Byte by Bite

Mailbag still filling on high-speed subject

by Marv Dealy

Mother? Is that really you, writing as Dan?

OK, no name change or disassociation here from folks other where. Were that aspersion to be true I’d be the guy locally counting ballots. But it would be nice, Dan, if you remember that the “e” in my last name is silent.

About the grooming while enduring my Perdition in the Bay Area I routinely dressed in a two or three piece suit and tie, sported short hear and maybe a mustache. Corporate, don’t you know.

That all changed when my younger brother announced he was getting married again and would I be in the wedding and I started growing my hair and have never looked back. Now that I’m in Tuolumne County, I tend to be lazier and in fact surprised everyone at this newspaper when I stopped by to have the photo shot that leads this column. Apparently, the assumption had been I’d just change into a clean t-shirt.

I’d be happy to hear from the rest of you what do you think, dear reader? I could, say, take to sporting tutus, or maybe a purple afro, I just don’t want to stand out in a crowd.

Back to Dan’s letter: “The only way I can see getting County-wide DSL speeds is to get the Guvmnt to go out for bids. One high speed chicken, I mean Internet connection, in every home.”

“Sonora Area Foundation likes to do one time investments that make everybody’s life better from then on; maybe they would contribute. And then get private enterprise to come up with bids on a system or combination of systems and see what the numbers are. And let the County pay with a new tax.”

“Or just put a very tall, very powerful antenna in *your* backyard that can go through mountains and power a major WiFiSuper system. We could be the new Area 52 (maybe we already are). Or use the AM band and antenna from KVML (that noise in the background is your hi speed internet connection). Or pay for a WiFi service in the attic of a centralized home in each neighborhood.”

“Surely there is another community with bumpy landscape out in the middle of nowhere that has already solved this problem? But do they decorate their antennas to look like trees?”

“If I don't get my Friday delivery, I go to the Union Democrat downtown and buy one. Keep up the pressure. I am not missing a word.”

From Tuolumne City, Roy Bryant writes: “You might be interested to know I was contacted yesterday by what I call a marketing rep for Frontier Telecommunications. I have phone service from Frontier. She was selling me on the benefits of signing up for a bundle deal that includes ‘High Speed Internet.’ She told me it was available NOW. I questioned her on that and checked the Frontieronline website. Sure enough it showed a package available NOW. I called the Frontier customer service 800 number and found out they ‘plan to have it soon’ but was not ready yet. I asked when, they said by April or May. I said good......call me back then, and had them add me to their list.”

Regular Tony Seidel writes: “Never having received a response from Mark Thornton OR the PUC OR the SFO office of SBC, I wrote to the CEO of SBC in Texas. I requested his help in getting a reply from the SFO telecom division (HQ for the Western Div.).”

“I received a call about two weeks ago from the Sally Haviland (voice mail: 888.958.3030) who identified her as his assistant. She promised to look into the matter and get back to me, saying ‘they HAVE to answer ME!’ Ha. Anyway, she called back a few days ago and said she talked to the ‘engineers in charge of this area and they're already working on it.’ Evidently they knew there were a lot of people in your neighborhood who need it.’ Ha again. And, she said we will have DSL (at least MY prefix - 536) ‘within 90 days.’ I asked if it would be through SBC directly or through an internet supplier, and she said ‘both.’ She promised to call again when she has a firm schedule.”

“So we'll go from practically zero options to at least two, it appears, in 90 days. Competition is always good. By the way, an e-mail to the Union Democrat requesting editorial support for this issue has not been answered.”

Well Tony, I know this isn’t on the editorial page, and I’m not employed by the paper, I’m just a hack with a knack and a lot to say. I can’t respond for this newspaper, but trust me when I say I’ll keep beating this gong until it’s worn out or the problem is fixed.

From C.C.R. (card carrying reader) #17 Jim Tuite, also in Tuolumne City: “Your mention of Fire2Wire was lacking as you didn't mention their FREE local hotspot at Burger King on Mono Way. There are other local FREE hot spots as well - Mike's Pizza, on Mono Way near Sears, and the good old Heart Rock Cafe on Washington Street. You would perform a public service to the ‘KBPS-challenged’ citizenry by letting them know they can take their laptops to a hotspot for large downloads AND have a meal or beverage while they wait.”

