Are you a 56k'er?

[imported_LoKe]

HAM

 

[HannibalX]

I have a basic $9.99/month dial-up service as a backup to my 10 mbps cable connection.

 

[JEDI]

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
Surely those days are over? Are you still using a modem? By choice? Do you live in a cave? Can't get broadband of any type?

Explain me!

i have 56k as backup. $2.99/month

it's a cheap price of convience in doing some work at home instead of going to the office to do the work on weekends.

 

[MegaVovaN]

Originally posted by: SoulAssassin

Originally posted by: MegaVovaN
I don't use dial-up but my cell phone can double as a modem (and I have free dialup from ISP).

I don't think that's what he was asking but good attempt at trying to brag.

I wanted to say I still own dial-up equipment.
Occasionally I used it to check email in a small town in the middle of nowhere, where I stayed overnight on the long road trip.

IMO - people that pay for backup Dial-Up should be getting it for free from ISP...
Are there prepaid dial-up cards in USA? Kinda like phone cards for international calls. That would save you monthly payments.

 

[DrPizza]

I'd estimate that 80% of the country (by area, not by population) does not have broadband available other than satellite. The infrastructure simply isn't there.

 

[DivideBYZero]

HAM appears to be quite the stumbling block for broadband adoption.

 

[MegaVovaN]

Originally posted by: DrPizza
I'd estimate that 80% of the country (by area, not by population) does not have broadband available other than satellite. The infrastructure simply isn't there.

In the last century population has become more and more urbanized. So counting by area is somewhat useless.

 

[potato28]

Nope, but I do have a few 56k and under modems in case our DSL goes out.

 

[Kirby]

Originally posted by: yamadakun
modem port is a total waste of extra material in the laptop.

I'm using one right now at my parent's house.

 

[seemingly random]

Originally posted by: DrPizza
I'd estimate that 80% of the country (by area, not by population) does not have broadband

Seems like a reasonable guess. I wonder if 80% of the population lives on 20% of the available land - it would just another curious application of the 80-20 rule.

 

[DrPizza]

Originally posted by: MegaVovaN

Originally posted by: DrPizza
I'd estimate that 80% of the country (by area, not by population) does not have broadband available other than satellite. The infrastructure simply isn't there.

In the last century population has become more and more urbanized. So counting by area is somewhat useless.

No, it's not useless. It shows why the OP's suggestion that "Surely those days are over?" is incorrect. People aren't going to move to urban areas simply to have access to broadband. I'd guess that 90% or more of people living in "urban" areas have broadband readily available. The other 10% of them may in the near future (5 years or less.) For those without broadband available now, they're pretty much screwed.

Telephone companies & cable really aren't expanding their areas much. The last time we called about upcoming availability of DSL in our area, we were told "it won't be. We've stopped expanding the areas where DSL is available. We're now installing fiber in select markets."

 

[EagleKeeper]

Many places do not have broadband.

Or you could be at some location that does not use broadband. (Cost/usage,etc)

 

[amol]

I can't imagine having to use 56K. I came home from college for Thanksgiving and think that my cable connection here is slow, at least compared to what I get at school.

 

[cornbread]

We just got DSL here a month ago, we were stuck with dialup before that... There was nothing besides dialup and satellite available. Cell phones barely work here. There is no such thing as cable here. I still love living in the country though.

 

[alkemyst]

it's dwindling but many baby boomers don't care about broadband.