No cable service here, and I haven't heard anything good about satellite Internet. We're supposed to get U-Verse fiber optic service here soon, but I'm getting tired of waiting. A phone company contractor came last year and put in a triple ground to prepare for U-Verse. I thought we'd have it by now, but no cigar.
Using tethering seems to be a good substitute, as long as I don't stream movies and music.
Oh - our unreliable phone and internet seems to be due to rodent damage. I wonder if the fiber optic cable will be less susceptible to that.

-Joe-