[Linux-users] Hughes Data-Sat service anyone?

[Michael Hipp]

Ric Moore wrote:
> Plunking along with a 56K USRobotics... I remember the time I would have
> killed for one. Since I'm really in the toolies, I had to throttle her
> down for reliable transmission. Remember init strings? We used to trade
> them like baseball cards. "Here's the Hank Aaron of init strings for a
> DC Hayes!" I would boast. 
> 
> So, a nicely endowed Geek Gurrl was boasting of the <ahem> "Performance"
> of the Hughes Data Satellite System on TV tonight. How about it? Anyone
> have a clue?? Price? Performance? They say they don't need a phone for
> uplink, which is certainly a plus. I gotta get some speed. I'm
> downloading at 3.1 and that really really sucks. Any advice will be
> appreciated!! Great Googly Moog, the mail will be pouring in like
> treacle on a cold day. 
> 
> I'm dying here, someone please just shoot me, Ric

I had satellite for two long years. It's certainly better than dialup. 
But it is /the/ last choice. You haven't lived until you've experienced 
4-digit ping times.

Before I'd look at Hughes, I'd look at Wildblue. I've installed a couple 
of clients with it and it works just as well as Hughes and is cheaper. 
Their tech support isn't quite the bad joke that Hughes' is.

Before I looked at any kind of satellite, though, I'd look at some EVDO 
solution. Sprint, AT&T/Cingular, Verizon, or Alltel. Near DSL speeds 
ping times in the low 3 digits. It's what I use here at the SOHO and I 
don't miss my DSL (much).

Before that I'd scour the highways and byways for a WISP. They're almost 
everywhere.

Michael