WildBlue satellite internet rescues us from dial-up

After many years of suffering through 24 kbps dial-up internet “surfing” (more accurately, “slogging”), we got a WildBlue satellite system installed last Wednesday.

It’s working great. I just logged on to three speed tests. Ground Control says I’m getting 556 kbps download, PCPitstop’s satellite bandwidth test says 576 kbps, and SpeakEasy clocked in at 579 kbps down and 151 kbps up (WildBlue is two-way satellite, no phone line involved).

Real-world wise, yesterday I downloaded a 10.9 mb virus/spyware scan update through SystemSuite, the excellent utility system that replaced my piece-of-crap Symantec software. Via dial-up it used to take me over an hour to get a download of that size. With WildBlue it took me a bit less than two minutes.

A download time calculator told me that this translates into about 775 kbps. We’re signed up for an “up to 1 mbps download” plan and one of the speed tests I’ve conducted over the past few days actually came up with a 1.05 mbps result.

Cable internet folks won’t be impressed (like my friend, Jim, who works for Comcast and told me today that 1.5 mbps was hot stuff for cable internet several years ago; now speeds are much higher). But I’ve been reading the newspaper while waiting for the CNN and NY Times web sites to sloooooowly load each morning, so 500-1000 kbps is joy for me and Laurel.

We got WildBlue through D&D Satellite in Salem. And in sort of a strange fashion. I’d been regularly checking the WildBlue website for dealers in our area. My interest in WildBlue has been strong since May 2004, when Qwest let me know that DSL would never be coming to our neighborhood because it would cost too much to get service way out here in the hinterlands, a whole five miles from the Salem city limits.

After writing about my dark fantasies involving Qwest supervisors and a Lucy Liu-led band of samurai sword wielding yakuza, I decided that WildBlue would be my backup to Lucy Liu.

But there never was any sign of a dealer in our area. I phoned WildBlue and kept getting vague answers about when service would be available in Salem. I emailed WildBlue and never got a response. I emailed Digital Connex in Portland, the only WildBlue dealer currently shown for Oregon, and never heard back from them.

Then, as a last resort before I turned to a competing satellite internet provider like Starband, I decided to call D&D Satellite to see what they knew about WildBlue. “Hello,” said the guy who answered the phone, “how may I help you?” “I’m interested in WildBlue,” I said. “Yes, we’re a dealer” he told me.

“What!” I screamed. “You’re a dealer??!!” It turned out that D&D had only been a dealer for a short time, but it still mystified me that WildBlue was keeping this a secret. That made more sense when I learned that D&D Satellite works through Plumas-Sierra Telecommunications, which is an offshoot of the Plumas-Sierra Rural Electric Cooperative in northern California.

So we’re GotSky customers with a WildBlue system. I’ve told this tale for the benefit of other people who, like me, have been waiting for a WildBlue dealer to pop up in their area. Check with GotSky because it doesn’t look like WildBlue central is publicizing some dealers who have chosen to associate themselves with Plumas-Sierra.

The installation went very smoothly. We’ve got a satellite dish on our roof that is a bit larger than our DISH network television equipment. A modem the size of a large book sits under a desk. It’s connected directly to my wife’s computer. I get WildBlue in my office downstairs (and also thoughout our house) through a LinkSys wireless router hooked up to the modem.

Installation and equipment cost $334. We’re paying $69.95 a month for the Select Pak plan on a two-year contract.

Getting high speed internet in our rural home makes the cost worth it to us. I’m saving a lot of time each day, though this is somewhat offset by my new broadband-enabled addiction to Google Earth and flying around the world.

[Nov. 29 update: our current speed is clocking in considerably higher at a bit over 1 mbps down and 175 kbps up. It could be that our subscription hadn't been upgraded to the 1 mbps plan when I wrote the post above. At first we signed up for the 500 kbps plan but right away I got greedy, wanting more, and phoned GotSky to upgrade--which may have taken a while to go into effect.]

Comments

[Bonnie]

I came across your site while doing a Google search regarding Webmail. Just wondering if you have a need to use Webmail. We just got a wireless laptop we would like to take with us when we stay in Reno to go shopping. Live just 65 miles northwest of Reno. Anyway, I have been trying to import my Outlook Express Address Book to gotsky.com webmail. Everything goes fine until I press the finsish button and then I get a message saying that the upload failed. Called support but they are lost. Just thought I would check with you. We just got connected the end of November and we love it.

