[Mishmash] High Speed Internet

[Fred Atkinson]

    Is there anyone on Mishmash in an area (in the U.S. or Canada) that does
not have DSL or cablemodem available?

    There is often a final choice.  You need to have a clear view of the
southern sky from the service address for this to work.  And I would not
recommend this except as a last resort (no cablemodem, DSL, or other type of
high speed Internet in your area) because satellite is subject to rain fade
and about a half second delay for the data to travese the satellite link to
the Internet.  That may be OK on data or one way voice or video but it's not
too cool if you are running videoconferencing or a VOIP call (or anything
that is 'real time').

    Check out Hueghes Internet.  They actually come and install a satellite
Internet station at your home.  I am told that they guarantee that it works
or you don't have to pay anything.  http://www.hughesnet.com

    It is not an inexpensive way to go.  I went to one Web site to price it.
For the home plan, you buy the hardware for two hundred dollars and are
charged another two hundred dollars for installation.  I priced it on
http://www.buytelco.com (which is often the way to find the best deal for
satellite Internet in your area as it will show you all providers and plans
available as well as cost.  I'd suggest you start at Buy Telco to see if
there are any options in your area you don't know about before you go the
satellite Internet route.

    The monthly fee is sixty dollars for home service whichs renders you
data rates of one hundred and twenty-eight kilobits per second for the
upload and seven hundred and sixty-eight kilobits per second for the
download.  I would recommend you get the service assurance plan for an extra
six dollars per month.  You get unlimited phone support and two days to get
someone to your house.  If they decide to dispatch, you incur a copay of
thirty dollars.  They have another service assurance plan (service assurance
plus) that renders you a one day versus a two-day turnaround for dispatches.
It is an extra thirteen per month (in lieu of the six dollar plan).  With
either plan, the thirty dollar copay applies if they have to dispatch to
your home.

    Once you've ordered, they contact you within five days to arrange the
installation and will discuss any additional hardware you might want at that
time.

    They are currently offering a one hundred dollar rebate after you have
been with them for thirty-one days.

    I've never had the service myself so I can't comment about my experience
with it.  But at least folks in very remote locations are not out of luck.

    David, do they have such things in Australia (I ask David because he is
our Australian techie (my counterpart) on Mishmash)?  Can you tell everyone
about it?

    If anyone goes with this (or is using it now), why not tell us about
your experience with it?

    Regards,




Fred