DSL was fine in 2005
When DSL was the fastest thing available in rural Florida, 10 Mbps felt like broadband. One person could browse, check email, maybe watch a YouTube video.
That was 20 years ago. Today’s households stream 4K video, run video calls, game online, operate smart home devices, and work remotely. DSL can’t keep up, and it’s only getting worse.
Why DSL is slow in rural Hendry County
DSL runs over copper telephone lines. The technology has a fundamental limitation: speed degrades with distance from the telephone exchange. The exchange in LaBelle might deliver 20-25 Mbps to homes within a mile. But most of Hendry County is far beyond that.
| Distance from exchange | Typical DSL speed |
|---|---|
| Under 1 mile | 15-25 Mbps |
| 1-2 miles | 8-15 Mbps |
| 2-3 miles | 3-8 Mbps |
| 3+ miles | Under 3 Mbps |
If you live in Felda, Pioneer Plantation, Montura, or the outskirts of LaBelle, you’re likely in the “under 3 Mbps” category. That’s not broadband. That’s barely functional.
What DSL can’t do anymore
Multiple streams. A single HD stream needs about 15-25 Mbps. If your DSL tops out at 10 Mbps, you can’t even handle one stream without buffering. Two screens? Forget it.
Video calls. Zoom needs 10-25 Mbps download and 5-10 Mbps upload for a clear call. DSL upload speeds in rural areas are typically 1-3 Mbps. That’s why your face freezes on every call.
Remote work. VPN, cloud apps, and file syncing all need consistent bandwidth and low latency. DSL provides neither at distance.
Gaming. Online gaming needs low latency and consistent speeds. DSL latency is acceptable (30-60ms), but the bandwidth isn’t there for gaming plus anything else happening in the house.
The upgrade: fixed wireless
Streamline’s fixed wireless delivers 100-600 Mbps regardless of how far you are from town. That’s because the signal comes from a local wireless tower, not a copper wire running back to an exchange.
| DSL (rural) | Streamline | |
|---|---|---|
| Download | 3-25 Mbps | 100-600 Mbps |
| Upload | 1-3 Mbps | 20-120 Mbps |
| Latency | 30-60ms | 10-30ms |
| Distance dependent | Yes | No |
| Data caps | Varies | Unlimited |
| Price | $40-60/mo | $55-95/mo |
For roughly the same monthly cost, you get 10-20x the speed with no degradation.
Keep your phone line
Switching from DSL to Streamline doesn’t affect your phone service. DSL runs over the phone line, but Streamline is completely independent. If you have a landline, you keep it. If you don’t, you don’t need one.
Ready to upgrade?
Check your address to see if Streamline covers your location. Most DSL customers who switch are connected within a week. The speed difference is immediate and dramatic.