More information on Echostar Broadband

[bookwalk]

Is Wilbblue actually up and running somewhere or are they just trying to get going? On the website when I put in my zipcode I get the response that they are planning to launch in my area in the June-July timeframe. I am a little leary at this as it sounds to me like - "It ain't gonna happen". I just wish I knew a little more about this company. I'm on the list though.

I was on their mailing list from their outset and just got an email this week that they would be installing in our area in June/July. I checked the Local retailers listed on their website and found one, but it is hundreds of miles away.

I called them and they have the Wild Blue set up as a demo, but our local Rural Electric Company will not do the same. They claim they are ready, but need to get the install kits from WildBlue--they are having a meeting this Friday and should know then how things will then proceed.

I am somewhat leary--it's still shelling out $300 and then if Dish comes out with something comparable (already have a Dish dish), and with a lower install cost, then where does that leave me?

I already have 2 dishes from Dishnetwork, and Wildblue would be a 3rd--that's what I don't like--they want to install on the house, too and won't use a pre-existing (cement based) base mount we currently now use for our Synergistics Ku-Band Hybrid Satellite/Dialup Internet, so, again, I just maybe will wait to see what happens anyway.

 

[vurbano]

I wish D* and E* would just forget about broadband. They do not have the bandwidth for it. They dont even have enough bandwidth to offer all of the HD that will be coming. Cable already trounces them with broadband and Verizon will eventually beat even cable with their fiber. Broadband by sat is just a huge toilet for satellite companies to flush money down.

 

[Stacy A]

I wish D* and E* would just forget about broadband. They do not have the bandwidth for it. They dont even have enough bandwidth to offer all of the HD that will be coming. Cable already trounces them with broadband and Verizon will eventually beat even cable with their fiber. Broadband by sat is just a huge toilet for satellite companies to flush money down.

What other possible choice do we rural dwellers have? I would dearly love to be able to use my wireless service through Alltel or a fiber optic line. But waiting on these things will take years. I just don't get it. I see that rural America has a HUGE untapped market of dollars just begging to be spent on a fast internet option, and there is absolutely no one in the US interested in trying to tap into that market. So, we are stuck with dial-up, the bastard step-child that no one will even try to work with. It's almost like no one wants to admit dial-up still exists. When you try to get help setting up a wireless network inside your own home, apparently you can't even by a freaking router that doesn't have to have a *%#^**# braodband modem connected to it in order to get it to work. So, I can't even have just plain Jane wireless printer and file sharing in the country because some numbnut thinks you have to have a "broadband" connection included in any networking done on your own property. Broadband by satellite may be a huge toilet seat, but it's the only thing anyone is willing to bring to us in the boondocks. If I had the backing I would build the DSL routers out here to serve my community and lease them to my telephone co-op. Once they saw the kind of money just waiting out here to be spent, they would bite. But you can't convince them. Our co-op is still run by the old bald guys with short sleeve shirts and short ties and believe the only people who live in the sticks are Ma and Pa Kettle, people who have barely even heard of a computer, much less are interested in internet access.

There I go. I got on my soapbox. I'm sorry. I'm just sick and tired of being treated like a leper when it comes to internet service. Oh! You use DIAL-UP? I'm sorry, I have to be somewhere... You really should switch....

 

[Stargazer]

Perhaps its good that Dish is waiting to see what WildBlue does to beat their deal and service.

 

[bookwalk]

Perhaps its good that Dish is waiting to see what WildBlue does to beat their deal and service.

I live in a rural area, also and there are a lot of neighbors around here stuck with dial-up, too.

Well, I don't know what Dish is waiting for--we already know what Wild Blue's "deal" is--it's $300 equipment and $179 profesional install (this might be waived in NRTC coop installers' areas) and $49.99/month for 512 download and 128K Upload and it goes up from there.

Here's the website:
http://www.wildblue.com/forYourHome/index.jsp

 

[Stacy A]

Perhaps its good that Dish is waiting to see what WildBlue does to beat their deal and service.

To me it's not a good thing because I would rather have Dish's service, but I have little faith in Dish in these kinds of scenarios. It always seems that Dish likes to announce things and then not follow through. If they announce something and it does not happen immediately, then it is likely not ever going to happen. As for me, I'm jumping all over the first satellite broadband available to me that is less than $70/month. Unfortunately it won't be Dish, and if Dish does come out with a better deal, I'm not going to invest extra $$$ jumping ship. It would be nice because I suppose it's possible Dish might offer a break to long term customers, but I'm fed up with being treated like a Neanderthal just because I have dial-up.

 

[kbohip]

Heh, it would probably be the same as these long distance via-satellite live interviews we see on the network news shows. The interviewer and interviewee are always stepping on each other, because of the high transmission lag. Sometimes it's just embarassing to watch.

The strange thing is when I had Packet 8 VOIP it would always behave like this. I got Vonage and it sounds like a regular phone. The delay with Packet 8 was very annoying, like talking to someone in Australia via sat. phone.

 

[jrrdy1380]

Yeah I agree with Stacy A because I have been desiring high speed internet for quite a long time. Everytime that I look into what could be available for me, there is basically dialup and that is it. Sprint is so sorry in expanding into the rural market it really is disappointing to even talk about. I live about less than two blocks down the road where people get DSL service but they tell me I live "too far" away for them to get the service out to me. The only other provider for DSL, Charter Cable, is worse than Sprint. They tell me that until they run fiber optics in my area, there is no chance for cable high speed here.
I wish someone would get off their butts and realize that rural customers are in need of high speed service and that this is a underused and untapped market.

