3 ms·

> American Midwest, in part because of the no-tech/no-connectivity of large swaths Wait, what? When is the last time you went to the midwest!?

ctdonath 7y ago
Last summer, family vacation. Tetons-Yellowstone-Glacier-Badlands region in particular, scenic backroads also. Was surprised at how extensive coverage (down to 3G) was, but there were large areas of zero connectivity as well. That's overlooking lack of wifi hotspots lest my cell tethering data cap run out. Kids were subject to >week of no TV/data/games, having no internet and no power (solar-gathered electricity used only for lighting & mapping). From that perspective, methinks Starlink.com will contribute to significant population shifts, making such low/no-connectivity areas viable to those dependent on internet connectivity. I'd move to that region quick were data fast & reliable. [ETA: "Midwest" as in "west side of mid" a la broad boundary of central plains and Rocky Mountains.]
- andymcsherry 7y ago
  Wyoming and Montana are definitely not in the Midwest, and I’d even argue that the Western South Dakota where the Badlands are should be considered the Mountain West as well. The majority of the Midwest is far more populated than this region
- s0rce 7y ago
  I wouldn't really consider the Tetons in the Midwest, they are part of the Rocky mountains. Same with Glacier. This map seems to capture how I think of the larger regions in the USA https://www.touropia.com/regions-of-the-united-states/ https://www.touropia.com/regions-of-the-united-states/ Probably would divide Socal from Norcal. Also, there is a distinct inter-mountain west between the Rockies and the Sierra/Cascades. Utah isn't really in the Southwest and Eastern WA/OR isn't really in the PNW but close enough.
- chapium 7y ago
  Oh that makes sense then. That's not considered the midwest. (far from it) I had a similar experience when visiting this region. Very open. Poor signal, sometimes not even radio.
- opencl 7y ago
  Those places have no cell service because nobody lives there, not the other way around. The number of people who would gladly live in the middle of nowhere if only there was internet available is miniscule and basically consists entirely of people who do remote work (because there are no jobs in the middle of nowhere).
- seanmcdirmid 7y ago
  The Midwest is Michigan, Ohio, Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin, maybe Minnesota...anything in the mountain time zone is not the Midwest, it is often called the inter mountain west, and covers anything from inland California though Colorado.
- orthoxerox 7y ago
  That's not what most people call Midwest. Great Lakes and Great Plains is what most people think of, not the Rockies.
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newnewpdro 7y ago
I had a similar knee-jerk reaction, but the midwest covers a huge region and there are still isolated undeveloped parts.

ctdonath 7y ago

Last summer, family vacation. Tetons-Yellowstone-Glacier-Badlands region in particular, scenic backroads also. Was surprised at how extensive coverage (down to 3G) was, but there were large areas of zero connectivity as well. That's overlooking lack of wifi hotspots lest my cell tethering data cap run out. Kids were subject to >week of no TV/data/games, having no internet and no power (solar-gathered electricity used only for lighting & mapping). From that perspective, methinks Starlink.com will contribute to significant population shifts, making such low/no-connectivity areas viable to those dependent on internet connectivity. I'd move to that region quick were data fast & reliable. [ETA: "Midwest" as in "west side of mid" a la broad boundary of central plains and Rocky Mountains.]

andymcsherry 7y ago
Wyoming and Montana are definitely not in the Midwest, and I’d even argue that the Western South Dakota where the Badlands are should be considered the Mountain West as well. The majority of the Midwest is far more populated than this region
s0rce 7y ago
I wouldn't really consider the Tetons in the Midwest, they are part of the Rocky mountains. Same with Glacier. This map seems to capture how I think of the larger regions in the USA https://www.touropia.com/regions-of-the-united-states/ https://www.touropia.com/regions-of-the-united-states/ Probably would divide Socal from Norcal. Also, there is a distinct inter-mountain west between the Rockies and the Sierra/Cascades. Utah isn't really in the Southwest and Eastern WA/OR isn't really in the PNW but close enough.
chapium 7y ago
Oh that makes sense then. That's not considered the midwest. (far from it) I had a similar experience when visiting this region. Very open. Poor signal, sometimes not even radio.
opencl 7y ago
Those places have no cell service because nobody lives there, not the other way around. The number of people who would gladly live in the middle of nowhere if only there was internet available is miniscule and basically consists entirely of people who do remote work (because there are no jobs in the middle of nowhere).
seanmcdirmid 7y ago
The Midwest is Michigan, Ohio, Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin, maybe Minnesota...anything in the mountain time zone is not the Midwest, it is often called the inter mountain west, and covers anything from inland California though Colorado.
orthoxerox 7y ago
That's not what most people call Midwest. Great Lakes and Great Plains is what most people think of, not the Rockies.

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newnewpdro 7y ago

I had a similar knee-jerk reaction, but the midwest covers a huge region and there are still isolated undeveloped parts.