Satellite Internet

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Elvie

Elvie

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Jun 24, 2006
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Nova Scotia
Does anyone use satellite internet?

I've finally sold my house this week so we're moving on and it looks like our next place may be rural. I'm looking at all options but it looks like the only options right now are dial-up or satellite internet. The residential satellite package is topped at 1.0 Mbps down for $100 a month without even a static ip. And some of the installers charge up around $700 for the equipment and installation and most want a 2 year contract. Yuck.

Hopefully there will be wireless high speed there within 2 years, but I just don't think I could work productively with dial-up in the meantime!
 


I used to live in Colorado, WAY out in the Rocky Mountains (aka the middle of nowhere), and I used satellite internet. I don't remember it being too bad (speedwise), but good luck getting a connection in shitty weather... then again, technology has probably improved since 2001. :)

You should have a cheap dial-up account ($10 a month) as a last resort for when you can't get a satellite connection. Always helps to plan ahead.
 
It sucks. If you're used to 'big city' internet you'll feel it badly. At least with Direcway/Hughes.
 
I had DirectPC (offered through Bell here in Canada) a few years ago when I moved out into the country, and it sucked so bad I mostly just used dial-up instead. It was a one-way offering, meaning you had to have a modem to dial-up for the upstream connection, and then the downstream connection was through the satellite. The two-way systems they have these days are probably better, but watch out if you're a gamer, as the inherrent latency in getting the signal up to the satellite and back down again (around 200-300ms) means you'll hate it for most kinds of online gaming.
 
Yeah, I had satellite internet back in the day before my little town got DSL when I lived in California.

If you consider hughes DirecWay services and you are used to downloading very large files, be sure to review their Fair Access Policy (referred to as FAP on their forums). Its like this bucket of bandwidth that fills up at dialup speeds. If you use up this "bucket" you are set at like 2K/s for a few hours under the policy. I think this "bucket" can be increased with a business account. Back then, it was 150MB FAP trigger personal and 350MB FAP trigger business.

I know for a fact this will confuse you, so like I say, read their policies to see if this still exists.

I was downloading at 300K with it, but when I needed to grab a 1GB server backup, I instantly realized satellite service wasn't meant for me.

Hope this somehow helps. LOL
 
Can you get broadband wireless access? I am guessing not, but I've been using my Verizon phone as a backup connection.
 
Argh, sounds like misery.

Bell Canada is promising wireless internet. From their site: "Sympatico High Speed Unplugged will reach more than two-thirds of Canadians in less than three years." Can't happen soon enough!

Thanks for sharing your experience and information. I appreciate it.
 
Elvie said:
Does anyone use satellite internet?

I've finally sold my house this week so we're moving on and it looks like our next place may be rural. I'm looking at all options but it looks like the only options right now are dial-up or satellite internet. The residential satellite package is topped at 1.0 Mbps down for $100 a month without even a static ip. And some of the installers charge up around $700 for the equipment and installation and most want a 2 year contract. Yuck.

Hopefully there will be wireless high speed there within 2 years, but I just don't think I could work productively with dial-up in the meantime!
Click to expand...

You are a disgrace for all things living. MOVE TO A PLACE WITHOUT HIGH SPEED INTERNET! YOU ARE DEAD IN MY EYES!
 
Elvie said:
Argh, sounds like misery.

Bell Canada is promising wireless internet. From their site: "Sympatico High Speed Unplugged will reach more than two-thirds of Canadians in less than three years." Can't happen soon enough!

Thanks for sharing your experience and information. I appreciate it.
Click to expand...

You do realize two-thirds of Canadians live in large cities, not out in the country right? I'm only 15 minutes outside of burlington and I can barely get cell phone service. Thankfully I do have DSL.
 
Well the area in question is outside of Parry Sound and I'm sure the rich and retiring Toronto folk who own all the property in the area will require wireless highspeed. They already have it for an area around Barrie so fingers crossed....
 
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