How do the Amish connect to the internet without phone lines?
The Amish use what we call a “String and Can” modem. The modem consists of a tin can connected to the back of the abacus, and a waxed string running to the nearest telephone pole where another tin can is located. Vibrations caused by the abacus cause the string, can, and telephone pole to resonate certain frequencies that can actually trigger their modems. The other modems send their signals through the cans and string back into the abacus….which uses a system of pulleys to translate the vibrations into patterns of beads which are translated into words. The modem works at a blazing speed of 2.4BPS (Beads Per Second).
