Satellite -vs- dialup (ISDN)

[Richard]

If you have an appropriate ISDN BRI router (I just tossed two Ascend Pipeline 75 units) you can use an internet service provider other than at&t and make a circuit-switched dialup connection that will be either 64 or 128K all day long. We used to do this - made a 128K connection until we needed to make a voice call - at which time router would drop one B channel for the duration of the voice call. Be careful as at&t may charge you differently for circuit switched data calls (as opposed to circuit switched voice calls).

Satellite internet service has both good and bad reviews - likely a tossup...
Mike

Interesting although I don't know that I understand it all... You're saying that I can essentially keep my AT&T ISDN phone lines (2 of them for ISDN which are seperate from my home line) and go to another service provider for ISDN connection??

If so, I hadn't thought of that.... need to do some googling...

 

[Jimbrown]

Have you looked at this?
Tennessee Broadband Wireless ISPs : MAP of wireless Internet high speed in TN Tennessee ISP service coverage

 

[texbaylea]

I'm faced with the same problem.... no DSL, won't be for a long time, dial up speeds. I've looked, many times, into all forms of satellite and WAN hookups... in my area, at least, the calculations never have been sufficiently good to warrant a change from dial up 56K...

Things to look CAREFULLY at include

monthly amount up/download allowed BEFORE you get cut off or charged extra... this info is often deeply hidden, but this is a real gotcha.

I used NETMETER... a free package... to study my down/upload patterns and determine if I would hit the monthly limit... turns out that it is rather easy to do so...

yes, each provider has a high end package that will resolve up/download caps... but for me the cost was too high... around $100/mo if I recall correctly.

I also looked at numerous forums and discovered that there is a lot of problems/concerns/issues with satellite that many people find objectionable..including long contract periods, etc.

Net..for me... I've been forced to stay with dialup so far.

Check out this link

Texas Wireless Internet Service Providers

I am currently using a wireless isp with good results and there is one listed for Georgetown but I don't know what it's service area is.

Good Luck

Vernon

 

[texasjohn]

Texbaylea, yep, BTDT, the particular wireless listed seems to be defunct... at least the URL leads no where.

Western Broadband is the only wireless provider I have found so far that actually services where I need... Jarrell, just north of Georgetown...and to me their speeds are too slow and their price too high....

I keep hoping that an alternative will show up or their charges drop, but not so far.

 

[SCRich]

WISP's are a great choice if you have that option BUT be advised that many rural WISP's are small home based businesses that don't have a lot of capital backing. I have seen WISP's come and go in many places since they just can't make a buck with little finantial backing and customers coming and going.

Jim as far as Hughes yes, I read the FAP and I have tried the service both at a re-seller and some locals that I know. The FAP is clear and explains what many including myself are very displeased with. They (Hughes and Wild Blue) hold you to a contract but they will not hold themselves to one. You must abide by their rules on usage but they will not guarantee any speeds to you they just blanket you with UP TO...Heck you can even buy the $100 a month plan and get the slower plan speeds and "tough cookies" to you if you get the slower speeds, they don't guarantee anything at any time. My feeling is I don't pay for "services not rendered" and I along with many others really don't agree with the way Hugues and WildBlue holds people to one sided contracts.

Yes Huges just got a new bird up, they have placed several birds up and as in times past new customers will be happy at first, if they are one of the first. As time goes on and other customers are moved from one bird to another to load share and more new customers are placed on the new bird everyone will start noticing the pain when more and more people are on there sharing the limited capacity. I have also heard but can not confirm that those customers that know enough it's a bandwith issue and request to be moved to a new sat. it's often close to impossible to get it to happen if ever. They would rather keep existing customers unhappy and make new customers then once that sat. fills up and they get another bird up leave all those once new customers unhappy with the older bird and go in for more new customers.

I wish it worked...I spent a long time researching it, speaking to owners and resellers and trying it out from various installations. Search the web, search several different forums and for every happy customer I would not doubt you would have 10 or more unhappy ones. AND I bet that more often than not ask that happy customer the same question 2 or 3 years later and you would probably get a different answer. GOD I wished it worked well and I wished their FAP were not as much strong arm tactics as they are. Hughes claims that they slow you down if you go over your 24 hour download limit and slow you down for another 24 hours but you can still use your connection. What is the point on using your connection if all you are getting is 10-16K at best?

