Download Time

Choosing the right Internet Service Provider at Smith Mountain Lake

story by Kate Hofstetter

Those who are savvy about technology roll their eyes in disbelief when they hear you have dial-up Internet access. Even software companies rub your nose in it by sending you messages like: Your program will now be downloaded. This will take 3 minutes over cable or DSL. It will take 27 minutes over 56 Kbs modem (the technical way of saying “Don’t tell me you still have dialup!?)

Having cable access to the Internet increases the speed your computer can download or send information and graphics by 100-200 times that of dial-up service, say the experts. So, considering the reasonable price of high speed today, why would anyone at Smith Mountain Lake who is in their right mind still have dial-up? The answer is obvious and frustrating. Because we can't get high speed!

"If builders will give us 30 days notice and they leave open trenches, we will come in and place the cable and conduit," said Jackie Weller, Construction Coordinator for Suddenlink, the cable company that serves Franklin County and parts of Bedford County. "It will cost them nothing and cable service will be available to the houses in that subdivision." In the meantime, Suddenlink is scrambling to reach the most congested areas and largest developments around the Lake.

If, however, you missed that window of opportunity when your home was built and you aren't within reach of cable, DSL (digital subscriber line) is an alternative. It is available through your local phone company so anyone should be able to get it, right? Wrong! Like cable, a basic DSL plan costs about $30 a month but to obtain the service, your home must be within 3 miles of a telephone junction box (one of those oversized, grayish-green, gym-locker cabinets you see alongside the road).

Great, you think. There's one just a couple of miles from our front door. But not so fast! It must be equipped with DSL capability before you can get the service (whoops). And DSL setup equipment, Embarq spokespersons say, is expensive and must be justified.

In other words, a letter-writing or phone-calling campaign from all neighbors who want DSL might motivate Embarq or Verizon to respond. If you are one of the lucky ones and DSL is already offered in your home, installation is comparatively simple using a modem, filters, cables and software. In addition to increased speed, DSL allows Internet access to multiple computers at the same time, which means a student could be on the Internet doing research while another member of the family is buying or selling something on Ebay.

If DSL is not available but increasing the speed of Internet access is important enough to you, there's satellite service. According to a spokesperson for Direct TV, satellite is 20-25 times faster than dial-up for a basic plan and 30-35 times faster for a "professional" plan ($70 per month). To have satellite service you only need a "clear view of the Southwestern sky."

Depending on the company you go with, satellite service costs from $50 to $110 monthly. Installation will run from $150 to $600 and you will probably have to sign a contract that carries a penalty fee if you cancel service early.

Besides your satellite TV carrier, check with your cell phone carrier to see if it offers satellite Internet service. Lee Frye at RM Communications at Westlake Corner offers WildBlue and said that demand for the service had increased due to recent equipment improvements in the Lake area. Radio Shack at Westlake also offers satellite service through DISH Network.

Along with satellite service, most cell phone dealers also offer wireless Internet  access. Although this service is popular for businesses because of the mobility it offers, it is also available for home use. You'll probably get the best price if you use the same carrier you use for your cell phone service. Expect to pay at least $60 a month for wireless Internet service and plan on signing a contract. If you have a laptop computer, you will be given a card to plug in. Otherwise you will need to install a modem into a port on your computer. There may also be an activation fee and some equipment costs.

Certainly, the best bargain out there is dial-up – available to everyone, but maddeningly slow. Most major Internet Service Providers (ISP) now offer accelerators to increase browsing speed by up to 6 times that of basic dial-up. These technical schemes to increase speed generally come with various virus and pop-up protectors and may not be offered by bargain-basement services. Dial-up service typically runs from $10 to $25 per month for unlimited use although some ISPs advertise packages for as low as $6 a month. A word of caution: Make sure the access number your computer is dialing to is local or you could run up a nasty telephone bill.