Finding Internet Service In Rural Kentucky
Finding Kentucky Internet service providers is much more challenging if you live in a rural area. The low population means many Kentucky Internet providers will focus on urbanized areas. Another challenge is the infrastructure. For example, fiber Internet requires cables that may be impractical or too expensive to implement. However, as the Internet is a necessity for modern life, there have been moves to bring high-speed Internet to rural areas, including Kentucky.
What Reasons Would I Need Rural Internet Service?
Finding broadband Internet service for rural areas is becoming increasingly important. Here are some reasons why you need rural Internet providers in Kentucky.
1. Everyday Needs (Entertainment, Socializing)
High-speed Internet has become important if you want to enjoy everything the Web offers. Broadband Internet providers can help you with:
Working from Home
Rural living is beautiful, peaceful, and affordable. However, one downside is a lack of well-paying job opportunities. Often, many residents have to commute long distances to find a job, with travel being expensive and time-consuming.
However, work-from-home jobs have become more popular. These jobs can pay well, and as long as you have a fast connection, you don’t need to leave your home. Having an online job means it’s possible to make a great living without moving to a costly city.
However, most work-from-home jobs require fast Internet speed. It would be best to have fast upload and download speeds to make video calls, upload large files, and stay connected. Generally 15-25 Mbps is the minimum needed for a good work from home experience.
We also include small businesses in this. A fast connection can make online sales much easier if you own a small business.
Streaming & Entertainment
Today’s entertainment usually goes up to 4K. A fast Internet service provider means you can watch your favorite shows in crystal-clear 4K without buffering. Streaming can also include live streaming from your home. For example, some people record themselves playing video games or doing their favorite hobby. A fast connection means you can live stream in full HD without lag.
Another reason you may want a fast connection is if you play video games. If you play online multiplayer titles, you need a fast connection or suffer a lag. But even if you play single-player titles, we’re entering a digital-only age. With game file sizes getting more prominent, rural Internet speeds mean it may take all day, or multiple days, to download a game you’re interested in. On the other hand, broadband speeds mean you can download a game in minutes.
Socializing
Social media does not need too much bandwidth if you want to send texts. But today, many people socialize with more demanding methods than email only. People love to video chat, send large photos, or voice call. Rural Internet speeds can mean taking forever to show a nice picture you took or a spotty voice chat. Fast wireless Internet providers can help you socialize without worry.
2. Outliers/Off-grid people
If you live off-grid or in an RV, you can still get fast Internet access. One option is to see if there are any satellite Internet providers in your area. You can get Internet access if your home has a receiver. Another option is to see if there are any fixed wireless providers. As long as you have a receiver and are near a tower, you can have high-speed Internet.
Besides living off-grid, some areas in Kentucky make it extremely difficult to build Internet infrastructure. If you live deep in Appalachia, you may not have access to even DSL. When wired Internet is nearly impossible, wireless options can keep you connected.
3. Security or Communication
Rural police may benefit from having high-speed Internet to make communication faster. Meanwhile, if you own a farm, you may want a security system. Many smart cameras, sensors, and other security devices have Wi-Fi connections. For example, you can purchase Wi-Fi cameras that show live video from your mobile devices. Having fast Internet speed means these devices can run as smoothly as possible.
These are several reasons why you need fast speeds. The modern Internet is exchanging large files all the time, something that rural Internet providers have failed to keep up with for far too long.
What Internet Options Are Available to Those Living in a Rural Area?
You may find several types of Internet providers when you live in a rural area. Here are some of the options you may have.
Fiber Optic
Fiber optic Internet uses fiber optic cables. These cables transmit data through pulses of light. Because of this method, you can have download and upload speeds that exceed a gigabyte per second. For many, fiber Internet is the number one choice.
However, fiber optic can be expensive and may be more than you need. Not only that, but most rural areas do not have it yet. Thanks to government efforts, this is slowly changing, but fiber is still only available in around half the state.
Cable Internet
Cable internet is a high-speed broadband connection that uses the cable television coaxial cables to deliver internet access. Cable internet offers faster speeds compared to DSL and is widely available in urban and suburban areas.
If you live near rural cities in Kentucky, cable internet may be an option for high speed internet access.
4G Mobile Broadband
This Internet service uses a cellular tower that sends a connection to a receiver. Alternatively, you may use your phone as a 4G hotspot if you have an unlimited data plan. The benefit of 4G Internet is that it is affordable but can be inconsistent. If you’ve driven around rural Kentucky, you probably know there are dead zones and areas with low signal. Another downside of 4G is that it’s only suitable for light Internet use. You may have difficulties downloading or uploading large files.
