoo. Might be interesting. http://finance.yahoo.com/news/broadband-internet-competition-140205307.html
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Very interesting article.

Areas that don't have fixed internet now will probably never get it. Something like 15 percent of the population can't get 20 year old technology. This was a top priority of the Obama Administration, but like the article says, tax incentives won't make a difference.

I've completely caved. I've got an iPad in the mail with "Unlimited Data" and will use that as my primary computer. As far as Netflix or Vue, that's out of the question. I refuse to do business with DIRECTV so Dish it is.

The problem here though is, cable TV is quickly being replaced by streaming media. Many shows that come out are only on Netflix or Hulu. And 10 years from now, cable TV providers probably won't exist. But, 10 years from now, Rural America STILL won't have internet access.

Trump can't fix this.
 
Just gave my antenna another try and I'm stoked! Okay, so not really but I am able to pick up NBC and ION along with two Spanish channels. They go in and out, but its a start. CBS came in for a few seconds but thats it. The antenna game is so annoying when you live in Nowhereville, Kansas.
 
Brentford said:
Just gave my antenna another try and I'm stoked! Okay, so not really but I am able to pick up NBC and ION along with two Spanish channels. They go in and out, but its a start. CBS came in for a few seconds but thats it. The antenna game is so annoying when you live in Nowhereville, Kansas.
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ION is the only channel I can't get with my antenna. Which is a shame. I might go buy a high end antenna soon.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
ION is the only channel I can't get with my antenna. Which is a shame. I might go buy a high end antenna soon.
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I have considered buying one, but I live in an apartment so outdoor and attic antennas aren't an option. All the indoor antennas have so-so reviews and no one reveals what their distance from the towers are so their reviews dont mean much anyway. I feel like if you are over 40 miles away, outdoor antennas are you only option.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
Trump can't fix this.
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High time you stop expecting the govt to resolve your issues for you.

If you have a job that requires internet, live where there is internet. You spend a helluva lot of time on this forum complainig about your situation. What if you replaced that time with efforts on a resolution?
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
Very interesting article.

Areas that don't have fixed internet now will probably never get it. Something like 15 percent of the population can't get 20 year old technology. This was a top priority of the Obama Administration, but like the article says, tax incentives won't make a difference.

I've completely caved. I've got an iPad in the mail with "Unlimited Data" and will use that as my primary computer. As far as Netflix or Vue, that's out of the question. I refuse to do business with DIRECTV so Dish it is.

The problem here though is, cable TV is quickly being replaced by streaming media. Many shows that come out are only on Netflix or Hulu. And 10 years from now, cable TV providers probably won't exist. But, 10 years from now, Rural America STILL won't have internet access.

Trump can't fix this.
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FDR gave rural areas electricity. It can be fixed but there's no political will to invest the money needed to make it so.
 
Brentford said:
I have considered buying one, but I live in an apartment so outdoor and attic antennas aren't an option. All the indoor antennas have so-so reviews and no one reveals what their distance from the towers are so their reviews dont mean much anyway. I feel like if you are over 40 miles away, outdoor antennas are you only option.
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Mine is an indoor antenna, but I'm close to Raleigh. Just not close enough to get ION.

I am glad I get WRAL. That's one high end news channel.
 
Clutch said:
Connectivity is important for economic growth and business shouldn't be limited to urban centers.
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Fixed wireless internet will be the only way it happens. But deployment of that is so slow.

****, I'd KILL for 3 mbps (which isn't very fast) unlimited right now, and can't even get that.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
It's better than Dish by a country mile.
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I'm not going to turn this into a Dish vs. DirecTV thread but you are completely wrong with your statement. I've been between one or the other of these services since the inception of DirecTV. Both are great services. If they weren't I would have moved away from them long ago as I have many options in my area and you don't get much more rural than me. I've been on a satellite system of some sort since the BUD, (Big Ugly Dish), days in the late 80's/early 90's. That first one was a 10' wire mesh dish that was the most awesome link to entertainment that I ever had.

Oh, and I pay about $40/month w/taxes for my internet connection. It meets/exceeds our needs. Just this past weekend we were streaming 3 sporting events simultaneously without any degradation at all.

Here's a result of a speed test that I just ran & that's over the wifi connection. My direct wired system pushes the upper 90's. Anything more than the speeds that I'm obtaining would be complete overkill and totally unnecessary.

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dpkimmel2001 said:
I'm not going to turn this into a Dish vs. DirecTV thread but you are completely wrong with your statement. I've been between one or the other of these services since the inception of DirecTV. Both are great services. If they weren't I would have moved away from them long ago as I have many options in my area and you don't get much more rural than me. I've been on a satellite system of some sort since the BUD, (Big Ugly Dish), days in the late 80's/early 90's. That first one was a 10' wire mesh dish that was the most awesome link to entertainment that I ever had.
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I've had both. Dish had terrible sound quality and the picture was ... different. And it went out every time it rained. Wasn't good, but cheaper than DIRECTV by far.

Right now, I'm leaning towards Dish.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
I've had both. Dish had terrible sound quality and the picture was ... different. And it went out every time it rained. Wasn't good, but cheaper than DIRECTV by far.

