When moving off grid, that is, off grid power wise, you don’t want to go without the best Internet connection possible. A good 
Internet connection at your remote home brings a world of opportunities to your doorstep:
- Email communications with friends family and businesses.
- Fax through Email service can be helpful for communicating in that medium
- Web discussion boards for connecting with other like minded folks
- Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP), or conventional telephone service over the Internet. (Will not work on satellite Internet connections)
- many, many more!
Telephone Lines and Dial up
The original Internet connection was done using a modem and a traditional phone line. The possible speed peaked out at 56Kb/s. What does that mean? 56,000 bits of information can be transmitted over a phone line in one second. Just file 56Kbps as that slow dial up experience. Since early 2001 the Internet has migrated to richer content and bigger demand on your connection.
If you do have a wired phone line at your home, there may be an easy solution to move up the speed ladder. If you are close enough to the right phone company equipment, you may be able to get DSL Internet service. It may take a few phone calls and waiting, but it is a wonderfully inexpensive option for connections of 500Kbps to 5MBps (5,000Kbps) in some areas. Dsl service generally works well and has something called low latency, which is good for VOIP/telephone applications on the Internet.
From my experience with the mega-phone companies, the operator in one state may say you’re in a good location. A week to ten days later, the phone installer will come out and laugh that the main office thought you could get it! Nonetheless, it is always worth a try, just don’t believe it until its working at your home!
Unfortunately, for most of you, the power lines end, and so do the phone lines. I included the DSL discussion to cover everything in this series.
Cellular Phone / Wireless
Not too long ago, the major wireless phone companies began rolling out what they call “3G or 4G” broadband service. In our area it’s called EVDO service. This service requires a special “enabled” phone with a cord that plugs into your computer. 
This style is called “tethering”. Many providers offer a special wireless modem that plugs in your computer’s USB port. The service is much faster than dial up, but less than the best DSL technology out there. If your signal is good, the latency is low enough for VOIP, but this can vary.
The service has one great advantage: coverage. That is, if cell phones from one of your local providers works where you need it. There are generally two major carriers that serve each large metropolitan region in the US. Go to your local cellular retailer and inquire who they are in your area. Ask them if they have a map or know where the nearest cell tower near your home is for each provider. See if you can arrange a store loaner phone for a day to test the other carrier’s coverage at your home. They can vary a good deal, based on which hill their tower is on, or which valley you live in! I highly suggest you do this test before proceeding to other options!
The service has one draw back: cost. In our area, Verizon offers two data services, one for $39, and one for $60. They both have data transfer limits (not time, but how much downloading). The $39 service is so limited, a retailer told me that 45% of those customers went over! The $60 service has a reasonable monthly limit of 5 GB per month. I recommend you don’t waste time with anything less than 3GB/month in the service you purchase.
Back to testing your location for service. Its really important you walk your property and test thoroughly watching for any “bars of service” on the phone. Try to make calls if possible. Crazy as it sounds, go up on the roof and test. Climb a tree, or whatever to find a location that is high and has a view in the direction of your nearest cell tower.
In the next part of this series, I’ll share my experience with cell extenders that can take a weak signal and boost it in your home/property!
[Note: If you'd like more help in your efforts, purchase the Off Grid Internet Booster System guide! ]
Please leave a comment about your experience, or questions you may have. Thanks
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This is really good information. I see a potential market for extremely remote retreats for writer’s and creatives, who would appreciate the physical isolation while still being connected when necessary.
Best of both worlds.
Dave Doolin | Website In A Weekend´s last blog ..DIY WordPress: Creating Sidebars On-the-Fly in WordPress