There is 5G broadband, which is a lot faster. However, most rural areas have yet to receive access to 5G.
DSL
Digital subscriber line (DSL) has been one of the main ways rural residents connect to the Web. DSL uses phone lines, which exist in most rural areas. It’s also cheap. However, DSL speeds only reach a few megabytes for many people. While some DSL providers can reach speeds up to 100 Mbps, this is rare. Your average DSL Internet provider won’t give you enough to stream 4K movies or work from home.
Satellite Internet
Satellite Internet uses a satellite dish from space and a receiver at your home. Satellite can have fast max download speeds that exceed 100 Mbps, but it depends on the provider you choose and several other factors.Most Satellite providers have a cap, where you are throttled at a much lower speed once that threshold is capped, which will make streaming impossible. Also satellite has higher latency, which can prevent realtime communications such as web conferencing and gaming. Stormy weather may lead to you having slower connections due to how far the satellite dish is from the receiver.
Fixed Wireless Internet
Fixed wireless internet has emerged as a game-changing technology for rural areas, providing a reliable and high-speed internet connection in regions where traditional broadband infrastructure is often lacking or non-existent. Leveraging wireless transmission towers to send and receive internet signals, this innovative solution bypasses the need for expensive and labor-intensive cable installations. Residents in remote locations can now access internet speeds comparable to their urban counterparts, unlocking a world of opportunities in terms of education, business, healthcare, and entertainment. The technology is particularly advantageous due to its rapid deployment capabilities and cost-effectiveness, addressing the digital divide and fostering greater connectivity and economic growth in rural communities. As fixed wireless internet continues to evolve and expand its coverage, it is poised to play a crucial role in bridging the digital gap and ensuring that rural areas are not left behind in the digital age.
A Kentucky Internet provider that offers fixed wireless can bring you fast speeds. However, your house must be within a 10-mile radius of the tower without obstructions to get the most out of it.
Why Broadlinc Stands Out from Satellite Internet Providers
Finding fast Internet services in rural Kentucky is like finding fish in a dried-up pond. For a long time, most of rural Kentucky has been ignored, with most rural Internet providers in Kentucky offering the bare minimum. One reason for this is that most of these are corporations run by people who have never lived in Kentucky.
Like you, we grew tired of the growing digital divide between rural and urbanized areas and decided to take matters into our own hands. We’re Broadlinc, a rural Internet service provider bringing broadband speeds to rural residents. We were founded in rural Kentucky by rural Kentuckians. We’re here for you if you want fast speeds, unlimited data, and a service that cares about its customers.
Get Faster Internet Access with Broadlinc
Our fixed wireless can offer up to 50mbps and our cable Internet can give you max download speeds of up to 200mbps. Each day, we’re serving more and more Kentucky residents as we expand our services across the state. If you’re in our area, then we can help.
Please compare Internet providers in your area to ensure we’re giving you the best experience. See if Broadlinc can give you speeds much faster than the competition. We also offer custom packages if you run a business.
How to Check for Internet Availability in Rural Kentucky?
We make it easy for you to see if we’re serving your area. Enter your address and other information. We’ll be sure to let you know if we have broadband connectivity options in your area or if we have plans to.
Conclusion
Fast Internet is more needed than ever in rural Kentucky. With DSL connections and satellite, streaming 4K media, working from home, or downloading large files in a reasonable time is nearly impossible. Luckily, many options are becoming available.
The best options for fast speeds are fiber and fixed wireless. At Broadlinc, we provide fast fixed wireless connections with download speeds that allow you to enjoy the Internet’s modern conveniences. We also offer TV, phone, and customized packages.
Please get in touch with us today to see what we offer in your area. We’d love to hear from you and meet your needs.
Written By Brittany Derderian, Director of Marketing
Brittany Derderian is the Director of Marketing at Broadlinc internet services. Her responsibilities include leading the company’s marketing efforts, overseeing and growing the marketing department, consistently identifying revenue opportunities within our established client base and managing consistent growth by securing new accounts, collaborating with the leadership team to uncover insights and strategies to develop and implement marketing and branding strategies for new and existing products, and spearheading the strategic and tactical execution of marketing campaigns, including design of test/control segmentation, implementation of tests, tracking, results reporting, analysis, and recommendations. You can find her on the weekends enjoying the outdoors of Colorado with her husband, Logan Derderian.