Archive for December 9th, 2009
Broadband, Cell Phones, and Roads
December 9th, 2009 | 
Author: I finally feel like I’m in touch with reality. I have a real cell phone!!! (“Real” as opposed to the pay-as-you-go kind.)
And if that isn’t exciting enough … The phone actually works at my house!!! Well, as long as it’s sitting on a windowsill and I’m not expecting to get any incoming calls on it. I can send/receive texts and possibly make a call on it, but after no cell service at all, that’s pretty cool!
West Virginia is notorious for poor cell phone reception. There’s been a lot of talk on the local news about improving broadband access and cell phone reception. Five years ago, you could drive 100+ miles on I-79 and not have reception for a good portion of the trip. Not the best thing if your car broke down. And once you got on some of the back roads … um, yeah right. If we were lucky (meaning the weather was blowing just right), we could stand in the middle of our dirt road and possibly pick up a cell signal (while hoping a car wouldn’t come careening around the corner). Basically, the cell phone reception equaled the department of highway’s care for the road conditions – really pathetic.
Five years later I have broadband internet access and a cell phone with reception in my home. (And reception most places that I go!) So now, just maybe the department of highways will start to improve our roads. Hmmm…a girl can wish, can’t she?
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