Internet on Bear Island??

Bearly There · 06-25-2019, 12:19 PM

We contacted Consolidated Communications (used to be Fairpoint) to get internet installed on Bear Island. The cottages on both sides of us have it, so I know the cable is on the island. They sent us a modem and scheduled an install date. Then they said the install would be delayed because they had to do "work on the lines." Now they say they are no longer offering internet here because there are "no facilities left in this area". Has anyone heard anything about this?

Lakegeezer · 06-25-2019, 02:40 PM

If you can't get good internet on the island (and with DSL, is it ever good?) you could look into radio bridging to the mainland. You'd need a cooperative residence with cable internet on the mainland, and line of sight. Subscribe to a second internet connection from their place. The cable company will put a T connector on their existing service. You may have to purchase commercial grade service, but it may not be much more expensive. A radio ethernet bridge will cost about $130 for both ends. My favorite is the Ubiquiti Litebeam, LBE-5AC-GEN2. It will easily handle typical cable speeds at a mile or so. You'll have the fastest internet on the island.

codeman671 · 06-25-2019, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bearly There

We contacted Consolidated Communications (used to be Fairpoint) to get internet installed on Bear Island. The cottages on both sides of us have it, so I know the cable is on the island. They sent us a modem and scheduled an install date. Then they said the install would be delayed because they had to do "work on the lines." Now they say they are no longer offering internet here because there are "no facilities left in this area". Has anyone heard anything about this?

We have DSL on Mark, which feeds from Bear. Which end of Bear?

ABB has cable based internet on Bear as well.

Wifi-1 · 06-25-2019, 02:57 PM

As I understand it, Bear Island is largely covered by cable. Check with Atlantic Broadband for service. Failing that, find a nearby neighbor with cable and do what LG says

Sounds like Consolidated is out of copper at your pole.

Barney Bear · 06-25-2019, 03:32 PM

We have Atlantic Broadband bundle service at our place on East Bear Island. 🐻

Bear Islander · 06-26-2019, 06:24 PM

Consolidated Communications does not have cable on Bear Island. They have DSL internet service that comes to your home over copper telephone cables. Because it is not cable it is 3Mbps at maximum which is pretty slow internet.

Atlantic Broadband provides cable TV and internet on Bear and the connection can be fast (100Mbps) - if you want to pay for fast.

Bearly There · 06-26-2019, 07:59 PM

Thanks everyone. I will be calling Atlantic Broadband tomorrow morning. Once again, the wonderful folks on the forum help us solve a problem.

MAXUM · 06-26-2019, 08:28 PM

I'm paying $64.00 per month for 100 MBPS internet service from Atlantic BB on Bear. That gives you an idea, I do not get any other service from them.

Stream via Roku for TV and work remotely - never had any service problems in over a year being with them. I did have to replace my modem in the middle of the winter as it crapped out on me. Replaced no questions asked but I did have to bring it over to their office in Belmont. They don't do island service in the winter

codeman671 · 06-26-2019, 10:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bear Islander

Consolidated Communications does not have cable on Bear Island. They have DSL internet service that comes to your home over copper telephone cables. Because it is not cable it is 3Mbps at maximum which is pretty slow internet.

Atlantic Broadband provides cable TV and internet on Bear and the connection can be fast (100Mbps) - if you want to pay for fast.

We have 25Mbps dsl on Mark, and the lines come over from Bear as far as I know. We do not have ABB on Mark, there is no lines across for cable.

We paid $43 per month on a promo.

Bear Islander · 06-27-2019, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by codeman671

We have 25Mbps dsl on Mark, and the lines come over from Bear as far as I know. We do not have ABB on Mark, there is no lines across for cable.

We paid $43 per month on a promo.

