I'm moving next month and will be pretty rural.  No cable/dsl/fios/etc.  Verizon 4G/LTE coverage is ok, but with my side business from home that requires internet, I think I'll chew through the monthly allowance way too fast.

Been researching Hughesnet and a few others and came across Exede.  Seems to be a newer type of technology with much better speeds.

Just looking for some first hand experience for anybody who has the service now.

Sadly - anything but cable or dsl will have band width limits..   Some of the satellite companies offer 'free' downloads between 2am and 6am (+/- 2 hrs) though..

you may check out millenicom.com - they are an internet reseller and have sprint and verizon plans.    as an example they have a verizon 20gb for $70..  they also have a 'unlimited' sprint plan (but does have some soft caps)

good luck

brian

Most of the satellite ones seem to have tiered pricing with up to 40gb a month.  Exede has unlimited data from midnight to 5am.  I'll check into Sprint.  Where I'm going, Verizon seems to be the best with ATT/T-Mobile being the worst, but I'll have to check their coverage maps.  Thanks.

Our Spring coverage is 3g and averages about 900 kps download..   I just looked and the millenicom 'unlimited' plan and it has a max of about 50gb - so that may not work either.. Funny that millenicom does not list us be eligible for the Sprint devices..

Verizon 3g is closer to 1.5 Mbs, and 4g LTE pushes 12 Mbs

Just to give you an idea of what speeds to expect if you go wireless..

Brian

I can handle slower download speeds, I think the frustrating thing is lack of consistency.  I had a Verizon 3G card a few years ago and it would constantly disconnect.  The next time I go out there I'll have to check my cell phone and see if it picks up the Verizon LTE signal or if it's only 3G.  It seems to be on the edge of cell phone coverage so from what I've heard from people who live there, it's hit or miss.  But it might be better with LTE, especially if any new towers have gone up.

Yes I have it.  It's decent.  Download is pretty quick, but there is latency.  Every page I click here starts to load, pauses and then pops up fully loaded after a second or two.  IF there is severe weather where the signal is sent from, the internet either stops, or is very slow.

If you have not had Satellite Internet before, remember that your 10GB or whatever package you choose, is download AND upload combined.  I have the 10GB package that started as a 7 or 8GB package that they upped to 10GB after 6 months.  Not sure if it starts as 10GB though.  I use 70% of my bandwidth just surfing ARFCOM at night for a few hours just about every night (I stay up late).  I also read a few news sites, but I try to limit email and news to my phone instead through verizon with unlimited data.  If I have to download anything major, I have to keep an eye on my usage so I don't go over, and I have not yet.  Exede sends you an email once you reach 70% to let you know you are close.

I am fairly satisfied with it, but the latency can piss you off when you are in a hurry.  I used to have a 30Mb cable internet connection before I moved to the sticks... nothing will come close to that out here.  DSL wasn't offered in my area and my phone line was destroyed earlier this year anyway- I don't use it anyway, I have 2 cells so no need for a home phone.

Exede is fast now because there are few people using it.  Once they fill up all the slots, they halve them and then your speed will slow from all the new customers.  By the time it happens though, someone else will have a newer faster satellite you can change to.  Equipment provided is great.  I have had their modem in my garage with a wireless router running for the past 7 months only turning it off to reset everything.  No issues.

if you are on the edge of coverage the Verizon 3g/4g mifi has a port for an external antenna..  Also you can check with Wilson Electronics for an antenna booster..

id love to have reliable dsl (or sucked horribly) and get off a monthly download caps..

good luck

b

Appreciate the feedback.  I think whatever route I go with, I'll have to make sure there's a trial period where I can test it out to make sure it's going to work for me before committing.  Both the satellite and wireless options are going to have contracts.  Thanks.







Great idea.  I will do some research on those antennas.  I've heard about Wilson but never paid much attention because I never needed it until though.  Will check them out.  Thanks.

Unfortunately my solution to your problem was a T1.  Unfortunate because it's EXPENSIVE.  On the plus size no bandwidth limitations, constant up/down speed (1.5 Mbps), and the techs will come out at 3 in the morning if the service goes down.

FYI - the millenicom wireless stuff does not involve a contract - you buy the device and its month to month..

you can check on here or other places and millenicom gets good reviews and is recommended - i should have went with them before I got our verizon mifi (thru verizon)..  I was paying $80 for 10gb and now we have creeped up to 14 to 16gb /mth so our bill is closer to $110


brian

just curious, i actually believe the 'if you have to ask you cant afford it' applies here... what is the cost?

b

Ranges, from 350$ to 450$+ per month in the sticks.  Lower in small towns and cities and lowest in large cities.  Further out you are the more expensive it gets.

