Way OT - internet service

[pegscraper]

I can't be the only person who lives in the country where DSL, cable, and fiber optics kinds of services are not available. What do some of the rest of you use?

 

I have had an aircard for some time, but my monthly usage has increased to where the 5G is not enough anymore.

 

There is a wifi outfit local to me that would have the best plan as far as rates, speeds and download capacity, but upon investigation these guys have demonstrated themselves to be jerks and they don't even have my business yet. Can't say I'm nuts about signing a contract with them.

 

Does anyone have any experience with satellite internet services?

 

Are there any other options I'm overlooking?

[Trader]

I used Hughes.net....or Gallaxy Broadband as it's known here. It cost me $118 per month and if I tried to download movies...or watched more than a few minutes of video streaming, then I was over my usage limit and they would slow me down to dial up speed for 24 hours.

 

No warning...nothing...but if you went to the diagostic's page it would show that I exceeded my "fair share" limit. (or something like that)

 

I moved and I'm now on DSL , thankfully!

[FreezyRider]

Lynn....

 

Who is your cell phone provider, and what kind of phone do you have?

If you have a smartphone with a data plan, you can use "tethering" software to connect your cell phone's data plan to your computer and use that for your Internet provider. I have done it and the speed is amazing IF you have 3G coverage.

PM me for more info if you are interested.

 

Joe

[pegscraper]

I used Hughes.net....or Gallaxy Broadband as it's known here. It cost me $118 per month and if I tried to download movies...or watched more than a few minutes of video streaming, then I was over my usage limit and they would slow me down to dial up speed for 24 hours.

 

No warning...nothing...but if you went to the diagostic's page it would show that I exceeded my "fair share" limit. (or something like that)

 

I moved and I'm now on DSL , thankfully!

 

I did look at them already, but I couldn't find a monthly usage limit. What penalties do they have if you go over the limit?

[BuddyRich]

Sats are too slow. There's so much latency that games are unplayable. Remote desktop and just about any remote control software won't work. Movies are a joke. I have a brand new used for less than 30 days hughes dish on my roof that 2 years old now. Went back to the radio within the 30day time frame but still cost me 300 buck just to find out it ain't worth 100 a month. The guys I have are jerks also but they are the only game in town so that's all I can play for 63 a month.

[KevinsDa1]

Check and see if Criket is available in your area. Its $40 a month and I use it in a remote area about an hour and 20 minutes out of Chicago and it works just fine.

 

Kevin:guitarist 2:

[pegscraper]

Thanks for the thought. Cricket is apparently not in my area. I couldn't find it, but I'm guessing they have a 5G monthly download limit too. I have to have more than that. I can blow up 5G in less than a week.

[Freebird]

Before DSL became available to me, I had a point to point wireless system. Not satellite. It was actually VERY good except during really snowy weather. I would still be with them if they had ticked me off with an attitude one day. I don't know if that is available where you are but it worked very well. Very close in performance to my DSL service. There was no limit either.

[jfoster]

Has anyone got theirs through dish or directv? How does it do? Currently we use Hughes.net and its ok compared to local dial-up. Flat fee $59.99

[dmoff1698]

Has anyone got theirs through dish or directv? How does it do? Currently we use Hughes.net and its ok compared to local dial-up. Flat fee $59.99

 

I checked with Dish Network....It's really Hughes.net, at least in our area!!

You even get a seperate Hughes.net antenna.

[Trader]

I never had a problem with going over the monthly limit.

A few times when I downloaded video etc and went over my "fair share" hourly limit, then they slow you down to dial up speed for 24 hours.

 

But....I was paying $118 or so a month.

[pegscraper]

Before DSL became available to me, I had a point to point wireless system. Not satellite. It was actually VERY good except during really snowy weather. I would still be with them if they had ticked me off with an attitude one day. I don't know if that is available where you are but it worked very well. Very close in performance to my DSL service. There was no limit either.

 

I've never heard of this. I google it and I don't understand what I turn up. What company did you use with this?

[flb_78]

In Texas, I had ClearWire. It's a division of Sprint I believe. It was mostly OK for a wireless service. I don't believe it's available where you're at.

 

What's your zip code?

[flb_78]

http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2006/04/17/1578026.htm

[flb_78]

http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100806/BIZ/308069895/1197/FOCUS

[Freebird]

Mine was with a local company. Don't know if there is something similar in your area or not. Here is a link to the company I was with so you can see the type of technology it is.

 

http://www.axcesswave.com/

[pegscraper]

http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100806/BIZ/308069895/1197/FOCUS

 

I'm exactly halfway between New Haven and Decatur. Frontier still probably won't reach me. They have apparently bought much or all of the Verizon FIOS service in this area (a fiber optics system not available to me either), and from what I've heard from a few friends, connection speed and service quality have gone way downhill.

[Freebird]

Yea, I've had Verizon DSL for probably 3 years now. Mine became Frontier the 1st of July. It's really a pain because now my email address will be changing again also. I can say though that I had NEVER had an outage since starting with Verizon but have already had two short ones since Frontier took it over. Hope it's not a sign of things to come.

[pegscraper]

Mine was with a local company. Don't know if there is something similar in your area or not. Here is a link to the company I was with so you can see the type of technology it is.

 

http://www.axcesswave.com/

 

Well, it looks like they're not available to me either. Their coverage map doesn't get anywhere close to IN.

 

I think that is similar to the outfit that is local to me. They have already treated me in such a way just in my questions about their service that I don't wish to enter into a contract with them if I have any other options. They leave a customer no way to protect himself at all. I'm looking into what Freezy has mentioned.

[Freebird]

No, I knew that they wouldn't be available to you but was just bringing it up to say that the speeds were really pretty darn good. It was MUCH better than the satellite internet that was my only choice when I first moved here.

[pegscraper]

Sigh. Living in the country and liking the peace and quiet does have its odd drawbacks.

[OB-1]

We used "Wild Blue" satellite for about 2.5 years before DSL was finally available. Satellite was our only choice so we were stuck with it. As already mentioned, satellite internet should be your last choice for "high" speed service, but it does work when nothing else is available. We rarely loose satellite TV due to weather, but we often lost satellite internet.