Reba

I have a Deaf friend who lives in a very remote rural area with no Deaf community. This friend has no internet service. This friend is really cut off from communication with family and friends except for face-to-face contact. This friend had TTY but it didn't work out as a feasible means of real communication.

The state will provide free video equipment and VRS but there has to be high-speed internet service and TV in the home first.

This friend has no computer or internet service.

Do you have any suggestions?

Deafness

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Bottesini

Is there a reason they can't get internet service? Many rural areas do provide it. If they are getting the video equipment free, do they need a computer?

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Reba

They are very poor.

Not that they need the computer. It's just to explain that they have no cable or internet of any kind.

naisho

Other than satellite or mobile data I am not sure what other opportunities your friend might have to be able to use the internet/VRS in the comfort of their home. If there is a mobile data signal available, at the expense of fees they can get something like Verizon's 4G LTE hotspot modem or Sprint's WiMax hotspots. It's not exactly cheap, but the connectivity saturation is much better and higher than local broadband companies.

Generally to watch streaming video (like Hulu) it is recommended to have 2+ megabits or higher (256kb/sec) and the same should hold theoretically true for uploading/transferring video back. Depending on the strength of the CDMA/LTE signals in your friend's area, you might be able to receive 4G (LTE or WiMax) speeds of up to:

- Verizon's LTE network boasts speeds from anywhere of 10-70 megabits/sec (1280-8960 kilobytes/sec) depending on the location, if 4G-capable which is more than enough for streaming VGA.

- Sprint's WiMAX network is considerably slower than Verizon's LTE service, but still more than adequate for transfers. It's generally considered to be anywhere from 3-10 megabits/sec (384-1280kb/s)

If your friend does not have WiMAX or LTE data signals in the area, the fastest they can receive is standard WCDMA data transfers which are often anywhere from 0.20 - 1.x megabits/sec, which is too slow for video conferencing. A latter part that is more important but can only be determined when you have an actual product, are ping/latency tests that determine how "smooth" content is transferred. You can read more about that here.

Chevy57

New high speed broadband satellite now be launched in any rural and urban country. That s Exede. Charge about $50/mo.


WildBlue Exede | Exede Internet Service | Exede

VacationGuy234

The public library..

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Reba

They have VRS?

If so, I can mention that to them. The other problem is transportation, so I'm not sure how far away they would have to go.

If they lived closer to me, I would have more information but they live about 200 miles from me.

Reba

Good idea but I don't think they can afford that.

Reba

The main goal is to get VRS service. They aren't interested in watching Hulu programs.

Maybe I should be trying to find a source for paying for the connection.

GrayEagle

Wirelessly posted

" Maybe I should be trying to find a source for paying for the connection."

Yes, that sounds like what would be most helpful. Local or state Deaf advocacy might help w/ guidance for getting funding.

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naisho

The example with Hulu is to give you an idea of how fast of a connection is mandatory for streaming videos one way, depending on what service you are looking into for your friend. Assuming if being able to see videos is the end goal. Since video conferencing relies on both incoming and outgoing transmissions, you get an idea of what service is required at the minimum to be able to experience it adequately.

I apologize if you are already aware of this.

Reba

I understand that the connection must be that fast; I'm just trying to figure out how to get that connection without paying a lot of money for it. Right now, they have no connection at all.

They had an Ojo a few years ago but it quit working and the service stopped, so I was wondering about something such as Sorenson VRS but it requires that the person have high speed internet.

Jiro

no internet... no cable.... no computer.... TTY's no good... no transportation... very poor... wow extremely difficult to come up with even couple of suggestions. in fact - probably non-existent unless there is somebody out there kind enough to donate a computer or pay for basic internet service.

does he have a cellphone like smartphone? if not - oye... I don't know what else to suggest... maybe I'll ask derek to donate a bicycle so he can ride to public library.

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GuySmoke420

Priced from $49.99/month!

Exede Broadband takes users far past what satellite internet could do before. Before this, satellite internet was seen primarily as the faster alternative to dial-up internet. Now rural internet options are no longer limited as they were before. ViaSat's new Exede Internet Service also changes the landscape for rural business owners and those who need remote internet access for mission-critical purposes (think disaster relief). Those users now have a real broadband internet option now. Exede Broadband high speed internet will also surely be used for internet connection redundancy for many businesses.
Exede Internet Service - Pricing







duh 7.5 gb data cap for $50 month lol

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Reba

No smartphone. Hearing family member has a basic cell phone. No immediate family members have a computer. I thought about a computer donation but I don't know if anyone in the family could operate and maintain it. But that would still require the internet service.