 

[Stargazer]

I hope Dish Network offers a cheaper service and perhaps has free or cheap hardware compared to the competition. Dish Network did get the price of the satellite systems down maybe they will do the same with broadband internet.

 

[Duck57]

Why haven't I read anything about Direcway for PC or Mac as a source of broadband access by satellite for rural users? I live in a "rural" area of about 100 homes. We will never get DSL, ISDN, or fiber optics... we're just too far from a large city to justify the expense. I have been using Direcway (mac) for over two years and it sure beats dial-up.

 

[larrystotler]

It's just like all the guys who talk about how much better cable is. And they don't realize that Cable is DIFFERENT everywhere. Even when you have the same company, you have different offers and different setups(mainly due to the consolidations). People who talk about how "good" a cable modem or DSL is live in areas where it is available. Heck, my cell phone doesn't even work half the time out here. The manager at the store told me his cell dropped service in the store today for a while, and the cell company's store is 4 doors down. Talk about pathetic. Sat internet would take off big time if they would give it away like they do TV service.

 

[rad]

Sat internet would take off big time if they would give it away like they do TV service.

No way, not with the latency involved with using satellites at 22,300 miles. Now if they had a LEO system like the Iridum design you might have something. IMHO satellite is the option that's just above POTS dial service.

 

[vurbano]

Well, I am going to get beat up over this but here goes:

Begin rant:

As Ive said in the past. No one forces anyone to live anywhere. Often those that live in the rural areas made that decision and weighed the amenities of the city and its headaches vs the reduced services and the natural beauty of living in a rural area. So to hear people in rural areas complaining about their TV service, wanting DNS which helped destroy D* HD PQ for all other HD subs, wanting broadband etc (which will also degrade PQ) is IMO laughable. You want all of the benefits of not having to deal with 10 lanes of stopped commuter traffic but on the other hand you want all of the benefits of living in a large city. Whats really strange is that typically these are the same people that will tout how proudly independent they are and quickly criticize city dwellers as pampered crybabies when infact they themselves are the ones that want to have their cake and eat it too. Either stop crying or move your A$$, but dont sacrifice everyone elses PQ for your special needs.

End rant.

Ok you may hang me now. LOL

 

[Stacy A]

Why haven't I read anything about Direcway for PC or Mac as a source of broadband access by satellite for rural users? I live in a "rural" area of about 100 homes. We will never get DSL, ISDN, or fiber optics... we're just too far from a large city to justify the expense. I have been using Direcway (mac) for over two years and it sure beats dial-up.

I think mainly because of the expense. Several years ago I think Dish tried to offer competition to Direcway with their "in-kind" service, but the price was way too steep for me. When you start talking around approximately $50 per month, then I'm interested. Once it goes above that price point, I'm sticking with dial-up. And then there's the issue of the cost of the install and equipment. I may swing between $200-300, but jeez... people with DSL or cable don't have to pay that much to get set up... and their service is better.

Stacy

 

[larrystotler]

No way, not with the latency involved with using satellites at 22,300 miles. Now if they had a LEO system like the Iridum design you might have something. IMHO satellite is the option that's just above POTS dial service.

You are missing the point. Latency is a non-issue when it is the ONLY option. People like to see their web pages load fast. Yeah, it is a problem for on-line gamers and VPNs, but let me ask you this. Have you ever used it? I have, and it is fine once you get used to it. And, like I said, if it's the only game in town.............

 

[rad]

You are missing the point. Latency is a non-issue when it is the ONLY option. People like to see their web pages load fast. Yeah, it is a problem for on-line gamers and VPNs, but let me ask you this. Have you ever used it? I have, and it is fine once you get used to it. And, like I said, if it's the only game in town.............

I was addressing your comment Sat internet would take off big time if they would give it away like they do TV service.. Your post started off talking about cable, and I was, assuming that we're still talking about cable internet, saying that in no way is satellite internet going to be better then cable. Now if you're saying that it was either satellite or a POTS dial connection then you're talking a different story and I'd agree with you.

 

[Stargazer]

I also think satellite internet would take off big time if they had similar deals for that just like they do with the video television services we have today.

 

[bookwalk]

Wild Blue local NRTC retailer sent me a mailing and said I could only sign up by mailing or bringing the application in person (would not take phone or internet sign-up) and although they are charging $300, they are not certain they will use an existing platform (where we have our old C-band KU band dish for Satellite/Dial up Hybrid Internet installed) and a lot of "if this, If that" -- and they have probably at least 50 service requests and Wildblue is only sending them 8 kits in the next 2 weeks.

Now, that's the same story I am hearing from another NRTC retailer.

Wild Blue's webiste promised me, a year and a half ago that, if I signed up on their website, I would be at the top of the list.

That turned out not to be true and I guess I am at the bottom of the list now, so, at this rate, I will probably wait for any other service that can drop that Install price down from $299 and be able to install within a month, not 6 months, as it looks to me now.

Wildblue seems like a promising enterprise, but hate to see the marketing kill it (or disable it until the competition wipes them out)--like VOOM.

I will call the Wildblue Headquarters and see what they have to say next week.

 

[Stacy A]

I also think satellite internet would take off big time if they had similar deals for that just like they do with the video television services we have today.

There's no doubt about it. One thing the cellular service companies realized back in the late eighties/early nineties was that the biggest barrier to getting a cell phone was the up front cost of the equipment. And voila! They invented the free phone with two year service contract deal. Same thing with satellite television - up front costs are barriers. If you (the satellite company) put free product in the consumer's hand, then you will get your money back on subscriptions.

 

[Stacy A]

I guess this is really turning out to be more vaporware. It's amazing how Dish sucks me in every time. And by the way, WildBlue doesn't seem to have anything developing in my area, so I'm still screwed.