# Broadband in Yucatán beach area?



## GeneAtsi (Jan 24, 2017)

Hola beach bums of Yucatán! Quick question to those who live by Progreso or surrounding beach villages to the east and west: are there any broadband internet providers out there? Anything better than cellular data? If so, what's the speed and reliability I can expect? Thanks!


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## ElPocho (Aug 25, 2017)

Hi

You can get service from Telmex and there are other providers. While in Sisal I got service from somebody that put an antenna on my roof and charged me about $350 pesos a month for 6mbs download speed was good upload was very slow. They also provided a service for $500.
I had to buy the equipment for about $120 USD. Ubiquity 5 gh WiFi.

Next time I'll use Izzi or Telmex

What part of the ocast?


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## GeneAtsi (Jan 24, 2017)

ElPocho said:


> Hi
> 
> You can get service from Telmex and there are other providers. While in Sisal I got service from somebody that put an antenna on my roof and charged me about $350 pesos a month for 6mbs download speed was good upload was very slow. They also provided a service for $500.
> I had to buy the equipment for about $120 USD. Ubiquity 5 gh WiFi.
> ...


Sounds like the wireless internet service I had in Playa about a year ago. Now we got Telmex, so it's better, but nothing great. No idea which part yet - will be there in 2 weeks to explore both E and W sides of Progreso as a 2-day trip from Playa del Carmen where I "live" now.


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## ElPocho (Aug 25, 2017)

GeneAtsi said:


> Sounds like the wireless internet service I had in Playa about a year ago. Now we got Telmex, so it's better, but nothing great. No idea which part yet - will be there in 2 weeks to explore both E and W sides of Progreso as a 2-day trip from Playa del Carmen where I "live" now.


Why are you moving?
Just wondering what is your main motivation

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## GeneAtsi (Jan 24, 2017)

ElPocho said:


> Why are you moving?
> Just wondering what is your main motivation
> 
> Sent from my moto x4 using Tapatalk


I want to see what's available beachfront in single house. I have a PH condo 10 minutes drive north of Playa center, about a mile from beach. I love being close to everything but not live "in the middle of it all".

Not sure if I can handle the "small town" thing yet... just have to see it for myself.... it's definitely more affordable than Playa. North of Merida looks nice, but I want to be on the beach.... not sure if it's realistic yet. My Spanish still sucks and it's fine for Playa, but may not be so in that area.

I work online, so a fast, reliable Internet is a must.


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## ElPocho (Aug 25, 2017)

I'll have to answer in installments. Can't have my face stuck in my phone where I'm at right now. 

Beach towns in the State of Yucatan are different from the ones in the Rivera Maya. 

The Rivera Maya caters to international tourism, the work force are people who started populating the area since 1976. 

There is more of a party scene.
Cost of living is higher, population density is higher.

To be continued....








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## GeneAtsi (Jan 24, 2017)

ElPocho said:


> I'll have to answer in installments. Can't have my face stuck in my phone where I'm at right now.
> 
> Beach towns in the State of Yucatan are different from the ones in the Rivera Maya.
> 
> ...


There is certainly a party somewhere if one is looking for one, but I wouldn't categorize PdC as a whole as a "party scene". Definitely lots of restaurants, more of an international scene, lots of "life", lots to do. It appears to me that as a beach town, it is A LOT more "alive" vs. Yucatan Coast (not Merida, of course. )

Cost is higher here, for sure! For obvious reasons. Wasn't this way 25 years ago... NY or LA costs are higher than Minneapolis or Atlanta... there are reasons for that.

I'm not a kid who needs a party or need to get ****-faced or looking for chicks... just don't want to feel like I am in isolation - or feel like I'm stuck in the 80's...


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## ElPocho (Aug 25, 2017)

GeneAtsi said:


> There is certainly a party somewhere if one is looking for one, but I wouldn't categorize PdC as a whole as a "party scene". Definitely lots of restaurants, more of an international scene, lots of "life", lots to do. It appears to me that as a beach town, it is A LOT more "alive" vs. Yucatan Coast (not Merida, of course. )
> 
> Cost is higher here, for sure! For obvious reasons. Wasn't this way 25 years ago... NY or LA costs are higher than Minneapolis or Atlanta... there are reasons for that.
> 
> I'm not a kid who needs a party or need to get ****-faced or looking for chicks... just don't want to feel like I am in isolation - or feel like I'm stuck in the 80's...


That is good information. 
People from Merida go to Tulum or Playa for the party factor.

The beaches around here are close to the Meridian hearts.
The upper and middle class grew up spending Summers at the beach at the family beach house. It's similar to Midwestern families spending Summers at the cabin at the lake.

