Ask HN: Do you still use dial-up? If so, why? - xook
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wazanator
Not me personally but I have relatives in Northern Michigan that do not even
have dial-up. Because of where they live their choices for internet are dial-
up or cell phone providers hotspot. This normally isn't a problem for them
though as they have cell phones with a few gigs of data a month so they can
check emails and do some shopping.

However they've pretty much had to go back to playing older video game systems
because of this. Video games used to be the perfect answer when it came to
entertainment for them living out in a rural area. An Xbox One for example
requires an internet connection for initial setup and with the size of day one
patches for games they would eat through over a months worth of data on one
patch if they tethered. I'm actually in the process of helping them price out
and then build a modest mid tier computer because at least then they buy a DRM
free game from a site like Gog then drive into town to the local library to
download the installers on a flash drive. It's a shame neither Sony or
Microsoft have come up with an offline patching system for games yet.

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Markoff
why not satellite download with mobile upload?

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wazanator
They have considered it but Dish is about ~$50 a month if I recall from the
last I talked to them and that's just too much for downloading and patching
games.

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kedean
I'm not on dial-up right now, but I have almost been in situation where I
would be. Most of rural america relies on dialup, satellite internet, or maybe
microwave based connections with speeds comparable to 2002 DSL. If you don't
live within some kind of city limits, you're almost guaranteed not to have
broadband access.

I got really lucky and ended up living in the vicinity of a midwest fiber hub.

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Neliquat
Still have a dial up failover at home, it gets used for testing that it still
works (i am a little amazed each time) more than any actual use. I am back to
an oldschool external now, as it is still compatible with a dongle.

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shakna
I have a few university friends that are on dial up, thanks to me.

A provider in the area supplies dial up @ $1/month.

Compared to the $45/month for ADSL.

Great for people who can't afford 'net, but need it.

It's enough for email and downloading references.

