Wifi in the Exumas

[Captain Bruce M]

I have seen postings listing various wifi providers in the Exumas. No one has mentioned whether a single wifi provider has transmitters throughout the chain (specifically George Town to Normans Cay). In the Abacos, Out Island Internet covers Green Turtle Cay to Little Harbor with a dozen transmitters and one monthly subscription.

It would be nice to have one wifi provider with a long term (several months) contract to get a better price than a $10 per day rate from each island. Is there such a wifi provider, or an Air Card through BaTelCo towers?

I have a wifi extender that is effective for several miles. Thanks!!

[defever]

it'd be nice to have a nice shiny bike for xmas, too.... get real man, if you need wi-fi that bad, stay in the states (or the abacos)... the out islands are where folks go to get away from it all...

[JusDreaming]

nope it ain't happening, providers are all different from island to island. And nothing in the Raggeds except on shore at Duncan Town. In G-town it costs 25. per week.
So we manage to check in every couple of weeks or so, just to let family know we are alive

[Captain Bruce M]

Originally Posted by defever

it'd be nice to have a nice shiny bike for xmas, too.... get real man, if you need wi-fi that bad, stay in the states (or the abacos)... the out islands are where folks go to get away from it all...

defever -

Thank you for your thoughts. I don't want to get away from it all, just most of it. I still have friends and family I wish to stay in contact with. A successful retirement portfolio doesn't just maintain itself. And - if you have done any cruising at all - you know that an ounce of knowledge in the out islands can save much time, money, and aggravation. I make no apologies for my desire to remain somewhat connected.

Nor am I alone. The fact that many Exuma wifi providers exist and are able to charge a small fortune for limited service proves there is a significant demand for the capability. It seems many of my fellow cruisers wish to remain connected in the Exumas.

Lastly, a widespread wifi system is not the miracle you seem to envision. The individual islands all have their own provider today. Every cruising guide and the Explorer charts discuss the island-by-island access process. All that is needed is a single entrepreneur to coordinate these individual companies into a single system to better serve the cruiser (their primary source of business). No engineering or construction required, just paperwork. Does that sound like a miracle to you?

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by Captain Bruce M

Lastly, a widespread wifi system is not the miracle you seem to envision. The individual islands all have their own provider today. Every cruising guide and the Explorer charts discuss the island-by-island access process. All that is needed is a single entrepreneur to coordinate these individual companies into a single system to better serve the cruiser (their primary source of business). No engineering or construction required, just paperwork. Does that sound like a miracle to you?

Not so. Still many islands with nothing at all.

[JusDreaming]

Originally Posted by Captain Bruce M

defever -


Nor am I alone. It seems many of my fellow cruisers wish to remain connected in the Exumas.

I don't find this to be true! The "cruiser's" in the Exumas are not like the group who hits the Abacos, and that's why people call the Abacos "West Palm East", kinda a different mind set!!!!!!!! I think it is one of our reasons for going to the Exumas instead of the Abacos. A little less "CONNECTED"

[Mark Zarley]

Gee whiz, where to start. Capt Bruce, if you need WiFi to cruise then I suggest that you bring your own with you, there are several on the market(but if you are a heavy user it would probably cost way more than $10.00/day). So you really want the islanders to give up their private WiFi hot spots? You do know that they use them to draw cruisers into their business, and while they are there spend a little. That said I do not think that you should expect the islanders to pool their resources to save you money which in doing so would take money from their pockets. Sounds a little like that occupy wall street thingy that is going on. Just my 2 cents

[JusDreaming]

can you say "batelco"

[Cormorant]

Cap'n Bruce -- we used wifi in a few places in the Exumas, but most of the time relied on our Iridium phone for daily email (a few minutes each morning and evening for work, which we couldn't ditch entirely). That runs $1 to $2 per minute, as you probably know. Lately I've been thinking about trying Globalstar, which only has viable satellite windows about 50% of the time. But if you track those windows, and call/email during them, I understand the voice/data quality is pretty good; and from now till the end of the year you can sign up for unlimited calling at $20 per month. Might be the thing to fill in the wifi gaps for you. Iridium will do the same, with greater reliability, only at greater cost. Good luck!

[JusDreaming]

I just bought a globalstar phone, and you are spot on. The phone was a refurb. so it was inexpensive, works great. It is unlimited voice or DATA. You just gotta catch the windows. Plenty of them, and long enough for weather downloads and email "check-in"

[Amapola]

We agree with Denny, if you want solitude, the Exumas are paradise. If you want reliable internet access, stick to the Abacos or the more populated areas.

[AnchorageGuy]

Explorer Charts has just posted some good updated information on receiving Wifi in the Bahamas. Look in the right column. Chuck

[wahoo40]

Hi Captain Bruce,
We were in the Bahamas May - June, 2011 here's what we found about WiFi in the Exumas. I think they called it Satellite based, it was very slow and more expensive then in the Abacos or Eleuthra. You purchased very small amounts per day, I can't remember how much but we were able to purchase and use it from Highborne Caye, the park headquarters in Waterick Wells (not allowed VOP and had to go in to the headquartes to purchase), Samson Caye and at Staniel Caye. We didn't get to Georgetown so I'm not sure south of Staniel Caye.
We also like to arrange when folks are coming to visit and generally stay connected with friends and family. Of course, getting weather reports is easier over the internet then SSB.

Dale

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by JusDreaming

can you say "batelco"

Denny, we found a way around Batelco last season. Hope it works again this season but won't know till we get there.