Small towns in NW North Dakota

[dognamedEllie]

The original question in this thread was "Can anyone give me more information on small towns in NW North Dakota such as Grenora, Wildrose, Crosby, etc.? What's life there like and how is winter driving in that area? Is broadband internet available there? "

A lot of posts on how special everyone's favorite small town was, but I have to admit the price of broadband (if available) is most often costly. In the bigger towns Qwest has their special of $26.99 guarantee for life ($19 if you pay today's price) but Quest has some serious limitations in how their form of internet works. That is: no domain naming, no home-pages for the stuff you want to put on the internet, very much limited to how their modems work [Actiontec which will not allow Linksys wireless routers to rout-only serve a internet routing], and down right stupid in their help area. There is not a whole lot of serious competition unless you want to go for $60.00 a month for Alltel's EVDO broadband. Sure you can get competition in dial up or pay a little more for compressed versions of dial up. But that is also why Qwest dropped its dial up service.....

No, I really think there should be a little more competition in the broadband or DSL area.

[Bethk]

I agree, there is a lack of competition in internet service in rural areas, any rural area, and this hurts the customer. However, the other costs of living are usually less, such as the cost of fuel and food, so I think it evens out.

[RadioBroadcaster2008]

[quote=chester;517562]<snip> Williston.......<snip>It is only 30 minutes south of Williston...and only 15 minutes to Theodore Roosevelt National Park (north unit). If you are in the area, check them out. (oil boom going on right now in Williston, so housing could be hard to find in the emmediate Williston outskirts)...<snipQUOTE]

Watford City is a bit farther from Williston then 30 minutes. It's a tad bit closer to an hour. I remember so, because when working in Williston for The Northern Plains Radio Network, I once asked our sales person how far it was because they have an EXCELLENT pizza restaurant in Watford City.

[RadioBroadcaster2008]

Originally Posted by dognamedEllie

<snip>
A lot of posts on how special everyone's favorite small town was, but I have to admit the price of broadband (if available) is most often costly. In the bigger towns Qwest has their special of $26.99 guarantee for life ($19 if you pay today's price) but Quest has some serious limitations in how their form of internet works. That is: no domain naming, no home-pages for the stuff you want to put on the internet, very much limited to how their modems work [Actiontec which will not allow Linksys wireless routers to rout-only serve a internet routing], and down right stupid in their help area. There is not a whole lot of serious competition unless you want to go for $60.00 a month for Alltel's EVDO broadband. Sure you can get competition in dial up or pay a little more for compressed versions of dial up. But that is also why Qwest dropped its dial up service.....

No, I really think there should be a little more competition in the broadband or DSL area.

Don't depend on a cell carrier's wireless broadband. What they often won't tell you and hide in very very small print is although they call it unlimited, it really isn't.. and can cut you off or charge you for "overage" without notice.

I should add that I lived in Williston during the Spring and Summer of 2006 working for Cherry Creek Radio/The Northern Plains Radio Network. It was still somewhat affordable then. In fact, the guy I replace at the radio stations went into the oil field.. it paid ALOT more.

Williston isn't small by North Dakota standards, around 13,000 people but MidContinent Communications provides cable tv/phone/internet service and NCC providers telephone and internet service. In Williston, I think their internet service (NCC) is wireless.

I liked Williston and wish I could return.

[chester]

RadioBroadcaster: If Williston keeps growing and there is a need for more radio stations, wouldn't it be fun to come back someday and work for a new station that would leave your old bosses scrambling against the new competition? I know you aren't about getting back at them, but I think we all think about that ultimate revenge in our minds from time to time.

[RadioBroadcaster2008]

Originally Posted by chester

RadioBroadcaster: If Williston keeps growing and there is a need for more radio stations, wouldn't it be fun to come back someday and work for a new station that would leave your old bosses scrambling against the new competition? I know you aren't about getting back at them, but I think we all think about that ultimate revenge in our minds from time to time.

If given the chance to come back and work for a new radio station in Willisont, I would do it in a herarbeat, almost entirely just to be in Williston since I enjoyed it so much!! (Revenge is an ever so small part of it)