Internet Access in St. Croix

actually, your options for internet connectivity are pretty good. you won't get blazing fast cable modem type connections, but the DSL options are plentiful and work fairly well.
expect to pay about $50 a month from most vendors for about 230kbps downstream.
Choice and Innovative are the 2 that I use. choice is wireless DSL that requires a line of sight connection to Blue Mtn (maybe other locations by now) and it's only gone down on my once or twice in the last year. the last time it went down they were having a DNS problem so the connectivity never really went down as i could slap in the IP addy of the server i was working on and still get in.
innovative is getting better, they did have major routing problems over in frederiksted, but i think that they have replaced the offending hardware and it should be better. what bugs me is that they COULD be running their connectivity through the same coax they use for cable tv but they still use the twisted pair over the voice lines. and as most people will tell you, their phone only works about 1/2 the time, the other 1/2 is spent listening to a noisy line... i gave up on land line based phones years ago, so i'm not the right person to ask about that.

as for your web biz, this place is still in the dark ages. back in the states my team worked on web sites that cost between $40K and $100K and people wouldn't blink an eye. down here, you're lucky to get between $400 and $1000 for a site and people bulk at that. the younger business owners see the value and the world-wide market potential it holds. the older business owners have gotten along fine for X years without a web site (or Y years with a crappy site) so they don't need one now... it may change, and i am starting to see signs that it is, but it's going to take a lot of time. i'm not saying this to discourage you at all, but if i only did local web development, i'd have to pan-handle on paradise road (yep me and "the runner" out there competing for coins, i can see it now!) to make ends meet. your best bet is to keep your clients up there happy so you can do maintenance on their sites at your same billable rate. your billable will have to be less down here, so it really helps having state side clients who are used to paying more.

BroadbandVI is offering wireless internet. For $49.95 a month I am getting 600 - 800 Kbps. Connection is solid. I have only had to reset my radio once in January. They are in the process of upgrading their nodes. BroadbandVI has an OC3 connection to the internet.

Service is available all the way out to Teague Bay on the east end of STX.

When I checked with Innovative in December they did not have any ports available for a wired DSL internet connection and could not tell me when they would have any available.

Jim

It sounds like I have several options to consider. But atleast it looks like I wouldn't have to get stuck with dailup like I was bugging my wife with, lol. Thanks guys, this info is alot more than what I had.

Paradise, thanks for the input on the business part. And yes, I was considering maintaining my clients here stateside since I already do the work via remote. Most of my clients are from Georgia while I'm based in Florida. Too many web designers in Florida to compete for a good piece, but Georgia's Industrial sectors are pretty good. I will keep my options open on this one. I have a partner out of Georgia that will keep an eye out on the shop while I relocate.

Dandy, 600-800kbs? Hmmm, it ain't no Comcast 3MB but I guess it will have to do for now, lol. Looking forward to my big move, 3months 26days and 12hrs to go, but who's counting, lol.

Once again, thanks for the info.

Tony

Ackley Communications has service in St. Croix.
What you want to find out is what speed your provider is guaranteeing you. As far as I know, everyone except Ackley has "up to" speeds. You may get 800kbps, or you may get dial-up speeds. That was my experience with Innovative/VIPowernet.

Jim Dandy, listing the ISP's "backbone" speeds (OC3) is interesting, but it's also very important what the ISP does with it. You could have an OC192, and a poor distribution network/bad network design/single points of failure, etc--- and that "large pipe" will do you no good. BroadbandVI also has other faults that we don't need to go into here.

Tony, bandwidth is expensive- we are a little speck in the middle of the ocean. Lead times for ISPs to get additional bandwidth can be long. Additionally, the VI is a challenging environment- hilly terrain in certain spots, hurricanes, salt air, etc. You really want to find a provider who is up to the task and can provide you with Service Level Agreements and speed and service guarantees.

Does your ISP own and operate their own equipment and sites? Do they have redundant systems? What are their guarantees to you?
Do they have their radio equipment in trees, on someone's back porch or on real tower sites?

The players in the STX market are:

Innovative/VIPowerNet (the incumbent local exchange carrier and the only one who can provide wired DSL)

Choice/VIAccess- offers a terrestrial wireless product, they actually have many different versions of wireless products. Coverage differs for each one.

ComTEK- offers a terrestrial wireless product

BroadBand VI offers a WiFi based service in St. Croix only (as far as I know) Note that consumer WiFi is susceptible to the 'hidden node' problem. PM me if you'd like more information on that.

