Mobile Broadband vs. Satellite Internet

[buckeyefarmer]

I have both hughesnet and Verizon 3G wireless access.
Hughesnet - I get FAP'd at least a couple times a month, there is no warning, once you exceed the limit they shut you down to around dialup speeds for 24 hrs. Hughesnet is faster than the Verizon 3G, and still way faster than dialup. I can really tell the difference watching video. Overall, Hughesnet sure beats dialup any day. I have a neighbor on Wildblue that likes it. Latency is not a problem for most web browsing. I don't notice it at all, I wouldn't use that as a qualifier.

Verizon 3G - I got this for travel, can't carry my sat dish in a car. My monthly usage does not allow me to ditch the dish. If you think you won't exceed the 5GB amount, this is a good way to go. I wouldn't go this route just because of future LTE, as you will need a new device to receive LTE (4G) in the future.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I tried to do a side by side speed comparison with dslreports, but right now my verizon service is almost nonfunctional, my hughesnet blew it away on download speed.

 

[arrabil]

I've got WildBlue right now. Its a LOT better than dialup. You will not notice latency issues after switching from dialup. Now, if you use a lot of DSL/Cable and then come home to Satellite or 3G you will be really pissed off....

When it hits you that you pay twice as much for half the perceived speed, you'll hate WildBlue, HughesNet, Verizon, AT&T and every other company that decided you weren't worth their time.

The best part about satellite internet is that the download speed is really fast once the download kicks in (the latency becomes irrelevant after a data stream is started to you).

WildBlue and HughesNet both have REALLY crappy tech support. More than half the people who answer just started using computers yesterday. They are only good at putting your problem into their search box and reading the canned answer. Which I imagine works for 95% of customer problems. Neither will send you to 2nd level support. If your case warrants higher level support, it will be done through the 1st level person who doesn't even understand what they are repeating to you.

Once you get used to having fast internet and your usage increases, you will be upset by the FAP limits. The HughesNet limits are easier to hit but come off in a day. The WildBlue limits are much tougher but take weeks to come down. The 3G limits are unusable to me as I can't install Windows and upgrade it a couple times a week at 5GB. I'm at 5GB all the time on WildBlue.

You will lose satellite connectivity during heavy rain, heavy snow, or heavy thunder/lightning 50 miles away.

 

[jinman]

Get the mobile broadband from AT&T or Verizon and a Cradlepoint MBR1000 wireless router for your house. You'll have full wireless connectivity in your house with the modem. Plug the modem into a laptop and you can surf the internet as you cruise down the highway (if you're not the driver, of course).

 

[kf4uda]

As others have said, I would go with mobile broadband. It may not be the greatest but it will beat satellite and certainly dialup.

I was in the same boat as you except I got a staggering 26.4k connection over dialup (on a good day). I got lucky and found a WIFI provider several miles away. They did not have service where I live but we worked out a deal where I put up a 60' tower and they put a WIFI repeater on it. Basicly a signal is beamed from their main tower to my tower and redistributed to my surrounding area. This worked out great for me as I get my service for free and also made some neighbors very happy.

My point is that you might want to do some investigating and see if there are any WIFI providers close enough to you to do something like this.

 

[mburke121]

Lots of good information posted thus far.

I'll add that Verizon's download speeds average around 700kb/sec, and is adequate for most common uses. I can also suggest that Verizon offers a product called MiFi mobile broadband, which is available on certain handsets. For example, you can get a Palm Pre or Pixi (mobile smart phones) for next to nothing, and the device doubles as a WiFi router for up to 5 PCs, if I remember correctly. They are running a deal offering this service at no additional monthly charge, above the normal service plans for the device (with the 5GB data plan).

 

[powerpace]

My wife and I both have Verizon on our laptops. I had Wildblue and wouldn't recommend it to anyone. I was set up with a temporary install with the promise of a free move when the house we were building was complete. Well I was without service for two months because I was lied to by the installer and Wildblue help desk. I was talking to those people for hours every week. What they didn't tell me was that the original installer was no longer in business and they didn't want to loose me as a customer.
I went to Verizon and have had excellent service. The wife was taking online college courses at the time. We drove from Oregon to Virginia and back while she was online for two to three hours at a time. The only time we lost service was down in a canyon in Arizona. Lost it for a short time.

 

[Atlas]

If exceeding the monthly usage limit is/may be a problem you may want consider establishing a LLC and getting an unlimited business account.

 

[Fug1000]

One word: SPRINT

I live in rural Southwest Ohio. I am in the same situation as you.
I got mine 3 years ago under an unlimited plan and then 2 years ago they put a 5GB cap on but I was grandfathered.

EVEN THOUGH they kept a running tally of my usage per month on my account and I could check it at any time online, they never limited me to 5GB. I have used 50GB in a month and they haven't so much as flinched.
Even now...2 years after my contract has expired and I can reup and get a free modem if I want, they have never limited me.

Then early this year I noticed there is no longer a running tally and it says UNLIMITED again in my account.

If it's possible to buy an unlimited account today....Sprint 3G/4G is the way to go.

As I understand it, all sprint 4G accounts will be unlimited and it just makes sense.
A 5GB cap is just silly and when they increase your speed with 4G..what good does all that speed do you if you can't use it everyday?

With 4G you could download 5GB in LESS than 1 day.

Anyway...I'm ranting..sorry. :laughing:

Check out Sprint.

 

[ronjhall]

I have a AT&T air card. Works well in many places. With it I also have a external antenna and amplifier. All of the suppliers may need the antenna and amplifier.
Its hard to determine which company will work the best. You need to make sure what ever company you choose has good service in your area. My AT&T phone shows when I have 3G. If it is available in your area it will out preform Verizon. If it is not then Verizon may be the best choice. Although my AT&T card can work as good as a Verizon on 3G on Edge mode. It all depends on signal strength. I recently visited a fellow TBNer who has Verizon. My AT&T was comparable to his Verizon on TBN. But file downloads were faster on his Verizon.
Here is a link to Wilson Electronics. All my antennas, amplifiers and siginal booster come from them. Cell Phone Antennas and Cell Phone Boosters at Wilson Electronics
I also use a CradlePoint router to link my air card to more than one computer. Extending and Protecting 3G/4G Networks Wirelessly | Cradlepoint Technology