[Ti] [OT] satellite internet / DVB-S cards

[John Griffin]

Trevor, I am currently receiving my Internet Connection through the Direcway
(Hughes) Satellite Internet services. It is in my opinion expensive,
borderline broadband (500 to 800 kb/s download and no more than 200-300 kb/s
upload) and the connection is sometimes a bit flakey, but certainly a relief
from dialup.

There are no alternative broadband providers in my area, but when and if
DSL, cable or wireless come into my community I am out of satellite before
you can say ³FAP.² Oh, yes I forgot to mention FAP. It stand for Fair Access
Policy and what it means is that you are allocated a certain quota of MB
that you can down/up load. My space is 500 MB a day (which comes with the
Small Office package). After I exceed that, my speed gets suddenly cut down
to dialup speed. It is the analogy of a bucket. As you take water out of the
bucket, a bit of water trickles in. If you take water out much faster then
it is going in, you hit the bottom and you can only work with the speed at
which the water trickles in. The best thing I can do when this happens is
shut down and wait until the next day when my bucket is full again.

With the Professional Packages comes a Static IP and ³enhanced Upload² which
means the upload speed is at least bearable. And you get the larger bucket
plus a larger sized dish and connection to one of the more reliable
satellite transponders (I am on the 1390 Mhz transponder on the Horizons 1
Satellite).

I am sure there are other Satellites for use with Internet connection. The
Tacheons which up to now have been used solely by the Defence Department and
other Government communications needs have been released for public use and
soon the Anik F2 will be used for Satellite communications (Wildblue in the
U.S. and Bell Canada). The latter promises to be cheaper and more reliable
(Using the Ka band).

Good luck on your search...

jg