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[Gloria Morris <gloriamorris59 AT gmail.com>]

Hey, Bev!

I am on WildBlue satellite Internet. Due to the fast download and slow
upload speeds, I can hear people via Skype. They cannot hear me, however. I
use my Skype number for messages only. That is surprisingly useful, however,
and something you might want to consider.

Cell phone coverage here is spotty at best. On good days, if I stand in one
particular spot on the second floor of the house, I cannot get a bar of
signal, but even with no bars, there is some sort of signal, as the
connection I get is sufficient for a short conversation with some repeating
for clarity. On bad days, I must get in the car and drive to a location
where I can get a signal.

There are antennas and boosters you can use if you have any signal at all to
boost. The equipment and wiring on these (assuming you do your own
installation) ranges in price from a few hundred to around $1K. What you
need will depend upon a variety of factors, including strength of the
available outside signal.

Gloria