Hughes Net or WildBlue?

ErinP · #1 04/06/11, 04:36 PM

So I think we're going to have to go with satellite internet.

We've been using our cell carrier for the last year or so, but where our signal is so weak, we're looking at going with a satellite. (And it will be kind of hard to go from unlimited usage down to a metered 30-day threshhold.

But, hopefully, we can get a faster, more reliable signal.)

Anyway, for those who've used either lately, which would you recommend?

davel745 · #2 04/06/11, 04:39 PM

Had Hughs Net. Never again. slezzie company

Dave

big rockpile · #3 04/06/11, 04:46 PM

We had Hughs Net before never had a problem.With our New place we're thinking we will have to go that route again.We was looking at both companies and seems Hughs Net has the better deal even though we will have to go with their most expensive set up.

big rockpile

jacqueg · #4 04/06/11, 04:50 PM

You'll be at least mildly disgruntled with either one of them, and occasionally reduced to sheer rage. In our area at least, one is no better than the other, I would make my decision based on plan limits. Just chant the satellite mantra, "it's better than dialup, it's better than dialup..."

Danbo · #5 04/06/11, 05:04 PM

I have been an installer for Hughes both TV and Internet dishes and though am not endeared to the company, the service is better than dial-up. Just make sure that you get a reputable installer, otherwise you could be pulling out hair because of a shoddy fitting or tree in the way.

Fowler · #6 04/06/11, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ErinP

So I think we're going to have to go with satellite internet.

We've been using our cell carrier for the last year or so, but where our signal is so weak, we're looking at going with a satellite. (And it will be kind of hard to go from unlimited usage down to a metered 30-day threshhold.

But, hopefully, we can get a faster, more reliable signal.)

Anyway, for those who've used either lately, which would you recommend?

I would keep searching through word of mouth. I thought they were my only choices too...then I found partnershipbroadband.com in TX....they werent even an option in searching for providers in my area...word of mouth is how I found them and my service is as good as city people...I can now watch youtube videos . whod a thunk...LOL

10kids · #7 04/06/11, 05:23 PM

I'm with Dave...had Hughes, never again. Customer service is the worst I've ever encountered.

ronbre · #8 04/06/11, 05:28 PM

highly recommend NOT using Hughesnet ..

arabian knight · #9 04/06/11, 05:28 PM

Hughes Net was just Bought By The Dish Network, and Wildblue has already a contract with Dish Network.

Shygal · #10 04/06/11, 05:45 PM

Hughes net customer service sucks, but their plans are WAY better than WildBlue

Alice In TX/MO · #11 04/06/11, 05:59 PM

We had HugesNet, and it was OK. But we had good installers. When we got DSL, we changed.

ErinP · #12 04/06/11, 06:33 PM

Quote:

I would keep searching through word of mouth.

Unfortunately, we've lived in the area for about 8 years. We just used to live on the Nebraska side of the state line and could get DSL through our local phone co.
Now that we live on the Kansas side, on the other hand, we don't even have a land phone line (about $4grand to put one in) nor do we have as good of cell coverage...

As of a year ago, there's a wireless ISP in Colorado that had been planning a new tower that might cover our area. They're on my call list, too, (as well as Millenicom since a member here, Joshie maybe?, has recommended them and their site said they cover our area), but satellite is still pretty high on my list of liklihoods...

big rockpile · #13 04/06/11, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danbo

I have been an installer for Hughes both TV and Internet dishes and though am not endeared to the company, the service is better than dial-up. Just make sure that you get a reputable installer, otherwise you could be pulling out hair because of a shoddy fitting or tree in the way.

My wife is a Trained Installer I wonder if this will have a positive effect when we get it??

big rockpile

houndlover · #14 04/06/11, 11:17 PM

I have wildblue. Can't compare it to anything else, but it works way better than my other option, which is slow dial up.

texican · #15 04/07/11, 01:06 AM

Hughesnet has, imho, gotten a little better.

They don't meter on a 30 day period, but 'daily'. Our plan is set at 425mb a day... with completely unlimited between 1am and 6am.

They have a nifty little tool you can put on your toolbar, that'll show you how your 'download situation' is. Also a webpage you can load on your page, that'll show you all the data you'd ever want. I keep the page loaded all the time. It has a bar graph that'll show you at a glance if your hogging your bandwidth... also an exact meter. The 425mb 'limit' is not that much in a day, then it starts over again at midnight. It's more of a bucket system, where it continually is being refilled. In my case, it's being refilled to the order of 25mb/hour. In other words, if I only use 25mb/hour, my bucket of 425 is available at any time. As long as I stop before I hit the 425, I won't be hit with a FAP (fair access policy). On the graph, I can count the 'bars' gone, and know it's going to take one bar an hour to refill. It's midnight, and I'm only down one bar... it'll refill by 1am, and then it's free for all till 6am. I 'could' download ~70mb without any fears... my bucket would be refilled by breakfast.

