Cell phone towers are placed wherever the carrier can rent or buy a tower site in the United States.

In central Europe, the cell phone tower location is dictated by the government of the country in question. I don't think I have ever dropped a call in Europe. I am sure it must be possible to do so. My experience with cell phone service in Europe has been good at all locations.

Before the hurricane in 2017, the cell service in Marathon, Florida, was terrible. After the hurricane, new tower equipment was installed at the same towers, and the service was excellent.

The worst internet connection I ever had was using a $5000 dollar-plus satellite earth station I had installed in the mountains in California before consumer systems were available. The consumer satellite systems I have used also are awful.

I have a satellite phone which works great anywhere I have been in the world. I mainly use it in case of an emergency on the boat. So... high-quality satellite communication is possible but pretty slow for text data and relatively expensive. It costs around $500 per year to have around 600 minutes of air time. I have never used more than 45 minutes. It is only for the boat and is used by my neighborhood friends during a hurricane.

Poor Herb...the actual cost of exterior fiber cable is about $250 for 1000 feet. Trenching costs anywhere from $1 to $6 dollars per foot if you own the land. Or free if you do it yourself and have the equipment. There is the fiber splicing cost and Spectrum's hook-up charge. None of that adds up to the $12,000 Spectrum was asking for. Spectrum must be related to the lovely people at AT&T...lol

Very useable near real-time internet-based audio and visual communication is currently available and is being used all over the world as we speak.

Billy

“Amazing! I’ll be working with Jaco Pastorius, Charlie Parker, Art Tatum, and Buddy Rich, and you’re telling me it’s not that great of a gig?
“Well…” Saint Peter, hesitated, “God’s got this girlfriend who thinks she can sing…”