Ackley Communications- offers a terrestrial wireless product on St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix, Water Island, outlying islands.
Only one with speed and service guarantees. Also have multiple paths out of the islands via many different carriers. The coverage for STX does not extend to the East End at this point, but I am told there are plans to extend STX coverage this year.

Tony, good luck with your move!

Best,
LR

The problem is that you have to take what is available. Currently on the east end of STX, BroadbandVI is the only option other than dial up. As far as I know, nobody is offering service that covers the entire island. It is to bad Cingular doesn't realize what an opportunity exsists in the VI. They probably could make a killing with their high speed edge data product.

Innovative could have sown up the market by offering, internet, video, telephone and wireless service packages. Instead they choose to milk the customers they have and let their outside plant fall apart. The cable system is a joke. It's channel line up is terrible and the equipment and technology they are using is ten years out of date.

Because of the limited availability and lack of competition prices are high in the VI for high speed internet service.

If internet access is key to your life or business than for now you have to locate your business and home where you can get internet service.

Jim

The East End of St. Croix is very interesting due to the hills. We have some plans to get out that way, but nothing in the short term.
We like to build real tower sites that cost alot of time and $$.

As far as the comments regarding Innovative and cable, the cable plant is not able to support bidirectional services last I knew. Anyone else know more? 'nerd, where did you get your information that they can run bidirectional services on the cable plant?

The issue of cingular/PCS data comes down to ROI for them. The same equipment deployed in downtown San Juan would produce 10x the income. At one point I think Sprint was offering data over PCS, I never got to try it out.

Prices for broadband are not high because of lack of competition. As LR pointed out there are several providers, each with strong coverage areas.

The problem is that the expense to get the internet here (even as a service provider) is astronomical compared to the stateside rates.

It is simple economics - if I can't get it cheaper than X, I certainly can't sell it for cheaper than Y. Of course, there are many different ways to sell/oversubscribe, it depends on the provider and what they try to do.

If you can convince my providers to reduce my bill, then I can lower my prices 🙂

Loyal, I expected broadband to be higher than normal in the VI. I figured 600-800kbs for about $50.00 would be a norm. But you do bring up a good point. Guaranteed speed is a must with me since some of the files transfer may be big. I don't think I could design websites while on dialup, I think I would punch my monitor first, lol.

Now you say Ackley Communications guarantees their speed, but how fast are they and how much more are we looking at on prices? Is it worth the exchange?

Nack, I take it you work for Broadband VI. I can see the whole issue with pricing, but one sure thing I know is alot of it has to due with lack of price regulations. I know this would require government involvement, but we had similar issues here in Jacksonville with our cable companies. In my 20yrs here, we gone thru as much cable companies as we do underwear. Many customers complained about high prices and bad services so the city counsel decided to regulate. We've gone from Cox Cable to ATT Cable to otehrs, now at COMCAST Cable. Prices are still a bit high butthe service is 10x better. Also, all the satilite companies that took advantage and moved in drove the prices down.

But one thing that Dandy did mentioned, what the VI needs is a company that is willing to invest in the future and make a killing in the long run with full service packages. Many companies are doing that stateside. Here in Jacksonville Fl, Bellsouth, in conjunction with Cingular and DirectV provides full telephone, cellphones, internet and satilite services for superb prices. Many cable subscribers are seeing the benefits of having only one bill and paying only one company rather than paying 20 companies, all with different rates, fees, taxes, etc etc etc.

This type of service may cost the company a bit to put together, but in the long run, the customers are happier and the profit is better. And this is not even talking about the jobs opportunities it would bring.

Some company has to take the first step in bringing the VI to the 21st century. And they can do that without having it lose the essence of the island living.

Yes, I know, I keep telling my dad once I get there I may run for Governor, lol, NOT. Thanks once more for the superb replies and great info. This has help me make hard choices for my move. As it stands right now, I will be moving my servers to Georgia. Will only take what I need to design on and off line.

Tony

Tony,

The VI is nothing like Jacksonville. Customer happiness? Bringing the VI into the 21st Century? VI Governor Tony? For various reasons all are equally unlikely -- but good luck!

Why not? Why is it so unlikely? I guess I must ensure that everyone knows that I'm not an outsider trying to change things. I was born and raised in St. Croix. In my 20yrs stateside, I've been to the islands many times and if there is one thing I've always notice is that people are not scared of change, people are scared to change.

My dad, may god bless his soul, is one of the most stuburn man I've ever met. And everytime I've visited, I always travel with my laptop. If I can help a 65 yr old man change his mind in what the future really is, who knows what can happen, lol.

