Satellite Internet Connection

[BoeingBoy]

Does anyone have any experience of any of the providers of Sat. based internet providers in the UK?

The following link is one example http://www.satdrive.com

Does it work, how well, and how big is the dish etc.

Any replies appreciated.

BB

[Naples Air Center, Inc.]

BoeingBoy,

Before you go Satellite for internet. Here is something you should know from their FAQ.

You don't send the emails via satellite. You already need to have a back channel connection. So for instance you could have a 56k modem and an isp that you use with your modem. When you send your emails the emails would be sent using the 56k modem to the SatDrive servers via the isp. So the speed would be the sending speed allowed by the isp you use with your 56k modem in this scenario.

Something else, any webpage or email you request will have to go via phone line and then get beamed 22,000 miles into space, bounced off a 50 gallon drum and then travel another 22,000 miles to your computer. There will be a large lag between the time you request anything and the time it makes it to your computer. Once the data hits your computer, it will download very quickly. It is just the time till that happens that will be a few seconds.

If you are looking to play games, teleconference, chat, etc. then satellite is not for you. The lag is way too high.

Take Care,

Richard

[BoeingBoy]

Thanks Richard,

Like so many other UK country dwellers I won't see Broadband this millenium, so would be happy to pay for a faster link to the net. I don't have much requirment to upload any data so I could accept the fact that the high speed connection is only one way.

However the fact that there is a significant delay in receiving data rather negates any benefits. Looks like I'm stuck with the 56k 'runner with a cleft stick' for a while yet.

[ORAC]

BB,

Have a look at BT Midband. It's not as good as broadband, but it's better than dial-up. It's based on their their existing Home Highway ISDN technology, see here. It should be available in a few months. If you want something faster now, you could always sign up to Home Highway then switch over.

[BoeingBoy]

Thanks Orac, I'll give BT a ring and sound out if it's available for my area.

[Sledge]

I have satdrive installed at home and have had it for just over a year now.
At first it was excellent.. ten times the speed of broadband on downloads all day and night.But then they capped the service due to over subscription,still relatively speedy,and for those of us unable to have broadband via the phone lines,the only viable option at the moment.
Check out this website for a unbiased opinion from current users of satdrive : http://www.satdriveusers.co.uk

[Ausatco]

Boeing Boy, you said

I don't have much requirment to upload any data so I could accept the fact that the high speed connection is only one way.

However the fact that there is a significant delay in receiving data rather negates any benefits. Looks like I'm stuck with the 56k 'runner with a cleft stick' for a while yet.

I think what Richard was saying was that there would be an initial delay to get the start of the data stream, but once it started it would be quick.

Say you had Pprune on one of your link buttons in IE. If you click on the button there'd be a fair delay before anything happened, but then it would all come in a rush, very fast.

If you were video conferencing, or on-line gaming, then no good because your outbound pic and sound and other outbound data would be crippled by your ordinary modem speed. The inbound via sat would be delayed as per above, so it would all get out of synch with real time.

But you said you don't have much need to upload - ie not much outbound stuff from you. Therefore I reckon satellite internet might be suitable for you - just for surfing.

Try and get some more user reports from people who use it the way you would.

Cheers

AA