Slightly O.T. - Any news on wireless technology for rural areas?

We are in a remote rural area - remote in that we can't get landline (DSL,
T1, etc.) without prohibitive cost, and tree lines prevent access to the
wireless internet towers in the area - who uses, by default, satellite.
This is okay, but we'd like better. The Fair Use Policy we have of a max of
17GB download per 30-day rolling average is killing us.

I've heard of NLOS (non-line-of-sight) wireless, and there's even a company
nearby that offers it -- we're too far from their coverage however. Anyone
know of new technologies/capabilities that could help rural users like us,
either now or in the (near) future?

--
Mike Webb
Platte River Whooping Crane Maintenance Trust, Inc.
a 501 (c)(3) conservation non-profit organization

Mike Webb wrote:
> We are in a remote rural area - remote in that we can't get landline (DSL,
> T1, etc.) without prohibitive cost, and tree lines prevent access to the
> wireless internet towers in the area - who uses, by default, satellite.
> This is okay, but we'd like better. The Fair Use Policy we have of a max of
> 17GB download per 30-day rolling average is killing us.
>
> I've heard of NLOS (non-line-of-sight) wireless, and there's even a company
> nearby that offers it -- we're too far from their coverage however. Anyone
> know of new technologies/capabilities that could help rural users like us,
> either now or in the (near) future?
>
This thread's about 2 years old, but it might give you a few ideas:
http://www.kottke.org/05/06/rural-internet-options

--
Lem MS MVP -- Networking

To the moon and back with 64 Kbits of RAM and 512 Kbits of ROM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer

Thanks. Lot's of ideas to check out.

"Lem" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Mike Webb wrote:
>> We are in a remote rural area - remote in that we can't get landline
>> (DSL, T1, etc.) without prohibitive cost, and tree lines prevent access
>> to the wireless internet towers in the area - who uses, by default,
>> satellite. This is okay, but we'd like better. The Fair Use Policy we
>> have of a max of 17GB download per 30-day rolling average is killing us.
>>
>> I've heard of NLOS (non-line-of-sight) wireless, and there's even a
>> company nearby that offers it -- we're too far from their coverage
>> however. Anyone know of new technologies/capabilities that could help
>> rural users like us, either now or in the (near) future?
>>
> This thread's about 2 years old, but it might give you a few ideas:
> http://www.kottke.org/05/06/rural-internet-options
>
> --
> Lem MS MVP -- Networking
>
> To the moon and back with 64 Kbits of RAM and 512 Kbits of ROM.
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer

True, but we use Wildlblue now for satellite. HughesNet has the same
restriction on downloads per 30-day rolling average. We are a research
non-profit heavily into GIS apps. We push the 17Gb limit all the time.
When we exceed it, we are dropped down to 56K until the average falls under
the threshold. Gotta be a better way.

"Jim" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:yZLpi.20620$(E-Mail Removed). net...
>
> "Mike Webb" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:OsfR%(E-Mail Removed)...
>> We are in a remote rural area - remote in that we can't get landline
>> (DSL, T1, etc.) without prohibitive cost, and tree lines prevent access
>> to the wireless internet towers in the area - who uses, by default,
>> satellite. This is okay, but we'd like better. The Fair Use Policy we
>> have of a max of 17GB download per 30-day rolling average is killing us.
>>
>> I've heard of NLOS (non-line-of-sight) wireless, and there's even a
>> company nearby that offers it -- we're too far from their coverage
>> however. Anyone know of new technologies/capabilities that could help
>> rural users like us, either now or in the (near) future?
>>
>> --
>> Mike Webb
>> Platte River Whooping Crane Maintenance Trust, Inc.
>> a 501 (c)(3) conservation non-profit organization
>>
> Hughesnet.com furnishes a service via satellite. I have heard that the
> service is rather expensive. All I know is what I see on the TV.
>
> Jim
>

The most economical thing I have seen is cellphone based systems by Sprint
and Verison. We purchased the Verizon system and it gets over 700kb
download speed and over 200kb upload speed by testing with
www.speakeasy.net/speedtest .

We are using the USB based device "USB720".

We are an NBC affiated TV Station and use it for reporters to use with a
laptop at remote locations to get on the Net and VPN back into the station
to run the Newsroon System to put in their stories. We are also working on
using the same device with our Satelite Uplink Truck that has a rack mounted
PC built into the truck.

As with any wireless technology,..the signal strength directly effects the
speed. Too low a signal can cause it to drop the connection. But in
practice we have had pretty good luck with it so far.

I'm guessing the cost is around $70 a month,..but I'm not the one that pays
the bill.


