Internet on the Islands

[eillac@dow]

Hello,

I was wondering what everyone uses for Internet access on the islands? We currently use a portable Mi-Fi device thru Verizon. Our problem is when we want to rent our home and how to be able to offer the Internet. We typically take the Mi-Fi with us when we leave as it is also used else where.

Thank you for any input or suggestions you may have. :)

[ishoot308]

Hello,

I was wondering what everyone uses for Internet access on the islands? We currently use a portable Mi-Fi device thru Verizon. Our problem is when we want to rent our home and how to be able to offer the Internet. We typically take the Mi-Fi with us when we leave as it is also used else where.

Thank you for any input or suggestions you may have. :)

We have Fairpoint on Welch and I get about 7 mbps download speed. It’s been very dependable and consistent thus far.

Dan

[Hoboken]

We use Metrocast on Bear Island and the speed is great. They also offer an off-season rate ~$4/month which helps keep costs down when nobody is using the place.


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[MAXUM]

This time of year using a mobile hotspot is fine, in fact sitting on Bear right now is what 'm using. Come summer time it gets painfully slow at times.

[eillac@dow]

Thanks for the Speedy responses. I may try calling Fairpoint and Metrocast tomorrow.

Has anyone ever heard of or used Hughes?

Thanks!

[welch-time]

Hughes net is a satellite based system so you need a dish and a clear view to the horizon.
It's more expensive than ground based internet (cable, DSL, fiber). It's also subject to interruptions caused by bad weather.
If you already have land line phone service, that's the way to go.

[eillac@dow]

See that’s the thing, I don’t believe we can get FairPoint/Metrocast at the Island. No land line.

I have to talk to my neighbors. I was recently told that one uses Hughes, which I had never heard of. I know 2others use basically the same thing as us. I also need to call Verizon to check on their plans....because most summer months we go over our data plans and it gets very costly.

Finally, add into all of this.....I am basically clueless when it comes to this! :D

Thank you!

[Descant]

I ran into a guy on the dock a couple of years ago who wanted Wi-Fi on his boat i.e. no landline. He had a wi-fi antenna that he claimed had about 1 mile reception.. The operation relied on the fact that many people don't protect their Wi-Fi. I think he built it himself, but I suspect there are commercial products available. Depending on your location, perhaps there is a line of sight to M-boro Neck where you could get a resident to give you his Wi-Fi password.

Landline? Most of us on Welch get DSL. At my mainland home, I'm too far from the source to get DSL. Point is, maybe landline won't solve the problem even if you can hook up.

[welch-time]

What about a high-end 4G mobile hot spot using a pre paid monthly plan? That way you would only pay for the months you were on the island as opposed to signing a 2 year contract.
ATT shows $50 for 5gb per month, and $10 per additional 1Gb. Plus you can take it with you and use it on the road if needed.

Mark

[codeman671]

We used to use Hughesnet years ago. The latency (lag time) was annoying plus they limit the amount of data per 24hr period. On occasion we were locked out of our service by a particular someone next door streaming off our wifi. Sucked up our allotted data and shut us down.

I know one forum member remembers that. :)

As soon as fairpoint set up dsl to the island we switched.
Nowadays I would stay with cellular if I had no other choice.

[kawishiwi]

I have att unlimited data with 3 phones (2 teens) and a hotspot wireless modem in Nashua. I usually have phone & data on the boat on winni even though verizon is better at the lake.
While it is spendy, I have phone ,wireless internet and now wireless tv almost anywhere. With att buying direct tv they rolled out directtvnow. I have replaced my xfinity $100 a month cable tv package with a $25 a month directtv now promo package via a roku box and i have tv on my phone as well.
No wires, cable, or dish at all.
I also have netflix & amazon video on the roku and on my phones.
The tv can lose wireless signal but for monthly saving on cable I deal with it.

[upthesaukee]

See that’s the thing, I don’t believe we can get FairPoint/Metrocast at the Island. No land line.

I have to talk to my neighbors. I was recently told that one uses Hughes, which I had never heard of. I know 2others use basically the same thing as us. I also need to call Verizon to check on their plans....because most summer months we go over our data plans and it gets very costly.

Finally, add into all of this.....I am basically clueless when it comes to this! :D

Thank you!Think outside the box.

Instead of trying to figure out how to get internet so you can make that part of your rental advertising, turn that around. Enjoy the peace and quiet of island life. On those occasions where there is the need to connect to the internet, (good) (excellent) coverage is available. We use (Verizon) (AT&T) for our cell service.

Turn what you feel may be a negative into a peaceful positive. Good luck with your decision.

Dave

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[thinkxingu]

^ This. We don't have internet or cable, and almost everyone we talk to about it says how great it sounds to get away from technology. This includes kids, who fall in love with the outdoors, just like we used to...

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[codeman671]

Think outside the box.

Instead of trying to figure out how to get internet so you can make that part of your rental advertising, turn that around. Enjoy the peace and quiet of island life. On those occasions where there is the need to connect to the internet, (good) (excellent) coverage is available. We use (Verizon) (AT&T) for our cell service.

Turn what you feel may be a negative into a peaceful positive. Good luck with your decision.

