HughesNet upgrade nightmare

[trystym]

Hi. I've been having problems with Hughes lately and wanted to get someone else's opinion on what is happening. I've been a DirecPC/Direcway/HughesNet customer for 8 years or so now. I started with a 3000 1-way system, upgraded to the 4000 2-way about a year later. Install came out, sank a post in my yard (making cutting the grass even more of a pain) and hung a dish. I've been using the same dish since then...
A couple of years ago I was having problems with the 4000 system overheating, so I called Direcway and they made me an offer to upgrade to the DW6000 modem (for only $149!!! Imagine how thrilled I was to ONLY have to pay $149 for the refurbished modem when they were offering it for free to new customers) I upgraded and was happy enough to be able to get rid of the computer that I had been using as a network server and go with the all in one box modem.
This brings us to the past year or so. I know the FAP says something about "a certain percentage of users who go over 200MB will experience..." We seemed to be getting FAP'd every day - with just normal browsing (no music, no video). 200MB was just not working for us (my son homeschools and does several lessons a day online) We called HughesNet to find out if we could upgrade the service and get the higher FAP limit. They said yes, but we would have to upgrade our modem to the new HN7000S. 2 year contract renewal and the higher priced package and they would send us the new modem.
I got the modem about a month ago, went through the commissioning paperwork and plugged it up. When I got to the system attempting to connect to the satellite, I got a Rx3, TX6 error (no reception) Checked to make sure everything was correct and tried again - same problem. I finally called Tech support, and they walked me through the same setup steps this was when I noticed that the tp that I had been locked to (G4R_1230_14K) was not in the new 7000 commissioning list they said "not a problem just use the G16_1230" we went through the installer setup system, checked the signal strength and was showing a 15 - the DW6000 had been seeing an 81. They played with the system for a while having me try multiple freqs and polorization combos before deciding that it must be a bad modem. I said okay...I can handle that just send me another one. Two weeks later, they new modem arrives...I plug it in, and have the exact same problem. Called tech support again today, gave them my case number and then we went through the same steps I had gone through with the first modem. This time it can't be the modem, it must be that my dish isn't working correctly. They'll be happy to dispatch an installation tech to come find out what the problem is, but it is going to cost me $125 because I have been a customer for the past 8 years (officially because my system is out of warranty) Now, my DW6000 still works - showing an 81 signal strength, neither of the 7000 modems will work, and I am paying for the upgraded service that I can't get. Now they want me to pay another $125 so someone can not show up at the house at the promised time ( I know that there are installers that show for appointments on time, thye just never seem to do it for me).
The way I see it, either the dish is pointed at a bird that can't handle the 7000 modem, or the dish that I have is not a model that can handle the 7000 (I know that they have changed sizes a couple of times since mine was new - not sure if this could be a problem or not.)
If I decide to have someone come out, they are going to love seeing the rest of my collection 1 direcway eliptical for FTA, 2 18" dishes that have been hacked up for use as directional WiFi antennas, a Dish1000 system and an older Dish 500 antenna for the kid's TVs. Oh and hopefully a C-Band BUD that I have been trying to talk a neighbor out of. It's not like I don't have any idea how this stuff is supposed to work.

Please help. Is there anything I can do before I have someone come replace/repoint my dish and I have to take the day off of work?

[HCI]

I would not pay for a 125 trip fee when you can cancel your current service and upgrade to the 9000 which will put you back under warranty and give you even more speed.

What part of the country are you in?

First question about the modem is what software version is installed on it? You can find this under 192.168.0.1 and going to the system info button on the upper right.

[trystym]

I' have to plug one of the 7000s back in to find out what they are running, and it's too late, and I'm too lazy to do that right now. I have just about had it with sat internet...After the FAP I might as well be on dial up. My only saving grace is that my work computer is using a Verizon aircard now (which blows the doors off of Hughes - now, that's pathetic). So when my boss forgets and send me a 10MB email it doesn't kill the network for the next 24 hours. I'll check the software load in the morning, maybe there's something there.

I haven't been able to find anything from Hughes about the HN9000 modems or the Spaceway system - at least nothing on pricing, speeds or FAP limits.

[HCI]

I' have to plug one of the 7000s back in to find out what they are running, and it's too late, and I'm too lazy to do that right now. I have just about had it with sat internet...After the FAP I might as well be on dial up. My only saving grace is that my work computer is using a Verizon aircard now (which blows the doors off of Hughes - now, that's pathetic). So when my boss forgets and send me a 10MB email it doesn't kill the network for the next 24 hours. I'll check the software load in the morning, maybe there's something there.

I haven't been able to find anything from Hughes about the HN9000 modems or the Spaceway system - at least nothing on pricing, speeds or FAP limits.

Hughes does not advertise the 9000 right now. The will "or so they say" starting in July. The speeds will be 1 MB for the home, 1.2 for pro, and 1.5 for pro plus "I think I am right on that. Pricing will be the same as now and FAP will be same as now.

[Stargazer]

The way I see it, the higher speeds are going to cause people to FAP quicker and more often than what is happening now because it is going to cause people to do more in a shorter amount of time. Sounds like there are going to be even more problems for the HughesNet customers unless they will increase the FAP.

[Jared Twomey]

The way I see it, the higher speeds are going to cause people to FAP quicker and more often than what is happening now because it is going to cause people to do more in a shorter amount of time. Sounds like there are going to be even more problems for the HughesNet customers unless they will increase the FAP.

That is an interesting theory...

I like to see it as, Hughesnet is giving their customers more free time :P, they can get everything done faster and don't have to spend as much time on the computer.

[bajadudes]

The way I see it, what's the sense of giving me a Ferrari and then telling me I can only drive it in downtown NYC.

[Stargazer]

I don't think some if most want the faster speed to spend less time on the computer. They want the faster speed so that they do not have to wait as long for the content to download or for a page to load. This would also result in more things that would end up being done as a result of the faster speed. I can see even more people pissed off over FAP after this happens.

I like the Ferrari scenario. It's more like telling you that you cannot go any further in your Ferrari even though you can now go faster. The more you enjoy a car the more you will want to drive it.

Maybe it is like going from a four wheeler to a car. Now you can drive a car on the road where you couldn't a four wheeler but you cannot go any further than you did with the four wheeler. That defeats the purpose of having a car don't it? Perhaps if you had only as much gas to put in the car as you did the four wheeler that would make it even more rediculous. A limited amount of bandwidth to have with FAP is the same thing.

[Jared Twomey]

haha, ok... i concede... besides, I would be one of those people that would be FAP'ed instantly. I have 2 pc's that never turn off, both running orb servers most of the time, and I watch all of my tv, podcasts, ect online.... I understand why the FAP is there... but for me, it would keep me from subscribing.

It just like the cellular companies... I have been considering getting a cellular data card, but since I would probably be using it daily, I would probably hit their limit pretty quick. They only give you 5 GB per month. I would use that within a week or two

[bajadudes]

Yeah the real issue on sat once you get over 256 X 1.5MB is the contention ratio, consistency of the service and allowed bandwidth. The rest is just bling.