FREE INTERNET?

Who has ever dreamed of such a thing as free internet access? I mean get real! Free? Internet? That’s like free milk, who has ever heard of such a thing?

Well, I am here to sing the praises of MCI’s “SkyTel” division out of Gulfport, Mississippi. SkyTel is the very company that has provided 100% of the bandwidth that has been used by Radio Response to serve all the locations that have been and all that are still connected today. SkyTel allowed Radio Response volunteers to climb their tower at their POP (point of presence) close to the Gulf in Gulfport, hang gear on it and provide free bandwidth to us for almost a year now. The only catch they put on the bandwidth is that we had to do what we do for free. That was not a problem! 

Every phone call that was made from S. Mississippi from one of our VoIP phones, every FEMA form that was filled out, every email that was sent, every photo that was sent into and out of the Katrina ravaged area was sent over a free internet connection supplied by MCI/SkyTel. My words can’t describe how grateful all of us at Radio Response are. That free bandwidth made everything we did possible.

I can remember trying for days to find somewhere to buy bandwidth in the hurricane area with no luck. I had already worked out a deal with a college in S. Louisiana to utilize their roof to get a wireless shot to the Louisiana State line and then from there to an undetermined place to make yet another hop on into Waveland. When the phone call came in to me that MCI/SkyTel was willing to donate bandwidth and tower space - - I was so relieved that I can’t explain my emotions.

This FREE bandwidth continues to flow out of MCI/Skytel’s POP today and it is still serving the workers in S. Mississippi at no charge. I guess there is such a thing as free bandwidth for some of us - - but make no mistakes - - it is not free to MCI/SkyTel. There is a cost associated with everything in life and some one foots the bill for everything. It seems to me that those of us who utilized that bandwidth for phones, data, emails or surfing owe MCI/SkyTel a big THANKS.

THANKS MCI/SKYTEL

Gratefully,
Mac Dearman