My advice would be worthless, since I'm not exactly in your neck of the woods! I was on dial-up for years, but recently FairPoint upgraded their system so that DSL is available out here in the sticks. I bundled my phone (yes, it's a land line) with my internet through FairPoint in January, and I haven't had ANY problems, not even two minutes. So far.

Hope you get some input from somebody in your area--I know they're all inside with their computers, because it's too hot down there to be outside.