SAD Hell: The End is in Sight

My SAD (slow-ass-dialup) days are numbered. I’m sure of it. I’ve been trying to find a high speed solution for Bush-Field. I’ve tried DSL. I’ve tried cable. I’ve tried satellite. No go.

We are too rural for DSL or cable. We’d have to pay our own contractor to lay the cables. Upwards of $50 000. Don’t think that’s going to happen.

Satellite was feasible but there were a few things I didn’t quite fancy about that solution. Namely, the cost, the technology, and the latency. It could cost $500 for the equipment alone. Then up to $80 per month. I was leery about the technology because it’s rare. Imagine if something went wrong? How long would it take to get fixed? I certainly wouldn’t be able to troubleshoot it. Finally, the latency factor. That satellite is 45000 miles away. Even if the download and upload speeds were fast, there would still be a latency in the clicking. It would be like talking to somebody on the other side of the world and you hear that delay sometimes. One speaks, but you don’t hear what they’ve said until after you’ve spoken and the questions collide along the way. It would be very easy for me to get confused, I think.

I also tried a company that specializes in getting small rural businesses (i.e.: wineries) online. Vista Broadband came up and sussed the property last Friday. Alas. No luck. We weren’t within line-of-site from any of their terminals. Ix-nay on the line-of-site option too.

Finally though, because I was calling random telecommunications companies in the Yellow Pages, I stumbled on Petaluma Wireless. I called them because they were local. I thought I would just explain what I wanted and maybe they would have a creative idea to sort me out. It turned out that they do have a solution! Verizon Broadband. High speed internet access to the cellular data network. Anywhere you get a Verizon cell signal, you can get online. Also, they said the speed is faster than DSL, but slower than cable.

How exciting is that?? High speed internet access from your lap top and you don’t have to go finding WiFi hot spots!!! $60 per month with an existing voice account. I investigated their voice accounts because when AT&T bought Cingular (I currently have Cingular)…they axed my North America calling plan. Oh. Sucks to be me. I just realized I started a new contract with Cingular when I updated my phone a few months ago.

Whatever. I’ll sort it out. Maybe I’ll just get another phone with the North American plan (call my parents or the rest of my family anytime anywhere!). I’ll just be an uber geek with two cell plans and a data cell plan.

So, Catherine and Redd… prepare for your pics to be posted. I’ll be freed from SAD hell and you’ll have to release GB jr from wherever you’ve put him. Oh. Good God!!! You didn’t give him to Chris Danton did you???