Best small non-tourist town to live?

[Keith R]

Ron,
Either your Spanish needs a bit of polishing or else you didn't look hard enough. Check the following link for the list of towns Codetel offers DSL in:
http://www.codetel.net.do/flash/CentralesADSL.htm

Nagua, Las Terranas, Montecristi, Barahona are all on the list.

Regards,
Keith

 

[XanaduRanch]

Ronks, we live in the foothills close to Cabarete, no phone lines, no internet. We also have a house in Santiago and I've lived there for almost a year in total.

Telephone lines don't exist in lots of places but cell service has many options and is generally widely available and of good quality. My experience with DSL was great at one apartment we had in Santiago, and when we moved to a house on the edge of Santiago it worked barely one day in ten and I cancelled. Others in Sosua with Codetel report similar experiences. Even if it's available doesn't mean it works and about the only way to find out is after you've moved in. Not good.

One thing I've found is to just try and be self-sufficient. It cuts down on the high blood pressure problems. I use a satellite internet system. Bit more money up front but I could live anywhere I wanted and not worry about DSL. And not have to deal with yelling at some boob from Codetel who couldn't care less when my DSL has been down for a day and I have work to do. Ditto phone lines. You will also want to invest in an inverter, and at least a small gasoline generator to keep you up through anything mother nature or EdeNorte throws at you.

With those things, live anywhere you want to! Chris is right about Sabaneta. And there are lots of towns like that along the way. Take a drive some day from Cabarete Eastward and stop and see what you like. Luperon is nice but a bit off the beaten path for me.

Tom (aka XR)

 

[Dolores1]

You may want to come down and ask the neighbors of the place you are considering renting (we suggest you rent before you buy to make sure you are happy with the area) if the service is reliable. If you can't miss hours or a day, you may need the backup of satellite. In some areas where both codetel and tricom provide service, you can use codetel and then get tricom cable as a backup. But I would believe you only have that option in the cities of Santo Domingo and Santiago.

 

[GringoCArlos]

Why is everyone overlooking the most obvious solution here?

If you want to live somewhere "non-touristy" and still have great internet service, and live cheap to boot, and still close to everything civilized, here is your answer>

Have an office in the Free Zone CyberPark in Andres Boca Chica, ( where you can have a T1 or T3 connection = who needs slow DSL anyway?) , be close to the Santo Domingo airport for those times you have to travel, live in Andres Boca Chica with the dominicanos REALLY cheaply, and still be only 30 minutes out of Santo Domingo, or 5 minutes out of Boca Chica.

As well, you can take a motoconchista to work and home, so you won't need a car! Your street probably won't be paved, you can hire 2 watchymen for peanuts, and live the life. Come on down.

 

[ronks]

GringoCarlos

Thanks for your input. It sounds as if the added expense of renting a workspace in a Cyberpark in addition to an apartment in the Dominican barrio (with gurards) may put me over my budget. How much would it cost for these facilities (apartment w/ guards + office)? How fast is a T1 or T3 connection in comparison to DSL? It sounds feasible but the costs may be prohibitive.

Also, Tom of XanduRanch, what is the average transmission speed of your satellite internet system ? I would be interested to see how it compares with DSL.

Thanks

Ron

 

[XanaduRanch]

Compared to DSL the upload is slow, 90-128K maybe. Downloads are just fine. Latency can be an issue depending on your application. Chris and her husband on this board markets these throughout the Caribbean so I am sure they will chime in. I am changing to another satellite service with better speed shortly, and you can buy more speed for more money as well.

My biggest gripe with local companies here is the lack of response when you have problems, and you will, as reliability is not what it is elsewhere. The advantage of having someone you know personally running your service far outweighs for me the speed differences. On the other hand, if the place you choose to live has reliable DSL service satellite is not for you as it's much cheaper and more effective to go the DSL route.

I just mentioned satellite because it gives you an option should you find a place to live you really like but might otherwise turn it down for lack of internet connectivity.

Tom (aka XR)

 

[Ken]

I live in Sosua, have DSL, and am very pleased with the service--which is faster than Tom gets from his satellite.

Dolores' point about checking on reliability of service is important. Just because the website says service is available doesn't mean it is fully supported and that service is equal to that in areas where there are more users.

Also keep in mind that DSL is not as widely available within an area as dial up is. Not sure what the limit is, but you must be within a certain distance of the starting point.

When someone contacts Codetel to request DSL (Codetel calls it Internet Flash), the first thing you are told is that they must check to see if it is available at your location.

 

[symister]

SPM

You should check out San Pedro de Macoris http://www.macoris.net a nice town with a good university http://www.uce.edu.do

its about 40 minutes from the capital and plenty of things to do

TWIM

 

[mountainannie]

100 Mpbs

I am in Las Terrenas now - in an apartment hotel with Internet connection, t that speed. But there are three internet cafes in town and a few businesses that seem to be installing all sorts of gadgets and gew gaws. Here the beach is mostly a European expat community - and European tourists but there is a local town behind it. I hear from people who have been coming here for the last 6 or so years that the changes are enormous. I think it might be worth a look. You will definitely need Spanish or French to get around here.

 

[ronks]

Monte Cristi

Jerry

thanks for the input on Monte Criste. I actually submitted this post about a year ago and maybe your reply is as dated, but what I need to know is about accommodations, long term. I have heard of a hotel there, but little else in terms of rentals that are safe and secure, quiet and well maintained and reasonable. Do you have any contacts in Monte Criste or the email or phone number of the hotel or other person who is well acquainted. It is on my list because it has an orphanage and I would like to devote some of my time and money in helping out. I adore children but cannot have any of my own because of of an operation many years past. I am middle aged, happily single, but love the mullata women. Please reply at your earliest convenience.

Regards

Ron

 

[DominicanScotty]

Sabeneta de Yasica is about 8 km east of Caberete and has internet and things that you are looking for. It doesn't sit directly on the coast but the ocean is not that far away either. Not too many tourists there either. It is worth looking at. There is also a place called Canta La Rana which is owned by a friend of mine. It has modern studio apartments. PM me if you want more info.