Satellite Broadband?

[JandJC]

And I'm not speaking of broadband services via Sky.

I'm interested in learning of real life experiences of people who have utilised the service that doesn't require a phone line.

And use the service for their business, I suppose this relates to people and businesses that are in areas that fibre optic broadband services don't reach.

Any information or links would also be appreciate.

Many thanks.

 

[british steve]

We have a satellite broadband back up via Tooway - and to be honest that all its fit for. Its slow and expensive and we have it as a last resort back-up. Our 3G mobile broadband is faster and more reliable.

You could try a WiBe! http://www.deltenna.com/products/wibe.aspx

 

[Talay]

I have used it overseas when broadband was unavailable. As per the other poster, it was expensive and slow.

I thought broadband by satellite would be the end product of speed evolution but that seems unlikely now we have gigabit fibre and so forth on the horizon.

Quite how the third world, which will never be hard wired will evolve I do not know but the mobile phone network seems the most likely medium to me.

 

[JandJC]

Steve, I take it that your business operates from a rural area?

I was under the assumption that Tooway was one of the best satellite providers; but from what you say doesn't really suggest that.

Especially when you make a comparison with your 3G connection.

 

[JandJC]

I have used it overseas when broadband was unavailable. As per the other poster, it was expensive and slow.

I thought broadband by satellite would be the end product of speed evolution but that seems unlikely now we have gigabit fibre and so forth on the horizon.

Quite how the third world, which will never be hard wired will evolve I do not know but the mobile phone network seems the most likely medium to me.

Who was the provider you used and how long ago?

Surely technology in this area has evolved and got better for the end user?

 

[Talay]

Who was the provider you used and how long ago?

Surely technology in this area has evolved and got better for the end user?

A number of locations across SE Asia from early 2000s through to 2010. Various providers I remember but not who.

 

[andygambles]

Satellite speeds aren't bad. You can get 40mbps. Problem is the pings are generally in the 300-400ms range.

This can make websites look slow due to all the elements on a page.

 

[JandJC]

SE Asia is off my radar, particularly for usage; maybe infrastructure and communications in that area were virtually obsolete...maybe you can educate me further there - as South East Asia covers a lot of ground, I could be anywhere and making off the wall assumptions.

 

[CKG]

We used to have YHA as a client who had lots of remote hostels with satellite broadband.

I remember it always being slow and clunky when logging into our job tracking portal when on site.

 

[british steve]

Steve, I take it that your business operates from a rural area?

Nope, far from it. Based in a major South West City with very good connectivity! We run a number authentication servers and can't afford to have any downtime

 

I have a couple of domestic customers who, because of their rural location, have Satellite Broadband. Both are unhappy with it, pretty much since they got it, but they have no other option because of their location.

It's slow, expensive, and really hates heavy rain....or at least that seems to be what's on offer for domestic users here at the moment anyway.

 

[tomp1986]

Fitted a few of these in my past job and mainly in rural locations or we also did a few for a company that build windfarms so they are always moving there office and normally in a field in the middle of nowhere

Slow and expensive is about the bottom line but if you need continuos service as a back up could work

Good luck

 

[vvaannmmaann]

And I'm not speaking of broadband services via Sky.

I'm interested in learning of real life experiences of people who have utilised the service that doesn't require a phone line.

And use the service for their business, I suppose this relates to people and businesses that are in areas that fibre optic broadband services don't reach.

Any information or links would also be appreciate.

Many thanks.

Not quite what you asked I know....
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-21442348

 

[british steve]

Not quite what you asked I know....
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-21442348

This is a type of project we are just starting to work on in the South West. We hope to start connecting up our first 2 villages later this year, has been huge interest so far from our research.

 

[Raw Rob]

Interesting responses! Literally yesterday we had a TooWay satellite broadband installed, and I have to say so far I am impressed. But I suppose it depends on what you are comparing it to. For us it is the only option, in a remote part of Portugal, no landline and the 3G signal is very poor. But so far (which is not much) it seems more stable than our neighbours fixed line broadband (which is quite poor).

The slight delay between typing a web address and the page staring to load is noticeable (the time taken for the signal to get all the way up to the satellite and back down to earth, and then back again), but is not really a problem.

I'll be trying VOIP soon, that will be the real test...

Feel free to PM me in a few weeks or so for a progress update.

 

[PeteRey]

A number of locations across SE Asia from early 2000s through to 2010. Various providers I remember but not who.

Satellite Internet has come on leaps and bounds since then, speeds are faster and prices are cheaper than last year, let alone 2010!

The issue with satellite internet is people fail to understand what it is, what it is for, when is best to use it and how data caps caps and allowances work. If you're going to compare it to fibre it's a no contest, and if you have a decent ADSL connection using Satellite would be silly! It's a solution to get online for those who don't have the luxuries of fibre optic or cable internet. 2% of the UK is still getting <2Mbps speeds, and because these areas are not densely populated, the costs v profits of getting the area on superfast broadband means it's unlikely to happen.

These guys local to my work and as far as I'm aware have been involved in providing satellite internet around the world for years. Might be worth giving them a shout? http://www.bentley-walker.com/tooway/

 

[Talay]

Satellite Internet has come on leaps and bounds since then, speeds are faster and prices are cheaper than last year, let alone 2010!..

Absolutely.

Technology will advance as necessity is the mother of all invention.