Satellite/Internet options?
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I havent looked for a while but two-way satellite isp service is alone around $59 per month plus hardware costs. Yes they do offer package deals combining it with satellite tv, but for sure price doesnt get cheaper than satellite isp service alone. Cheaper than the two separately though.
Now if you just want one way satellite isp service that requires you also have a telephone isp is getting pretty cheap and while back saw one company that offered such where you could reuse those old big dish attennas that now sell for scrap. Rates were $30 or less.
I keep my eyes open as I can see where if two way satellite internet came down to around $35 to$40 per month, I'd go for it and just ditch my local phone hookup. Aint there yet though. Could care less about satellite tv. 100 channels and nothing worth watching.
Now if you just want one way satellite isp service that requires you also have a telephone isp is getting pretty cheap and while back saw one company that offered such where you could reuse those old big dish attennas that now sell for scrap. Rates were $30 or less.
I keep my eyes open as I can see where if two way satellite internet came down to around $35 to$40 per month, I'd go for it and just ditch my local phone hookup. Aint there yet though. Could care less about satellite tv. 100 channels and nothing worth watching.
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You might want to search these forums for this topic. Some folks like satellite internet and some don't. There are alternatives.
Wild Blue is a new satellite internet company that in June sent a new satellite into orbit and they will start signing up customers in Spring 2005. They will be adding a second satellite at some point. It is backed by a lot of rural electric cooperatives who will be selling the service to their customers. You can visit thier website www.wildblue.com and sign up be notified when the service goes live in spring.greg273 said:
deb
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I have 2 way direcpc. Having had RoadRunner... I would have to say... "it's ok" it cost's me 60 bucks a month. My home sits too far back from the road to get cable (or so they say) unless I want to pay 1800.00 for them to put a "substation booster" out in front of my house. I needed something that was always on and was faster than dial up. It has been sufficient for my needs. The new house I am looking at has Roadrunner though... YEE HAW! I hope we get it! ( I actually live in an apartment at my church where I minister currently and we sit 280 ft off the road at the front of the church... where I want the cable is about 320 ft.) I personally think the guy just didn't want to do the work to string it.texican said:
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Greg-
If you are looking at getting (for example) Direcway and Directv as a package deal, and getting a break on it, unfortunately you can't do that. I just moved in April, and checked every sattelite provider I could find. I live out on a gravel road miles from town, and there is no cable or DSL option here. The phone lines are even so old that dial up isn't possible.
If you get Direcway, you have to purchase the system, and the one I purchased was $600 (the basic model). You can pay for it in monthly installments over a year's time, with no interest. It costs me $100 a month for internet, which is $50 for the system and $50 for the service. After a year, of course, the fee will drop to just the $50 for the service.
My Directv is about the same price, but you can look in any newspaper or mail flyer for the going rate for that. I had cable before I moved, so I was kind of skeptical about the service and quality and if there were hidden costs or poor service, etc. I have been pretty happy with it, and have no real complaints.
My only real complaint with either system is that they both go out in inclement weather, just as I am trying to get the latest weather info. We do have a small TV with rabbit ears that we bring out for just such occasions, but it is a pain. The previous owners did have an antenna on the top of the house, which I presume was used to solve that problem. The salesman assured me that it would go out, but not very often, 'It has to be really bad for it to go out.' That was a lie.
Depending on where you live, you might try looking for wireless broadband internet. In Iowa, we have Prairie iNet, which is basically a T1 connection run to a central location in a small town, say a grain elevator. Then, they use that high location as a transmission tower, and an antenna is mounted on the house/business to receive the Prairie iNet transmission. Of course, a clear line-of-sight is necessary, and in my case, is not available. I don't know of other companies that provide a similar service, but I am sure they are out there.
Good luck!! Hope you find what you are looking for.
Cheers,
T
If you are looking at getting (for example) Direcway and Directv as a package deal, and getting a break on it, unfortunately you can't do that. I just moved in April, and checked every sattelite provider I could find. I live out on a gravel road miles from town, and there is no cable or DSL option here. The phone lines are even so old that dial up isn't possible.
If you get Direcway, you have to purchase the system, and the one I purchased was $600 (the basic model). You can pay for it in monthly installments over a year's time, with no interest. It costs me $100 a month for internet, which is $50 for the system and $50 for the service. After a year, of course, the fee will drop to just the $50 for the service.