Trust me, I wouldn't do anything that would change St. Croix from what it is, but, when I went to high school at Central High, computers in the classrooms were nothing but a dream. The Vocational School was nothing but a dream of a Hispanic Governor, Governor Juan Luis, but look at it now. There is a Vocational School and there are computers in the classrooms.

Just needed to clarify who I was. I'm not an American just changing views outside my window. I'm a proud Cruzian going home after traveling the world. But not even the freindly atmosphere, beautiful beaches and fresh air of Victoria, Saychelles can compare to home sweet home.

Tony
St. Croix Central High Class of 86

ps.
My apologize for changing the topic in mid stream.

Tony,

Thank you for the clarification. In your earlier posts you sound like another mainlander who wants to move to the islands and "fix" the place so that it is like the very place he worked so diligently to leave.

Since you were born on island, the possibility of becoming governor is more realistic. "Happiness" and "the 21st Century" are more difficult issues. The investment in the future that you describe requires cooperation from a legitimate government that operates with the best interests of ALL its citizens in mind. Corruption in the VI government is so pervasive that the minority moral government officials have little opportunity to make improvements as they are always butting up against the majority of government officials who are in government for their own personal gain. Also, much of the situation you describe in Jacksonville requires a market the size of Jacksonville and a population willing and able to pay for the products. The bottom line is that improving the state of affairs on island cannot begin without competent governance and the people willing to assume government positions are usually the people one would least like to see in the job.

8up,

Yes, I must agree with you on those issues. Its very difficult to accomplish anything with a corrupted government. My dad and I debate for hours many late nights on government issues. Thats why I tell him about running for Governor and he just laughs. Who knows.

But yes, without the help of the government, major businesses will always take the easy route. Over charge for bad service and the locals are powerless to do any effective change. The 21st century will eventually come, but it will take its time. Vocational Schools and computers in the classrooms are nothing but the start of our future. Change is coming, but it simply is taking its cool time getting there, lol.

Tony

Gonzo/Tony,
I guess my name hint wasn't enough. I assure you that
I do not work for BroadbandVI.

My name is Jason Ackley and I 'work' for Ackley Communications I guess you could say. I founded VIaccess before it was sold to Choice (ever wonder why there is a server named jason.viaccess.net?)

I used to work for the Cable companies during the good old days, including Excite@Home/@Home in the beginning that probably provided your cable service.

Regarding your comments as far as a company taking the steps and investing, these are things that we have been doing since Ackley Communcations started in 1977.

We have invested tens of millions in land, towers, equipment etc. We are doing the best we can! None of our money leaves the islands, it all stays local. We don't rob the islands like
some of the others and ship the money off-island. But I am getting off-track now.

Regarding 'price regulations'. The local PSC (Public Services Comission) is in charge of that, and they have ruled that higher speed circuits are not in the public's best interest and there is not enough demand (e.g., no need for DS3 or above between Innovative and a customer). Choice has been attempting to fight
this fight since ~2002. There have been rulings in 2004 and 2005
by the PSC that basically say the same thing.

Internally, Innovative has tons of fiber and makes use of it. Since there is no tariff for anything else, they don't have to offer anything else to the customer. This is why the Ackley backbone is made up of 'Innovative-free' links, our own private OC3-based microwave network between our sites and the islands.

I was not born here but I grew up in STT and was off in the US for 10 years before returning home in '03 with the goal of improving the broadband access for the territory. The technical hurdles are something that I can fix; the political hurdles are completely different.

cheers,
--
Jason Ackley
jsynack

Nack,

Sorry, no offense intended, but I knew you worked for one of the companies as I was reading your post. Wasn't too sure on which one, lol.

Now on the PSC ruling, how can they determine that higher speed services is not for the publics' best interest? Thats outragious! Thats why technology is still in the middle ages in the VI. Was it ever put up on a ballot for the public to vote? I don't recall ever hearing that it did.

That is most deffinately a place that needs changing. Is there anywhere on the Web where purhaps I could read on the rulings in 2004 and 2005? It would be some interesting reading.

Now on Ackley Communications, you guarantee speed, but how fast are we talking about? Whats your site address so I can compare the service. I've seen BroadbandVI and AccessVI, how does Ackley Communication compares?

Tony

Jason:

First, I think you are a class operator. I have used your dial up Surf VI and it worked very well. In March 2004 I spoke to you and had you do a site survey at the Reef. Unfortunately there was not line of site paths to any of your towers,

The demand for high speed internet service on the east end went unfilled. For various reasons including that the owners of BroadbandVI leave on the east end. Once they got their OC3 connection from Global Crossings. They then began offering service. As far as I know ten villas at the Reef have been connected and additional owners are waiting to be installed.

