Q. I'm not sure what you mean by "line access" and "power at base". Our house is located in the absolute middle of nowhere and the phone company has no desire to run a cable across 30 miles of desert for one residence. I would like to be able to use my modem, however, even half-duplex voice only would be wonderful! What are my options?

A. I think the terms got a little confusing because we're talking about two different kinds of systems here - satellite and long range phone service. The long range service is less expensive but you need a telephone pole, a neighbor, or business that will let you install an antenna and extra jack in their building. With the telephone pole installation method, you would also have the expense of adding a small PV system - probably about $800 (depends on how long you tend to talk per day).

The basic system itself with your range and fax/modem capability should be in the $4000 or less range. The satellite option would be less, maybe $3600 but you would have use-time charges of 90 cents/minute.

Q. I would like more information on your long rang phones. Specifically how does it work, initial cost, and connect charges?

A. Our long range phones work like a typical cordless phone in a house. You have a base unit that hooks into a phone line and a remote handset where you can receive calls and call out. Phone charges are the same as a normal, local call-long distance if you call far away. No extra connect charges or time charges like with a cellular phone.

They're designed for use in the country, I don't recommend them in an urban area. There are many types depending on the features (just voice, fax, modem, multi-line, etc.), the distance between base and remote, and the terrain between base and remote.

The least expensive way to hook it up is to get a neighbor or local business with phone service to install an extra line in their building. You could also hook up on a telephone pole but this adds $800 or so (depending on how long you expect to talk) for a solar electric system on the pole.

They start at $550 and go up depending on the above factors. If you describe your site and which features you need, we can recommend something for you.

Q. We are missionaries in Cote d'Ivoire, West Africa and will soon be moving into a village where there is no electricity or telephone service. Our existing teams in remote locations use ham radio for daily contact, however, licenses have been a problem to obtain and maintain. Currently one of our stations has been unable to contact our main base, or anyone for that matter, for several months. As we move into a new work we do not desire to face the same situation. We have not yet purchased a ham radio and were wondering if it would be wiser to go with a wireless phone system. We would be located about 6km from the nearest phone lines and 10km from the nearest phone. From your catalog it is unclear whether or not these phones operate on existing phone lines through the local telephone company or if they are private frequencies. Any additional information you could send would be greatly appreciated.

A. A wireless phone system sounds like the perfect solution in your situation. It's the same as having a direct phone link in your house. You would have regular fax/modem capability as well as full duplux phone service. They do operate through the existing phone company and just plug into a regular phone jack. The full fax-modem model would be $3200 and if you could get by with only phone a system may only be in the $1000 range. A lot depends on the terrain. Is it flat, mountainous, hilly, jungle?

Q. what maximum workable BAUD rate can be expected for digital use of a Telenexus remote system, or does this depend upon the particular site?

A. It mainly depends on which phone system you get and what kind of computer system you use. For best performance, I would recommend Telemobine over Telenexus. Here are some details:

4 megabit possible. Inexpensive models G3 fax compatible 9600 baud old stuff sometimes drops to 4800, newer models stable. Some can switch from computer to fax input

Detail series - depends on the number of channels, typically 4800; Rate will be faster 6400 modem, computer to computer up to 33.8

Digital systems, MTel series up to ISDN formats 80,000 and 160,000 baud

2 megabit systems - point to multi-point

1200 typical with nearly any point to point for any analog path band but can tweak up to 2400 baud. (Same for Telemobile)

RTel new stuff pending but up to 2400 out f the box, PTels 2400 with tweaking DTel up to (digital w/o ISDN) 19.2 and 64 kilobit version - up to 28.8 but all modem settings not possible.

Hope this isn't too confusing - we're trying to clarify all this but it's hard because there are so many variables.

Please e-mail technical related comments or questions to technical@thesustainablevillage.com