Right now, I'm leaning towards Dish.
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I'm working about my 4th year, 2nd stint with Dish Network. I've had DirecTV two separate times as well. Heck, there was even a short period of time when I had both. Sound quality has never been an issue with any service I've had. Rain fade has far more to do with your installer than anything else. Rain fade is very rare. Years ago with the much smaller type satellite antennas it was more common. If it were ever raining hard enough to take down my signal, I've got more things to worry about than watching television while riding out that kind of storm. The price between the two is basically a wash for our programming package. My attraction to Dish Network over DirecTV simply has to do with their whole home DVR setup. The equipment quality and bells/whistles at the time of my last upgrade leaned heavily in Dish Network's favor. Someday, I'm sure that I'll be back with DirecTV, when they make me a better offer. They are both excellent services and the portability as an RVer cannot be beat. They work everywhere. Wifi and cell service does not.
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
I'm working about my 4th year, 2nd stint with Dish Network. I've had DirecTV two separate times as well. Heck, there was even a short period of time when I had both. Sound quality has never been an issue with any service I've had. Rain fade has far more to do with your installer than anything else. Rain fade is very rare. Years ago with the much smaller type satellite antennas it was more common. If it were ever raining hard enough to take down my signal, I've got more things to worry about than watching television while riding out that kind of storm. The price between the two is basically a wash for our programming package. My attraction to Dish Network over DirecTV simply has to do with their whole home DVR setup. The equipment quality and bells/whistles at the time of my last upgrade leaned heavily in Dish Network's favor. Someday, I'm sure that I'll be back with DirecTV, when they make me a better offer. They are both excellent services and the portability as an RVer cannot be beat. They work everywhere. Wifi and cell service does not.
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I renegotiated with the Direct TV retention department Monday. I have the Xtra package that has everything but the premium movie channels. My bill was dropped from $152 to $96 a month guaranteed for two years and the equipment was upgraded to the Genie system for no charge. The tech also replaced the dish and all of the cables with the newest upgrades. And as @dpkimmel2001 said, it's a must have for an RV.
 
Got the increase note from Cox. Wouldn't drop a penny. Had TV since the 80's, internet since 1995-6
Went to Fios almost 3 years ago and now have more channels, faster internet and includes my land line phone,[$50 a month] for less than Cox. I continue to get ''we miss you'' but won't do much as far as pricing.
 
Johali said:
I renegotiated with the Direct TV retention department Monday. I have the Xtra package that has everything but the premium movie channels. My bill was dropped from $152 to $96 a month guaranteed for two years and the equipment was upgraded to the Genie system for no charge. The tech also replaced the dish and all of the cables with the newest upgrades. And as @dpkimmel2001 said, it's a must have for an RV.
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After having Playstation Vue for $35/month, $120 or even $96 seems high for TV. Especially when it doesn't include On Demand content or Netflix programming or anything like that.
 
Johali said:
I renegotiated with the Direct TV retention department Monday. I have the Xtra package that has everything but the premium movie channels. My bill was dropped from $152 to $96 a month guaranteed for two years and the equipment was upgraded to the Genie system for no charge. The tech also replaced the dish and all of the cables with the newest upgrades. And as @dpkimmel2001 said, it's a must have for an RV.
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My last move from DirecTV to Dish was due to them not being willing to negotiate. At the time they were just coming out with the 'Whole Home' DVR. Not sure if it was called the Genie or not at that time. In any event, they were offering the Whole Home DVR for free with a new subscription. I figured having been with them for 10+ years at that point that they would do the same for me. They wouldn't. That's when I left them the last time.

I'm not sure how the Genie system works, not having had it, but I'm sure it's similar to the system I have. You're going to love it.
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
My last move from DirecTV to Dish was due to them not being willing to negotiate. At the time they were just coming out with the 'Whole Home' DVR. Not sure if it was called the Genie or not at that time. In any event, they were offering the Whole Home DVR for free with a new subscription. I figured having been with them for 10+ years at that point that they would do the same for me. They wouldn't. That's when I left them the last time.

I'm not sure how the Genie system works, not having had it, but I'm sure it's similar to the system I have. You're going to love it.
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I remember you going through that with them. The only thing that bugs me about the Genie system is the small flimsy remote. It feels like a cheap toy in my hand that I'll accidentally crush and my fingers are too big to hit just one button. Otherwise I love it. :D
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
My last move from DirecTV to Dish was due to them not being willing to negotiate. At the time they were just coming out with the 'Whole Home' DVR. Not sure if it was called the Genie or not at that time. In any event, they were offering the Whole Home DVR for free with a new subscription. I figured having been with them for 10+ years at that point that they would do the same for me. They wouldn't. That's when I left them the last time.

I'm not sure how the Genie system works, not having had it, but I'm sure it's similar to the system I have. You're going to love it.
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Since you were a long term customer they figure the odds of you leaving are slim so why give you the free DVR? Yeah they lost with you, but that is the breaks, they probably had far more that shut up and stayed.
 
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