[Suzie_Cue]

If the terrorists hate us for our freedoms….
The simple solution is to take our freedoms away

[mewzilla]

Well, good for them. But $50 a month is still too steep for me.

[martin_fierro]

I live in a dumpy apartment complex in Silicon Valley -- and was only recently able to get cable modem access.

DSL? Forget it! The complex's telephone wiring is too cheap and antiquated to support it.

[Bad~Rodeo]

FYI.... Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer (DSLAM)

A digital subscriber line access multiplexer (DSLAM) delivers exceptionally high-speed data transmission over existing copper telephone lines. A DSLAM separates the voice-frequency signals from the high-speed data traffic and controls and routes digital subscriber line (xDSL) traffic between the subscriber's end-user equipment (router, modem, or network interface card [NIC]) and the network service provider's network.

[RWG]

As in Colorado, Qwest and other local telephone companies maintain that it would just be too expensive to offer DSL in rural Wyoming...this article confirms that qwest is a lying rip off.

[dennisw]

Oppedahl used microwave antennas to connect his nearby law office's network, which has a fast-access T1 line, to his home and the broadband box.
_______________________________________

This is the key and the genius of this op. Microwave antennas..... No digging ditches through pastures, fences and over hills.

[Freebird Forever]

Rural residents desperately seeking fast Internet connections are taking it upon themselves to get broadband service. 

Don't these people realize what a poor example they're setting by not insisting that the government solve the problem for them?!!!

The parasites on the coasts will be outraged!!!

< /sarcasm >

[RippleFire]

Bump

[B Knotts]

I've actually been thinking of doing something similar. I just don't know if I could make the 25-mile hop to my office. There's a clear shot from a certain point a little ways from my house, but 25 miles is a long way for wireless.

[The Great RJ]

Qwest's DSL is a joke and their tech support is non existent. My son and I recently spent hours trying to hook up Qwest DSL service for a friend --Qwest just sent the modem and a 200 page manual in the mail. Once we finally got things going it was hardly faster than dial-up and went down within 20 mintes of installation.

If cable isn't available, I wouldn't mess with DSL. These co-op guys should go satelite dish.

[kitchen]

... Boulder (slogan: "Bandwidth to the Boonies")...

Since when is Boulder remote rural? More like bandwidth to the loonies.

[VOA]

Qwest officials were not available for comment. 

This one line tells me that these "Sagebrush Rebellion"-style folks are on the right track.

It will be interesting to see all the consequences as DSL (and general Internet access)
spreads like "Rural Electrification" did a few generations ago.

My suspicion is that it MIGHT
1. Even help speed the depopulation of rural America as the kids see even more of what's
shakin' outside of "flyover country"...
2. And at the same time, some folks will make the move from urban/suburban areas
when they realize they can be out in the sticks, but still wired into the rest of the planet.
(Could be that #1 and #2 will balance out and just be a wash.)

3. And the final death nell of small-town newspapers might be ringing...
will subscriptions to newspapers in towns under (oh say) 50,000 population just
shrivel and die as the Web becomes the trusted news source?

[PoorMuttly]

Broadband is wonderful. Routed all over the house, always logged-on...excellent download speeds.

But...I STILL want the telephone you can squirt seltzer through. = the END of telemarketing.