My wife and I bought a new house late last year. We briefly considered leaving the growing town we were in and moving out to a more rural area. That discussion didn’t last long when we were forced to consider the possibility of going back to DSL internet. I just couldn’t do it.
I have since learned about a 4G rural internet provider by the name of Blazing Hog. And of course, satellite internet would have been another option. But just the thought of having to sign up for DSL – in case one of the other options failed – was enough to convince us to stay in suburbia.
I truly feel for rural Americans who do not have access to wired broadband. Thank goodness they have 4G and satellite options. Still, some of them are on DSL. Here’s why I could never go back:
1. I Work Online
I am one of the fortunate ones – or unfortunate, depending on how you see it – who has enjoyed working remotely for almost twenty years. I am online for a minimum of 10 hours per day. Usually, it is more. Even if I am not actively doing something online, my computer is on and connected
If I had to work using DSL, my productivity would plummet. I don’t think I could make a living wage with such a slow connection. That is all the reason I needed to decide not to move out to the middle of nowhere.
2. I Stream – A Lot
A combination of work, hobbies, and a love of all things sports and Star Wars (I know, it’s an odd combination) has me streaming all the time. I don’t play online video games. I don’t do a lot of the things other people do online. But I do stream, and I do it a lot. Music, movies, sporting events, and even educational videos – they are all on my menu.
I could not effectively stream on DSL. There is no question about it. DSL just doesn’t have the speed to keep my browser from buffering.
3. I Upload, Too
In addition to streaming video, I produce my own videos as part of my job. I constantly upload those videos to my channel for public viewing. Doing so is already quite a chore with wired broadband. What takes me about twenty minutes now would take hours if I were stuck with DSL. That just doesn’t work.
4. I Have Grandkids
DSL also wouldn’t work well for communicating with the grandkids. My wife and I have six of them, scattered among three families. They all live in separate locations and not anywhere near us. We speak with them weekly over video chat. That’s a no-can-do with DSL. Video chat with DSL is unbearable. You might just as well write a letter and stick it in the mail.
5. I Am Spoiled
I guess what it boils down to is that I am spoiled. I did my time with DSL when it was the best choice available. But that was a long time ago. Since hooking up with wired broadband, I haven’t looked back. I don’t intend to. I have come to appreciate all that wired broadband offers. I have no intention of giving that up without a fight.
Here’s hoping there aren’t a lot of people still stuck with DSL. Going with a satellite or 4G rural internet provider is a better option if you don’t have wired broadband where you live. Give it a try. Even though neither one is as good as wired service, both are light years ahead of DSL.