Dialup that is. After getting disconnected about every 20 minutes, having download speeds at home of ONLY 2.5 KBPS MAX, and being at college who has a download speed of over 2,000 I have decided to look to other ways to get online! With being in college it SUCKS trying to do research and waiting minutes for each page to load. I also have a home LAN, including wireless access points, with around 6 different computers on it. (including laptops.) Me, my brother, and dad are always fighting for the interent connection because of it. It SUCKS! anyway, I live so far out in the country that the only high speed option is satellite internet. That would be fine, BUT it is expensive! Right now with the second phone line and dialup through earhtlink we're paying right around $75 a month. Satellite would be around $60-70 per month. The really bad part though is that parts/installation are $600! That is a huge chunk of change and I'm not sure if I want to spend the money or not. My parents refuse to spend it so it'd be up to me. Since my major is computer networking and I've been workign with the networks it is driving me crazy to not have the internet readily available to all machines. Any advice? Does anyone here use satellite internet, and if so, how is it? IF you don't use it, what have you heard about it from people who have?

This is the plan I'm looking at:

# Current Promotions 2-Way Satellite Broadband - Surf at blazing speeds ANYWHERE without using your phone line! Includes Dish, Modem & Installation.

# Exclusive Online Offer Sign up for select Internet plans and receive an exclusive $50 rebate from GetConnected - that'* a savings in addition to any promotions and discounts offered by service providers like Verizon Online and EarthLink! Enjoy double savings at GetConnected! Hurry! Offer ends soon. (Verify that the GetConnected rebate appears on the service provider'* rate plan when ordering. The GetConnected rebate will also be displayed in your shopping cart, if applicable. Order must be placed by expiration date for rebate eligibility.) *Offer expires: 09/30/2004

# Monthly Fee $59.99/month.
# Purchase your hardware and installation up-front and pay just $59.99 per month for service! See "Feature and Restriction Details" below for details.

Maximum Downstream Connection Speed Up to 500K

Maximum Upstream Connection Speed Up to 50K

Hardware Fee Details $399.99 for DIRECWAY Satellite System (DW6000)

# Installation Fee $199.99 for standard residential installation Depending on installation requirements, cost can vary. Any additional installation costs will be paid directly to your installer. Please clearly discuss installation requirements with your installer before system is installed.

Activation Fee Waived


Other Fees None

Term Commitment 15 months

Early Termination Fee $300 Service Termination Fee if cancelled after 30 days from installation.

Hours Included Per Month Unlimited

Number Of Free e-Mail Accounts 5

Feature and Restriction Details The "Home" service plan has a download threshold of 169 MB. DIRECWAY service is not available in Alaska & Hawaii, and its usage is subject to the Fair Access Policy. Actual speeds vary based on the amount of traffic on the Internet, content on a particular Web site or by the overall performance and configuration of your computer. Stated speeds are not guaranteed. Visit http://legal.direcway.com/index.html for details. Professional Standard Residential Installation required. Monthly service fees apply. 15-month commitment required. Taxes not included. Offer subject to credit approval. If you terminate service prior to the expiration of the 15-month commitment, you will owe and your credit card will be charged a Service Termination Fee of $300. BY SUBMITTING THIS ORDER, YOU AGREE AND ACCEPT THAT HUGHES NETWORK SYSTEMS, INC. IS AUTHORIZED TO USE YOUR CREDIT CARD FOR THE PURPOSE OF: (1) CHARGING YOU FOR THE UP-FRONT FEES REQUIRED TO RECEIVE DIRECWAY, INCLUDING PAYMENT FOR ACTIVATION FEES, HARDWARE AND INSTALLATION; (2) CREATING AN HNS/DIRECWAY CUSTOMER ACCOUNT; 3) CHARGING YOU FOR YOUR MONTHLY SERVICE FEES AND ANY HARDWARE OR INSTALLATION FEES THAT MAY APPLY.

Guarantee 15-Month Standard Limited Warranty Included. Equipment can be returned for refund within 30 days of installation. Installation Fee is non-refundable.

Estimated Time Between Order and Installation Approximately 2 to 4 weeks


the only part I don't understand is the 169MB download threshold. what exactly does that mean?

GO FOR BROKE!!! Get the sat. internet.

im in the same boat as you, we checked into it as well and the place that offered it here actually had a limit to the amount of stuff you could download per week! it was something like 800mb or something! insanity

i wonder why the upload is so slow

Split the cost among the family and do it, I would rather give up Cable TV than Internet access at this point....