Frankie and Slim

Frankie and Slim
Happy New Year

Saturday, May 22, 2010

FAP YAP CRAP!

I have reached over 80% usage of my allowed broadband width according to my internet provider DISH through WildBlue satellite. My warning light changed from blue to orange. (Sounds like a terrorist alert and in a way it is with WildBlue being the terrorists.) This usage is dictated to us through their FAP (Fair Access Policy) and only applies to their rural customers. Can someone explain what's "fair" about that? If that doesn't sound like something straight out of ATLAS SHRUGGED I don't know what does.

Anyway my dear friends, don't look for me for a while until we can get our usage back down. The grandchildren are coming today so it is really going to be difficult. They love the computer.


(Third world countries have unlimited high speed internet but rural America is limited on their internet access and their digital television access. Again I must point out that we landed on the Moon -- shouldn't this other stuff be a piece of cake?)

26 comments:

  1. It should be a piece of cake. My sister lives in the country and still has to have dial up.

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  2. Mmmm! Yes that is a bit of a shocker. We often say funny you can put a man on the moon but can't solve the baldness problem. All down to priorities and who can shout the loudest. Maybe we should start a pressure group "Bald and Internet Deprived"! Could get a lot of takers.

    Well there isn't much that's fair about that policy. Think it's probably a money thing! That's the problem with capitalism, it costs! I liked it better when our services were all nationalised. It was fairer and cheaper. Now it's money grabbing exercise by a whole raft of companies. We were sold it in the name of choice. Stuff choice! People just want good services that don't cost the earth. Mine is relatively cheap and I think it's unlimited. Problem is it keeps disconnecting. My previous one was the same. Just give me a good service, that's all anyone wants. Cheapest isn't always best.

    Hope you get it sorted, like you say children love computers. My grandchildren are in Rhodes and the eldest is still using the Internet. Amazing! I'd be beside the pool under an umbrella reading like mad!

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  3. Lynn -- Oh dear, for so long I could only have dial up and I cried about that and now I'm already crying about my satellite. I guess there is just no pleasing an internet junkie.

    Winifred -- I've given up on the baldness issue and consider my variety of wigs a good substitute. However the summer months really make it tough. If I have to be bald the least the world could do is give me unlimited high speed internet to use while I'm hiding at home:)

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  4. Annie, I had no idea such limitations existed. Mind you, I lived in the country for years, but that was before the advent of the internet. But I can imagine your frustration!

    Have a fabulous weekend with the grandchildren and find all sorts of interesting ways to distract them from the computer ;)

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  5. Anonymous8:32 AM

    I've heard of this problem. Another blog I follow has this issue and I'm not sure how she's resolved it. Here's the blog is you want to get in touch with her.

    http://grandmayellowhair.blogspot.com/

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  6. Totally shocked. I thought you had to be on your computer 24/7 before that type of thing would happen, sending a zillion spam messages or something.
    Hope the SNAFU gets fixed soon, dear Granny - they've made a mistake!

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  7. I'm like the others who haven't heard of that either. Ridiculous.

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  8. I also haven't heard of that - sounds like a bunch of crap, as you say.

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  9. Some days I could take this computer and throw it out the window.. I wonder how it can shut down so many times with my verizons key...I hate it..so good luck with the family enjoy them and see you soon.

    Dorothy from grammology
    grammology.com

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  10. I though there was a bill before Congress on this access issue. Really, I am not joking.

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  11. Very good point!
    I hope you are back soon.
    God Bless

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  12. Thanks for keeping us updated and yes, hope you have some time with your Grandchildren too ;D

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  13. I'm iwth you. I just don't understand. You'd think everyone would have equal access to the internet. We'll miss you for the little while your gone. Enjoy the grandkids.

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  14. I'd have to move. Can't you change carriers? I've never heard of this.

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  15. Not sure how I'd cope in your situation! Hope it doesn't mean you'll be away for too long!

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  16. Gah!!! That just isn't right!

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  17. Anonymous3:56 PM

    Ah, but do you remember when our online time was charged per minute??? huh? do ya? Yeah. Just as I suspected. And it used to scare the bejesus out of me.

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  18. oh dear. i wish i had some good advice to share. that sounds so random. i hope you can come back "limitless" very soon! good luck — Allison

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  19. Hello there
    We have the same problem in rural areas down here - someday they keep saying but someday for them never seems ot come. Maybe a change in government might help - oh thats what we/they said with the last one lol
    Thank you so much for your lovely kind words when I had to say goodbye to Leroy - he was with us for such along time and will certainly be missed for a very long time
    BTW I've moved my blog to a new home - Still Waters http://stillwaters-cathy.blogspot.com/ is where you'll find me now
    Pop in some time - I'd love to see you
    Take care
    Cathy

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  20. Talon – We worked the grandchildren hard and they didn’t miss the internet. LOL

    Always Nesting – Thanks for that link. I read her post on her internet problems and it was extremely helpful.

    Loving Annie – I failed to recall needing the assistance of our anti virus vendor on April 23 and 29th. They downloaded and uploaded files to rid us of a horrible virus and since this FAP thing is on a 30 day rolling, it did not hit us until May. At least it is starting to move back down until the 29th and then it will probably go high again.

    Beverly – Yes ridiculous is about the best word.

    Riot Kitty – crap, crap,crap.

    Dorothy – Oh yes, our computer dependency is horrific. Shall we meet at the cliff’s edge and throw both our computers off at the same time?

    Tabor – Thank you for the tip about a bill before congress. There does seem to be such a thing and while it started to help the rural customer, it might just end up hurting us more. Oh woe.

    Mountain Mama – Thank you for your nice comment. It makes me ashamed to complain about anything after all you have been through. God bless you my friend.

    Shionge – The grandkids had a good time despite all the work we gave them to do. They don’t mind it because Gramps and Granny pay pretty good.

    Bonnie – I will never understand it even though every site seems to try and explain. Once I get past this weekend, my usage should be corrected enough to go back to business as usual.

    Entre Nous – The only two options we had were DISH/WildBlue or Hughes Network. Hughes has even worse penalties for exceeding the broadband allowed. No DSL or Cable or Cell Phone servers connect out here. We are ONE mile past the reach limit.

    LL Cool Joe – Thanks Joe. I should be back next week.

    Dani – ditto “Gah!”

    Dana – I will never miss dial up.

    A tasteful garden – Thanks Allison. I hope so too.

    Brown English Muffin -- I am missing everyone too and will have a LOT of reading to do when I get back.

    Thanks everyone for your empathy. My comment to Loving Annie above best explains what happened as best we could determine. It is such a minor thing in our wonderful life to cause such stress. I think I now have a grip on it.

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  21. Cathy -- I guess you were commenting as I was responding to the others. Thank you for letting me know where you are now. I will continue to follow you just as soon as my usage is low enough for me to start opening blogs, etc., again:) I am very surprised that Australia has those same kind of limits. I have settled down and know that there certainly are worse things in life. See you soon. Annie

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  22. Just found you and you are wonderful. I will continue to come back for a visit!!!!

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  23. Oh no! I hope everything gets back to normal soon! Here and there. :)

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  24. scrapwordsmom -- Thank you for your kind words. I look forward to visiting you as well.

    Ily -- Since I can't be on my computer very much I guess I could come help you drive the hockey kids around:)

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  25. Perfect! I'll take you to sketch class on Lincoln Road on our nights off! PS - Bring Slim! Brady and Misty would love her!

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