[lug] OT: Starting an ISP...

[tshooter91 at earthlink.net]

Hello all.

I've now moved to Parachute, which is on the western slope.  The only ISP possibilities right now are dialup out of Rifle, broadband through Earthlink (or similar) satellite service, or wireless broadband through netbeam.  There is fiber running down the middle of the interstate, but I'm doubting I could tap into it.

I've been brainstorming possibilities.  There is no good computer shop around here, so I'm thinking of starting one, and I've also wondered what it would take to start an ISP.  I know some have worked on co-op networks and I'm wondering what it would take to start one, and what other possibilities there might be.  I guess I'm just too cheap to pay the high monthly fee and don't like the proprietary equipment that the satellite and wireless services require you to buy.  I was thinking, however, that maybe I could get one of these connections and allow others to connect through it too so we could share the cost.

The other possibility would be to become a full-blown ISP, but that may be more than I can handle right now.  I would prefer to offer others high-speed access, but DSL and CableModems are out of the question, so I'd have to set up wireless too.

Any ideas/comments would be most appreciated.

Brian