Wireless Update

[Kubie]

A few weeks ago, I mentioned that wireless is coming to this broadband starved city. DSL and cable are 2 years away minimum. Some of you asked for the link and I have that now. You will see that they are new as there are no FAQs. They are 500 installs behind and I'm to call at the end of January to see where they are at.
Cost is 59.95 per month and 30.00 for their "modem" or whatever its called. Can't wait
http://www.firetowireless.com/nav/home/location/

[SARGE]

Carl, you realize you'll be behind the "learning curve", if there are any bugs to be exterminated

[Kubie]

I thought about that Sarge. A friend of mine was one of the first to get hooked up and he is very happy. The installer and the tech spent a lot of time to make sure everything was ok. My friend is running 4 pcs on a router and is paying for the higher speed option.
My telco lines are getting worse each day. We've been having thick, drippy fog everyday for a month. I'm sure the heavy moisture has something to do with it.
If I ever get wireless, I think I'll keep the Supra around as a backup.
Carl

[Harry]

Just out of curiosity what kind of speed do you get for your $60 per month. There is a company here that has been promising wireless capacity for 9 months at 50 megs per second. So far they are nothing but bull**** but constantly put out press releases that they are just about to begin their national and International operation. They make me sick.
The most common wireless speed I have heard about about is 128K by Metricom but there are some smaller wireless companies that I have heard are getting about 1 to 3 megs per second when they are not busy. There is also a Satellite wireless company that I heard is pretty good and along with wirless modem capacity will give you TV stations as well. I believe it is in the same price range too.

[Kubie]

Harry, for 59.95 you get 192Kbit, for 89.95 you get 384Kbit.

[Harry]

Carl,
Check out DirecPC Nationwide Satellite Wireless Internet and see if you don't get a little better deal and even better performance. I think it is now $50 per month unlimited and gives faster speeds. Plus they have something called a DirecDuo which gives you Wireless Modem and Satellite TV at the same time. On top of that they have been around for awhile so they should have the bugs out.
Zdnet had a review on it over a year ago and said:

"Our advice about fast Internet connection options is pretty clear. If you can get cable modem service, do it. A cable modem's two-way, high-speed, always-on service is hard to beat. If you can get ISDN for under $30 a month, as you can in California, then it's probably a good choice. But if you have a view of the southern horizon (don't we all?), then DirecPC is the choice in every other circumstance.

"During file transfers from TUCOWS, a popular software site, we saw reported download speeds that theoretically exceeded the speed of the 400-Kbps satellite link and were nearly four times as good as what we get from 128-Kbps ISDN service."

Here is the address:

http://www.direcpc.com/consumer/cost/cost.html

[Edited by Harry on 01-08-2001 at 03:28 PM]

[Kubie]

Well Harry, I looked into the link you provided and the DirectDuoPC looked interesting. Circuit City is listed as a retailer so I went down to talk. The ONLY way Circuit City will sell Duo is with AOHell as ISP. I turned and walked away.
I checked out PacBell site. ISDN available to businesses only. I'm 10,000 ft to far away for DSL.
According to DirectDuo site, I still need a phone line. So DirectDuo=39.95 with Isp plus 20.00 for phone line, 59.95. Not to mention 100.00+ for equipment and installation.
I thank you for the alternatives and I may look into another supplier for DirectDuo,(Office Depot is listed), but at this point in time, wireless may be my only option.
Carl

[RayH]

MSN also offers satellite!

[Harry]

That's right. MSN also offers satellite in the same way that AOL is offering it through Circuit City. Only MSN is offering it through Radio Shack. The name of MSN's satellite modem and tv system is called StarBand. I think that it costs a little more too.

Both these satellite systems can be purchased independently of AOL. It's just that these respective stores have made contracts just to sell the satellite systems with MSN (Radio Shack) and AOL (Circuit City).

I kind of like the Starband name. It brings up images of emailing extra terrestrials. Can you imagine it, emailing aliens through wormholes and using Web cams to see each other face to face. They would surely be ugly too.

I think the web site for Starband is like its name http://www.starband.com



[Edited by Harry on 01-09-2001 at 03:18 AM]

[glc]

You can also get Starband through Dish Network retailers without having to buy the Compaq PC that is part of the Radio Shack deal. It uses a USB adapter. It's $69.99 a month - $99.99 including the Dish Top 150 TV service. This is a 2 way service.

I wouldn't touch DirecPC with a 10 foot pole. They are supposed to be offering 2 way service but their 1 way service sucks eggs.

[SARGE]

And the preacher said, "AMEN".