Satellite Internet

[texbaylea]

Here is a link for you:

Connected Texas: Interactive Map

The state of Texas is interested in developing broadband connectability for all of its citizens. This site is supporting that.

You will need to find a broadband connection somewhere to really use it's mapping application

I have wireless which is great but I had to but up a 75' tower to best use it.

Vernon

 

[EddieWalker]

Add me to the list of those who had Hughes Net and hated it. When it worked, it was fine. Speeds were good and I was happy. Of course, when it rained, it stoped working. When it was cold in the morning, it stoped working. When there was a lot of dew out, it stoped working. When just about anything happened in the atmosphere, it stoped working.

I had my dish replaced, several modems replaced, changed to a different satelitte, all my cables replaced and two radio transmitters replaced. I forget how many service calls that I had, but in every case, they sent out somebody different. They don't actually do the work themselves, they sub it out to a local company. In my experience, these companies either go out of business every couple of months, or Hughes just changes who they use that quickly. In every single case, the guy that came out badmouthed Hughes and the previous installer/service guy.

Replacement parts are all remanufactured, and quality control is so bad that even with several un opened boxes of replacement parts, none of them work. I could go several weeks waiting on parts, only to have the guy show up with a truck load of them and not be able to find one that worked!!!!

Customer support is in India. While I don't really have an issue where it's at, there is a game that you play when you call them. First question they will ask is about the weaher. If you say it's clear outside, they will start the proccess of trying to identify the problem. If you tell them it's cloudy outside or raining, they will tell you to call back when it's clear outside. Anybody who tells you that weather does not affect satelite internet is lying to you. TV satelite has a stronger signal and does better in the rain, but its nowhere near what commercial satelites are like for having enough power to get through the clouds.

There are three levels of help in India. First is just a waste of time. Second will do some more tests and then send out a service tech. Third is when you actually talk to somebody in the States. I've gotten that far twice, but in the end, the problem is still the basic flaw in the system. Interent satelitte transmitters and receivers are not reliable.

Good luck,
Eddie

 

[rekees4300]

the problem is still the basic flaw in the system. Interent satelitte transmitters and receivers are not reliable.

You hit the nail on the head. Satellite internet was developed years ago to attract customers who had no choice other than dial up. So reliability was a minor issue. With wireless becoming more and more available, satellite well soon become obsolete.

 

[Rocksprings]

I think I'll just go to town and use the computer in the school library. I live so far out in the sticks I don't even get AM radio stations at night. :laughing:Thanks for all the information guys.

 

[clemsonfor]

Howdy there,

I had wild blue for a little over a year in south Texas, Saint Hedwig to be exact.

Bottom line, it sucked. Outages half the time, the other half never obtained anything close to the 1.5 Meg speed I paid for. Speedtests indicated less than a Meg, around .80-.90m most of the time with a 1200-2000ms ping time. Absolute junk
Also, they have a 17g download cap which is BS.

If you have cell phone coverage, go with virgin mobile, they have unlimited data plan now with no contract. It uses sprints network. Also try clear if you are in they're coverage area.

There is no sprint anymore right? I thought it was bought by att or something. Anyway sprint is one of the worst carriers, if you dont have DSL i doubt you have sprit coverage. My house has zero of any company coverage for cell signal but i have DSL! Neither my verizon or Alltell phone will call from myhouse. Verizon phone will last 2-3 weeks uncharged at the office take it home in 3 hours its drained from searching, my Alltell will last about 24, and if i stand right infront of my front windows i can catch every 3rd word of your conversation if it rang in the first place, and texts are hit/miss.

 

[BrierPatch]

I have had Satellite internet since 1998. I started with DirecPC one way system. Recieve thru satellite and transmitt over the phone line. 28.8K was the best our dialup could do at the time and that was sketchy. When I bought my property and built my house the phone lines did not even go by our property, they stopped at our neighbors. Needless to say our phone connection was not good at all maybe 16K on dialup. I then switched to Hughesnet 2 way in 2003. Bought a used system from a friend at work. In the 12 years I have had satellite internet I have never had any equipment failure. In fact I still have my original equipment that was working when I switched. I realize I may be a minority, but I would say the equipment is fairly reliable. I have installed all of my systems myself and set them up as well. I used to install the old 10' dishes with my dad when I was in high school and college. Lightning is pretty hard on them. I have been surrounded by trees since I have had satellite service and only lost one tv reciever in 15 years. The service has been better in the past and I am a dissapointed with the Fair Access Policy (FAP) in the last couple of years. I think most of my frustration comes from everyone else updating their technology/speed (cable/dsl) and lowering their prices and I still pay the $60/month for 200mb download limit in a 24hour period, limited service. No streaming videos here (netflix etc.) However, it is my only choice and it is much better than dialup or celluar. Good cell coverage just no 3G. And a trip into town to the local library is a 1/2 hr drive one way. Big investment on time just to post on TBN! If you don't have any other high speed internet options I would reccommend a Hughesnet system. I think the company is pretty typical when it comes to service. I didn't have too much problems getting in touch with tech service other than they would not re-assign me to another satellite for service so I could get TV and Internet on one dish. Doesn't matter now because I finally went HD last year which required a different dish anyway. My system will continue to work in a light rain. It depends on where the weather is. The dishes look south, so depending on where the storm is passing you may or may not loose coverage. The satellite initernet systems are way more sensitive than the tv because you are transmitting to the satellite, not just recieving. This also makes pointing the dish very critical for good signal and reliabilty.

Good Luck.

 

[tungularafishcamp]

I have not had my Hughesnet near as long but it has been bullet proof for 6 months here. We get lotsa rain/wind and although it slows down a bit no outages. Also after 10 pm u go off the download limit and can stream video or whatever with no restriction til 3 am. That is Alaska time tho. The only time we exceed our fair access policy is if the kids watch a couple of movies before 10 and then it costs them 6$ to reset our daily limit and that happens in minutes. We don't have any other options other than starband and are unlikely to but it works well for us and much better than my memories of dialup.
Rick

 

[buckeyefarmer]

There is no sprint anymore right?

Sprint is still alive...

Fortunately my MIFI was still working during the rainstorm, because yesterday my mifi went belly up and won't work at all.

Took my MIFI into the local Verizon shop, they said I had to call customer service and gave me the number. I called them around 8pm last night, they had me a new unit at my door today by 4pm. Wow, what service. I am testing it now, working great.

Hughesnet is still faster though.....

 

[brucewj]

I have Wildblue and have no complaints. I had Starband for many years, but their service is terrible. I do not expect any DSL service way out here where I live anytime in my lifetime, but I would go that route if I could.

When my Starband went out and I was waiting for Wildblue, I had to use dial-up. It was terrible. Wildblue beats dial-up by any comparison for me.