Daniel S | Morrison, Arizona
Ponderosa forests crisscrossed by streams. The rolling Black Hills, sacred to the Lakota Sioux for generations and mystical to everyone who came after them. The Devil's Tower National Monument towering majestically on the skyline.
These features create a classic Western backwoods landscape in the northeastern corner of Wyoming, attracting people who appreciate open spaces and quiet living against a backdrop of spectacular natural beauty.
Daniel's family has owned a 650-acre ranch five miles from Devil's Tower for decades. With HughesNet satellite Internet access, life on the prairie didn't mean having to give up contact with friends and family all over the world or having trouble keeping his woodworking business humming.
"HughesNet enabled me to stay connected when I moved out here," said Daniel. "I'm on Facebook and Google+ a lot. I talk to my children and friends in Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Florida, and out on the West Coast. I also attend online meetings with people from as far away as Spain and Thailand."
"HughesNet enabled me to stay connected when I moved out here. I also attend online meetings with people from as far away as Spain and Thailand."
Years of living in Houston and New Orleans while working in the oil industry made Daniel appreciate the serenity of rural Wyoming. He runs his woodworking business from a shop on the ranch, building heirloom-quality tables, curio cabinets, and chests of drawers.
Of course, the wide open spaces can take a toll on convenience. Buying essentials is a project. Daniel's ranch is 12 miles from the nearest store – a small grocer in Hulett. The closest national chain stores are 70 miles away, and Daniel schedules monthly trips to do his bulk shopping. It's even a trip to get the mail which comes three times a week two miles down the ranch's driveway. He travels to Billings, Montana, 300 miles away, for lumber.
HughesNet helps him close the distances. Its download speeds enable faster web surfing and let him download files that would have been impossible on dial-up.
"I do a lot of shopping online. I try to order all of my consumables on the Web," Daniel said. "Given that I have to drive an hour to buy a saw blade or screws, it saves a lot of time and money to order online. I buy most of my sandpaper, planar blades, and tools online."
"Hughes is always on top of any concerns and very helpful at plugging this 'dinosaur' into the technical world."
Daniel started using HughesNet in 2012, after being an avowed technology-phobe for much of his life. Now that he has ventured further into online life with HughesNet, he plans to branch out.
"Hughes is always on top of any concerns and very helpful at plugging this 'dinosaur' into the technical world. HughesNet makes the whole world come alive at the click of a key," he said.