Tech Talk: New Developments in High Speed Internet

President Bush has said that by 2007, he wants high-speed Internet to be the new connection standard in the United States. Yet, in mid-2005, 56K dialup still reigns.

High-speed Internet via satellite was introduced a few years ago and was the first high-speed option for rural areas such as Skidmore and Tynan. Then, earlier in 2005, LightningConnect became just the second high-speed Internet access option for the area by offering a high speed wireless service to residents. Other than that, though, cost has kept telecom companies from exploring rural clients. What companies do take the risk, the price of it makes it a luxury for most.

New alternatives may soon make high-speed Internet without straining the wallet a reality for rural communities. Two new technologies have been introduced which promises to heat up the ISP market and hopefully start brewing competitive prices.

Texas is one of the leading states to when it comes to BPL services. The Texas Senate recently passed SB21, allowing new telecom regulations, including BPL. BPL, short for Broadband over Power Lines will deliver broadband-like speeds over standard electrical lines. This opens up a whole new dimension of high speed possibilities because telecom companies will no longer need to spend thousands of dollars wiring to rural locations. Instead, electric utilities may allow an ISP to provide Internet service over a BPL system on the utilities' electric delivery system. So now, if you have electricity, you have the potential for receiving BPL services. BPL also goes by a few other names and acronyms: Power Line Communications (PLC), Power Line Telecommunications (PLT), and Power Line Broadband (PLB) are terms also used. More information is available at HowStuffWorks. (updated site)

Another new high speed system is wireless. 802.16a, known as WiMax, short for (big breath) Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access, is considered a descendant of the popular 802.11a/b/g technology, known as Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi and WiMax use similar technology in delivering Internet access wirelessly, and both offer broadband-like speeds. However, while Wi-Fi is constrained to offering wireless access of a radius of 90-100 yards, WiMax will be able to provide coverage for a whopping radius of over 30 miles!


In theory, a WiMax tower in Skidmore could cover all of the shaded area above under optimal conditions.

So, hypothetically, a tower placed in Skidmore could cover Sinton, Papalote, Beeville, Tynan, Mathis, St. Paul, Clairville, Olmos, or practically all of southern Bee County, even as far north as Pettus, as far south as Odem, as far east George West as and as far west as Refugio! Many municipalities are considering, and even constructing WiMax towers for their cities and communities to provide a low-cost high speed option to their residents. More information is available at the WiMax Forum and at HowStuffWorks.

Despite lobbying by telecom giants who are reluctant to release their control of high-speed ISPs, these technologies will hopefully continue to develop, and be in place for areas like ours in the coming few years. Mr. Bush may get his wish after all.