CARLTON, MN – For many people living in County Carlton, Internet connection has long been a problem.
“It’s been a problem since the days of dial-up access to your home. There are a lot of places that couldn’t even get dial-up coverage, ”said Marv Bodie, Carlton County Commissioner for District Two.
The problem still exists today. Service providers tend to focus on providing optimal service in high density areas.
“If there aren’t enough customers in an area, those areas are not being served, its rural areas,” Bodie said.
Those who work in County Carlton, like Paul Oberleitner, have long encountered problems with internet speed.
“I would get rates at one megabit per second, two megabits per second if anything,” Oberleitner said.
But a new service called Starlink created by SpaceX and Elon Musk is bringing faster internet to rural areas of County Carlton.
“It went at speeds of 100 Mbps. Sometimes 180 Mbps. Sometimes 190 Mbps, ”Oberleitner said.
The Starlink system uses small satellites that are located closer to the Earth and use lasers to increase internet speeds.
The program is currently in beta testing.
“I signed up thinking they would contact me. Then in October they did it, ”Oberleitner said.
But beta doesn’t come cheap, Bodie says.
“They assume people will spend $ 100 per month plus $ 500 to settle down. So people may or may not want to do this, ”Bodie said.
That’s why Carlton County officials are always trying to find a fast and very affordable route.
“Treat it like a public service, instead of just another profit center for some of these companies,” Bodie said.
But for those who wish to have a faster internet now, the option is finally available.
“From what I understand, the more satellites they install, the better the connection speeds will be,” Oberleitner said.
The cost of bringing fiber through the ground to rural areas is expensive and labor intensive.
Communities can apply for grants to achieve this. But, these grants often require matching from the community or provider.
Via: kbjr6.com
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