All influential families own property on the coast. They escape the heat during Merida's summer. They spend semana Santa on the coast, along with an occasional weekend.
Mega hotels do not exist.
Because of that tourist season is the summer.


Lately snowbirds and some expats are gobbling up land.

There is s lot of Canadian money on the coast. They only come down for a couple of months. You might find some that will stay 6 months and s very small percentage that live on the coast all year around. Then you have the older crowd from Merida who stay all year around and have bought beachfront property in the same style as the upper class Meridians.

There are expat enclaves along the coast.

The advantages of this coast is it's proximity to Mérida with it's shopping, culture and airport.

One area that has started to become an international destination is Celestún. Mostly buses of tourists coming from Merida in day trips.
It's famous for mosquitos, and i was not impressed.

To be continued




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## GeneAtsi (Jan 24, 2017)

ElPocho said:


> That is good information.
> People from Merida go to Tulum or Playa for the party factor.
> 
> The beaches around here are close to the Meridian hearts.
> ...


Great info. Looks like the coast is now what PdC was 20 years ago. I wonder how this area, which seems to be more of a 2nd home (part time) zone, would be for full-time living and working online ... 

Also strange that there still isn't a direct flight flight from Chicago to Merida... 

I'll have to check out Celestún. I have a new repellent I need to break out


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## ElPocho (Aug 25, 2017)

I assume you are going to buy.
But if you are going to rent year you will find that beachfront property is expensive to rent, especially in the summer. With some houses that are up to ****** style also renting for a high price to the US and Canada market.

Pricing for houses is interesting with beach front property (primera fila or first row) selling for three times the price as segunda fila and tercera fila being about 50-70% of the price of the second row.
There is not a lot of depth, some places only 3-5 rows (blocks) from the beach.

Progreso is only 30 minutes away from parts of Merida, and then they get some Cruise ships. 

I really don't know much about Progreso, just what the locals in Merida say. San Benito is the place that Meridans buy. I did not see it that attractive.

If internet is absolutely important you could get two providers. Progreso probably has reliable internet. What will get you is the power outage.
Here in Merida, the are short and come with the thunderstorms.

In the town that I stayed in (Sisal) power was a lot more unreliable. But the house in Merida was only 50 minutes away. Plus you have the option of cellular data tethering and a laptop as a backup.

Hope this helps







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## GeneAtsi (Jan 24, 2017)

ElPocho said:


> I assume you are going to buy.
> But if you are going to rent year you will find that beachfront property is expensive to rent, especially in the summer. With some houses that are up to ****** style also renting for a high price to the US and Canada market.
> 
> Pricing for houses is interesting with beach front property (primera fila or first row) selling for three times the price as segunda fila and tercera fila being about 50-70% of the price of the second row.
> ...


It does! Thank you so much for your insight. I'll be there in about 2 weeks to explore.


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## ElPocho (Aug 25, 2017)

GeneAtsi said:


> Great info. Looks like the coast is now what PdC was 20 years ago. I wonder how this area, which seems to be more of a 2nd home (part time) zone, would be for full-time living and working online ...
> 
> Also strange that there still isn't a direct flight flight from Chicago to Merida...
> 
> I'll have to check out Celestún. I have a new repellent I need to break out


More like 30 years ago. 
But there is no land for mega hotels and politicians have a vested interest.

Merida will double in population in 10 years so the property will go up.
Add the snowbirds dropping 2 million pesos on a beachfront lot. 


Telchac and Celestún are more than 90 minutes away from Mérida. Telchac seems like it will be better long term. 

I'm buying in Sisal but probably will always have a place in Mérida.
Right now I'm renting for $4,300 pesos. I feel safe, my girlfriend lives close by, and Sisal is 50 minutes away. I don't mind the heat, it's June and I don't put the AC on in the car or the house. 

My commute in the bay area was about an hour and a half. So distance is relative.




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## ElPocho (Aug 25, 2017)

GeneAtsi said:


> It does! Thank you so much for your insight. I'll be there in about 2 weeks to explore.


No problem. 
I can show you Sisal if you want and I'm not busy. 
I like going there.
This is a house i was going to buy





Here are some videos I found on YouTube
Sisal: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?listPLeHcYnZFcPXlyJHjgVmVmGaRkYvVStwZX

Sisal: 




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## ElPocho (Aug 25, 2017)

GeneAtsi said:


> Also strange that there still isn't a direct flight flight from Chicago to Merida...


It's not a major tourist destination.
I hate the Cancun airport. I once spent 2 hours to get out of customs and immigration. Outbound, they steal stuff from checked bags. 
Merida is real low key.

The best flight is the United one that comes and goes to HOU. Daily.

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