Internet in rural areas
 

Is there anything that can be done to speed up poor internet? I live in a rural area. The max internet speed we can get is 7mbps. There is only one company that offers service. It used to be sufficient. I'm not sure if we are having issues because so many people in the area are now working from home?? But it is so SLOW! I get that we'll never be able to play action video games and whatever, but just browsing internet takes forever. Are there devices that can boost speed? Anyone know anything about satellite internet or other options?

Re: Internet in rural areas
 

Unfortunately, there is not much you can do as a household in a rural area b/c the ISP (internet service provider) has a monopoly. IMO access to internet is like other utilities and the government should be ensuring better access (similar to how everyone has post office service no matter where they live). But that costs $$ and taxes.

One thing you could look into is whether there are any hotspots supported in your area - then those could be purchased. What do the McDonald's in your area do for internet and is it any faster?

Satellite internet tends to be very high latency (delay) so it depends on what you're using it for whether it would work.

Re: Internet in rural areas
 

The city has better internet/more options. We're 10 miles out. It's all ag and residential. My phone doesn't even get great reception so I'm not sure a hot spot would work.

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Re: Internet in rural areas
 

I think she was talking about locations that offer hot spots. Like the library or McDonald's or the police station.


If you bairly get cell service you could talk to your cell phone provider and see if they have anything that would help that. Where we lived before we had almost no serve and then one of the houses behind us got a cellphone signal booster from the same provider and then we would have service ( untill they went on vacation) it might be pocoble to boost cell service and use that as a hot spot.

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Re: Internet in rural areas
 

I can’t get a cell signal here so my provider gave me a device that runs off my WiFi but that won’t be helpful if your WiFi is slow. Have you checked with your ISP to see if there are any options to speed it up? We had satellite internet before they finally got fiber out here and it goes out during heavy rain, snow you have to go clear off your dish constantly. And it’s not really that fast, if you go over your limit they slow it waaaaay down for the rest of the billing cycle.


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Re: Internet in rural areas
 

7mbps is the best our isp offers. It used to be fine i really thing a line got damaged somewhere but they keep saying it's fine. Thry said it may be the router so i got a new one and we don't get kicked off all the time anymore at least.
I need it for work and school so McDonald's won't work.

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Re: Internet in rural areas
 

Consumer Reports is lobbying to get internet reclassified as a utility, so that rural and other underserved areas can get better service.

Their petition is here. https://action.consumerreports.org/t...EY=YCRMAGAUG20

Re: Internet in rural areas
 

Signed and shared on FB!

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Re: Internet in rural areas
 

Signed it. I know there are a ton of people nearby here still with no decent internet. I think they stopped laying the fiber cable just a few miles from here and don’t know if they ever did phase two.

You might have to go with satellite and work around the weather issues unfortunately.


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Re: Internet in rural areas
 

Our internet now is affected by weather for some reason. I think they have fiber in town.

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Re: Internet in rural areas
 

We are in the exact same boat. We don't have an answer.

Re: Internet in rural areas
 

Hang tight! Starlink is very likely coming this fall! My DH follows it closely. They're installing some kind of station about 5 miles from me. I'm in the northern part of the state but I believe that the southern area will be covered, too.

The rural northwest is one of the first areas to get coverage, I believe.

Re: Internet in rural areas
 

Thank you! I just signed up for updates on their site. I would love to have another choice. I really think our connection was better before. Even in the spring when all of us were streaming, gaming, working, schooling, our connection was better but Centurylink just says it's fine. Actually they go back and forth between saying there is a line issue and it's fine. :eyeroll

Re: Internet in rural areas
 

Considering how important internet access is and how the lack of it is expanding education gaps during quarantines, if there ever was a time where you could rally neighbors/school districts/etc. to work together for better internet, it is now.

Re: Internet in rural areas
 

A large portion of the community is pretty hostile towards the school district, unfortunately. People on fixed incomes and ag land owners are furious that the schools want expensive building repairs and new buildings.