Rural Fast-Internet Service Expands

Beginning this month, AT&T Inc. will offer service through a WildBlue Communications satellite.

City residents take for granted high-speed Internet services, but broadband is not so easy to come by for people who live in rural areas, officials say.

"There are some spots in Tulsa, Collinsville and Claremore that can't get high-speed Internet services," said Ryan Sullivan, owner and general manager of Sully Satellite, a regional provider of satellite telecommunications services to residential and commercial markets. "Demand exceeds knowledge of the product right now."

Beginning this month, rural Oklahomans have another broadband alternative after AT&T Inc., the nation's largest telecommunications company, reached an agreement with Denver-based WildBlue Communications Inc. to deploy high-speed Internet service via WildBlue's satellite.

The service, AT&T Yahoo! Broadband via Satellite, is available to homes and businesses across AT&T's 22-state territory, including Oklahoma, where it has 1.3 million wireline customers. It is the first time satellite Internet service has been offered to consumers in the former BellSouth nine-state region by AT&T, which acquired the Atlanta-based company in 2006, officials said.

Don Cain, president of AT&T Oklahoma, said rural as well as urban residents deserve the advantages of broadband Internet access.

"Access to a fast Internet connection opens up a whole new world to consumers -- for both personal and business use," Cain said in a prepared statement. "We maintain our commitment to making this happen for consumers right here in Oklahoma."

Customers of AT&T Yahoo! Broadband via Satellite can select from three service packages, starting as low as $54.95 a month, and broadband speed options of up to 1.5 Mbps downstream and up to 256 Kbps upstream.

The installation fee, which includes satellite receiver equipment, is $299, said AT&T spokesman Andy Morgan, and there is a 12-month term commitment.

"If you cancel before 12 months, there is an early-termination fee," Morgan said in a telephone interview. "After 12 months, you go to a month-to-month" agreement, he said.

AT&T-WildBlue customers will have access to AT&T Yahoo! Internet content and features, such as parental controls, pop-up blocker, anti-virus components and e-mail services.

Three AT&T-WildBlue service packages are available:

$54.95 for download speed up to 512 Kbps and upstream speed to 128 Kbps.

$69.95 for download speed up to 1 Mbps and upstream speed to 200 Kbps.

$79.95 for download speed up to 1.5 Mbps and upstream speed to 256 Kbps.

For more information or to confirm availability of the service, potential customers should call (800) 288-2020.

Jeff Cloud, chairman of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, said expansion of high-speed Internet access has been a priority during his time as commissioner.

"To compete in today's marketplace, businesses and consumers alike need high-speed Internet access no matter what their location," Cloud said in a written statement. "We're excited that more citizens of Oklahoma now have access to broadband."

Sully Satellite, which also offers WildBlue high-speed Internet service, offers identical service packages as AT&T-WildBlue except that its most economical service is priced at $49.95 and its equipment-installation fee is $100 cheaper at $199 -- down from $299 in March, Sullivan said.

Sully Satellite can be reached at 392-9975 or 607-0208.

"People are signing up left and right," Sullivan said in a telephone interview. "We have yet to have a single cancellation from 250 customers."

D.R. Stewart 581-8451

don.stewart@tulsaworld.com

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