--
Phillip Windell
www.wandtv.com

The views expressed, are my own and not those of my employer, or Microsoft,
or anyone else associated with me, including my cats.
-----------------------------------------------------
Understanding the ISA 2004 Access Rule Processing
http://www.isaserver.org/articles/IS...cessRules.html

Troubleshooting Client Authentication on Access Rules in ISA Server 2004
http://download.microsoft.com/downlo...7/ts_rules.doc

Microsoft Internet Security & Acceleration Server: Partners
http://www.microsoft.com/isaserver/partners/default.asp

Microsoft ISA Server Partners: Partner Hardware Solutions
http://www.microsoft.com/forefront/e...epartners.mspx
-----------------------------------------------------

"Mike Webb" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:OsfR%(E-Mail Removed)...
> We are in a remote rural area - remote in that we can't get landline (DSL,
> T1, etc.) without prohibitive cost, and tree lines prevent access to the
> wireless internet towers in the area - who uses, by default, satellite.
> This is okay, but we'd like better. The Fair Use Policy we have of a max
> of 17GB download per 30-day rolling average is killing us.
>
> I've heard of NLOS (non-line-of-sight) wireless, and there's even a
> company nearby that offers it -- we're too far from their coverage
> however. Anyone know of new technologies/capabilities that could help
> rural users like us, either now or in the (near) future?
>
> --
> Mike Webb
> Platte River Whooping Crane Maintenance Trust, Inc.
> a 501 (c)(3) conservation non-profit organization
>

Sounds like a heckuva deal. I'm not sure how it'd work with a server for our
LAN. I'll look into it, thanks.

"Phillip Windell" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:%23nq4b%(E-Mail Removed)...
> The most economical thing I have seen is cellphone based systems by Sprint
> and Verison. We purchased the Verizon system and it gets over 700kb
> download speed and over 200kb upload speed by testing with
> www.speakeasy.net/speedtest .
>
> We are using the USB based device "USB720".
>
> We are an NBC affiated TV Station and use it for reporters to use with a
> laptop at remote locations to get on the Net and VPN back into the station
> to run the Newsroon System to put in their stories. We are also working
> on using the same device with our Satelite Uplink Truck that has a rack
> mounted PC built into the truck.
>
> As with any wireless technology,..the signal strength directly effects the
> speed. Too low a signal can cause it to drop the connection. But in
> practice we have had pretty good luck with it so far.
>
> I'm guessing the cost is around $70 a month,..but I'm not the one that
> pays the bill.
>
>
> --
> Phillip Windell
> www.wandtv.com
>
> The views expressed, are my own and not those of my employer, or
> Microsoft, or anyone else associated with me, including my cats.
> -----------------------------------------------------
> Understanding the ISA 2004 Access Rule Processing
> http://www.isaserver.org/articles/IS...cessRules.html
>
> Troubleshooting Client Authentication on Access Rules in ISA Server 2004
> http://download.microsoft.com/downlo...7/ts_rules.doc
>
> Microsoft Internet Security & Acceleration Server: Partners
> http://www.microsoft.com/isaserver/partners/default.asp
>
> Microsoft ISA Server Partners: Partner Hardware Solutions
> http://www.microsoft.com/forefront/e...epartners.mspx
> -----------------------------------------------------
>
> "Mike Webb" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:OsfR%(E-Mail Removed)...
>> We are in a remote rural area - remote in that we can't get landline
>> (DSL, T1, etc.) without prohibitive cost, and tree lines prevent access
>> to the wireless internet towers in the area - who uses, by default,
>> satellite. This is okay, but we'd like better. The Fair Use Policy we
>> have of a max of 17GB download per 30-day rolling average is killing us.
>>
>> I've heard of NLOS (non-line-of-sight) wireless, and there's even a
>> company nearby that offers it -- we're too far from their coverage
>> however. Anyone know of new technologies/capabilities that could help
>> rural users like us, either now or in the (near) future?
>>
>> --
>> Mike Webb
>> Platte River Whooping Crane Maintenance Trust, Inc.
>> a 501 (c)(3) conservation non-profit organization
>>
>
>

"Mike Webb" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Sounds like a heckuva deal. I'm not sure how it'd work with a server for
> our LAN. I'll look into it, thanks.

I don't know if it would be very good for that.

Their is a model of Linksys box that has a slot for a PC card (like a laptop
uses).
The model is WRT54G3G-ST
http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Satel...=9873239789B01

Of course it is still a "home user" quality product and I'd hate to run a
commercial network off of one, but it still might be a reasonable solution.

One of our sister stations in Springfield, Mass experimented with one of
those combined with the Sprint Wireless Broadband product. They said is
worked pretty well.
http://www.wwlp.com/

You can probably track down their phone number off of their site. Their IT
guy is Bob McCormick.

