“Oklahoma, where the Internet comes sweepin’ down the Broadband plains,
And the Satellite, up in its flight, sends the signal flowing down like rain….”
Rogers and Hammerstein may be rolling over in their graves right about now, but the good folks of the State of Oklahoma, all 3,751,351 of them, sure appreciate having rural broadband internet access throughout their state of nearly seventy thousand square miles!
Louisiana was so named by Rene-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle (shortened to Robert de La Salle thankfully!) in honor of King Louis XIV when
he claimed the area for France. He actually called it La Louisiane meaning ‘land of Louis’. Those French could sure spin a name! Swamp land was prevalent and with nothing but their wits these explorers found this rich land at the end of the Mississippi River’s long run to the sea. Imagine a time when nothing existed but nature itself – no technology and no Satellite Internet!
Not so long ago if we saw someone walking down the sidewalk talking away to nobody it was quite natural to assume that they might be a few bricks short of a load or maybe had a couple too many cocktails. Every town had one and we would just kind of chuckle and feel a bit sorry for them. But nowadays it is not unusual at all to see someone chatting away merrily and just generally appearing to be off in a world of their own. Has the whole world gone mad? No, it simply is the growth in popularity of headsets which enables the wearer to talk hands-free on their satellite phone or cell phone. It looks pretty strange but is so common now that we hardly notice anymore.
So many small business owners, specifically the ones who spend boatloads on making their storefront as attractive as possible, are essentially wasting their money. If it’s a restaurant or nationwide chain of Super-sized grocery stores, I can see the reasoning behind the expensive signs – the glamor that screams “MY STORE IS BETTER THAN YOURS!” Also, all the businesses who pay to get their name in the local phone book’s yellow pages are also continuing on a downward trial leading to a dying trend. In other words, they are using ancient marketing techniques and expecting modern day results while at the same time paying futuristic prices.
As many of you may know we have dedicated a couple of articles to comparing wireless technology to satellite internet. Up until now however, we have not looked at some of the new up and coming technologies that are gaining popularity in the wireless industry. Two of these technologies are WiMax and Mifi. In case these terms are new to you I will attempt to offer a brief explanation, as these technologies have not quite made it main stream yet. Mifi is more or less, a router that utilizes wireless data signal such as 3G or the new 4G technology to connect a network of computers. It operates in much of the same way your Wi-Fi router would at home except it is more portable. A Mifi device can operate anywhere you can get a good wireless broadband connection.
I have discussed in previous articles the comparisons between satellite internet and wireless internet. I thought it might be nice to expand upon those comparisons with mention of some of the newest technologies in both industries. I have heard arguments that with the increasing adoption of 4g that there would be no question of whether or not wireless was the better option. However, what people fail to realize is at the same time wireless is updating its technology satellite internet is also updating its technology. The fact of the matter is that 4G is nowhere near main stream, and there are very very few wireless services that offer it in the United States. In addition to this, there have been several reports that 4G is not a major step up from 3G. Therefore, if on the very unlikely chance you are able to receive a 4G signal in your area it is most likely not going to be a huge improvement over 3G. Now, we should compare this to the improvements being made in the satellite internet service industry. WildBlue is releasing a new satellite into orbit with new technology developed from its parent company ViaSat. This technology is going to increase download speeds from the current 1.5mbps to 10mbps. In addition, this new technology involves processes that are much more cost efficient. So, it is likely to make satellite internet service cheaper for consumers in the long run. When these aspects are compared from each industry there is no question that satellite internet is the better option. However, one has to consider how the internet connection will be used. If you are going to be traveling a lot or just seem to be on the move the majority of the time wireless internet will be a much more mobile option. However, if you are going to be using the connection as a stationary in-home connection satellite internet is still by far the better option.
Maybe you are living in an area that does not have access to cable or DSL and you are tired of the slow speeds of dial-up, but you are not sure you can afford the price increase to Satellite Internet. Did you know there are actually ways you could make your Satellite Internet service pay for itself. If you are on dial-up you are most likely paying close to $15 a month, and you can get WildBlue Satellite Internet Service stating at around $49 a month. So, you just have to save $35 with your satellite internet service and it will basically be paying for its self.