My friend used to have a TTY but it wasn't really effective for good communication. I don't think they have the landline anymore.

I'll try to find out more info about local resources but it's hard to do. I'll send a letter to them tomorrow. (Yes, snail mail.)

When the family has to travel out of town, they use the train.

Jiro

based on that, I'm afraid there's really no good suggestion for him. The only viable suggestion I see at this point is a bicycle so he can ride to public library to use computer.

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Reba

Even that might be difficult, for various reasons that I can't go into.

I hate to say this but in America there are many poor deaf people who are out of the modern technology communication loop.

Frisky Feline

Does he have any other disability than deaf? if so he should get more help from the deaf service or some kind of help from there. I know several deaf people with low function gets help by putting in a proper living such as section 8 and food stamps like that.

Reba

Only deaf.

Full-time steady worker, married, and spouse works.

I'm going to put a hearing family member in touch with the state Association of the Deaf to see if there are any more services they can either provide or connect them with.

I would love to have the Deaf friend have direct contact with the association but without a videophone that's hard to do.

For any older Deaf AD members, think back to the 1960's. That's how it is still is some communities. To make it more difficult, imagine being the only deaf adult in your rural community.

Foxrac

Be aware about high latency (ping) so videophone require low latency to be smooth without lag. All satellite internet have much higher latency, even worse than dial up.

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Reba

Does that mean you don't recommend satellite?

Foxrac

I'm really irritated about our neighborhood because we only have DSL that capped at 3 mb/s and hardly to hit 3 mb/s with extreme slow at most nights. I called Windstream and told that need to be upgrade to faster internet because our family could share a enough bandwidth so they have no plan to upgrade at all. We don't have cable service in our neighborhood and we are not in rural area but just suburb. Alabama Broadband (cable company in our city) told me that they cannot put service in our neighborhood because Charter bought them and will takeover in July. It means we have to wait until Charter kicks the service in our area. I know some families in our neighborhood complained about slow internet and limited bandwidth.

I had to configured my router to put videophone as high priority to take more bandwidth.

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Foxrac

Yup, that's correct.

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Chevy57

Deaf person has Exede sat to work with Sorenson VP. See vlog

naisho

Like I was trying to say earlier in my first post, there are only two realistic options I can think of and that is satellite or mobile signals. But nobody can really know what's the latency like until they have the actual product in their hands or be able to test it from someone nearby them who owns the same service.

Do any nearby neighbors of that deaf family have some form of internet? Can you find out which they use?

Can a SC OVR help them pay for the internet service? It shouldn't really run more than 30-80 a month depending on how much they use.

Foxrac

Ok but satellite internet isn't up so well in rain, just like Directv and Dish Network, there are a lot of interference during rain or bad weather.

They have bandwidth cap as well and up to 7.5 GB isn't enough for me because I usually download much as 100 GB in one month.

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naisho

Have you ever tried looking into the Verizon Jetpack/MiFi hotspot units or Sprint WiMAX modems?

I've seen the Verizon units have 5-12mbits/s with LTE speeds, if there is LTE signal in the area. Lots of people said decent pings like 50-90's average, but I felt it depends on location. That's good enough for video.

Not sure about their data cap though maybe have unlimited plan.

Foxrac

Verizon and Sprint has data cap for personal hotspot.

Sprint doesn't have 4G in my area.

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Reba

I'll have to find out who services that area.

In SC, each cable company is given a geographic area of control. For example, my area is covered by Time Warner, and the next town over is covered by Comcast. AT&T has recently somehow gotten permission to cover both areas. It's confusing (I suspect there's some politics involved.)

Do any nearby neighbors of that deaf family have some form of internet? Can you find out which they use?[/quote]
I have my doubts but I'll ask.

I'll put the family in touch with the state organization.

naisho

When I was in WV/VA/PA/MD area, I saw the same thing as well in the sprawls outside of the metro cities. It's all corporate monopolies and I am sure there are politics involved. Comcast was the only major landline service provider in my area and there were no alternatives at all.

Great, that should probably find an answer quicker if any neighbors are hopefully using some kind of internet.
I hope OVR can come up with something. I'd like to think having a VP should fall under a high necessity for any deaf person.