kevin.pavin@gmail.com wrote:

>I am in a rural IL (central between springfield and decatur) outside
>the range of standard broadband service (dsl, cable, etc). The two
>alternative internet service technologies that I am familiar with are
>satellite and cell phone. I would appreciate any comparison on the two
>technologies (speed, coverage, cost), and any suggestions on service
>providers. Thanks for any help on this,


Cellphone data service is barely better than dialup at its best with respect to
speed, is expensive and is limited in allowed transfer amounts. Verizon probably
has the best coverage in rural areas, but you'll have to check with each carrier
for your location. Cell data has its place, but substituting for fixed location
service is not one of them.

Satellite service works when there's nothing else available, but latency means
you won't be running games or VOIP applications over it and they also can limit
transfer amounts of data or throttle your service. It's also pricey.

There is a third choice: You may be surprised at the number of Wireless ISPs
that cover rural areas. All you need is line of sight to their tower, which is
typically on a water tower or grain elevator. WISP service is typically much
more economical than the other two and performance-wise, can be as good as wired
service.

Start at www.broadbandreports.com to see what's available in your area.