The Doctor Went Wireless in New Mexico

From Chiropractor to ISP the remedy rural New Mexico needed

When a broken shoulder sidelined chiropractor Dr. Lou Uttaro a couple of years ago, it was time to think about a career change. Researching the possibilities about cyberspace gave Dr. Lou a chance to come up with the conclusion: Someday, everybody will be using the Internet for something.

In 1995, Dr. Lou founded Cibola Internet Services, located in Grants, New Mexico. In early 1998, Cibola had outgrown its 56kps circuit. Faced with no traditional upgrade path on the horizon, Dr. Lou contacted Intellicom for its high-speed, satellite-based Internet access solution for rural New Mexico and beyond.

Telephone Lines a real backache

One of the major problems in starting Cibola was the local telephone service. There were too many "right-of way" issues that prevent him from running a fiber-optic line across the prevalent Indian reservations in the area. Using phone lines was simply not the answer. "We wanted something that would give us high enough speeds and adequate bandwidth," Lou explains. At first Lou considered using microwave technology, which proved unsuitable to the topology and range of Cibola’s service area. Lou needed a system that could span a distance of 75 miles - in the midst of which sits Mount Taylor, a sizable obstruction at 11,500 feet. Not only that, microwave technology would have crossed the same Indian reservations that had stymied the telephone system.

Satellite VSAT heals the wound

The perfect solution was a VSAT package from Intellicom. From Lou’s first phone call to Intellicom’s system installation, only four weeks transpired. The satellite dish was installed, the router was put in place, and the equipment was tested to make sure everything was talking through the satellite. The system now supports 72 modems for Cibola's 700 dial-up customers. Cibola installed Intellicom’s T1Plus _TM service and equipment package, Edge Connector _TM operating system and appropriate software and routers.

Just What the Doctor Ordered

Within two days of implementing the Intellicom system, Lou knew he'd made the right move. He was getting email from his customers saying it was “unbelievable how fast things were coming in.”

Certified medical transcriptionist Karen Thomas-Bates, of Grants, can now work out of her home. Otherwise, she says, she’d face a daily, 150-mile round trip commute to Albuquerque to work in an office. Instead, she receives voice files at 5:30 each morning from doctors in Michigan and Las Vegas off the Internet, transcribes them on her computer at home, and sends them back.

At St. Teresa Catholic School, also in Grants, Students sing the praises of Lou’s Internet service by praying the five mysteries of the rosary with computer-generated hymns playing in the background.

At one time, to be a stockbroker with any kind of magnitude, one had to be around a large metropolitan area. But for a local stockbroker who chose to stay away from the bustle and bustle of the large city, it is now possible to play the "game," and play it from home, or anywhere one can get into the Internet, even in rural New Mexico, thanks to Lou’s career move and excellent business solutions.

Intellicom is the leading rural and urban provider of complete communications solutions using satellite and Internet-related technologies to individuals, businesses, educational institutions and professionals. Intellicom is uniquely positioned to provide alternative, cost-effective wireless Internet services and capabilities to the rapidly growing Internet/Intranet customer network

Check Email Sign-up Online About Us Contact Us Tech Support VSAT Info State-Wide Access Website Design Content Filtering Service Agreement Press Releases		The Doctor Went Wireless in New Mexico From Chiropractor to ISP the remedy rural New Mexico needed When a broken shoulder sidelined chiropractor Dr. Lou Uttaro a couple of years ago, it was time to think about a career change. Researching the possibilities about cyberspace gave Dr. Lou a chance to come up with the conclusion: Someday, everybody will be using the Internet for something. In 1995, Dr. Lou founded Cibola Internet Services, located in Grants, New Mexico. In early 1998, Cibola had outgrown its 56kps circuit. Faced with no traditional upgrade path on the horizon, Dr. Lou contacted Intellicom for its high-speed, satellite-based Internet access solution for rural New Mexico and beyond. Telephone Lines a real backache One of the major problems in starting Cibola was the local telephone service. There were too many "right-of way" issues that prevent him from running a fiber-optic line across the prevalent Indian reservations in the area. Using phone lines was simply not the answer. "We wanted something that would give us high enough speeds and adequate bandwidth," Lou explains. At first Lou considered using microwave technology, which proved unsuitable to the topology and range of Cibola’s service area. Lou needed a system that could span a distance of 75 miles - in the midst of which sits Mount Taylor, a sizable obstruction at 11,500 feet. Not only that, microwave technology would have crossed the same Indian reservations that had stymied the telephone system. Satellite VSAT heals the wound The perfect solution was a VSAT package from Intellicom. From Lou’s first phone call to Intellicom’s system installation, only four weeks transpired. The satellite dish was installed, the router was put in place, and the equipment was tested to make sure everything was talking through the satellite. The system now supports 72 modems for Cibola's 700 dial-up customers. Cibola installed Intellicom’s T1Plus _TM service and equipment package, Edge Connector _TM operating system and appropriate software and routers. Just What the Doctor Ordered Within two days of implementing the Intellicom system, Lou knew he'd made the right move. He was getting email from his customers saying it was “unbelievable how fast things were coming in.” Certified medical transcriptionist Karen Thomas-Bates, of Grants, can now work out of her home. Otherwise, she says, she’d face a daily, 150-mile round trip commute to Albuquerque to work in an office. Instead, she receives voice files at 5:30 each morning from doctors in Michigan and Las Vegas off the Internet, transcribes them on her computer at home, and sends them back. At St. Teresa Catholic School, also in Grants, Students sing the praises of Lou’s Internet service by praying the five mysteries of the rosary with computer-generated hymns playing in the background. At one time, to be a stockbroker with any kind of magnitude, one had to be around a large metropolitan area. But for a local stockbroker who chose to stay away from the bustle and bustle of the large city, it is now possible to play the "game," and play it from home, or anywhere one can get into the Internet, even in rural New Mexico, thanks to Lou’s career move and excellent business solutions. Intellicom is the leading rural and urban provider of complete communications solutions using satellite and Internet-related technologies to individuals, businesses, educational institutions and professionals. Intellicom is uniquely positioned to provide alternative, cost-effective wireless Internet services and capabilities to the rapidly growing Internet/Intranet customer network