--
Phillip Windell
www.wandtv.com

The views expressed, are my own and not those of my employer, or Microsoft,
or anyone else associated with me, including my cats.
-----------------------------------------------------
Understanding the ISA 2004 Access Rule Processing
http://www.isaserver.org/articles/IS...cessRules.html

Troubleshooting Client Authentication on Access Rules in ISA Server 2004
http://download.microsoft.com/downlo...7/ts_rules.doc

Microsoft Internet Security & Acceleration Server: Partners
http://www.microsoft.com/isaserver/partners/default.asp

Microsoft ISA Server Partners: Partner Hardware Solutions
http://www.microsoft.com/forefront/e...epartners.mspx
-----------------------------------------------------

Thanks!

"Phillip Windell" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> "Mike Webb" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>> Sounds like a heckuva deal. I'm not sure how it'd work with a server for
>> our LAN. I'll look into it, thanks.
>
> I don't know if it would be very good for that.
>
> Their is a model of Linksys box that has a slot for a PC card (like a
> laptop uses).
> The model is WRT54G3G-ST
> http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Satel...=9873239789B01
>
> Of course it is still a "home user" quality product and I'd hate to run a
> commercial network off of one, but it still might be a reasonable
> solution.
>
> One of our sister stations in Springfield, Mass experimented with one of
> those combined with the Sprint Wireless Broadband product. They said is
> worked pretty well.
> http://www.wwlp.com/
>
> You can probably track down their phone number off of their site. Their IT
> guy is Bob McCormick.
>
> --
> Phillip Windell
> www.wandtv.com
>
> The views expressed, are my own and not those of my employer, or
> Microsoft, or anyone else associated with me, including my cats.
> -----------------------------------------------------
> Understanding the ISA 2004 Access Rule Processing
> http://www.isaserver.org/articles/IS...cessRules.html
>
> Troubleshooting Client Authentication on Access Rules in ISA Server 2004
> http://download.microsoft.com/downlo...7/ts_rules.doc
>
> Microsoft Internet Security & Acceleration Server: Partners
> http://www.microsoft.com/isaserver/partners/default.asp
>
> Microsoft ISA Server Partners: Partner Hardware Solutions
> http://www.microsoft.com/forefront/e...epartners.mspx
> -----------------------------------------------------
>
>

Mike Webb wrote:
> Sounds like a heckuva deal. I'm not sure how it'd work with a server for our
> LAN. I'll look into it, thanks.
>
> "Phillip Windell" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:%23nq4b%(E-Mail Removed)...
>> The most economical thing I have seen is cellphone based systems by Sprint
>> and Verison. We purchased the Verizon system and it gets over 700kb
>> download speed and over 200kb upload speed by testing with
>> www.speakeasy.net/speedtest .
>>
>> We are using the USB based device "USB720".
>>
>> We are an NBC affiated TV Station and use it for reporters to use with a
>> laptop at remote locations to get on the Net and VPN back into the station
>> to run the Newsroon System to put in their stories. We are also working
>> on using the same device with our Satelite Uplink Truck that has a rack
>> mounted PC built into the truck.
>>
>> As with any wireless technology,..the signal strength directly effects the
>> speed. Too low a signal can cause it to drop the connection. But in
>> practice we have had pretty good luck with it so far.
>>
>> I'm guessing the cost is around $70 a month,..but I'm not the one that
>> pays the bill.
>>
>>
>> --
>> Phillip Windell
>> www.wandtv.com
>>
>> The views expressed, are my own and not those of my employer, or
>> Microsoft, or anyone else associated with me, including my cats.
>> -----------------------------------------------------
>> Understanding the ISA 2004 Access Rule Processing
>> http://www.isaserver.org/articles/IS...cessRules.html
>>
>> Troubleshooting Client Authentication on Access Rules in ISA Server 2004
>> http://download.microsoft.com/downlo...7/ts_rules.doc
>>
>> Microsoft Internet Security & Acceleration Server: Partners
>> http://www.microsoft.com/isaserver/partners/default.asp
>>
>> Microsoft ISA Server Partners: Partner Hardware Solutions
>> http://www.microsoft.com/forefront/e...epartners.mspx
>> -----------------------------------------------------
>>
>> "Mike Webb" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news:OsfR%(E-Mail Removed)...
>>> We are in a remote rural area - remote in that we can't get landline
>>> (DSL, T1, etc.) without prohibitive cost, and tree lines prevent access
>>> to the wireless internet towers in the area - who uses, by default,
>>> satellite. This is okay, but we'd like better. The Fair Use Policy we
>>> have of a max of 17GB download per 30-day rolling average is killing us.
>>>
>>> I've heard of NLOS (non-line-of-sight) wireless, and there's even a
>>> company nearby that offers it -- we're too far from their coverage
>>> however. Anyone know of new technologies/capabilities that could help
>>> rural users like us, either now or in the (near) future?
>>>
>>> --
>>> Mike Webb
>>> Platte River Whooping Crane Maintenance Trust, Inc.
>>> a 501 (c)(3) conservation non-profit organization
>>>
>>
>
>
Keep in mind that not all broadband cellular systems are the same (how
rural are you? do you get cellular phone service? from multiple
carriers?). One of the major complaints about the Apple iPhone is that
it uses the ATT/Cingular EDGE system (when it is not within range of an
802.11 WiFi wireless access point). See
http://www.ericd.net/staging/2007/07...r-read-on.html

