The biggest downside of living out in the boonies...

[ImpulsiveFarmer]

The biggest downside to living in the boonies seems to be internet connection? Tragedy!

 

[sumi]

I don't really care how fast it is, as long as it works!

 

[OffGridMAMA]

Okay I live further out in the boons: I have no cable, electricity, or city water. We have cell signal and a hotspot for internet but no land lines of any kind. We are way off the grid and on solar/backup generator and have well with pump. So I have power only parts of the day. This means no micro wave. No huge fridge or freezer (have a tiny propane fridge). So this has completely changed how I buy groceries and how I cook. Can't cook a weeks worth in advance. Love many things about country living but the household amenities have really suffered I have four young kids that have had to adapt to limited electricity / TV time. I'm super ok with that, we keep them involved in lots of activities but I do feel like its 1812 sometimes.
Okay ... done with my pity party

 

[ImpulsiveFarmer]

Okay I'm not that far out in the boonies. I couldn't imagine living without electricity all the time!

 

[OffGridMAMA]

Yup. I couldn't either! But its been about 6 months now and easier. I did cry for like a week! The transition was harder than expected. On the upside, I have all my chickens now they make me infinitely happy. Some calves and sheep. One rescue horse and a huge garden. Couldn't have that in my city house! Gotta focus on the upside.

 

[Mattemma]

I know I could do it.Having lived in my grans house in a mountainside village I think it would be nice to do without. I have a phone with net service. I am on it often,but I would not mind not having a phone at all. Kids and dh would hate not haing all the modern comforts.

One thing I would miss without having the net is paying bills online.I am guessing mail service is so-so out in the boonies?!?!!?

 

[OffGridMAMA]

Yup no mail service ... I have a PO box "in town ". I do miss my daily newspaper too. Not the same online :/

 

[cupman]

I have satellite internet as well. $85/month for 17 gig bandwidth. My friend lives a mile away and pays half that for fios. It's really a thorn in my side. I remember in like 2006 or so hearing president Bush talk about expanding broadband availability to cover most everyone. I think the project is still on with the current administration. I really hope it comes to fruition because this internet isn't cutting it for me.

 

[oldrooster]

We just moved into a house not far from the nearest town, but inconveniently placed on the side of a... well, you can't call it a hill, but it's blocking the internet signals. The national ones as well as the local ones. So landline it is. Oops, branch fell on the line. 6 Weeks ago. Can't get company to come fix it. Landlord phoned, neighbour phoned, I phoned... Still waiting. We finally, after 2 weeks, found an internet service provider that miraculously covers our little patch, but it's on-off. Was unable to get on about 2 hours ago and now it's slow... In the mornings when 90% of the BYC members are offline we're flying

The other option is climb the "hill" and go sit amongst the land mines in the neighbour's cow pasture with the laptop to catch a signal, so I guess I can't complain. I did the pasture thing a few times, actually. It was nice to get some exercise and some fresh air while doing my emails and checking in on BYC and the views are spectacular from up there

So is the wind. And the rain. And the mud. And it's dark when 90% of BYC is online. The cows were cute though...
And the general local opinion is that the phone line's not going to get fixed. Our landlord is enormously grateful that we got connected, most of the time. I'm here though, slowly, but surely. And grateful that we have internet after taking it for granted that we'll get it, regardless of where in the civilised world we move to. It's better than nothing!

threaten to turn off the land line if they don't fix it. be there in person at the phone company (it there is a real office you can stand in) check book and pen in hand ready to pay off your final bill...

 

[oldrooster]

I have satellite internet as well. $85/month for 17 gig bandwidth. My friend lives a mile away and pays half that for fios. It's really a thorn in my side. I remember in like 2006 or so hearing president Bush talk about expanding broadband availability to cover most everyone. I think the project is still on with the current administration. I really hope it comes to fruition because this internet isn't cutting it for me.

I have a friend who works at the local privately owned rural phone company and the current administration is cutting out most if not all funding he had to go to Washington a few months ago to help lobby for more funding with some people from other firms and organizations connected with rural phone service.