There are many wonderful things about living in this rural paradise that I call home. Easy and cheap availability of high speed internet access would not number among them!

But the options are increasing and since this is a topic that's almost always of interest to potential buyers in this area, I thought it rated a blog post.

DSL and cable are most people's first choice for high speed internet. Unfortunately, both are difficult to find out here. DSL is the rarer of the two. Cable is available in most of the villages such as Flint Hill and Washington in Rappahannock County. You'll find cable available in some of the larger subdivisions such as South Wales, Quail Ridge or Wildwood Forest.

Broadband wireless cards are good in certain areas. I recently tried Sprint's card, which is supposed to have good coverage in Rappahannock County and had no success at all from my house. A neighbor about two miles down the road from my house has terrific access using the same card.

VABB (Virginia Broadband) has some installations in the county. They provide high speed wireless connectivity using radio frequency technology. Your ability to use them will vary depending on your proximity to one of their towers and the site line.

The most widely available solution is satellite. We're currently using HughesNet at  our home in Amissville. It's expensive, but customer service and connectivity (outside of heavy thunderstorms and snowfalls) has been very good. While it's technically high speed, it does not rival what you experience with DSL or cable. And the price is very high compared to other alternatives.

If this is an important issue to you, make sure you ask about this BEFORE you buy your house! Many people now depend on high speed access to work remotely. The options available to you will vary depending on which house you choose. Each county has their own challenges. As with most things related to buying a house, do your homework!