While BroadbandVI may not be as technically sophisticated as your operation they were willing to provide service to people wanting it.

Hopefully some day you will offer island wide service on STX and there will be competition.

Jim

If you have a problem with Broadband VI, don't count on them fixing it quickly. They definitely operate on island time. I'm still waiting on "I'll call you back in 15 minutes and tell you when we'll be there to fix your problem". After 3 days of calling I finally got no they wouldn't be there today (the 3 day including the day problem reported in the morning), but they would be there tomorrow, "you're on the list". I don't know when tomorrow is because they didn't show the next day (the 4th day). And on the 5th day I had to leave island so maybe "tomorrow" will happen before I get back in February.

If you subscribe to there service you might add an addendum to your contract, that your charges are prorated for the time between reporting them and them being fixed. You might even get a month or two free from paying when it doesn't work. Good Luck

Passes

Yes it may have taken 4 days to fix, but if you compare that to choice and the other competitors that can take up to a month, then Broadband is superior

I have had their service for 13 months and other than an occasional short outage have had no problems, Many of my neighbors have the service and I'm not aware of any of them having a problem. Broadband VI is the only option where we are located so we are over joyed to have their service.

Speed is very good and uptime OK.

Jim

Anyone spend serious time on a high-speed connection down there, 8-12 hours at a stretch? I'm a medical transcriptionist, considering moving to St. Croix, so reliable internet is a must. Also, how much of a problem are the power outages I've been hearing about? Are there any back-up generators/systems available?

Abigail -

Ooooo....been there, done that - I'm a transcriptionist, too!

The first 6 months we were on STX were a friggin' nightmare of power outages. Bring your own generator just in case, although by the time we left the outages were MUCH less frequent, very sporadic, and fixed relatively quickly. If you are in a condo they may have a back up system already in place.

Bear in mind that the climate and salt air will do a number on your computer- someone posted about keeping their tower in a closet with a dehumidifier or something a long time ago - maybe just the heat from the equipment kept the closet dry - you might try searching for that thread, although I don't remember when or who it was. All I know is my computer suffered terribly and I can see where you need to build the cost of buying a new one into your business budget.....electronics just tend to have very short lifespans.

We had VI Broadband on the east end - I'll just cut to the chase and not tell the whole story, but we pinged off a receiver on a hill above ours which constantly had to be reset - but VI was good enough to give us the ping numbers so if one connection went down, which it surely did after a number of hours, we could switch over to the other. I am NOT a computer goober so I really don't know the finer details of what I am talking about. I DO know that for a while we almost lost our minds over it until VIB gave us the keys to the candy store.

We moved west center island and were assured if we had line of sight to Hovensa we would have service with VIB. Wrong. We had line of sight to the wrong end of Hovensa.....insist on a site survey if you go that route, as Broadband isn't everywhere. We ended up using the phone company, which was slower but did seem reliable after we finally got it installed, which took MEGA days and cost me a small fortune in terms of lost work.

Incidentally, I worked through a stateside private company intranet, so the information transfer was WAY slow...I found my cursor did a bad lag and there was nothing anyone could do on either end to stop that, I just had to adapt.

Good luck to you!

I know someone who does work similar to yours here on STX and she seems to do just fine. She and her husband live in a condo and use innovative for their connection. He is studying computer science on-line from a US school. Speed is not what you're used to on the mainland but it beats dial up and is functional. Mine averages about 250 kbps. Depending on where you live you could use a laptop (battery powered) and Choice wireless internet "dsl" access. If you live in a condo you can't have a generator. What you could do instead is use a power inverter and a 12 volt battery. You can buy a 400 watt inverter at K-Mart here with two 110 vac outlets. Plug your laptop and your choice into both and work for several hours. I've been here over a year and have experienced a few power outages but so far, nothing lasting past 2 or 3 hours... during the business day. Good luck.

Wow! Thanks for the info. Are you still transcribing?

Abigail -

Yes, I'm still with the same guys I've been with for 14 years - even moving to the island didn't help me escape...please feel free to PM me if you'd like!

If you get a chance to get to the mainland, go to Sprint cell phone store, they have a broadband interenet card that you plug in in your lap top, it worked fast everywhere in St. Croix even on the beach. You have to pay initial fee of 250, (that was 6 months ago) and then monthly fee is about 60 bucks, but it sure worse the money.

Good luck

Great idea! Thanks