Dave

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We rented last year at the Point on Six Mile Island, a beautiful property owned by wonderful people. I was surprised when I got out there that they did not have internet. My kids were disappointed and it was a bit harder to work, but it wasn't bad being without it. I can see where it would be a big inconvenience to some by not having it.

[Water Camper]

At home in Pembroke, NH we have voice, Video, Data thru Comcast. At the lake we have no service other than our cell phones and a DVD player attached to our Tube type TV. We find it nice to get away from all of the commotion and tend to spend our evenings watching the sun set over the lake. Each to their own, but for us, it is our way of getting away.

My 2 cents,
Bill

[eillac@dow]

I definitely hear what you are saying about maybe advertising the “Pros” of getting alway from it all...with no internet. We did many many years without a TV. And to date, we have had no issues getting rentals. We only rent 2-3 weeks.

But we are not just doing this for “rentals”....we are also looking for a better option for our family. I know I would love to be able to spend that extra night and “work from home” on the island.

We are going to check out many of the options that you all have suggested.

Also thanks for the info on Hughes....I never even considered there being a limit within a 24 hr period!

Thanks everyone. Appreciate it. :)

[Descant]

We spent several summer weeks at an AMC camp where there was no cable, cell. etc. Very relaxing.. Try it. You'll love it.
At our island camp, we have access to landline telephone and satellite TV and we pretty much agree to not pay for such services.

After all, it's an ISLAND.

[Lakeflier]

We are full-time summer residents on Whortleberry Island and get good internet service with Fairpoint. We do not have landline telephone. We keep service in winter, as we have a webcam.

Our winter home is in North Carolina, where we used to have dreadful service from Hughesnet. When we canceled service they charged over $200 penalty. Stay away from them!

Can’t wait for ice-out so we can return to our beloved Winni!


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[persistence]

Check out connected car from ATT. Its an OBDII device that plugs into your car. Its called the ZTE Mobley. I then got a USB adapter so i can use it on ac or dc. $20/month unlimited data.

It may fit your needs, or something like that. It's good enough for me to keep me connected when in remote locations, and I need to be connected. I know oxymoron, but it happens.

I also can take it on the boat...rental cars when travelling etc. It's been great for me, the leash has been cut. Also helps out with the kids when driving back and forth to the lake :)

[Rich]

Check out connected car from ATT. Its an OBDII device that plugs into your car. Its called the ZTE Mobley. I then got a USB adapter so i can use it on ac or dc. $20/month unlimited data.

It may fit your needs, or something like that. It's good enough for me to keep me connected when in remote locations, and I need to be connected. I know oxymoron, but it happens.

I also can take it on the boat...rental cars when travelling etc. It's been great for me, the leash has been cut. Also helps out with the kids when driving back and forth to the lake :)

I just looked at their website, as I thought $20 for unlimited mobile data would be a deal! But their website says $20 for 1GB of data, or $30 for 3GB. Unless the price you are talking is to add it to a plan you already have?

Also, the reviews on their website are saying that the 'unlimited plan', is no longer offered, and if you are offered it on the phone to purchase the device, when you get the device, there is no way to obtain the unlimited plan.

I guess the end story is to consider yourself lucky if you have one of these that still has the unlimited plan. Enjoy it!

But thanks for this, I guess it's simply a mobile hotspot that grabs power from the OBDII connector.

[persistence]

Ugh, sorry about that. I had heard that, but wasn't sure they discontinued it as it looks like i still have unlimited. Hopefully I'm grandfathered. For the price, I just find it alot more reliable and easier to use than my phone hotspot. And i'm not sure what this means on their site under the 5GB Data Connect Plan.

DataConnect
Access to AT&T nationwide 4G LTE network. All data plans include unlimited usage on the entire national AT&T Wi-Fi HotSpot network.
Overage rate: $14.99/250MB on 250MB plan and $10/GB for the 1 GB, 3GB and 5GB plans.

[Rich]

Sure, you can use it without limits, but it will cost you:
$10 per GB past your plans monthly contracted amount.

So they don't stop you from using it (so it's technically 'unlimited'), but you will just get a bigger bill if you exceed your contracted amount. ;)

Good luck, better check your monthly bill to see if your unlimited contracts ends soon.

I used to have a Verizon Unlimited plan on my cell phone. They did everything they could to try to entice me to get off that plan after they ended it, and I was grandfathered in, so I kept it. But then they forced an end to it, and I had to purchase another plan. If another network had the coverage that Verizon does, I would have jumped ship.

Wouldn't you know it, about 8 or 9 months after they forced me into another plan, they then came out with a 'new' unlimited plan. Unfortunately the cost was not inexpensive for one user (I think the price is almost reasonable if you have four family members on it).

At this point, I'm not traveling as much as I used to, so it's not as important for me to have unlimited data on my cell phone. I also installed a nice WiFi hot spot on our dock, so when at the boat, I have as much bandwidth as I need there.

[Orion]

Yah, Rich, years ago I had a VZ bargain plan also that was a set price "for life". I guess I missed the fine print somewhere buried where they meant the life of the plan. Moral of the story is that you really have to watch these shysters.