Considering that I was paying about $110/mth for 16gb with Verizon for a mifi- that isnt too bad if you need it..  

thanks

b

Free bump for OP.. with some exede results..

My neighbor just got the newest/fastest exede satellite installed over the weekend..  she posted 2 speed tests were  21 up, 3 down, ping 771    second test was 7 up, 1.4 down and ping of 851


This should be taken with a grain of salt - she had the older system as well (suppose to be 2 do 3 down) and within the past few weeks she was getting 0.3 down on a regular basis..

I imagine her speeds will diminish as more users sign up..


Brian

Appreciate the info.  That's the part I was worried about.  I'm going to call Exede tomorrow to get all the details.  I know they haver certain "advertised" speeds, but I'd like to see what they say about typical speeds.  Obviously 10-15 down at 2am but 0.5 down at 7pm wouldn't be acceptable.

I work from home over VPN. I signed up with exede in march this year. I hate it. As others have said, the speeds not too bad, but the latency is a killer for me. Also, I have to say they have quite a bit of down time. I haven't had down time in about 2 weeks, but from September through November it seems like 2 days out of every week I would be down for about 3 hours, not weather related. Speaking of weather, they'll tell you their signal is stronger than the "tv" signals and isn't as easily effected by overcast skies and rain. Bullshit. I'm switching to Verizon in January.

Edit: my typical speeds are around 4-5 down, 1.5-2 up. Enou to get the job done, but latency is a beeyotch, and it's still well below advertised speeds...

Appreciate the input.  Can you give me an idea how many GB's you're using a month?  I've only been on broadband so I've never really had to track anything like that.  Do you have to "limit" your general internet usage due to the monthly caps?

My plan is for 12 down with a 25 gig monthly limit. Tax and all my bill (paid for by my company thank goodness) is 140.98 a month. I usually hit around 20gigs a month. There is no daily limit, but if you go past your monthly limit they throttle you pretty hard I'm told.

ETA sorry, I missed one of your questions. No, I haven't had to limit my general usage so far.

I work from home also and am looking for a provider.
Stay the hell away from Wildblue.  They suck a bag of dicks.
I had a wireless system using a 900 mhz range and it was pretty good but someone pirated the system and is using a lot of the signal and the company has been unable to fix it.

Thanks mjrwood.

That sucks USCG.  Are you using a hotspot through your wireless provider?

OP - We have been on a Verizon MIFI for 2 yrs now and on 3g we always pushed 10gb per month.. We got 4g in our area late summer and our usage jumped up to 12 to 14 gb, and pushing 16gb a few months.. There are 2 of us in the house..  

We do NOT stream movies, pandora, or do computer updates.. our ipad used 1.4 GB of data between midnight and 6 am in the course of 2 wks a few months ago, it was not suppose to update automatically and we cant figure out why/how it used that much  it goes into airplane mode when not in use now..


At higher speeds you really burn thru the bandwidth..    When youtube loads in seconds you tend to watch more

Brian

That's a great point.  I think instead of putting my computer to "sleep" at night, I'd have to just shut down, and my phone would have to go into airplane mode or at least monitor it a few days to see if it was doing anything at night.  I'm going to go back to the new place this week to take some measurements for furniture, so I will be sure to check my phone and see what the 4G signal looks like b/c I forgot to do it last time.  Thanks for the info.

I have Millenicom here (30 mins outside Austin) and it's "ok". Speed sucks a bag of hairy cocks, but it's always up. We have the unlimited plan through the sprint network which is supposed to be capped at 50 GB. Well, I don't think they're really serious about that cap because we stream Netflix between 6 and 10 hrs a day and have never even gotten a warning.

Hookup fees?

I've got them.  Had them about six months.  Works about 70 percent of the time.  The other 30 percent suck.  I've got a tech scheduled to come out on Thursday.  2nd time in 6 months.  Least they aren't charging me the $80 service call this time as I've called in a lot when it sucks.  Don't know what I'll use when my contract is up, but it won't be excede if they don't fix their shit and I mean like right fucking now.