My Directv is about the same price, but you can look in any newspaper or mail flyer for the going rate for that. I had cable before I moved, so I was kind of skeptical about the service and quality and if there were hidden costs or poor service, etc. I have been pretty happy with it, and have no real complaints.
My only real complaint with either system is that they both go out in inclement weather, just as I am trying to get the latest weather info. We do have a small TV with rabbit ears that we bring out for just such occasions, but it is a pain. The previous owners did have an antenna on the top of the house, which I presume was used to solve that problem. The salesman assured me that it would go out, but not very often, 'It has to be really bad for it to go out.' That was a lie.
Depending on where you live, you might try looking for wireless broadband internet. In Iowa, we have Prairie iNet, which is basically a T1 connection run to a central location in a small town, say a grain elevator. Then, they use that high location as a transmission tower, and an antenna is mounted on the house/business to receive the Prairie iNet transmission. Of course, a clear line-of-sight is necessary, and in my case, is not available. I don't know of other companies that provide a similar service, but I am sure they are out there.
Good luck!! Hope you find what you are looking for.
Cheers,
T
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Did satellite (starband) and it was awful.
Did CDMA and it was a little faster than dialup in the city.
Now doing wireless being relayed a few times from 30 miles away. Love it!
Did CDMA and it was a little faster than dialup in the city.
Now doing wireless being relayed a few times from 30 miles away. Love it!
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366 Posts
Some thoughts here. Wimax is suppose to come out in the near future. Google it for more info, but its range is miles, not feet like wifi. Wi-Fi would work if a neighbor had cable/dsl and had a wireless router with a modified antenna (you would also probably need one). You could be quite a distance and still get fast connection. Split the bill and your set. I've personally obtained a couple hundred yards line of sight with a PDA with WiFi.
I feel the pain of you nonbroadband users. We were all there one day and hope never to return!
I feel the pain of you nonbroadband users. We were all there one day and hope never to return!
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Paul Wheaton said:
Is this a company that does this that your signed on with, or is this a group of individuals?
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This is a company out of Spokane. Apparently there are three companies in Spokane that do this.
I called and talked to them for a bit about it over a year ago. My house is in a valley, but my neighbor (on the ridge) was big on internet too. Apparently, somebody else called about halfway between me and town. So it's a few hops to me, but it's very fast!
I called and talked to them for a bit about it over a year ago. My house is in a valley, but my neighbor (on the ridge) was big on internet too. Apparently, somebody else called about halfway between me and town. So it's a few hops to me, but it's very fast!
We just signed up for DSL which uses your phone line, but does not keep it busy (you can talk on phone while on computer). It is also supposed to be as faster or faster than cable. It's also only 30.00 month for unlimited surfing, etc.
For our t.v., when we dumped comcast, we bought an big oldfashioned looking antenna and put it in the attic and then bought a digital receiver. We now get more than enough channels and the best part is that for a one time payment, we now get our tv for free. The pictures looks better than cable did!
For our t.v., when we dumped comcast, we bought an big oldfashioned looking antenna and put it in the attic and then bought a digital receiver. We now get more than enough channels and the best part is that for a one time payment, we now get our tv for free. The pictures looks better than cable did!
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The digital receiver is just receiving the new digital signals by the local broadcast companies or are there other stations/networks broadcasting digitally that you can't get via an old style antenna?brural said:
I'll have to ask hubby that technical question later. I know we get a lot of local stations, 2, 44, 4, 5, 7, 25, 38, 56, 62, 64. Then some that are not digital come in with just the antenna, some good, some bad. 56 used to come in just w/antenna great, and then hte other night, hubby scanned to see if any more stations were broadcasting digital and we added 6 more stations.
Do you have local stations? When i turn the digital receiver off, i don't get all those stations and more than 1/2 are fuzzy.
If you have any particular questions, i can post later this evening to answer them.
It feels great to be free of an organization. As far as dsl, it is supposed to be a "go" on the 9th, so I can let you know about that if you want.
brural
Do you have local stations? When i turn the digital receiver off, i don't get all those stations and more than 1/2 are fuzzy.
If you have any particular questions, i can post later this evening to answer them.
