computer is a tool, right? satellite service...

Still, it's WAY better than dialup. OTOH, if DSL or Cable become available, I'll be switching again for the improved reliability and better price.

There are many outages when the satellite service goes dead - usually for a minute or two and then comes back. I notice that when it does go dead, my satellite TV still works.

I've got the $50 per month plan and I own the equipment. I could upgrade for more money - and put in a faster uplink transmistter - but $50 a month is enough.

You also have to be careful how much you download in any 24 hour period. If you exceed 250MB - they shut you down. I found out the hard way.

It is only fast on downloading when your hooked to one file with a steady download. Otherwise, webrowsing gets slowed since it requires two-way communication. Not as slow as dial-up, but close. It varies all the time. I get many short outages during any day, regardless of weather. They often last 30-60 seconds but can get pretty annoying.

Here's a test I ran.

I tested outgoing mail with a 78K attachment. Took 80 seconds with Hughes
webmail to send out, took 40 seconds with Hughes to send with Outlook Express, and took 35 seconds with dial-up. I also tested again using Outlook Express to send a 157 KB attachment -
it sent in 35 seconds as opposed to 85 seconds with dial-up.

Where I live, I have no other choices - it's either satellite Internet access - or dial-up. The satellite is costing me $50 a month - and the dial up is $9 per month - and the satellite is not five times better. But, it is nice to have most of the time.

I knew when I came here that there is no mail delivery, no school bus pickup, no cable TV, etc. - so after the Internet got invented - I didn't really expect much here anyway.

A new Verizon cell tower is going up near me and I am planning on getting wireless broadband.