So you're the second person to mention significant down time.  Do they at least credit your bill or anything?

they did credit me $20 for october, because they had serious issues for 5 days straight during that month. i told them i'm not the one paying my bill, and i'd much rather them just fix their shit so i don't have to explain to my boss why i'm mia 3 hours every other day.

I appreciate all ya'lls feedback.

I just went over to the new place this afternoon.  In certain spots, I get pretty good Verizon LTE coverage.  Did a few speed tests and go 15mb down at one point.  So I think I'm going to go with a wifi hotspot and then look into some of the external antennas or signal booster/repeaters options.  Should be cheaper in the long run since I already have Verizon.  Plus if something doesn't workout, the early termination fees are cheaper than the sat internet.  Read some more reviews and the satellite option seems too buggy.

If you already have a smartphone/ data plan with Verizon adding a mifi could probably be cheaper, but it depends on how much data you use.. If you dont have a smart phone go with the Millenicom MIFI/jet pack @ 20gb/mth for $70 - you have to pay about $135 (device and set up fee) + prorated 1st month...  Cancel anytime

Check Wilson Electronics for the antenna...

good luck

Brian

As someone who used to live way out in the sticks, this is really your best option. Satellite is a last (and I do mean LAST) resort.

 

lol.

begamits.

Subnet - Do you have experience w/ the repeaters?  There is a Wilson kit on amazon for about 500.  It has up to a 70db gain, where the cheap antennas are only 3-5db.  But obviously there's a more involved install for the big Wilson one.  I'd be totally happy with 15mb down.  But I only got that one time while standing in one direction, so I thought maybe a repeater/booster would help with consistency.

Thatguy - Millenicom looks good, but confuses me.  For their 20gb, $70 plan, they offer a Novatel 4620LE device, which is the SAME that Verizon uses, but the rep from Milennicom said I can't use that device for the bring your own device plan, since it's only for Sprint service?  I have been using the chat so maybe I'd get better info if I call them.  Certainly is cheaper though, the same 20gb plan through verizon per their website is about 110 a month.  But I'm not sure if that's as a stand alone plan or added on to my current plan.  I need to call them too.

Millenicom is a reseller for several companies... .   Sorry for any confusion, but I think the 20gb Hotspot/MIFI/jet pack is the only verizon plan though..

If you do the search for 'coverage' it will list which plans you are eligible for..  

IF you go with a USB device you will need to also buy a special wireless router so more than one person can use the device..

Brian

Lies. All lies. It doesn't work like that. It *might* in the TX direction (and so what?), but it can't in the RX direction - not like that.

thatguy - Good info.  I did the check and I'm eligible in my area for everything except the unlimited with their device.  But they say you get unlimited with their "bring your own device", but the the verizon one I asked about wasn't supported.  That's what threw me for a loop.  But as I said, I was doing this through chat.  I'll call them Monday to get some more info.

Subnet - I figured it wasn't "actual" db gain, because I know that when looking on my phone, just a 10-20db shift can impact my service.  It's a lot of money for just an antenna.  Do any of the cheaper indoor ones work even for a slight improvement, or would it just be a waste of money?  I'll be at my desk most of the time so I won't be changing locations a lot with the mifi device.

Right now satellite is the only option as I can't get a cellphone signal where I live.  Oh trust me, my twenty two year old tried every wireless carrier in the world who promised a signal.  NOPE.  He's since discovered girls and moved in with one (three years ago) in town and now has a blazing fast internet speed.  I'm stuck with either Hughesnet or Wildblue.  Hughesnet's service sucked so I tried Wildblue.  They suck too, but I have another year on my contract.


so..............Living out in the middle of no where has it's draw backs.  Also has it's perks as I can step outside and shoot.

Had a "tech" out yesterday.  He adjusted my dish, said that would fix it.  I'm like, why don't you take a look at the modem?  Oh, those never go bad, he says.  I'm like OK.  Hour after he leaves I'm have to reboot the damn modem every couple hours.

Fucking dial up would be faster and have less headaches.

OP, I install Exede, DTV, wireless, fiber, DSL, etc. PM me if you want and I'll answer as best I can. A big part is your dealer/installer. If they are lazy or stupid it greatly increases your chance of being unhappy.

We have Exede and live in the sticks. I have a cell extender already installed for cell phone use but it couldn't boost the signal enough for our Verizon Mifi. We are going to install a new antenna and switch back -- our Exede service (~$90 a month) has a 15 GB monthly limit and we blow that out with Netflix use in a week or two.

It is fast. Latency is high. YMMV.