I much prefer the refilling bucket on a daily policy, than the monthly limits.

There's also a free get out of FAP token available. Or you can purchase tokens, for a nominal cost.

Might be a bugger to get set up, but the tech should set it up. The Far Eastern techies have gotten better over the years (speech wise.)

kara_leigh · #16 04/07/11, 01:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by texican

They have a nifty little tool you can put on your toolbar, that'll show you how your 'download situation' is. Also a webpage you can load on your page, that'll show you all the data you'd ever want. I keep the page loaded all the time. It has a bar graph that'll show you at a glance if your hogging your bandwidth... also an exact meter. The 425mb 'limit' is not that much in a day, then it starts over again at midnight. It's more of a bucket system, where it continually is being refilled. In my case, it's being refilled to the order of 25mb/hour. In other words, if I only use 25mb/hour, my bucket of 425 is available at any time. As long as I stop before I hit the 425, I won't be hit with a FAP (fair access policy). On the graph, I can count the 'bars' gone, and know it's going to take one bar an hour to refill. It's midnight, and I'm only down one bar... it'll refill by 1am, and then it's free for all till 6am. I 'could' download ~70mb without any fears... my bucket would be refilled by breakfast.

Where do you get said tool? We recently moved to the country and our only option (as far as we could tell) was Huges Net. We've had it for about 2 weeks now, so I can offer no advice either way. I just have no idea how much we are using.

Lizza · #17 04/07/11, 12:26 PM

I totally agree with the person that said you'll be disgruntled with either. I had Hughes for around 6 years (it was Direct Way when I signed up) and Wildblue for almost 2 years now. They both kind of suck and are kind of ok. Wildblue's customer service IS in the United States but it's not like they are fabulous or anything. Hughes customer service/technical service is based in India (or they were the entire I dealt with them), it wasn't that big of a deal, only had one problem with customer service in all the years I dealt with them.

Basically, for me, when it was time to upgrade my dish, I went with Wildblue because it was cheaper up front lay out of money ($100 plus pole versus I think around $500 plus pole for Hughes) and I thought I would like the rolling 30 days better (well, when I signed up I thought it was a flat 30 days and then re-set, that is not the case it is a constant rolling 30 days). Plus Wildblue's cancellation policy is pro-rated (both have three year contracts) and Hughes had a flat cancellation policy for any cancellation before 3 years (still holding out hope I guess I'll get options, hasn't happened but doesn't make a girl stop dreaming!). Hughes has MUCH better tools to figure out what is happening with your system and I found more helpful helping you figure out your problems. Wildblue's stupid arrow system sucks (on figuring out your FAP and downloads/uploads). I asked Wildblue how I was suppose to know when a big download day would drop off and they said they recommend getting a calender and placing it by my computer when I download a big file, physically write it down, the fact that they can't actually GIVE you the big download days, I think sucks, you should be able to see a calender of what's what and not those stupid arrows.

Also Hughes has 3 hours a day of unlimited (it's from like midnight to three AM, if memory serves or 3AM to 6AM, can't remember now). Wildblue has no unlimited time's available.

They both sorta of suck and both are sorta of ok. Like others said, get an EXPERIENCED installer, that will make all the difference in the world, and if they say get a pole, get a pole, ours got much better once we took their advice for a pole. We've had to install I guess two poles over the years and they were both $150 installed (if memory serves).

Good Luck!

Joshie · #18 04/07/11, 02:03 PM

I'd not like either. They're slow and limit usage. You have to sign a two year contract so are stuck if you don't like their service. I've heard that customer service is, well, lacking.

Have you looked at millenicom.com? Somebody here told us about it. It's not perfect but its better than our other options. We cannot get internet on our cell phones. Even so, we can get millenicom. It is a 3G internet. We use an antenna and a booster inside which provides with wireless inside. An added benefit is that we can take internet with us while traveling. Due to my narcolepsy, I fall asleep almost instantly while traveling if I don't do something that captures my attention.

We have no contract so can stop service at anytime without any penalty. We also have unlimited usage. We looked at satellite. Our current plan is about $70/month. Any similar plan with satellite would have cost far, far more. It'd been slower and would have limited our usage. We would most certainly have exceeded their usage limits.

tytglovett · #19 04/07/11, 02:24 PM

I have had Wildblue and was very disappointed. It didn't work most of the time if it was cloudy or rainy. It was very slow as well. I got Virgin mobile and I love it. It is much faster and it is unlimited.

showpigann · #20 04/07/11, 02:28 PM

We went to walmart and bought virgin mobile wireless hook up (not computer lit so not sure what it is called) but it works great with my laptop. I can take it any where. The monthly price is 40.00 and it is unlimited. I can not dsl where i am.