It feels great to be free of an organization. As far as dsl, it is supposed to be a "go" on the 9th, so I can let you know about that if you want.
brural
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I've got Direcway.Lightning knocked out the whole system,took a month to get anyone out to look at it.I still feel it has problems.
big rockpile
big rockpile
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We have Direcway/Two way sat. for internet and it is faster than dialup but not as fast as cable. Equipment costs were 600.00 and I believe monthly cost is 59.00. We have two computers so the cost per each is $25.00.
yes service goes out with bad weather sometimes and sometimes not.
When and if dsl becomes avilable here we will be switching.
I also had direcway 1 way system and have all the equipment for sale if anyone is interested. But I don't believe Direcway offers one way any more.
Had lightning hit our system once and insurance paid for the replacement and all damage.
yes service goes out with bad weather sometimes and sometimes not.
When and if dsl becomes avilable here we will be switching.
I also had direcway 1 way system and have all the equipment for sale if anyone is interested. But I don't believe Direcway offers one way any more.
Had lightning hit our system once and insurance paid for the replacement and all damage.
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335 Posts
We also have Direcway. Since it is the only option I like it. DSL Reports lists everything you want to know about broadband plus has speed test sites and tweaking information.
The satellite forum has some rumblings that Direcway is going to abandon their internet business and use their birds for HIDEF TV. If this is true I guess I'll be broadband bankrupt next year. And after paying $1k for equipment 4 years ago I will not be anywhere near happy about it.
The satellite forum has some rumblings that Direcway is going to abandon their internet business and use their birds for HIDEF TV. If this is true I guess I'll be broadband bankrupt next year. And after paying $1k for equipment 4 years ago I will not be anywhere near happy about it.
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Me, I'm trying to figure out a way to get an isp through my ham radio... <G>
We have so many bluffs, valleys, etc., we'll be lucky to get our FRS radios to work if we put in our own tower.
Looks like it will be the public library for my surfing once we get moved to the homestead...
We have so many bluffs, valleys, etc., we'll be lucky to get our FRS radios to work if we put in our own tower.
Looks like it will be the public library for my surfing once we get moved to the homestead...
FrankTheTank - You might want to talk to your provider. When we signed up for DSL, we were told that our price was guaranteed for a year, BUT the guy we talked with said that folks would call up around renewal time and start talking about how they were going to go with cable, and couldn't they get a better price, etc. Sprint usually gave those customers a price break to keep the business. Maybe it's the same with cable. Worth a try.
Also, if anyone is interested in Direcway, we used to have it and still have our modem (a two-way). As far as I know, it works just fine. I'm eventually going to get around to listing it on the barter board, but if anyone is interested, you can PM me. I'm not going to sell the actual dish because I don't want the hassle of removing it and boxing it up, but the modem (and software) I'm happy to part with. I have to admit that I liked it better than dial-up, but DSL rocks. Within 2 weeks of DSL hitting our neighborhood, we were up and running.
Also, if anyone is interested in Direcway, we used to have it and still have our modem (a two-way). As far as I know, it works just fine. I'm eventually going to get around to listing it on the barter board, but if anyone is interested, you can PM me. I'm not going to sell the actual dish because I don't want the hassle of removing it and boxing it up, but the modem (and software) I'm happy to part with. I have to admit that I liked it better than dial-up, but DSL rocks. Within 2 weeks of DSL hitting our neighborhood, we were up and running.
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FrankTheTank said:
$40 is what we where paying for our cable connection(after there last hike!).I forget the numbers they promise.But ours tested much higher than they promised.Loved it.Very addictive ill agree!
Never ever waited for a pic to load from any site.And i didn't even flinch when i seen a 80+ meg file i wanted to download.We just lowered the connection to there 20 dollar plain(i think thats what the wife told me it was) .Still pretty darn fast, but i do have a to wait a second or two now for a pic. or large page (not block style loading, but hesatiate to pop up).Humm i like the 20 dollar savings better than the second i lost. You might check to see if your cable company now offers a lower connection rate.If not they will soon i suspect.That was the reason for the hike ill bet. If not for the cable connection for the puters our cable company (Charter!) could go fly a kite.Every time you turn around they are raising there rates.But yet my TV is off more than it every was with Direct. :no: Even the pic flickers about twice every hr.And they just fixed that supposedly.
Nothing has came close to the channel surfing capability of our Direct TV system(Faster channel changing,better menu,more channels,and maybe even better picture qaulity..Only the worst storms ever bothered it.Also had Dish Network for a while,humph didn't care much for them,or there equipment.They never could get it to pick up if there was the slightest bit of a storm coming or going. :no:
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