WildBlue ViaSat1 the real scoop

[Chris Conant WildBlue]

If some DSL service costs as much as $90 per month, that is not much different than a Hughestnet / Wildblue customer paying that much or more for their so called premium tiers. A lot of people would switch to DSL/wireless in a heartbeat and pay more for the privelidge. In many cases it will not cost $90 per month and DSL can be had dry loop without the phone service.

I am not saying that there is not a market for satellite broadband as there is and I do expect satellite broadband to improve and I think a major improvement is needed. If they improved enough then some providers would not look as much into growing into smaller areas where satellite broadband would be viable competition. The way I see it now, satellite broadband is not competition at all but merely a desperate move for people to get broadband in unserved areas where there are no other options.

Im not sure i could have stated this much better. Both HNS and WB are in the most part UNSERVED. Yea, in some cases we are a better choice that Wireless cards. But we have never claimed to compete with the metro providers. Thats not our business model. We will be creeping in to the burbs and we believe this takes our market from about 11M to 22-30M Nationally in Unserved and Undeserved...

Beta testing of our upgraded Anik and WB1: Beta customers that do have the increased speeds are very excited. So the rubber has hit the ground at least on our upgrades.

So all Broadband Sat is,,,,, is a pipe, no matter how one may slice it its just a pipe..


is it to early to say Happy Holidays?

 

[21st Hermit]

Since Echostar bought Hughesnet, and Dish offers Wildblue, how is this all going to shake out in the end?

Also, E* filed with the FCC to offer some form of wireless service. Seems everything is in flux.

 

[Chris Conant WildBlue]

Since Echostar bought Hughesnet, and Dish offers Wildblue, how is this all going to shake out in the end?

Also, E* filed with the FCC to offer some form of wireless service. Seems everything is in flux.

Was it Dish or Echo, thought it was Dish, However, at this time Business as usual. Im not in those conversations with Dish so no telling whats going to happen. I would suspect by Jan we may be able to provide more info..

Charlie still hasn't stated what he wants to do with HNS yet...

 

[Stargazer]

DSL and cable continue to expland to the smaller communities as costs to expand their coverage areas continue to drop. This will hurt satellite broadband growth some. If the speeds are not that great then satellite could be a good competitor with some improvements in these smaller communities. If there were large enough improvements in the future then it could even become a competitor in the larger communities if the prices were right (working their way up).

I am looking at satellite broadband like I used to look at satellite tv. It was just a niche at first then it became mainstream and had many improvements. You see many satellite tv dishes in cities today where cable is available. The same may come true with satellite broadband although I think it is less likely.

 

[digiblur]

You won't see satellite take over areas where dsl or cable are provided. The latency just kills it not to mention the caps.

 

[Chris Conant WildBlue]

You won't see satellite take over areas where dsl or cable are provided. The latency just kills it not to mention the caps.

I would agree and disagree. Remember Underserved DSL/Cable/Whatever. There are tons of customers only getting 1.5 and even 500K. Heck they are capped just due to speed.

If a guy reads Sky-report/Media Bridge you will see articles a lot that announce caps for DSL/Cable. I heard from a dealer that Cable1 was capped at 50G (unverified). ATT, Centurylink are capping at 150G. Yea real high but caps never the less...


Oh, and by the way. For the skeptics, Rubber Hits the Road Monday (tomorrow) in select beams through out Low Fill area's (we have had a few hundred activated on SB2 for a while now and they are simply blown away). 5Mgs! and don't forget our new Gateway Technology is HALF the battle.

have a nice day.

 

[grohgreg]

IRemember Undeserved DSL/Cable/Whatever.

Two items: first, I remain skeptical. Right now Wildblue doesn't have much of a rep in this area, and for cause. You'll need help getting converts. All the hyperbole we've seen to this point simply can't fly without support from the professionals that belong to forums like this. What you need at this point in the game is credibility.

As well as being a retired satcom engineer, I'm also a 10+ year Hughes subscriber. And friend across the street from me has a recently installed Hughes Ka-band system. How about physically installing a WB canary right alongside my Hughes Ku-system? The object would be to demonstrate real-world superiority over the aforementioned Hughes systems, for the same or less money. Obtaining real-world endorsements from the professionals that you're currently soliciting will go a long way towards building that credibility.

The second item; please correct your mis-spelling. It's underserved, not undeserved.

//greg//

 

[Chris Conant WildBlue]

Your right, there isn't a WB Area Sales Manager in KY yet. But that's not stopping a lot of other professionals.

So, here is my offer, (sorry no canary). Why not become a WB dealer? if your willing to do this you can obtain a demo account for ViaSat1 SB2 hardware and test as much as you want? And you can consider me to manage your account until we hire some one there. It costs nothing to be a dealer.

You will have to be WB certified regardless of resume to activate the demo...

 

[UTMTech]

Your right, there isn't a WB Area Sales Manager in KY yet. But that's not stopping a lot of other professionals.

So, here is my offer, (sorry no canary). Why not become a WB dealer? if your willing to do this you can obtain a demo account for ViaSat1 SB2 hardware and test as much as you want? And you can consider me to manage your account until we hire some one there. It costs nothing to be a dealer.

You will have to be WB certified regardless of resume to activate the demo...

How about combining these bits and pieces to show a direct comparison at every measure of current legacy vs the new bird? I'm about to recertify and was actually discussing the dealer prospect for east texas, west arkansas.

 

[grohgreg]

Why not become a WB dealer?

Two reasons; first is same as everybody else around here, no confidence in the product. Second, you'll have to do far far better than that to draw me out of retirement.

Like I said, what you need- and what Wildblue needs for that matter - is renewed credibility. Bloviating doesn't build creds.

