Best high speed internet provider in N. Idaho (Sandpoint/Bonners Ferry area)? (Clark Fork: rental, home builder)

[KnuJanu]

I live in the area and wonder about all of this. We currently have Dish internet and its very intermittent, not to mention expensive. We pay about $90 a month for horrible service. I've heard Comcast is coming to the area, Does anyone know anything new?

[Cnynrat]

I think I may have alluded to this before: Creating the World's Largest Ever Satellite Constellation. The project seems to be moving forward, and they have now secured a large amount of funding. IF successful (still a big if) this would fundamentally change satellite Internet and be a boon for us rural broadband users in north Idaho.

The satellites used for satellite Internet today are Geostationary satellites that are about 23,000 miles away from the earth over the equator. The latency (i.e. ping) issues that Sage complains about are a direct function of the distance from the Earth together with the physics of radio transmission speeds. These new satellites will be in a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation, which would put them on the order of hundreds of miles away from the earth, dramatically reducing transmission times between the satellites and the earth.

Beyond improved latency, I expect faster performance and better price points compared to the traditional satellite internet providers. The total aggregate capacity of this network would be much larger than any of the satellites in use for broadband today.

My understanding is these guys need to get at least some capability up in the sky by the 2018/2019 time frame in order to maintain the frequency spectrum allocation they have been granted by the World Radiocommunications Conference.

Dave

[Cnynrat]

Some related news about possible future low earth orbit satellite services: Google and SpaceX to Team on Global Internet

The background here is very interesting. A company called WorldVu has the spectrum rights to operate a low earth orbit satellite constellation. It isn't clear that there is any spectrum for Google/SpaceX to operate in, which may mean that some of these initiatives need to come together.

In any event, it's interesting to watch some of the worlds most prominent billionaires making these pronouncements.

Dave

[Cnynrat]

This Wired article talks about the spectrum rights issue facing the Google/SpaceX initiative, and confirms my understanding that Greg Wyler/WorldVu own the sole spectrum rights for a low earth orbit constellation.

Pay attention to Facebook, they are also looking at getting into this game. Apparently every tech billionaire wants their own satellite network.

[oldafretired]

Originally Posted by KnuJanu

I live in the area and wonder about all of this. We currently have Dish internet and its very intermittent, not to mention expensive. We pay about $90 a month for horrible service. I've heard Comcast is coming to the area, Does anyone know anything new?

I use Verizon 4G LTE in Spirit Lake. I've been using them for about a month now and it's much faster than the DSL service I had in So Cal. Here is a link to find out the coverage in your area:

America's Largest 4G LTE Network | Verizon Wireless - Verizon Wireless

[Cnynrat]

Here's the link to the Wired article mentioned above: SpaceX Lands $1B From Google

Dave

[Sagle Sam]

Originally Posted by Cnynrat

Here's the link to the Wired article mentioned above: SpaceX Lands $1B From Google

Dave

Hopefully, SpaceX can actually accomplish this, and without too many crashes.

[aiden_is]

No offense to Google and Verizon, but I much prefer supporting a local business like E.L. than those impersonal companies. I have had the best customer service from them, which I NEVER have with Verizon, and will mourn the day they are pushed out of the market.

Oh, and my latency is typically between 70 and 100 ms to Spokane.

[Cnynrat]

I'd happily support a local business that offered broadband service to my home in Sagle. Unfortunately, none do.

[aiden_is]

Originally Posted by Cnynrat

I'd happily support a local business that offered broadband service to my home in Sagle. Unfortunately, none do.

I understand completely. I guess my point is that given a choice, I'll go with the little guy every time, assuming the service is good and the quality is there. If there is no choice, then you have no choice.