Satellite Provider Questions

[WVBaker]

Looking for some advice from those that are experienced in this subject.

As some on this board have noted, we too reside in an area in where cable and DSL are not available, that being in West Virginia. Our only alternative for high-speed Internet service is and probably for a long time will be satellite.

Wild Blue is not accepting new customers in our area at this time and we have heard far to many complaints about HughesNet to be comfortable with them. With a 15-month contract, being satisfied is very important.

Anyway, during our research, we came upon the advertisement for “SkyFx”. Sounds good with a lower monthly fee, no contract commitment and no “FAP”. Knowing nothing about satellite service, a few questions come quickly to mind.

The Wife and I are on separate computers and will be online at the same times during the day. My usage would consist of general information searching and hers would consist of downloading voice files for her job. She conducts transcription services for a company. Could this be problem?

She uses Earthlink as her ISP and I use AOL. When you sign up for satellite service, do they provide access to the Internet or do you keep your current ISP?

With being online at the same times, can someone please briefly explain this whole router box issue?

Also, we would feel far more comfortable with a mounting system other than a roof mount. Our DirectTV dish is secured to the southern wall of the house. I’ve read about roof mounting and pole mounting, but nothing about wall mounting.

With regards to SkyFx, download rates look great, but I’ve seen some transfer rates on uploads in the 13-18kbs range. That seems slower than our current dial up rates. Is that a consistent rate?

Last, but not least, if there are any SkyFx users our there that would like to provide their own opinions as to their experiences with SkyFx, please by all means do so. If you can recommend another company or provider, that also would be appreciated.

Responses can either be posted here or emailed to me personally at, abaker5680@aol.com.

Again, I want to thank anyone who can help us with this decision.

 

[dbirdman]

Wild Blue is not accepting new customers in our area at this time and we have heard far to many complaints about HughesNet to be comfortable with them.

If that's your criteria, might as well chuck all satellite. At the moment on the BroadbandReports.com ratings, Hughes is at 54 and WildBlue at 56. Only difference is that WildBlue started high, and has steadily dropped. At the rate they are going, they will be below Hughes in a month or so. I would guess 2 out of 3 WB postings there are negative, while only 3 of 5 Hughes ones are

Anyway, during our research, we came upon the advertisement for “SkyFx”. Sounds good with a lower monthly fee, no contract commitment and no “FAP”.

When you find a satellite service with no FAP there are several possibilities: Too expensive (SkyFX isn't), willing to lose a ton of money (don't know), or too few customers to need it (most likely). UnaSat made that mistake, and alienated a lot of customers when they finally put in a harsh FAP a few months ago.

With being online at the same times, can someone please briefly explain this whole router box issue?

Don't know how they work it, being a split system (see below). With a Hughes or WB system, it is a simple matter of a home router, wired or wireless.

Also, we would feel far more comfortable with a mounting system other than a roof mount. Our DirectTV dish is secured to the southern wall of the house. I’ve read about roof mounting and pole mounting, but nothing about wall mounting.

Pole mounts are by far the best, but you can go roof or wall.

With regards to SkyFx, download rates look great, but I’ve seen some transfer rates on uploads in the 13-18kbs range. That seems slower than our current dial up rates. Is that a consistent rate?

It is not likely to be much better, because SkyFx is a one-way system, with the return handled by dialup (which means a phone line is in use whenever you are online).