Wireless to Satellite - good move?

I'm one of those lucky lucky people who are connected to an ADSL
enabled exchange, but too far from it to be able to get any kind of
ADSL service.

I have a wireless connection via what used to be Tele2, then Liberty
Broadband, then FirstNet, who were taken over by GX Networks, just
before GX Networks were taken over by Pipex

Since Pipex got involved the service had gone down the toilet. I'm
lucky to see download speeds in three figures, and speeds half of what
you'd get from a modem are not uncommon. As I write, the speed test
results show around 48Kbps or 6KB/sec which is the fastest its been
for days. Numerous calls to their tech support people have resulted in
promises that someone from "second line support" will call me back,
but no one ever has in the three months or so this has been going on,
and after the 10 or more calls I've made. They don't answer e-mails
and they won't enable a direct connection to second line support,
so....

I was looking at Satellite. I'd always been wary of going satellite
because of a) the cost, and b) the need to have a second dish (I
already have a Sky dish), which I probably wouldn't get past planning
permission.

Now I see that AVC are offering a satellite service using the same
satellite as Sky, at 756K speeds that are cheaper than what I'm
currently paying for a notional "burstable" 512K that is in reality
less than 1/10 of that anyway

I'd stump up the installation and set up costs if I thought it would
improve matters, but I'm unclear how it works. The website seems to
make mention of still needing a telephone line (is it in use all the
time?), but they also have a page in their business section that
refers to a 2 way always on-connection.

I'm waiting for someone from the company to call me, but in the
meantime,does anyone have a simple explanation for what happens? I'll
use it mainly for business purposes, which will include downloading
(not huge P2P stuff, but occasionally some decent size files) as well
as browsing, newgroup stuff, e-mail and the like. I can imagine myself
getting pretty fed up if, every time I want to send an e-mail or
upload anything to a newsgroup, or connect, I have to wait while it
goes into some kind of dialup routine.

On the other hand, is the proposed increased availability of wireless
bandwidth in the 5GHz range from this month likely to see a
significant impovement in wireless options in the near future? (ie a
couple of months, not next year). If I can change to a better provide
than Pipex, I'll do it at the drop of a hat.

Brian

On Tue, 06 Jan 2004 13:30:39 +0000, bigbrian <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

> just
>before GX Networks were taken over by Pipex

other way round :-)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/22/33189.html

Phil

First of all, how do you get wireless broadband right now - is this 802.11?
The satallite service you are talking about works like this:

The LNB (Bit at the end of your sat dish) is replaced to give 2 outputs. One
for your Skybox, the other for a card that goes in your PC.
This means you have a 'downstream' data channel into your PC.
You then need a way of talking to the Satellite broadband ISP's computers so
they know what to send down the high speed 'downstream' channel (from the
satellite)..
This is done via a simple 56k modem - it does not always need to be
connected, but it will have to be connected when you are sending or
requesting any kind of data from the internet.
This means uploads will still be a pig (as they will go over the modem)

The 2 way service means you will need a 2nd dish.

I wouldnt count on any 5ghz activity any time soon (unless you in wales or
the selected trial areas)

Where do you live?

Simon


"bigbrian" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> I'm one of those lucky lucky people who are connected to an ADSL
> enabled exchange, but too far from it to be able to get any kind of
> ADSL service.
>
> I have a wireless connection via what used to be Tele2, then Liberty
> Broadband, then FirstNet, who were taken over by GX Networks, just
> before GX Networks were taken over by Pipex
>
> Since Pipex got involved the service had gone down the toilet. I'm
> lucky to see download speeds in three figures, and speeds half of what
> you'd get from a modem are not uncommon. As I write, the speed test
> results show around 48Kbps or 6KB/sec which is the fastest its been
> for days. Numerous calls to their tech support people have resulted in
> promises that someone from "second line support" will call me back,
> but no one ever has in the three months or so this has been going on,
> and after the 10 or more calls I've made. They don't answer e-mails
> and they won't enable a direct connection to second line support,
> so....
>
> I was looking at Satellite. I'd always been wary of going satellite
> because of a) the cost, and b) the need to have a second dish (I
> already have a Sky dish), which I probably wouldn't get past planning
> permission.
>
> Now I see that AVC are offering a satellite service using the same
> satellite as Sky, at 756K speeds that are cheaper than what I'm
> currently paying for a notional "burstable" 512K that is in reality
> less than 1/10 of that anyway
>
> I'd stump up the installation and set up costs if I thought it would
> improve matters, but I'm unclear how it works. The website seems to
> make mention of still needing a telephone line (is it in use all the
> time?), but they also have a page in their business section that
> refers to a 2 way always on-connection.
>
> I'm waiting for someone from the company to call me, but in the
> meantime,does anyone have a simple explanation for what happens? I'll
> use it mainly for business purposes, which will include downloading
> (not huge P2P stuff, but occasionally some decent size files) as well
> as browsing, newgroup stuff, e-mail and the like. I can imagine myself
> getting pretty fed up if, every time I want to send an e-mail or
> upload anything to a newsgroup, or connect, I have to wait while it
> goes into some kind of dialup routine.
>
> On the other hand, is the proposed increased availability of wireless
> bandwidth in the 5GHz range from this month likely to see a
> significant impovement in wireless options in the near future? (ie a
> couple of months, not next year). If I can change to a better provide
> than Pipex, I'll do it at the drop of a hat.
>
> Brian

On Tue, 06 Jan 2004 18:12:19 GMT, "Simon Newton"
<(E-Mail Removed) > wrote:

>First of all, how do you get wireless broadband right now - is this 802.11?