“There ARE also a few pay-per-use hotspots around -- Hava Java, MacDonald's,

Starbucks and more -- but why pay?”

“Wouldn't it be nice if the Mi-Wuk tribe would consider making an example of Tuolumne, by turning the West Side property AND the whole Tuolumne valley into a Wi-Fi community, serving not only their Casino (and hotel?) guests, but the WHOLE COMMUNITY! Some S.F. peninsula communities have established Wi-Fi hotspots encompassing entire downtown areas and parks. A much larger scale community Wi-Fi coverage project is currently operating successfully in Half Moon Bay. While they have already breathed new life into the town of Tuolumne, this could be another excellent way for the Black Oak Casino to contribute good to their home community!”

Thanks, Jim. The free hotspots work for folks with a properly equipped laptop, but many, many don’t have that luxury and are stuck, barb-wired to their slow connections at home or work. While we’re making wish lists, let’s not forget there are areas in Tuolumne County other than Tuolumne Valley that need help getting better Internet access.

We called around to the places Jim mentions as free WiFi providers and discovered that yes, MicDonald’s, Burger King, the Heart Rock Café, and Hava Java all have free WiFi if you bring in your laptop. Starbuck’s charges through TMobile, and apparently charges $10 a day, which is OK if you’re hanging around the place anyway, waiting to see if George Clooney pops in. The lady who answered the phone at Mike’s Pizza didn’t think they’d ever been a hot spot.

From another reader I learned that SBC is “cold calling” and offering DSL service in the 588-xxxx phone area, in her case out Phoenix Lake Road nearly to Big Hill. If you haven’t checked your DSL availability recently, get on over to http://www.sbc.com/gen/landing-pages?pid=3310 and type in your phone number and you’ll learn in an instant whether or not DSL is inching toward you.

What would I do without you 32 faithful readers? My morning was made to receive the following e-mail from Dan Buckman: “Did you change your name from Daly to Dealy just to get away from the association with ‘Chicago's finest?’ Oh, I know, you moved the ‘e’ from ‘Marve’ and put it into your last name. I like it. Just don't start doing that with my name. And when are you going to clean off all that facial hair and get a haircut? Why don't you take a vote? Democracy in grooming, you know.”

Mother? Is that really you, writing as Dan?

OK, no name change or disassociation here from folks other where. Were that aspersion to be true I’d be the guy locally counting ballots. But it would be nice, Dan, if you remember that the “e” in my last name is silent.

About the grooming – while enduring my Perdition in the Bay Area I routinely dressed in a two or three piece suit and tie, sported short hear and maybe a mustache. Corporate, don’t you know.

That all changed when my younger brother announced he was getting married again and would I be in the wedding and I started growing my hair and have never looked back. Now that I’m in Tuolumne County, I tend to be lazier and in fact surprised everyone at this newspaper when I stopped by to have the photo shot that leads this column. Apparently, the assumption had been I’d just change into a clean t-shirt.

I’d be happy to hear from the rest of you – what do you think, dear reader? I could, say, take to sporting tutus, or maybe a purple afro, I just don’t want to stand out in a crowd.

Back to Dan’s letter: “The only way I can see getting County-wide DSL speeds is to get the Guvmnt to go out for bids. One high speed chicken, I mean Internet connection, in every home.”

“Sonora Area Foundation likes to do one time investments that make everybody’s life better from then on; maybe they would contribute. And then get private enterprise to come up with bids on a system or combination of systems and see what the numbers are. And let the County pay with a new tax.”

“Or just put a very tall, very powerful antenna in *your* backyard that can go through mountains and power a major WiFiSuper system. We could be the new Area 52 (maybe we already are). Or use the AM band and antenna from KVML (that noise in the background is your hi speed internet connection). Or pay for a WiFi service in the attic of a centralized home in each neighborhood.”

“Surely there is another community with bumpy landscape out in the middle of nowhere that has already solved this problem? But do they decorate their antennas to look like trees?”

“If I don't get my Friday delivery, I go to the Union Democrat downtown and buy one. Keep up the pressure. I am not missing a word.”

