FAQ - High Speed Internet on the I-70 Corridor

Updated September 2, 2008

Some options for high-speed Internet access on the eastern corridor (Bennett, Strasburg, Byers, Deer Trail, and surrounding areas) are:

Bijou/Netecin wireless Internet service (several communities) and DSL (Byers only)
RidgeViewTel (a company in Longmont that offers wireless Internet to several areas of Colorado, including Bennett and Strasburg)
Direcway (now owned by HughesNet) satellite Internet service
Prairie Networks/Wild Blue satellite Internet service
TDS Telecom DSL service in Strasburg (they used to only be near town, but they are expanding their area)
Eastern Slope Rural Telephone Association DSL in Bennett and other parts of Eastern Colorado
Comcast cable broadband service may be available in and west of Bennett -- if you live in that area you should check with them

We have had Bijou/Netecin wireless Internet access for over five years, and since upgrading their equipment in 2006 the performance has been fast and reliable. For a while we also had a RidgeViewTel account in Strasburg and were very happy with their service - their prices were competitive, customer service was friendly, and they sometimes offer free installation and equipment.

Satellite service is fast and the people I've talked to that have it are very happy with it. Originally, if you needed to connect to corporate networks through VPN, satellite service was slow and unreliable. We successfully used VPN through a Prairie Networks/Wild Blue satellite connection at an expo we attended, although we do not have everyday experience with it. The primary downside right now is that satellite won't support VoIP (Phone service through your Internet connection), and that installation can be more expensive than some of the other solutions. If you are in areas that only support satellite for high-speed Internet, it is an excellent option, and Prairie Networks often has specials on installation that can save you money.

Wishing you a speedy online connection,

Terrye Hoffman

Prairie Skies Technical Services, LLC

E-mail: terrye@pstechservices.com