//greg//

 

[Chris Conant WildBlue]

Two reasons; first is same as everybody else around here, no confidence in the product. Second, you'll have to do far far better than that to draw me out of retirement.

Like I said, what you need- and what Wildblue needs for that matter - is renewed credibility. Bloviating doesn't build creds.

//greg//

As i thought. All talk and zero action. I gave you a cheap opportunity to offer you expertise via comparison and you wont even take the challenge.

Have a nice day.

 

[Chris Conant WildBlue]

How about combining these bits and pieces to show a direct comparison at every measure of current legacy vs the new bird? I'm about to recertify and was actually discussing the dealer prospect for east texas, west arkansas.

Not sure what you meant here...

 

[navychop]

 

[grohgreg]

Yup. One Delta Ten Tango

//greg//

 

[AlanRT]

Tough Audience...

Chris, I appreciate your efforts to promote what could be a sea change for consumer satellite internet. But maybe best to wait a bit to tout any more. Once the new service launches tomorrow and users start to report back with speed tests, we'll all have some real-world data to debate.

To me, the proposed pricing/plan model is familiar since some of the V-Sat service providers we work with already use this strategy; provide close to plan speed limits and make money from power users when they go over the data cap. But, if the new WB service can pull off anything near 3 Mbps or more at those price points, you'll have a winner.

Just wish WB could get enhanced service into our area (Eastern California) soon. We don't even have a legacy beam open to sell - let alone the new service offerings. Whenever a legacy beam does open here, it closes again almost immediately. So I'll have no choice but to be another one of the spectators for now.

 

[Chris Conant WildBlue]

Tough Audience...

Chris, I appreciate your efforts to promote what could be a sea change for consumer satellite internet. But maybe best to wait a bit to tout any more. Once the new service launches tomorrow and users start to report back with speed tests, we'll all have some real-world data to debate.

To me, the proposed pricing/plan model is familiar since some of the V-Sat service providers we work with already use this strategy; provide close to plan speed limits and make money from power users when they go over the data cap. But, if the new WB service can pull off anything near 3 Mbps or more at those price points, you'll have a winner.

Just wish WB could get enhanced service into our area (Eastern California) soon. We don't even have a legacy beam open to sell - let alone the new service offerings. Whenever a legacy beam does open here, it closes again almost immediately. So I'll have no choice but to be another one of the spectators for now.

Alan, i realy wished we did have solution for you as you one of the good guys.

5 augmented beams launched today. 5mgs starting at $59

 

[Stargazer]

Boy am I glad that 50 mb internet will be here this coming month. We went from no providers a year ago to two a year later.

I still think satellite can be competitive in markets (for now) where you can only get 500k to 1.5 mb internet service if they can ramp up their speed and get their speeds stable. With cable / dsl / cell expanding into the country side as I am seeing it, it is starting to make me wonder if there is much of a future for satellite internet.

 

[grohgreg]

maybe best to wait a bit to tout any more. Once the new service launches tomorrow and users start to report back with speed tests, we'll all have some real-world data to debate.

X3 Alan. And even then, those who've been around a while know full well thatCIR on newly opened transponders and newly commissioned satellites is optimum for the first year or so. There's essentially no CIR. But as always happens, economics takes over and the servers start to fill up; finite bandwidth to be shared among the increasing subscriber base. Pretty soon the initial glowing reports turn into disgruntled customers.

Chris didn't want to accept that kind of advice back when he started this promotion. When I read his opening "touts", I flashed immediately back to the hapless Skyway sales "ambassador". All I had hoped to accomplish was to to steer Chris away from falling into the same pit. Let's hope he recognizes a similar nudge from you.

//greg//

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I think this is MUCH different then the Skyway guy and welcome Chris and Wildblue.

I got to play with the new Wildblue and got to admit I was amazed that this was Satellite Internet. Wildblue has come through here and its going to make Rural internet better for a lot of folks.

Greg not sure why you are always so anti satellite based internet. Do you work for a land based internet company or something?

 

[grohgreg]

Nothing "anti" about it Scott, it's simple pragmatism. I've been a HughesNet subscriber for over 10 years. Same as so many others in the boonies, it's my only alternative to dialup or marginal 3G. As a retired satcom engineer AND experienced satellite internet subscriber, I've seen all too often the opening hype degenerate into dissatisfied subscribers. The Skyway guy had an insufficient background to see through the SkyWay hype, and became a shameless promoter of a provider that's now lying tango uniform. Chris has submitted more substantial credentials than the ambassador, but at the same time admitted they're a bit shallow when it comes to satcom. I admire his enthusiasm, but had hoped to put a serving of reality on his plate.

At the same time I have to point you back to the part about initial satellite offerings; the shine quickly wears off. And this is a solidly established pattern ever since inception. The economics of satellite internet are such that the systems start out under-built. New customers start with a whole plate of bandwidth placed in front of them, and they're ecstatic. But every customer that subsequently signs up is eating off that very same plate. No more food on it, just more folks eating. Pretty soon there's not enough to go around. Providers have to collect a pile of cash from these customers - to keep expanding their support services. Very consistently, this cash flow lags behind the customer base. If you've ever worked for a dial-up provider, you'll know this pattern isn't limited to the satcom industry either.

Accordingly, the satisfaction level of a long-time satellite internet subscriber like myself is a series of ebbs and flows. Service is good for a while when new equipment is added, then slowly degrades as the next pile of cash is collected. Wildblue has followed this very same business plan from the beginning, and there's no reason whatsoever to expect they'll change in the future. This is the pragmatic view, and is part of the realization that I try to to extend to new guys like Chris - so it doesn't hurt so bad once they eventually get hit with the reality of this industry.

//greg//