Internet Service Providers bring 1G speed service to SOWAL?

[Hugh Scott]

I am interested to know if anyone has experience that they can share regarding top-flight internet service in our section of the Panhandle? I have searched the forum. Most of the posts/responses were quite dated. I am hopeful that this type of service is currently available (and I just haven't found it) or that it will be coming to South Walton soon. I would appreciate any insight that you can share.

 

[bob bob]

Verizon and AT&T customers?

How's the service? What's it like during heavy tourist weeks?

 

[Matt J]

It seems like it's gotten worse.

 

[James Bentwood]

It seems like it's gotten worse.

I agree - especially starting in June. I think the number of devices streaming in rentals and all the devices brought on vacation are overloading the networks which were never great to begin with.

There's no excuse for bad cell service or internet in a place with homes renting for $10,000 dollars a night and selling for $20 million.

Visit South Walton pays no mind. Perhaps some of the infrastructure bed tax dollars should be spent. But then again, maybe the HOAs and the rental companies should pay. They are charging high dollars and need to make improvements. If they aren't going to spend then thay should band togeather and put pressure on the cell and interent service provider "monopolies" in our area.

 

[Matt J]

It seems like our tourists don't update or sync their devices until they arrive in sowal and demolish our data. Also, a lot of people are dumb and with the advent of unlimited data most of them aren't incentives to find Wifi or hook to it. Ultimately it boils down to towers and guess what? Everyone wants the speed and convenience, but nobody wants to look at a cell tower. Panama City Beach doesn't have issues, but that's due to the condo towels; look up and notice the ungodly array of antennas on them.

Unfortunately many of our internet providers outside of cellular service don't make anymore money off our area than anywhere else. Mediacom and CenturyLink make no additional money because the modem is in a luxury rental or a trailer. That said, they should really mine their own data and charge some of these businesses accordingly.

 

[Matt J]

Also, some owners are just cheap AF. I've seen 8 bedroom homes running on one, about to die, DSL modem. Owners opinion "Mediacom is too expensive and this cuts my costs".