FAQs
Straight answers.
The questions we hear most, answered the way we would answer them on your porch. Anything else, call (806) 340-7320 and a real person will pick up.
How does your service work?
Two ways. In fiber towns, we run a fiber optic line straight to your home or business. Everywhere else we use licensed fixed wireless: an antenna on your roof makes a direct link to one of our towers, and a cable runs from the antenna into the house to feed your router.
Is Plains Internet satellite internet?
No. We are tower-based, transmitting from the ground to the ground. That makes the service more reliable than satellite: clouds and weather have little to no impact on the signal.
What equipment do you mount on my house, and where?
For wireless service, it depends on how far you are from the tower. Close in, we use a small rectangular antenna. Farther out, we use a dish about the size of a pizza. Either way it needs a high spot, usually the roof, sometimes the eaves or another location.
Do you have to drill into my roof?
Not necessarily. Drilling gives the most stable mount, but we can use a non-penetrating mount for a small added cost. We have installed on the sides of houses, on eaves, and on poles set in the yard. Higher is better, but there are options if you want to keep the roof untouched.
Can I install it myself?
No. Our technicians are trained to pick the spot and alignment that gets you the best link, and a sloppy install risks roof leaks and house damage on top of bad internet. Let us handle it.
Does the Panhandle weather affect the service?
Typically no. The main concern out here is wind, and our gear is rated for it. Cloud cover has zero effect since we are tower-based, not satellite. Lightning or flying debris can damage equipment the same as it can for any provider, wired ones included, and our techs restore alignment quickly when it happens.
Is this like cellphone hotspot internet?
No. Our wireless service needs line of sight to one of our towers and dedicated equipment at your home. It is delivered wirelessly, but it is not mobile: it feeds your home router just like a wired connection.
Can I use my own router?
Absolutely. Our equipment works with most routers that use an ethernet WAN port. The one catch is routers issued by other internet companies, which are often locked to their own service. If you would rather not deal with it, we can provide a router for $9.95 per month.
What router brands do you recommend?
Almost any brand works. We have had the best luck with Asus, Netgear, Linksys, and TP-Link, but plenty of customers run other brands without trouble. Research the specific model before you buy.
Do I get an email address with my service?
No. We recommend a free address from Gmail or Outlook instead. A free address follows you even if you move somewhere we cannot serve you, so you never lose your email with your internet.
Do you have data caps or throttling?
No data caps, ever. Use what you pay for.
Can you guarantee service at my address before installing?
Not always. Wireless service depends on line of sight, and sometimes one house can get a signal while the next door neighbor cannot. That is why we offer free site surveys: we check real signal levels at your place before you schedule an installation.
I scheduled an install. Should I cancel my old provider?
Not yet. Wait until our installation is complete and working. If you cancel early and it turns out we cannot reach your spot, you could be stuck without internet and paying a reconnect fee to get your old service back. Cancel after we have you online.