Moving to Big Island from Oahu - Need Guidance (Honolulu: home, theater)

[discohead]

Aloha,

I'm moving from Kailua on Oahu to the Big Island at the end of May. Looking for some guidance on location. A little about me and my situation...

First of all, I telecommute from home so my only hard requirement is a high-speed internet connection (I know that can be a deal breaker for many locales). Although the possibility of using Aloha Broadband does open things up. Any input on their service would be great. I don't need loads of bandwidth but my office phone is VoIP (an internet phone). Anyone out there depending on Aloha Broadband for business critical use?

Beyond that, I'm looking for plenty of nearby outdoor recreation, privacy, peace and quiet. Proximity to Hilo or Kona is not really a priority for me. I'd love a place with some acreage but it's not a strict requirement. I'm an avid hiker/camper/backpacker... I love the ocean as well, do a lot of snorkeling and intend to take up scuba diving after getting settled in. Also love on and off-road motorcycling. Interested in growing my own fruit/veggies, maybe even some chickens.

Areas that are high on my radar:

Kapoho / Pahoa
Waimea
Honokaa
Hawi

I'm interested in ANY information ANYONE has regarding internet service in those areas. I'd love to be way off the beaten path but dependable, high speed internet is critical to my income. Roadrunner would be ideal, but I'm open to other options, please inform me!

I'm also open to the smaller towns in between the one's listed above so long as high speed internet access is available (especially the Hamakua coast). If you live in one of those areas (or know someone who does) and it sounds like a good fit for me, please let me know!

I do not own a car, but I ride a dual-sport (on-road/off-road) motorcycle so dirt roads and the like are no problem, heck they're a bonus!

If there's anything else that would help you help me please ask. All input will be greatly appreciated.

Mahalo,
Jared

[Joliefille]

Have you looked at the verizon MII card? My co provides one to me. I think its unlimited internet for around $40 per month. It works everywhere that verizon cell phones work.

[discohead]

Originally Posted by Joliefille

Have you looked at the verizon MII card? My co provides one to me. I think its unlimited internet for around $40 per month. It works everywhere that verizon cell phones work.

Yes, I've looked some into the various cell phone internet solutions. What kind of speeds are you getting/could you post a link to your speedtest.net results? What area do you live in? Do you get 4G there?

I'm very interested in this solution... just wondering what sort of connection speeds can be achieved with it. Any input on the best cell providers in the various areas listed above would also be helpful.

Cheers!

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by discohead

Do you get 4G there?

Actual real no kidding 4G is only available in Honolulu at the present.

[mdand3boys]

Skip wireless internet for VOIP as it is unpredictable, if it works at all. The latency is the issue.
Only get a place that has DSl (hopefully more than the 3mb minimum service) or cable modem.
There are only 2 or 3 cell towers on the Big Island that even have 3g, NONE have 4g.

[discohead]

Originally Posted by OpenD

Actual real no kidding 4G is only available in Honolulu at the present.

That's what I figured. What can anyone tell me about Hawaiian Telcom's internet service? I know I've seen a lot about waiting lists and the like. Does Hawaiian Telcom's coverage area expand into many areas not served by Oceanic Time Warner?

[discohead]

Originally Posted by mdand3boys

Skip wireless internet for VOIP as it is unpredictable, if it works at all. The latency is the issue.
Only get a place that has DSl (hopefully more than the 3mb minimum service) or cable modem.
There are only 2 or 3 cell towers on the Big Island that even have 3g, NONE have 4g.

Awww man that's a bummer to hear, but certainly the kind of information I was looking for. That really carves out some of the areas I'm interested in. Damn.

When you say "wireless internet" are you referring specifically to Aloha Broadband's service?

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by discohead

When you say "wireless internet" are you referring specifically to Aloha Broadband's service?

Ummm, no. I have a couple of friends with Aloha Broadband service who rate it slightly above smoke signals.

Remember, Hawai'i is roughly in "third world" status in terms of internet connectivity, other than Honolulu. Cable and DSL are available in many areas, but both with significantly degraded service levels compared to the mainland. LOTS of dropped connections are normal, for example.

Wireless internet via your cell phone provider is iffy, and VERY location specific. I have phenomenal data connectivity (T-Mobile) via phone and laptop stick at my property in Volcano, but 1,000' further up the road I get no signal at all on a rainy night. Up around Pahoa, to Kalapana, fuhgeddaboudit anytime. Just not happenin'. But at home and out around the village, I have no complaints. It just ain't VOIP speed.

And like everything else posted here, Your Mileage May Vary.

[mdand3boys]

Aloha Broadband would be the one to go with, if you have to have wireless.
Coconut Wireless and Advanced Wireless are the two duds in the area.
Aloha Broadband hooks into nearby cable connections for their radios, resulting in a much better bandwidth and lower latency. You can even watch netflix movies, etc. through their service. (Not sure about using them for VoIP) I just sent you a direct message.

[hotzcatz]

We've got Roadrunner up in Honoka'a and it seems about as fast as it did over near Laupahoehoe, although I'm not sure exactly how fast it is.

For riding a motorcycle, you may want to stick fairly close to some sort of source of supply. You can't carry a whole lot on a motorcycle so you'll be doing more than weekly grocery runs.

Kapoho / Pahoa - not much highspeed (if any service)
Waimea - probably high speed internet but frequently cold and misty if a motorcycle was your only transport.
Honokaa - has Roadrunner and is sunnier than Waimea. Has most things you'd need in a small town - hardware store, grocery, small theater, etc. Waimea is easy enough to get to although Hilo is about forty miles away.
Hawi - dunno about high speed internet and if you need something not in Hawi/Kohala, it's a bit of a trek down off the top end of the island.

Considering how jam packed Kailua Oahu is these days, almost anywhere you'd pick to live on the Big Island would seem quiet and peaceful and have more room.