--
Lem MS MVP -- Networking

To the moon and back with 64 Kbits of RAM and 512 Kbits of ROM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer

We can get cell phone service fine. The problem with wireless internet is
the tree lines to our north and south which block line-of-sight to the
nearest tower. Plus most of those towers are more than 10 miles (linear)
from our location.

"Lem" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Mike Webb wrote:
>> Sounds like a heckuva deal. I'm not sure how it'd work with a server for
>> our LAN. I'll look into it, thanks.
>>
>> "Phillip Windell" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news:%23nq4b%(E-Mail Removed)...
>>> The most economical thing I have seen is cellphone based systems by
>>> Sprint and Verison. We purchased the Verizon system and it gets over
>>> 700kb download speed and over 200kb upload speed by testing with
>>> www.speakeasy.net/speedtest .
>>>
>>> We are using the USB based device "USB720".
>>>
>>> We are an NBC affiated TV Station and use it for reporters to use with a
>>> laptop at remote locations to get on the Net and VPN back into the
>>> station to run the Newsroon System to put in their stories. We are also
>>> working on using the same device with our Satelite Uplink Truck that has
>>> a rack mounted PC built into the truck.
>>>
>>> As with any wireless technology,..the signal strength directly effects
>>> the speed. Too low a signal can cause it to drop the connection. But in
>>> practice we have had pretty good luck with it so far.
>>>
>>> I'm guessing the cost is around $70 a month,..but I'm not the one that
>>> pays the bill.
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Phillip Windell
>>> www.wandtv.com
>>>
>>> The views expressed, are my own and not those of my employer, or
>>> Microsoft, or anyone else associated with me, including my cats.
>>> -----------------------------------------------------
>>> Understanding the ISA 2004 Access Rule Processing
>>> http://www.isaserver.org/articles/IS...cessRules.html
>>>
>>> Troubleshooting Client Authentication on Access Rules in ISA Server 2004
>>> http://download.microsoft.com/downlo...7/ts_rules.doc
>>>
>>> Microsoft Internet Security & Acceleration Server: Partners
>>> http://www.microsoft.com/isaserver/partners/default.asp
>>>
>>> Microsoft ISA Server Partners: Partner Hardware Solutions
>>> http://www.microsoft.com/forefront/e...epartners.mspx
>>> -----------------------------------------------------
>>>
>>> "Mike Webb" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>>> news:OsfR%(E-Mail Removed)...
>>>> We are in a remote rural area - remote in that we can't get landline
>>>> (DSL, T1, etc.) without prohibitive cost, and tree lines prevent access
>>>> to the wireless internet towers in the area - who uses, by default,
>>>> satellite. This is okay, but we'd like better. The Fair Use Policy we
>>>> have of a max of 17GB download per 30-day rolling average is killing
>>>> us.
>>>>
>>>> I've heard of NLOS (non-line-of-sight) wireless, and there's even a
>>>> company nearby that offers it -- we're too far from their coverage
>>>> however. Anyone know of new technologies/capabilities that could help
>>>> rural users like us, either now or in the (near) future?
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Mike Webb
>>>> Platte River Whooping Crane Maintenance Trust, Inc.
>>>> a 501 (c)(3) conservation non-profit organization
>>>>
>>>
>>
>>
> Keep in mind that not all broadband cellular systems are the same (how
> rural are you? do you get cellular phone service? from multiple
> carriers?). One of the major complaints about the Apple iPhone is that it
> uses the ATT/Cingular EDGE system (when it is not within range of an
> 802.11 WiFi wireless access point). See
> http://www.ericd.net/staging/2007/07...r-read-on.html
>
> --
> Lem MS MVP -- Networking
>
> To the moon and back with 64 Kbits of RAM and 512 Kbits of ROM.
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer