Living the Rural Life - Internet Service If you’re considering making the move to the beautiful Alberta foothills, one of the first questions on your mind might be, “Who do we use for Internet service?” This is a great question, especially if you're selling your home in Calgary or another urban area. The truth is, internet options can vary quite a bit depending on where you are in the rural landscape, so it's definitely worth taking some time to figure out what works best for you.
As a former IT professional who now enjoys working remotely from my cozy farm in the Bighorn County, having good internet was a big deal for me. Finding reliable service was a bit of a journey, but thankfully, things have improved quite a lot in recent years. Living in a lovely valley surrounded by tall trees does have its perks, but it also poses some challenges for getting internet access!
I started with a cellular plan, which turned out to be more of an expensive experiment than I had hoped. Between signal boosters, directional antennas, and high data costs, I was left feeling a little frustrated. I looked into getting a rural cellular hub, but, of course, they weren’t available in my area. So, I ended up with a commercial hub that cost over $1,000 a month! Yikes!
Just imagine the shock of seeing that bill every month! Next, I explored Xplornet, a radio/satellite internet provider aimed at rural folks like us. However, those trees meant there was no line of sight, which was true for most cellular and radio internet providers around here.
Then came the game changer: Starlink! I had some experience with satellite internet systems in my previous work with remote oil and gas sites, and while they were decent, they weren’t without their glitches. Plus, they required professionals to get everything set up correctly.
When I heard about Starlink, I was intrigued by its promise to solve many of these issues. Given how poorly my current services were performing, I thought, “Why not give it a try?” I was thrilled to be selected for their pilot program in my area, even if it felt a bit like a leap into the unknown. My IT background gave me the confidence to tackle any potential hiccups.
Setting up Starlink turned out to be a breeze! The most challenging part was figuring out how to get a clear line of sight to the northern sky—thanks to those tall trees. After giving it some thought, I realized I could extend the cabling and set up the dish out in the pasture instead of on the roof. This ended up being a great solution!
Now, I’ve been using Starlink for over four years, and I can honestly say my experience has been fantastic. I haven’t run into any hardware issues, and aside from the occasional thunderstorm, outages have been super rare.
At the end of the day, though, it’s important to remember, when you're buying an acreage, that every rural property is different. So, take the time to do a little research and find out what Internet options are available in your area. The right connection can make a difference in your rural living experience, and trust me, it’s worth the effort!
Have a look below for a comparison of current providers if you're looking for real estate in Bighorn and Mountain View, Rocky View or Clearwater counties. Things are always changing, so I encourage you to investigate service on your own in your area.
