Finally getting Sat - WildBlue or Hughenet?

[slocoma]

Finally getting Sat - WildBlue or Hughesnet?

I'm finally breaking down and getting satellite internet service. My wife has been using the internet more and more and I am tired of trying to get work done from home on a connection that gets 20Kbps, if I'm lucky. My wife was interested in a second phone line, because she is tying up the line all day. So I figured for a little more, I could get satellite service.

The phone lines in our area are crap, that's why you can't even get a 28.8Kbps connection. Cable and DSL are not an option.

I'm familiar with DSL, I had it from 1998-2002 before I moved out to the sticks. I work in IT and sit on a 10MB fiber connection all day at work. I know the limitations of satellite.

I'm not looking to download tons of movies and/or music. The connection will mainly be used for work type purposes (email, etc.).

With all that said, which service is better. I'm currently a Dish Network customer.

 

[grohgreg]

Price plans between the two are competitive. But HughesNet has a significant latency advantage. They also hold a slight edge on throughput speed; more kbps per dollar per month. But Wildblue plans have somewhat higher FAP thresholds. Hughes somewhat makes up for that with their the unlimited usage off-peak window.

See what I mean by comparing WildBlue | Get WildBlue | Availabilty & Offers | Your Zip Code Results with Rural High Speed Internet Service - HughesNet Satellite Internet . And if you can't get past the ZIP code page at Wildblue, that means the service is temporarily sold out in your area. You won't run into that with HughesNet.

Both can providing periods of disappointing performance (and crappy call center support). But in the long run, I'm pretty sure you'd be more disappointed with WildBlue - than with HughesNet. And FWIW, if you happened to be approached about something along the lines of "Broadband In A Box" - run the other way.

//greg//

 

[dirkleearm]

I install both, and if it were my money I would also vote HN. I have been very impressed so far with the new Ka system.

 

[slocoma]

Does it become any cheaper to go with Wild Blue since I'm a Dish customer? the monthly pricing is cheaper on Dish's web site (although I think the activation fee is higher).

 

[dirkleearm]

The initial cost is different. With HN you own the equipment. With dish you "lease" the equipment. In my opinion you should call a local retailer, not a national web or phone site and get pricing etc.
As for WB there base price per mo is 50.00 which I see ~330kbps down. HN starts at 60.00 per mo and I see consistently ~ 1M down. To get to = speeds on WB, you would need to go to their 70.00 per mo rate.
The bad about HN is their fricking customer support which starts you out in India which sucks. That is one of many reasons I suggest a local retailer (not that their hands are not tied in some ways but if they care they can be a real help), not national.

 

[dirkleearm]

Price for the dealer I do work for is ~$217.00 for WB and ~ $446.00 for HN.

 

[dijohn76]

You might also want to check with your cellphone companies. I had Wildblue for 18 months, was definitely better than dialup but still fairly slow (300k down) also Fap, and weather issues. I just went with a USB Modem from Alltel, and am getting 2M down and no problems. The modem was free after rebate and monthly cost is $10 more than Wildblue's. I am in the middle of Montana and am still getting EVDO Rev A, so it might be worth checking into.

 

[slocoma]

You might also want to check with your cellphone companies. I had Wildblue for 18 months, was definitely better than dialup but still fairly slow (300k down) also Fap, and weather issues. I just went with a USB Modem from Alltel, and am getting 2M down and no problems. The modem was free after rebate and monthly cost is $10 more than Wildblue's. I am in the middle of Montana and am still getting EVDO Rev A, so it might be worth checking into.

I'm in a very rural area (freaking Amish live around me). No cable, no DSL, and no cell service at my house.

 

[Stargazer]

Another option that most do not know to look into is a wireless internet service provider (wisp). If we knew your location we could look it up to see one is available in your area. It is faster and cheaper than satellite and cell phone broadband.

 

[slocoma]

Another option that most do not know to look into is a wireless internet service provider (wisp). If we knew your location we could look it up to see one is available in your area. It is faster and cheaper than satellite and cell phone broadband.

I looked in to that to. Not an option, but my zip code is 16407 if you want to check your sources.

 

[bhelms]

I have been in a similar quandary for years, and in a similar rural location (16877). I am also a Dish customer. I'll now be watching this thread more closely. My current paid-up land-line account expires in May so I'll probably want to make a move before then.

Help for the ignorant - What is "FAP" ??

(Lotsa Amish around here too, and most have cell phones...!)

 

[slocoma]

I have been in a similar quandary for years, and in a similar rural location (16877). I am also a Dish customer. I'll now be watching this thread more closely. My current paid-up land-line account expires in May so I'll probably want to make a move before then.

Help for the ignorant - What is "FAP" ??

(Lotsa Amish around here too, and most have cell phones...!)

The only light at the end of the tunnel, which is a long tunnel, is that the state has mandated broadband for the whole state by 2015. Do you know about the Bona Fide Retail Request program through Verizon? Basically, if you get enough people in your area to commit to DSL, they will deploy it in your area. Here is a link to more info and to sign up:

https://www22.verizon.com/foryourhome/bfrr/

I need like 32 people in my area and there are only 2 of us signed up. I'm working more aggressively to get people signed up.

FAP is fair access policy. Basically it's a limit on the amount of bandwidth you can use per month.

 

[KE4EST]

I loved wildblue for the 3 years I had it, no probs....I couldn't stand HN and way more service calls. However the newer HN systems seem to be a lot more stable

 

[grohgreg]

What is "FAP" ??