From Tuolumne City, Roy Bryant writes: “You might be interested to know I was contacted yesterday by what I call a marketing rep for Frontier Telecommunications. I have phone service from Frontier. She was selling me on the benefits of signing up for a bundle deal that includes ‘High Speed Internet.’ She told me it was available NOW. I questioned her on that and checked the Frontieronline website. Sure enough it showed a package available NOW. I called the Frontier customer service 800 number and found out they ‘plan to have it soon’ but was not ready yet. I asked when, they said by April or May. I said good......call me back then, and had them add me to their list.”

Regular Tony Seidel writes: “Never having received a response from Mark Thornton OR the PUC OR the SFO office of SBC, I wrote to the CEO of SBC in Texas. I requested his help in getting a reply from the SFO telecom division (HQ for the Western Div.).”

“I received a call about two weeks ago from the Sally Haviland (voice mail: 888.958.3030) who identified her as his assistant. She promised to look into the matter and get back to me, saying ‘they HAVE to answer ME!’ Ha. Anyway, she called back a few days ago and said she talked to the ‘engineers in charge of this area and they're already working on it.’ Evidently they knew there were a lot of people in your neighborhood who need it.’ Ha again. And, she said we will have DSL (at least MY prefix - 536) ‘within 90 days.’ I asked if it would be through SBC directly or through an internet supplier, and she said ‘both.’ She promised to call again when she has a firm schedule.”

“So we'll go from practically zero options to at least two, it appears, in 90 days. Competition is always good. By the way, an e-mail to the Union Democrat requesting editorial support for this issue has not been answered.”

Well Tony, I know this isn’t on the editorial page, and I’m not employed by the paper, I’m just a hack with a knack and a lot to say. I can’t respond for this newspaper, but trust me when I say I’ll keep beating this gong until it’s worn out or the problem is fixed.

From C.C.R. (card carrying reader) #17 Jim Tuite, also in Tuolumne City: “Your mention of Fire2Wire was lacking as you didn't mention their FREE local hotspot at Burger King on Mono Way. There are other local FREE hot spots as well - Mike's Pizza, on Mono Way near Sears, and the good old Heart Rock Cafe on Washington Street. You would perform a public service to the ‘KBPS-challenged’ citizenry by letting them know they can take their laptops to a hotspot for large downloads AND have a meal or beverage while they wait.”

“There ARE also a few pay-per-use hotspots around -- Hava Java, MacDonald's,

Starbucks and more -- but why pay?”

“Wouldn't it be nice if the Mi-Wuk tribe would consider making an example of Tuolumne, by turning the West Side property AND the whole Tuolumne valley into a Wi-Fi community, serving not only their Casino (and hotel?) guests, but the WHOLE COMMUNITY! Some S.F. peninsula communities have established Wi-Fi hotspots encompassing entire downtown areas and parks. A much larger scale community Wi-Fi coverage project is currently operating successfully in Half Moon Bay. While they have already breathed new life into the town of Tuolumne, this could be another excellent way for the Black Oak Casino to contribute good to their home community!”

Thanks, Jim. The free hotspots work for folks with a properly equipped laptop, but many, many don’t have that luxury and are stuck, barb-wired to their slow connections at home or work. While we’re making wish lists, let’s not forget there are areas in Tuolumne County other than Tuolumne Valley that need help getting better Internet access.

We called around to the places Jim mentions as free WiFi providers and discovered that yes, MicDonald’s, Burger King, the Heart Rock Café, and Hava Java all have free WiFi if you bring in your laptop. Starbuck’s charges through TMobile, and apparently charges $10 a day, which is OK if you’re hanging around the place anyway, waiting to see if George Clooney pops in. The lady who answered the phone at Mike’s Pizza didn’t think they’d ever been a hot spot.

From another reader I learned that SBC is “cold calling” and offering DSL service in the 588-xxxx phone area, in her case out Phoenix Lake Road nearly to Big Hill. If you haven’t checked your DSL availability recently, get on over to http://www.sbc.com/gen/landing-pages?pid=3310 and type in your phone number and you’ll learn in an instant whether or not DSL is inching toward you.