Five MUST-SEE WV State Parks (Clarksburg, Bluefield: environment, credit, smog)

[millersangel]

I think I solved the mystery. I did some googling and found this link.

The Nature Conservancy in West Virginia - Brush Creek Preserve

Brush Creek Preserve

Why You Should Visit
A trail that parallels Brush Creek and the Bluestone River is a great place to see beautiful Spring wildflowers, migrating warblers, and the dramatic limestone and sandstone cliffs. Adjacent to the preserve lies Brush Creek Falls, the largest falls in southern West Virginia and owned by the State of West Virginia.
Location
Mercer County, WV

So somehow it went from being owned by the state to a state park. I am not imagining this and I didn't get hungry and eat jimson weed. :)

I will try to get a photo next time I'm there of the signs.

[harborlady]

Originally Posted by David Kennedy

I'll never get to see them with this Att.net no-speed internet service...
I thought MoJo and Hillary were getting us Hi-speed service....I'll have to go to the office...now I hear we need a new area code before it can happen..Milliersangel. I might be retired by then.

WV infrastructure: they've been lagging behind due to lack of funds (as per verizon reps i spoke with a few months back). The cell phone tax (wvsky mentioned in another thread), along with a few other modest federal sources, is sponsoring the infrastructure from what I gather. Increase the tax or population it gets done faster, decrease the tax or population it gets done slower. Sticky unpopular math.

[harborlady]

thanks for this thread BTW- its a to do list for the summer.

[snorpus]

Well, there's another side to the story. Verizon has gotten lots of flack in other states for "cherry-picking." They'll install DSL and FiOS in densely populated, middle and upper middle income areas, then plead poverty when it comes to servicing less populated areas.

Unlike cable companies, which generally had to sign franchise agreements specifying service to all areas, the telco's have lobbied successfully to avoid any such requirements. Verizon pulled out of much of rural New England (New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine) because of the sparse population.

I doubt you'll be seeing $15/mo DSL in Webster or Pocahontas counties.

[Threerun]

If the utilities can get off their butts and get Broadband over Power Service (BPS) rolling, a lot of rural areas would benefit.

I wonder of the telecoms have been squashing that technology...

[snorpus]

BPL (Broadband over Power Lines) has two major deficiencies.

First is economics. They need the same repeaters, amplifiers, etc., that a cable or DSL system would, PLUS, they need a bypass at each transformer.

The second is interference. Most BPL systems use radio frequencies already in use by public safety, aeronautics, military, shortwave broadcasting and amateur radio. In the trials conducted so far, the system operators have been unable to avoid serious disruption of licensed radio services.

See more info here.

[David Kennedy]

That's why I'm in favor of the new zip code in the northern part of the state...they (At$t or Ver$ion) can subcontract this service to the most populated part of the state and we can join the rest of the world...
Cherry Picking has been the name of the game..
WE are a smaller market and all of this is market driven...cost will be very high...but the service is driven by the need on our end too...
I thought 'Big Blue' would be the answer, but they cannot keep up with service. When this service does come, I'm watching to see if its a California company with MoJo at the helm...

[millersangel]

Well, all this discussion about phone service or lack of got me looking for broadband deals in my area.

I can get Comcast for three months for $33.00 with free modem and hook up and $100 cash back. But there's a catch there somewheres in the fine print that I've reread six times and still can't understand.

Frontier wants to give me a free flat panel TV after I pay for S&H which isn't listed and sign up for a specific phone plan and broadband internet service for three years and doesn't give me a price online.

I know people who have the bundled service with Frontier and they're paying something like $100 a month for it. I've had the opportunity to use their DSL and it is very fast. But costs too much.

Verizon is coming here. I've heard the rumors and I've seen the optic fiber cable going up. I'm waiting.

Oh, and we're not a very populated area. But neither is Boone Co and I have a friend there who uses Verizon broadband.

[snorpus]

The buzz-word these days in the telecom industry is "bundling". They want you to get TV+Internet+Phone (ideally), all from the same company. Because people are very reluctant to change providers, the odds are they have you as a customer for life (or at least several years).

What does the Comcast rate go to after 3 months? It's probably $50 or 60. Is there a minimum contract length required (like on cell phones)? Here in WPa, they're currently offering a "Triple-play" package (cableTV+Internet+Phone) for $99/month for six months. After which the rate reverts to their "standard rates", whatever those are.

My how times change. LCD TVs were premium items just a couple of years ago, now they're giveaways. My guess is that it's an off-brand, fairly small, not something you'd likely buy yourself. Maybe if you want an extra TV for the guest bedroom...

Something to keep in mind. Cable based phone service requires power, both at your house and the cable company. Conventional telephone systems are all powered via the phone line, and each central office has racks and racks of backup batteries (and maybe backup generators). In an extended power outage, it's nice to know your phone service will still work.

[David Kennedy]

Our domestic telephone service is $98 per month...When we visit Germantown I see the ads for the DC metro area...boggling...To me, $99 per month is a deal for TV, Internet and unlimited long distance telephone. Even if the rates do go up later...its a hook and a good one...
The catch is what is that cost out in the future...like being fitted into the guillotine and having your own hand on the rope. I never watch TV...I can be insulted by real people in everyday life...I like a book for entertainment and some traveling from time to time...But TV is necessary for certain events..
We do not have cable here...it was offered at $1500 per install and everyone went to dish..That is crappy too...the answer lies in one provider with 1 monthly bill...We will get the service eventually...think I'll go away now...