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Thanks everybody for the input. Seems like there are plenty of high speed Internet options for HPP. I guess, once we narrow down potential houses, we will have to call every provider and see which services are available at each address.
Anybody has any info on Orchidland and Hawaii Acres?
Kathy, I know that employers are not very enthusiastic in hiring people from the mainland, but it seems like it is a bit easier for educators. In any case, even if I don't get a job immediately, my husband's retirement income and savings should be OK for some time.
Macuu, how long does it take to get to the highway from your place? How bad is the traffic?
In general, how is life in HPP? Should we definitely avoid some particular areas of this subdivision? We are coming over in January to look at properties in person and get the feel of the place, but it would be helpful to have some input from people who alredy live there.
Thanks.
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Try Advanced Wireless. They have better bandwidth options than Aloha Broadband.
Here is their website.
http://www.awshi.com/
"What? Me Worry?" - Alfred E. Newman
"Vote with your money!"
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Wow hawaiideborah, thank you so much for such extensive info. We have been to the area before and stayed at Orchidland. We are planning on staying at the same place this time as well.
If it is not too personal of a question, is there a reason why you have not bought anything yet after so much looking? Is there a specific type of a house you are looking for?
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Dinulya.....From 5th to Hwy 130 is 7 minutes...but if your going to Hilo we cut across on 7th to Kaloli because it's paved....then up to 22nd and across on 22nd to shower(because it's paved)....and then onto hwy 130 which starts the shoulder lane that opens from 6am to 8am every morning to help early morning commutes.
Traffic can be really bad on Monday mornings to Hilo and about everyday in the evening commute where Hwy 130 goes from 4 lanes to two. I'm retired though and haven't had to deal with it anymore
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130 very congested during commuting hours - a tough one to use as a commute - avoid the whole thing during peak times if you can.
Mitigation may be in order as growth continues
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Back to the internet question.This a reply I got from Aloha Broadband.
Aloha,
Thank you for contacting us regarding broadband service. The installation cost is $100 and the monthly service is $50 per month plus tax, totaling $52.08. Our speeds range from 2 - 2.5 Mbps download & 1 Mbps upload. There is no maximum use limit for normal use within our terms of service. We don't require any contracts, but do require a credit or debit card for the installation and monthly payment for service. If you have any more questions or would like to schedule an installation, please call or email us.
Mahalo,
Joe D.
---
Aloha Broadband
www.alohabroadband.com
808 929-7668
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If Aloha Broadband is the service I think it is, it requires line-of-sight and for our home in Orchidland it would have required an antenna approximately 40 feet tall.
I currently work from home, using the Internet frequently, and our service is Verizon wireless' 3G network, which uses a cellular modem card in or laptop (a USB port version is also available). It's called broadband, and much faster than dial-up, but slower than DSL. Its "unlimited" service has a 5GB monthly limit but since we signed on early we apparently are not tied to that, not that we exceed it very often since we don't do a lot of video.
The quality of cellular modem service is also dependent on the location of your nearest tower. Before the tower went up on Church on a Sure Foundation on Hwy 130 our service cycled between the Keaau and Kurtistown towers and was spotty, slowing sometimes and once in a while dropping our connection. We've also noticed that the speed has slowed a bit in the three years since the COSF tower went up, which we attribute to increasing numbers of users in our area.
Looking forward to seeing what Verizon 4G will offer when it becomes available, which may happen as early as next year.
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trojan homes used to have some really neat designs on plantation homes
fyi - plumeria street in fern acres has cable internet ... fast internet was first on my list, cooler temps - was second, less bugs third - I have not had the need to screen in the lanai - even though it was part of the plan
having spent summers (waiting out the hurricane seasons) in Columbia in 90 degree heat and 100% humidity cured me - grin
good luck on your search
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Bulwinkle,
trojan Homes is pau...
totally closed up, a thing of the past.
hawaiideborah
hawaiideborah
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My experience with Hawaiian Telcom and DSL.
We live on 13th off Kaloli almost to the dead end, and have had DSL at 3 megabits for more than 4 years. We know a neighbor who lives on the corner of 6th and Kaloli who has DSL only without getting the house phone. We couldn't get that in 2006 but in 2008 he could.
DSL works most of the time to the point that I would call it dependable. It wasn't always that way and we have learned some tricks in that time.
Calling the sales office is not reliable. As awkward as this sounds, we found talking to the lady in the HiTel truck who installs and maintains the lines was the way to go. She is often in the neighborhood. The office said we could not get DSL. She said we could and we did.
Advertisements said we could get up to 3Mbits but we only got 1 Mb after the install.
Called Hi Tel TECH Support (NOT the first layer usually) and got a technician who said the line was qualified for 3Mb. As I understood it, he did nothing more than flip a switch (remove a limit??) and our line went to 3Mbits.
It seems that you may be given one speed and if you don't know to complain, they will never set you higher.
For at least the first year we called support several times a month because the line was so undependable. After more line work on the street the connection's reliability improved dramatically.
Buying a ZOOM ADSL Modem/Router also improved the reliability. That model gives you a status and speed quote for the connection setting as set by HiTel. Apparently getting a good modem from Hawaiian Telcom is a real hit or miss.
Sometimes being on the phone breaks the DSL connection (YES even with the proper filters installed).
Sometimes the connection speed drops and it takes touching tin foil to the wires to make it all better. This could be needed once a day, once a week, or once a month. There is no rhyme or reason to it, heavy rains not withstanding.
Last we checked, we still could not get Road Runner to our street.
Matt