I have DSL on Bear as a backup and they tell me 3Mbps is the maximum I can get. Perhaps Mark has better DSL like Gfast. I really don't know. But 25Mbps surprises me.

codeman671 · 06-27-2019, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bear Islander

I have DSL on Bear as a backup and they tell me 3Mbps is the maximum I can get. Perhaps Mark has better DSL like Gfast. I really don't know. But 25Mbps surprises me.

Here is my bill for those doubters

06-25-2019, 12:19 PM	#1
Bearly There Junior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Haverhill/Bear Island Posts: 13 Thanks: 15 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Internet on Bear Island?? We contacted Consolidated Communications (used to be Fairpoint) to get internet installed on Bear Island. The cottages on both sides of us have it, so I know the cable is on the island. They sent us a modem and scheduled an install date. Then they said the install would be delayed because they had to do "work on the lines." Now they say they are no longer offering internet here because there are "no facilities left in this area". Has anyone heard anything about this?

06-25-2019, 02:40 PM	#2
Lakegeezer Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Moultonboro, NH Posts: 1,680 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 355 Thanked 640 Times in 291 Posts	ethernet bridge to the mainland If you can't get good internet on the island (and with DSL, is it ever good?) you could look into radio bridging to the mainland. You'd need a cooperative residence with cable internet on the mainland, and line of sight. Subscribe to a second internet connection from their place. The cable company will put a T connector on their existing service. You may have to purchase commercial grade service, but it may not be much more expensive. A radio ethernet bridge will cost about $130 for both ends. My favorite is the Ubiquiti Litebeam, LBE-5AC-GEN2. It will easily handle typical cable speeds at a mile or so. You'll have the fastest internet on the island. __________________ -lg

06-25-2019, 03:32 PM	#5
Barney Bear Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 962 Thanks: 496 Thanked 274 Times in 175 Posts	Here 'Tis We have Atlantic Broadband bundle service at our place on East Bear Island. 🐻

06-26-2019, 07:59 PM	#7
Bearly There Junior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Haverhill/Bear Island Posts: 13 Thanks: 15 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Thank you Thanks everyone. I will be calling Atlantic Broadband tomorrow morning. Once again, the wonderful folks on the forum help us solve a problem.

The Following User Says Thank You to Bearly There For This Useful Post:
DaveLeM (06-28-2019)

The Following User Says Thank You to Lakegeezer For This Useful Post:
Bearly There (06-26-2019)

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Bearly There (06-26-2019)

06-25-2019, 02:57 PM	#4
Wifi-1 Senior Member Join Date: May 2019 Location: Moultonboro, NH Posts: 213 Thanks: 196 Thanked 87 Times in 57 Posts	As I understand it, Bear Island is largely covered by cable. Check with Atlantic Broadband for service. Failing that, find a nearby neighbor with cable and do what LG says Sounds like Consolidated is out of copper at your pole.

The Following User Says Thank You to Wifi-1 For This Useful Post:
Bearly There (06-26-2019)

06-26-2019, 06:24 PM	#6
Bear Islander Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Bear Island Posts: 1,764 Thanks: 32 Thanked 441 Times in 207 Posts	Consolidated Communications does not have cable on Bear Island. They have DSL internet service that comes to your home over copper telephone cables. Because it is not cable it is 3Mbps at maximum which is pretty slow internet. Atlantic Broadband provides cable TV and internet on Bear and the connection can be fast (100Mbps) - if you want to pay for fast.

06-26-2019, 08:28 PM	#8
MAXUM Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Kuna ID Posts: 2,755 Thanks: 246 Thanked 1,942 Times in 802 Posts	I'm paying $64.00 per month for 100 MBPS internet service from Atlantic BB on Bear. That gives you an idea, I do not get any other service from them. Stream via Roku for TV and work remotely - never had any service problems in over a year being with them. I did have to replace my modem in the middle of the winter as it crapped out on me. Replaced no questions asked but I did have to bring it over to their office in Belmont. They don't do island service in the winter

The Following User Says Thank You to MAXUM For This Useful Post:
Bearly There (06-28-2019)