[Steve]

I had WidBlue installed less than a month ago and it has been nothing short of catastrophy.I have done or called everybody who has anything to do with this system installation etc.. Even took my pc into have it checked.I am going to have it remove from my yard.

[Travis]

Hello, If anyone reading this is looking into Wildblue. I am a national dealer with a huge network of install companies to help with your installation needs.. Just call 775-882-3907 and ask for Travis.

[Jenni]

What company is providing you with your mobile satellite connection (http://www.ipinternational.net/mobile.php)? I am currently using IP Access International and have been using them for about a year with no problems what so ever. I’ve been everywhere from the bleak desert, to large cities and even underground building and have never had a problem connecting to the network. It’s possible that your mobile ISP doesn’t have good satellite strength at times and it could also be a bad network adapter. It does present a serious problem though when you have problems logging on while you inside a client’s office. That’s a deal killer right there. I’d give your ISP a call and at the very least have them trouble shoot it. Go online too and look for reviews regarding your ISP.

[matt]

hey im geting wild blue in 3 days now i hae a lap top capabal of wireless internet now does wild blue give out 1 or do i need to buy a router thank you.

[Brian]

matt, Wild Blue just supplies a modem. You need to supply your own router.

[Elliott Mehrbach]

I have to say that I hate WildBlue. And I have never said that about another company. But there is something so infuriating about WildBlue's total lack of customer support and their willingness to punish customers for weeks on end because their completely silly bandwidth limits are violated. I tried to call them yesterday and after a long wait a recorded message came on the line and said that I should call back in a few hours because they were to busy to take my call. Stay far away from WildBlue. Go with Hughes Net or anything else but WildBlue.

[Pete]

After switching to Wild Blue because of frustration with poor broadband service, I now long for the good old days of dialup. Wild Blue is TERRIBLE! After you click on a link count from between 15 to 30 before it even begins to load. Giganews shows my speed to be worse than dial up. After weeks of trying to get through to customer support they say, "If you read the contract, it says UP TO 512k." I often can't get my email because my connection times out. According to Wild Blue's own server it says my connection is too slow to connect to dishmail.net. I signed a stupid 18 month contract. DON'T BE STUPID LIKE ME!!!!! US Mail is faster than Wild Blue.

[Greta Kirby]

I hate Wild Blue. Their service reps will lie to you, and their so-called high speed is barely better than dial-up. I am locked into an 18 month contract but be assured at the end of this contract in Dec. 2008 I'm kicking them to the curb. I pay $52.00 a month for this unprofessional snail service and after my "special" introductory offer it goes to $62 a month. And for what?
If you don't have it, then DON'T GET IT!!!

[Jim]

I just had Wildblue installed by Stingray electronics of Montpelier, Vermont.
The installation went very well. The technician, Jim, was extremely effificient, knowledgeable and pleasant.
Not only do I had Stingray's phone #, but i also have Jim's cell AND home #.
I have had to unplug my modem a couple of times, but I have also had my share of issues with my old phone modem.

I have also made a couple of calls to WildBlue's tech support. Both of the ladies that I dealt with were real sweethearts as well as very knowledgable.

My only issue right now is with the damn Gmail provided by Google. Compared to Outlook, it sucks. Monday, I will call tech support and see how they handle getting rid of Gmail and getting all of my email to come thru Outlook.

J

[Brian]

Jim, you can have the best of both Gmail and Outlook. I meshed them when we were on WildBlue, and have done the same now that we have DSL.

You just need to set up Outlook and Gmail so Gmail is an email account to be downloaded by Outlook. Messages remain in the Gmail inbox so you can also access them via a web browser.

It's simple to do with Gmail. I can't remember the details. Gmail help explains it well. Basically, setting Gmail up as a POP account, I believe.

I have several email addresses. I forward the non-Gmail addresses to my Gmail account. Then the whole bunch gets downloaded by Outlook. Works nice. You might give this a try before dumping Gmail, which has a lot of benefits.

[Connie]

I have to say can't wait for my contract to be up in October 2008. Good bye wildblue. The worst in service and internet service. No customer support and I think dial up is way better.

This has been a nightmare from the beginning. The service or lack of is awful.Tech support forget it. Am glad we will be saying good bye shortly.

Do not get this service as it will only give you a headache.

[Elisha]

I have been satisfied with the service that I received from D&D Satellite. I had wild blue from them, with no problems. For technical support you can call D&D directly. They will call into Wildblue and check your signal strength for you.They also do service calls and offer other internet services.

The newest is Clear. That's what I have now. It is starting at 1 meg, or you can get faster packages. If you are rural Wild Blue is still the best option though.