Rural Internet - TMobile 5G to the rescue

Ozzie_Isaac

TL:DR TMobile with external roof mounted antenna 300Mbs for $50. (Need to modify base station and remote mount an antenna, so not user friendly, but compared to my other options, it is amazing.)

Max landline service available is 7Mbs for $60
Max OTA service 15Mbs for $119

I have been using the OTA service, but been stalking Verizon, TMobile, AT&T, and Starlink.  TMobile 5G home internet came through first.  For the first month I have managed 25Mbs and at $50 I was happy, but occasionally the service was flaky.  I have borderline signal with the base station.

Well, I finally got some time to install some external antenna pigtails, the. Install the antenna on the roof and hook it all up.  End result is an astonishing 300Mbs. If this is consistent, I will cancel my OTA and Starlink preorder.

Here is base station modification, added the pigtails.



Here is the roof install. The round antenna is for the OTA, the little rectangular one is for the 5G/4G.  I just aligned it with a new tower that I can see from my roof.  It is about 3 miles away.  I added this just for our local roofing connoisseur @JohnInCarolina



Here is the speed results.

alaskanassasin

Tell me more about your antenna set up? Is it a kit?

alaskanassasin

Currently running 25mbps with t mobile. 

Ozzie_Isaac

alaskanassasin said:

Currently running 25mbps with t mobile. 

Here is the kit I used.  I called and had a custom order made.  Removed their bracket and mount and changed cables to 60ft instead of 30.  You need the U.FL adapter type.

I was worried, but now am very satisfied.

https://www.waveform.com/products/mimo-panel-kit-for-hotspots-routers?utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=googlepla&variant=32472357863527&gclid=Cj0KCQiA8ICOBhDmARIsAEGI6o1U-7buehUcJBZlaINNgHQYcGnb2Vbi6XtZbVgB9jgeuFh_CwBauN0aAhfDEALw_wcB

alaskanassasin

Thanks Ozzie, how do you know which way to point it?

alaskanassasin

My base is showing 3 out of 5 bars

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Unlimited data? 

alaskanassasin

Unlimited 

alaskanassasin

Not available everywhere though @The Cen-Tex Smoker

Ozzie_Isaac

alaskanassasin said:

Thanks Ozzie, how do you know which way to point it?

I slowly rotated the base when I was using that.  There was a noticeable performance change based on angle.  A few degrees would go from 25 to 10, and I could even get it to 5.  Once I was on my roof, I could see the tower to aim the remote antenna at.  There are also mapping tools which you can use.  They are fairly accurate.

Ozzie_Isaac

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

Unlimited data? 

Yup, unlimited and unthrottled.  Pretty amazing.  Previously I used hotspot data on each phone in the house and the OTA (basically high powered wifi).  It has been a pain, especially since we have no TV or anything.  Everything is interwebz based.

They are expanding there service area pretty rapidly.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

On the waitlist. 

alaskanassasin

Ozzie_Isaac said:

alaskanassasin said:

Thanks Ozzie, how do you know which way to point it?

I slowly rotated the base when I was using that.  There was a noticeable performance change based on angle.  A few degrees would go from 25 to 10, and I could even get it to 5.  Once I was on my roof, I could see the tower to aim the remote antenna at.  There are also mapping tools which you can use.  They are fairly accurate.

Thanks, that plays into the amount of cable I need. I would mount it on a pole in the ground, no way am I going to adulterate my immaculate roof besides that it’s so flat here I could probably see your house from mine.. I think I know where the tower is but I’ll see if I can find out for sure.

Ozzie_Isaac

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

On the waitlist. 

Check back occasionally.  I was never notified, or of I was, it went to spam.  I found out by checking my address again.  I would check probably every 2 weeks.

alaskanassasin

got one on order thanks for the heads up @Ozzie_Isaac

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Ozzie_Isaac said:

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

On the waitlist. 

Check back occasionally.  I was never notified, or of I was, it went to spam.  I found out by checking my address again.  I would check probably every 2 weeks.

I will. I'm right in the middle of 3 5g Towers (which is where i get my OTA service now). I have 5 bar 5G cell service all over the whole ranch. My 5G phones and Ipads are way faster than my home. I imagine we are not far behind. I just paid $1000 for all new OTA equip and install to get up to 80Mbps, which is pretty damn good for being out where we are. That said, I wold trash it all tomorrow for 300Mbps lol. We are building 6 airbnb's right now that are in direct sight of 2 of those towers so this would be a nice setup if it all works out.

nolaegghead

https://www.vox.com/recode/2020/4/24/21231085/coronavirus-5g-conspiracy-theory-covid-facebook-youtube

smbishop

If only someone could come out to my property in Central TX and help me figure this all out!  We quickly run out of our Verizon hotspot data on our phones...

dmourati

I noticed a new icon on my iphone cell indicator with tmobile: 5G UC.

https://fuentitech.com/t-mobile-will-deploy-a-new-5guc-icon-for-the-iphone-to-let-you-know-when-you-can-actually-use-5g/238468/

It made me go out and test my bandwidth. My concern relying on mobile would be setting up the right mobile plan to avoid overages/charges.

