Internet connectivity for work-from-home

The word “reliable” is somewhat relative in the VI. 

I live on the east-end of STX. We were without electricity for 81 days after Hurricane Maria. Viya (cable tv / internet provider) didn’t get their wires back into the neighborhood until 4 months after that. Broadband is our wireless internet provider (transmits off a few antennas in the area) and they buried their feeds underground before 2017, so they were back quicker. 

You’ll need a reliable power source as well as internet here. WAPA seems to go out less often than it used to, but it still drops out too often for anyone running a business. Many homes have off-grid solar arrays and that would be best for a steady, reliable source of electricity. BroadbandVI seems to be the best local provider, but for an uninterrupted internet provider, hurricane or not, you might try Hughs Satellite.

If a budget is not of concern...

I'm the owner of a very digital business and wouldn't consider anyone else but BroadbandVI. We had internet running at the office two weeks after Maria and at home about two weeks after than. In fact, the owner of BBVI personally came to my house to reprogram my antenna to a different tower. Now that's service. 

Thanks. Appreciate the feedback. Another thing I didn't mention was consistent speed. I've heard some folks complain that they get throttled at certain times of the day. Is that an issue with BroadbandVI?

Sounds good. Appreciate the feedback. Are you on STX or STT?

Posted by: jsc173

Thanks. Appreciate the feedback. Another thing I didn't mention was consistent speed. I've heard some folks complain that they get throttled at certain times of the day. Is that an issue with BroadbandVI?

No throttling that I've ever noticed. I have the little 2 MBPS package for $49.00 at home and have rarely ever had any buffering issues with Netflix, Prime or Hulu. At the office, I have the 25 MBPS package and its never let me down.

Make sure that where you move to has line of sight to a BroadbandVI antenna. They came out to our place on the north shore of St Croix last summer. The antenna is on the other side of a hill so with no line of sight so we could use them. 

We had the same “line of sight” issue years ago. They have since installed another antenna that works for us.

Steve,

  I suggest if you NEED internet you have a back up redundant service.  We represent Hughes Gen5 Business Internet.  Super Reliable!  25 down/3 up connection.  

It's a known fact that BBVI and VIYA both have good ISP offerings but both can go down for no obvious reason.  Satellite just works...

This is for St Croix only.  Paradise Satellite

If you end up on another island I can get you in touch with an installer.

Edit to add:  After Hurricane Maria we had Internet and TV the next day.  Start the generator...

Alan

So I am going to ABSOLUTELY show my total lack of technology knowledge. 

I see lots of offerings for satellite internet mentioned. Are there non satellite means of connectivity offered? My telecommuting job includes personal health information and for security reasons satellite is NOT an option. 

I would love to move and work onSt Croix, but if satellite internet is all that is available, that would be a deal breaker for keeping this job.

sorry for my ignorance but hopeful for some insight ?

Broadband VI  works just fine 98% of the time; you can use your AT&T hot spot when it doesn't

Iammom: What would be a non-satellite system?

BBVI uses radio Tx / Rx from ground based antennas to an antenna on your house. We have it in our condo, works pretty good, but we have a direct line of sight to their antenna a few miles away on top of Blue Mountain. I ASSUME it's encrypted in some way so that someone can't just receive your signal while you are shopping or banking online. (maybe I should call them and ask) 

Satellite Internet is secure.  The military relies on it.....As well as oil field and off shore rigs.