One of several acronyms the various service providers use for their bandwidth usage policy. In this case, it stands for Fair Access Policy. An equivalent would be RUP, or Reasonable Use Policy. And so on. Basically it's a part of the subscriber agreement that you must agree to before being provided service. It specifies how much and what kind of usage is permitted per day/month, before subjecting you to a punative slowdown - typically to dialup speeds. There are a lot of other things in the subscriber agreement too that upset people after they've signed on the dotted line. But historically, the worst complainers usually turn out to be the ones who didn't read before signing.

//greg//

 

[bhelms]

The only light at the end of the tunnel, which is a long tunnel, is that the state has mandated broadband for the whole state by 2015. Do you know about the Bona Fide Retail Request program through Verizon? Basically, if you get enough people in your area to commit to DSL, they will deploy it in your area. Here is a link to more info and to sign up:

https://www22.verizon.com/foryourhome/bfrr/

I need like 32 people in my area and there are only 2 of us signed up. I'm working more aggressively to get people signed up.

FAP is fair access policy. Basically it's a limit on the amount of bandwidth you can use per month.

Tks slocoma. (With my current head cold - rare for me - I feel like I'm in some kind of slow coma! Hope that's not the source of your moniker!)

State mandated BB - what a hoot! I'll reserve further comment, but I'll bet the program is about as useful to us rural folk as our car emissions standards.

I was not aware of the Verizon program. Windstream (recently Alltel) is our local provider of "choice". I suppose I could switch to V. But either way, I'm far out on the end of a branch so I'm guessing (no real proof) that DSL won't offer any real speed advantage (perhaps 2-3x dialup) at more than 3x the cost. A/W have been hitting me with mailed ads to sign up for years, and I doubt there would be any real speed or price difference between the available providers. No cable option here either unless I want to pay several $K to get them to extend a line.

So I'm thinking 2-way sat. or some other local wireless option (when available) will be my choices. I've been on the fence about HN and never really got serious about WB, but it's time for some comparison shopping. I've just been thrown back by the prices.

One thing that might push me along - there could be an option for me to telecommute 1-2 days a week, but that would require a BB connection. The gas savings at current prices on 2 less trips/wk. would pay for half the $70/mo. sat. service. Dropping my landline would cover the rest. Not sure yet how to manage the 1 required phone connection for my 622 if I change to BB, but I'm sure there's a solution.

I'm getting close to making a move. I'll stay tuned to this thread and others in the BB forum...

 

[bhelms]

One of several acronyms the various service providers use for their bandwidth usage policy. In this case, it stands for Fair Access Policy. An equivalent would be RUP, or Reasonable Use Policy. And so on. Basically it's a part of the subscriber agreement that you must agree to before being provided service. It specifies how much and what kind of usage is permitted per day/month, before subjecting you to a punative slowdown - typically to dialup speeds. There are a lot of other things in the subscriber agreement too that upset people after they've signed on the dotted line. But historically, the worst complainers usually turn out to be the ones who didn't read before signing.

//greg//

//greg//

Tks, Greg. Based on your caveat I'll be certain to ask some upfront questions and read the fine print. At this point I don't see me doing much streaming or A/V DLing, but that could change...

 

[bajadudes]

Not sure yet how to manage the 1 required phone connection for my 622 if I change to BB, but I'm sure there's a solution.

DN will let you drop the phone line in exchange for paying an additional $5 per month for the receiver...that's what we do.

 

[Stargazer]

Slocoma & Bhelms, I thought PA had a law already requiring all households to have broadband available to them but maybe the information I read a while back in regards to that was wrong.

If you have line of site to a town that has broadband then you could have a link made to be brought into your area to offer broadband to you and your neighbors wanting it. Is there no broadband in the town close to you? Do you have a lot of people that live around you? Maybe you live too far out of the city limits to get DSL. Is there cable in the town close to you or is the town very very small?

I am looking up my resources to see what I find. I am looking at opportunities to do wireless broadband in other areas than where I am at due to the fact that my area has so many hills and trees making it difficult to serve much of an area at all from one single access point. There is going to be a bit more money this year for grants to expand broadband to unserved and underserved areas.

 

[grohgreg]

One thing that might push me along - there could be an option for me to telecommute 1-2 days a week, but that would require a BB connection. .

Yeah, but not on a consumer-grade satellite connection. They don't support VPN worth a dang. Business-grade does, but I don't know if your situation can justify the extra expense. If it's work-related, it might be tax deductible.

//greg//

 

[slocoma]

Tks slocoma. (With my current head cold - rare for me - I feel like I'm in some kind of slow coma! Hope that's not the source of your moniker!)

State mandated BB - what a hoot! I'll reserve further comment, but I'll bet the program is about as useful to us rural folk as our car emissions standards.

I was not aware of the Verizon program. Windstream (recently Alltel) is our local provider of "choice". I suppose I could switch to V. But either way, I'm far out on the end of a branch so I'm guessing (no real proof) that DSL won't offer any real speed advantage (perhaps 2-3x dialup) at more than 3x the cost. A/W have been hitting me with mailed ads to sign up for years, and I doubt there would be any real speed or price difference between the available providers. No cable option here either unless I want to pay several $K to get them to extend a line.

So I'm thinking 2-way sat. or some other local wireless option (when available) will be my choices. I've been on the fence about HN and never really got serious about WB, but it's time for some comparison shopping. I've just been thrown back by the prices.

One thing that might push me along - there could be an option for me to telecommute 1-2 days a week, but that would require a BB connection. The gas savings at current prices on 2 less trips/wk. would pay for half the $70/mo. sat. service. Dropping my landline would cover the rest. Not sure yet how to manage the 1 required phone connection for my 622 if I change to BB, but I'm sure there's a solution.

I'm getting close to making a move. I'll stay tuned to this thread and others in the BB forum...

Windstream has the same BFRR program: www.windstream.com/tariffs/PA/BFRR_application.doc