US is embarrassingly slow. and rural folks are at a further disadvantage. Kudos for figuring out a service that works for you. 

https://fairinternetreport.com/research/internet-speed-by-country

Ozzie_Isaac

dmourati said:

I noticed a new icon on my iphone cell indicator with tmobile: 5G UC.

https://fuentitech.com/t-mobile-will-deploy-a-new-5guc-icon-for-the-iphone-to-let-you-know-when-you-can-actually-use-5g/238468/

It made me go out and test my bandwidth. My concern relying on mobile would be setting up the right mobile plan to avoid overages/charges.

US is embarrassingly slow. and rural folks are at a further disadvantage. Kudos for figuring out a service that works for you. 

https://fairinternetreport.com/research/internet-speed-by-country

The TMoble 5G Home Internet uses the cell towers, but the plan is like regular home internet.  Unlimited downloads and no speed throttling.

Ozzie_Isaac

So far, service has been rock steady.

nolaegghead

My shop is zoned commercial.  I tried getting residential internet, no luck.  Ended up getting the cheapest commercial cable internet available, which is $70/month for 25mb down and 5mb up.  I'm done with the 2 year contract in a couple months. 

I'm looking for an OTA solution that will connect to my mesh network that's faster and cheaper.   My current download is fine, but the upload blows.  End result is my Ring and cameras drop frames/resolution. 

Ozzie_Isaac

nolaegghead said:

My shop is zoned commercial.  I tried getting residential internet, no luck.  Ended up getting the cheapest commercial cable internet available, which is $70/month for 25mb down and 5mb up.  I'm done with the 2 year contract in a couple months. 

I'm looking for an OTA solution that will connect to my mesh network that's faster and cheaper.   My current download is fine, but the upload blows.  End result is my Ring and cameras drop frames/resolution. 

I even tried to get a business line run, they came out checked it out, then I could never get them to give me a quote.  Has been headache, especially since everything went online a few years ago due to some global shift in behavior.

alaskanassasin

I have the antenna all hooked up and walked around the yard trying to secure higher mbps and didn’t have any luck. I pointed towards the tower I thought was the one and still had 3 bars and no noticeable increase in mbps.  Found another corner of the house and I had 4 bars but also slow. Frustrated but I will try again tomorrow, our download speed were fluctuating wildly anyway tonight. 

BlueRidgeSmokers

My buddy in the outlands of Juniper Hills, CA is saying he's seeing 300Mbps (well, he almost always says 300 MBps and complains when I explain the difference, but it's Mbps in his case) from Starlink.

Dana

Ozzie_Isaac

alaskanassasin said:

I have the antenna all hooked up and walked around the yard trying to secure higher mbps and didn’t have any luck. I pointed towards the tower I thought was the one and still had 3 bars and no noticeable increase in mbps.  Found another corner of the house and I had 4 bars but also slow. Frustrated but I will try again tomorrow, our download speed were fluctuating wildly anyway tonight. 

Try it a few times in the same spot when walking at the tower.  This sounds stupid, but sometimes my speed test is slow the first time (around 60Mbps, then it builds speed.  Like a slow train to start).

alaskanassasin

Ozzie_Isaac said:

alaskanassasin said:

I have the antenna all hooked up and walked around the yard trying to secure higher mbps and didn’t have any luck. I pointed towards the tower I thought was the one and still had 3 bars and no noticeable increase in mbps.  Found another corner of the house and I had 4 bars but also slow. Frustrated but I will try again tomorrow, our download speed were fluctuating wildly anyway tonight. 

Try it a few times in the same spot when walking at the tower.  This sounds stupid, but sometimes my speed test is slow the first time (around 60Mbps, then it builds speed.  Like a slow train to start).

I think I will screw it to a temporary post with base so I can move it without holding it

alaskanassasin

Well, I found the tower my base is receiving signal from, it is about 1.02 miles away. I logged into the tmobile app and got into the data on signal strength and adding the antenna did improve the signal in all ways, I currently have it c clamped to a a-frame ladder in the yard.  I think we must be on LTE or something similar and your tower @Ozzie_Isaac is possibly 5G. The best I am getting is 80mbps.  I climbed higher up the roof and no improvement so I think I will mount it to the eave and run the wires tomorrow. Also cancel ATT

Ozzie_Isaac

80 is fantastic!  Keep an eye out for new towers.  They are popping up around me like weeds.

alaskanassasin

@Ozzie_Isaac if you don’t mind comparing notes

Ozzie_Isaac

Here is my LTE:

RSRQ and RSRP are the important metrics.


Here is my 5G