"So we taxpayers are paying a tax so that someone in a remote location can have telephone service. This is clearly a form of socialism. People paying extra taxes to provide a service to someone who cannot have it otherwise. That is socialism in its most simple form."

David, I am more than happy to pay my "Universal Connectivity Fee" to provide you phone service up on your mountain.

Fred

Rural areas are not without highspeed Farm data has been broadcasting markets to farmers for years...the current rural highspeed solution is either Wild Blue or HugesNet satellite Highspeed.

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Annoying people is easier than fishing with dynamite

DrFred,
Thanks for your contribution! Our 30 yr old phone lines have
splices in the splices, but the phone works, sorta...(that wasn't
my rant on 'socialism', but I appreciate your kick in.)

I'm with TheHead, for a change: we are pretty 'rural' and have
med high speed wireless, 8011 g sumpin, up here on the mtn.
Faster than Verizon's bs air card, and gives 13-1400 dwn and
400-600 up. Cable or DSL will not get up here in my lifetime.
Wild Blue and HughesNet are not avail here in far western NC.

I miss my ComCrap down in our winter FL house.

David,
hughesNet is available in your area...although you are correct on Wild Blue as the spot beam for NC is full but according to the data shift map it will be open for new subscribers in the next few weeks...Personally I would recommend the HughesNet system as they have far better reliability and data transfer rates...I would assist further but NC is out of my distirbution territory for both products so I cannot provide any more assistance.

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Annoying people is easier than fishing with dynamite

Head,
Yes, a neighbor has/had HughesNet, but he's had "service" for
about 20 mins out of the last year, lol! I personally wouldn't
touch it here, as my 80sumpin fairly high speed wireless does
well. We have DISH not Direct and I approached them on their
HS Sat internet, but it seems to have not very well.

That is an interesting issue with your neighbors Hughes system...it seems like an install issue like the dish is not properly aligned that or they are running the 5000 or 6000 series equipment the new 7000 does not have an issue and the 7000 high power does not have issues with rain fade as it is the exact same unit hughes commercial uses to supply data connection for the pay at pump gas stations...as for the Highspeed from Dish I would definately recommend hughes systems for reliablity and data transfer plans...many customers have not liked the fair usage policies with Dish Highspeed (wild blue)

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Annoying people is easier than fishing with dynamite