No. I get RF wireless delivery of a (allegedly) broadband link via an
antenna on my roof that has line of sight to a transmitter across
town. The antenna is linked via a cable to a NIC in my PC.

(as it happens, that connection is then shared via 802.11 on an
internal wireless network in my house, to enable occasional internet
connection on my laptop, but thats not relevant)

>The satallite service you are talking about works like this:
>
>The LNB (Bit at the end of your sat dish) is replaced to give 2 outputs. One
>for your Skybox, the other for a card that goes in your PC.
>This means you have a 'downstream' data channel into your PC.
>You then need a way of talking to the Satellite broadband ISP's computers so
>they know what to send down the high speed 'downstream' channel (from the
>satellite)..
>This is done via a simple 56k modem - it does not always need to be
>connected, but it will have to be connected when you are sending or
>requesting any kind of data from the internet.
>This means uploads will still be a pig (as they will go over the modem)
>
>The 2 way service means you will need a 2nd dish.
>
>I wouldnt count on any 5ghz activity any time soon (unless you in wales or
>the selected trial areas)
>
>Where do you live?

Basingstoke. I have two phone lines in my house, one is 8km long and
the other is 6km, and both are apparently unsuitable. BT tell me even
another line won't solve the problem

Brian

>Simon
>
>
>"bigbrian" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>news:(E-Mail Removed).. .
>>
>> I'm one of those lucky lucky people who are connected to an ADSL
>> enabled exchange, but too far from it to be able to get any kind of
>> ADSL service.
>>
>> I have a wireless connection via what used to be Tele2, then Liberty
>> Broadband, then FirstNet, who were taken over by GX Networks, just
>> before GX Networks were taken over by Pipex
>>
>> Since Pipex got involved the service had gone down the toilet. I'm
>> lucky to see download speeds in three figures, and speeds half of what
>> you'd get from a modem are not uncommon. As I write, the speed test
>> results show around 48Kbps or 6KB/sec which is the fastest its been
>> for days. Numerous calls to their tech support people have resulted in
>> promises that someone from "second line support" will call me back,
>> but no one ever has in the three months or so this has been going on,
>> and after the 10 or more calls I've made. They don't answer e-mails
>> and they won't enable a direct connection to second line support,
>> so....
>>
>> I was looking at Satellite. I'd always been wary of going satellite
>> because of a) the cost, and b) the need to have a second dish (I
>> already have a Sky dish), which I probably wouldn't get past planning
>> permission.
>>
>> Now I see that AVC are offering a satellite service using the same
>> satellite as Sky, at 756K speeds that are cheaper than what I'm
>> currently paying for a notional "burstable" 512K that is in reality
>> less than 1/10 of that anyway
>>
>> I'd stump up the installation and set up costs if I thought it would
>> improve matters, but I'm unclear how it works. The website seems to
>> make mention of still needing a telephone line (is it in use all the
>> time?), but they also have a page in their business section that
>> refers to a 2 way always on-connection.
>>
>> I'm waiting for someone from the company to call me, but in the
>> meantime,does anyone have a simple explanation for what happens? I'll
>> use it mainly for business purposes, which will include downloading
>> (not huge P2P stuff, but occasionally some decent size files) as well
>> as browsing, newgroup stuff, e-mail and the like. I can imagine myself
>> getting pretty fed up if, every time I want to send an e-mail or
>> upload anything to a newsgroup, or connect, I have to wait while it
>> goes into some kind of dialup routine.
>>
>> On the other hand, is the proposed increased availability of wireless
>> bandwidth in the 5GHz range from this month likely to see a
>> significant impovement in wireless options in the near future? (ie a
>> couple of months, not next year). If I can change to a better provide
>> than Pipex, I'll do it at the drop of a hat.
>>
>> Brian
>

In message <7UCKb.325563$(E-Mail Removed)>, Simon
Newton <(E-Mail Removed) > writes
>I wouldnt count on any 5ghz activity any time soon (unless you in wales

Any particular reason you mention Wales??

--
__________________________________________________
Personal email for Gareth Jones can be sent to:
'usenet4gareth' followed by an at symbol
followed by 'uk2' followed by a dot
followed by 'net'
__________________________________________________

"Gareth Jones" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:e4WiL0Mne0+$(E-Mail Removed)...
> In message <7UCKb.325563$(E-Mail Removed)>, Simon
> Newton <(E-Mail Removed) > writes
> >I wouldnt count on any 5ghz activity any time soon (unless you in wales
>
> Any particular reason you mention Wales??
>

5ghz trials are rolling out in wales and some other rural parts of england.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/22/34670.html

simon

On Tue, 06 Jan 2004 23:37:49 +0000, bigbrian <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:


>Basingstoke.

Could you email me off-list please?

Regards,

Hywel Phillips

Is http://www.ehotspots.co.uk/basingstoke/ any help?