If I got to go through all of that I'd rather do everything off a laptop. Give me a cell modem even if I don't have coverage at home and I'll spend an hour in a parking lot in town, take my wife to the mall for several hours, or knock some e-mails out during a scout pack meeting or my lunch break and get my internet done that way.

 

[RadarTech]

Hey guy,
I build networks for a living and let me tell you this..
With a proper router-- you can attach a router with phone lines in the back of it and use phone and Internet--
now that router may cost you $200 or more.. But I have done it..
EBAY can help you find a Cisco 804 router.. works good... but takes a little work to get it right..

Tennessee ISPs for Area Code 865
Here is a list of ISP's-- check the ones that do ISDN and you will need to find one that gives unlimited access and allows channel bonding to get 128K....

anyway-- hope that helps!

Later,
Jim

 

[WarrenF]

My suggestion is to go with Wildblue. I have more than fifteen years installing and servicing Satellite Systems. I have installed and serviced more than 200 Hughesnet systems.....and more than 500 Wildblue systems. I am not some computer wizard....matter of fact I know how to turn on a computer and surf the net.

In my opinion the most consumer friendly system is Wildlue. Hughes Net has made some strides forward with their newer modems, however I still hear and see that customer service is really non-existent.

As I have preached in here many times....YOU MUST PAY ATTENTION TO THE INSTALL. If you don't you will be sorely disappointed. Cable CANNOT HAVE ANY SHARP KINKS IN IT.....NO 90 DEGREE BENDS ANYWHERE!!! Your system must be properly grounded....static electricity plays havoc with the recieve side of the system. It tends to make the modems go crazy and do all sorts of nasty stuff. MAKE SURE THE SYSTEM IS GROUNDED PROPERLY!!! Don't think you can make the system perform with a "tight" line of sight. It must have a GOOD line of sight. Just because your Directv or Dishnet is working fine at one location doesn't mean that your Wildblue system will work at the same location.

No Satellite internet system will work as well as DSL or Cable....however when you live in places like me.....where the NBA will turn all white before you get that service.....it is a God send and a wonderful addition. I have had my Wildblue system for more than three years. I have lost my service due to equipment malfunction or weather about five times. Actually your Satellite Internet system should perform better than a Satellite TV reciever system in a rain storm.....however you will have rain fade!!!

All in all I would highly recommend WILDBLUE. However I would recommend that you buy it from a LOCAL DEALER if at all possible. That way you can know who will come and service you system should the need arise.

 

[EddieWalker]

I had HughesNet for way too long. It sucks.

Here's a thread about my last problem with them and what I found to replace them.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/rural-living/126380-ive-had-hughesnet-need-advice.html

Life is much, much better now.

Eddie

 

[jinjimbob]

Interesting although I don't know that I understand it all... You're saying that I can essentially keep my AT&T ISDN phone lines (2 of them for ISDN which are seperate from my home line) and go to another service provider for ISDN connection??

If so, I hadn't thought of that.... need to do some googling...

Yep, ISDN ISP Directory to find ISDN Internet Provider : TheISPGuide.com , see here.

I think MSN offers ISDN dual dialin accounts, ISDN accounts usually come with most of the features like caller id, call waiting.

So a good feature with using bothin ISDN lines dialing out, when a person calls you, it will knock one line off, then when you finish the conversation it will reconnect, giving you 128Kbps.

Satellite is very slow and doesn't give you a large transfer allowance.

 

[wjoerob]

WarrenF: Nothing personal, but if Wildblue is the best recommendation for satellite internet service, that doesn't say much for the industry. My experience with Wildblue has been one nightmare after another. Lousy customer service, frequently unable to connect, not compatible with routers, overpriced and under featured. It's the best I can do where I am, but I caution everyone to monitor your usage (the FAP-Fair Access Policy), and good luck with the rest! My local phone co. is going to start providing "Smart Coils" to extend DSL service.