[ejb999]

Before starlink my only option was 3MB DSL from Verizon, it was literally life changing as a WFH person to get the 100-200Mbps downloads that Starlink gave me (for $99/month).

Fast forward and now I have 1GB symmetrical fiber-to-the-home.

Really nice to have that, but the leap from DSL to Starlink was life changing, the leap from Starlink to fiber was merely a minor improvment.

[atlgator]

It’s also possible that you would not have gotten fiber in the same timeframe if Starlink hadn’t competed for your business. Companies like Windstream are notorious for gaining regulated monopolies in rural areas, gobbling up government subsidies, only to deliver low bandwidth, saturated service to customers.

[lowmagnet]

when we first moved here we had 15/5 that was actually 6/1 if we were lucky, so Starlink seemed like a good idea, so I got in my reservation early. We finally were able to switch to Starlink and while things were better, it became obvious that they were possibly oversubscribe in our area. Then they put caps in. Then they raised prices.

Then my rural power company saved the day by stringing fibre to EVERY single drop in their system. 1000 symmetric but really more like 950/800 but I'm doing fine, thanks.

I really think fiber is it for rural internet. They have the will to do it and it's rolling out all over in some states.

[lowmagnet]

also: our telco is simultaneously running trunks underground, and we will probably hop on to that (since it's buried) for backup.