A Simpler Way of Life

To say it's rural is quite fitting...

Well, I learned a little bit of bad news today.  But I suppose it's possible it's good news, too.

Internet is not readily available at the new property.

The country way of life is a simpler way of life, that's for sure, but even I didn't expect this.  And part of me actually gets excited about not having great internet, because it's a good way to keep you off of it!  But being just 10 miles from a metropolitan area, I really thought respectable service would be offered.  I was way wrong.

I checked into the two biggest carriers in our area (Comcast and AT&T), and neither have hard-wire service to the property (or even the 10-mile road at all!).  I had spent two years in pure bliss not having to speak to a Comcast employee (it was unfortunately fairly common with them due to shady business practices, adding services I didn't ask for, increasing my monthly bill numerous times, etc.), but I was forced to change that today.  I have been absolutely DELIGHTED with AT&T.  I never had a problem with them in Cleveland, and I have never had a problem with them at Charlack.  Not a one.  Perfect service, correct billing.  Every time.  It's funny how honesty actually makes me want to give them MORE service.  Take note, Comcast.

Well, needless to say, my experience with Comcast simply as a possible shopper today was poor at best.  I didn't want to talk to a thick-accented agent that repeated canned lines to me, so I tried the online chat service.  The first guy wouldn't respond timely, and then he tried to start a ticket for his techs on a house I don't even own. Ugh.  I closed him out simply to get another agent.  I wasn't even sure service was available still.  The second agent assured me that internet was indeed available at the house but that techs would need to set up a box in the house.  He immediately asked for my phone number to have it installed.  No, no, guys.  Slow down.  I'm just shopping!  He told me I needed to contact my local Xfinity branch in Springfield.  So I searched for a phone number.  In typical Comcast fashion, the number does not even exist.  The only one listed is the 1-800 number.  I wasn't even allowed to do what the agent specifically told me to do.  Oh, Comcast, I miss you not. 

Well, having possible opposing answers to my questions, I decided to call the 1-800 number in order to speak to a local branch person.  After being routed by a robot for the first several questions, I ended up with an agent in Tennessee.  I asked him for the local Springfield branch number.  "Sir, we don't do local numbers.  Even I can't give that to you."  I still wasn't even allowed to do what the agent had specfically told me to do.  Oh, Comcast, I miss you not.

But then it gets worse.  This third agent told me that service was not even available at the address.  Unbelievable.  The first agent was not forthcoming.  The second agent said absolutely yes.  The third agent said absolutely no.  Oh, Comcast, I miss you not.

Seriously, though.

So I shopped some more.  AT&T provides 4G service through cell phone towers, but like cell phones, data is limited.  You can get either a 50GB or 100GB plan, but reviews quickly mention that throttling takes place.  You are severely limited, especially as you approach your limits.  I have no idea how much internet I use in any given month (how would you?), but I would expect it to be cut off at those numbers.

HughesNet advertises unlimited internet plans, but reviews quickly mention that that simply means they take you from fast speeds down to molasses speeds after a certain limit...usually around Day 14-20 of the month for most people (again based off of data caps).  "Hey, we never did stop you!  Ya see?  That's why we call it unlimited!"

It's kind of like Enterprise offering unlimited miles on a rental vehicle, but as soon as you drove 250 miles, the car wouldn't let you get to 65 MPH but instead stopped the speed of the car at 5 MPH.  Actually, that's a perfect illustration.  "Hey, you can keep driving as long as you want!  Because we gave you unlimited miles!"  Needless to say, the drivers get out of the vehicles pretty fast in frustration and disappointment.  This is the basis of reviews for throttled "unlimited" plans.

A couple of companies offer unrestricted 4G internet (using AT&T's towers) but require a $319.99 router.  The reviews are pretty good, but everyone knows that the service is going to be short-lived.  EVERY company that offers unlimited ends up pulling it back in the end.  And seeing as how it's AT&T's towers and AT&T is already offering limited plans of 50 and 100 GB whereas it used to offer unlimited, the third-party providers will likely have to do the same as they become more and more popular.  The more customers on the cell tower, the more throttled the plans.

Oh, the country!  It has been awhile since I have been restricted on internet.  Internet has unfortunately become part of my daily life.  I'll be the first to mention that I hate it, but our world has turned that way.  Buying, selling, researching, communicating...nearly every "human" interaction is actually void of humans.

Oh, to have friends and family over to the parlor, or the dining room, or the concrete patio to grill out and watch sunrises and sunsets.  To work on projects in a machine shed as a group of two.  Or three.

What a world we would have if we all got back to the country...with crappy internet.  Humans have to actually start seeing and talking to humans again.  The wide-open desolate country might actually provide the closest, most consistent human closeness.   The least-connected homes are possibly the most-connected homes.

Maybe crappy internet is where happiness is found?