Wireless and Satellite-Based Broadband Internet Access

Introduction

Here in the Inland Empire, local telcos and/or cable providers can't or won't service your area with DSL or cable-based Internet services. Your options in this case are to wait for the service to become available, or to seek alternatives. Given the way your local telco and cable service providers operate, you'll most likely be waiting for a while. Read on for a summary of alternate Internet broadband service providers.

Wireless Internet Service Providers (WISPs)

Where DSL and cable-based broadband services aren't available, one of the best alternatives is to go with a wireless internet service provider, or WISP.  Local providers of this type of service are Spokane-based Air-Pipe and POVN in Newport, Washington.. Here's how it works: these outfits lease bandwidth from major providers such as Qwest, Verizon or 180Networks. They distribute access to that bandwidth through microwave relays located on local towers. The subscriber  - that's you - must purchase the antenna and receiver/transmitter assembly necessary to acquire the signal. Costs typically run in the $200 - $300 dollar range for subscriber premises gear, and the installation can be almost as much depending upon current provider promotions. Thus, your start-up costs can be $400 - $700 but can be less. Subscription rates vary, but are usually comparable to high-end DSL and low to mid range satellite services - roughly $60 - $90 per month.

Communication speeds offered by private wireless ISPs often exceed those offered by satellite-based ISPs on the lower end of the service spectrum. Reliable wireless broadband services are just now becoming available outside the city core. Air-Pipe, for example, has possibly the most extensive and best-engineered backbone of any of the local providers. But many small WISPs simply don't have the resources that the local phone or satellite companies have at their disposal.

Yet, WISPs offer a legitimate alternative to satellite-based ISPs and telco-provided DSL services, if you can get it.

Caveats. Here's what you need to consider before you take the plunge into local wireless broadband.

Line-of-sight issues. Microwave-based terrestrial broadband services are not all-pervasive like AM and FM radio. The microwave signal is very high frequency, and thus is easily blocked by trees, foliage or other obstructions. In other words, if you can't actually see the antenna the service provider uses to cover your area, then you're out of luck. Competent providers such as Air-Pipe can map your address to GPS coordinates and get a pretty good idea of whether or not you can receive their service.

Technology. There are many ways to implement a wireless network, but there are very few ways to do it correctly. While this subject can veer off into arcane issues surrounding network architectures and protocols, it's worth a brief look at what makes one provider's service superior to another's. Currently,  Air-Pipe of Spokane has the best engineered and lowest contention rate network in the area. Unlike others, Air-Pipe has invested substantial resources in building a solid and reliable backbone for their wireless broadband network.

Survivability. Local private wireless broadband providers have one not-so-small small issue: survivability. And the issue usually comes down to what is commonly referred to as 'tower politics.'  Here's the problem: radio towers suitable for the sort of use required by microwave-based terrestrial broadband services and the real-estate to support them are hugely expensive. Costs typically range from a quarter of a million dollars to three quarters of a million dollars or more for the necessary infrastructure, power and access to a suitable site. Towers over 60 feet in height come under an entirely different (and expensive) set of rules and regulations. Ongoing maintenance can run thousands per month per tower site. And you need more than one tower if you're going to cover a broad enough area to guarantee enough subscribers to keep you in business. This is clearly beyond the means of most small private operators. Then there is the fact that most of the prime tower real estate is already in the hands of the big telcos, local TV and radio stations and the government. Let's just say that these entities don't share well. The end result is that a number of local providers have 'gone dark' over the last six years or so when they were booted off their towers for one reason or another. Air-Pipe, however, has obtained FCC certification and has the the best prospect for a continued future.

Cellular Broadband

Looking at the range of so-called 'cellular WIFi' such as that offered by Verizon - speeds drop off rapidly with distance from the nearest cell phone tower. The basic problem with the broadband wireless cards offered for your laptop by Verizon for example, is that your service is only going to be as good as your cell phone reception. And the quality of service that's acceptable for voice isn't necessarily going to give you a great internet-access experience. And at $80 a month or more for the service, this may not be a great solution for those of us who don't live within a fairly short distance from the local cell tower.

Another issue: these services don't lend themselves well to a networked small office / home office environment. The cards or USB adapters that the less expensive service levels depend upon are only good for for one laptop or workstation at a time. In other words, you can't effectively network on of those spiffy little wireless adapters. Verizon and AT&T do offer business level service via a proprietary wireless router, but at prices that you're not likely to be willing to pay.

Yet another gotcha: What Qwest, AT&T and Verizon don't mention in their commercials, if you exceed the limits set by their plans, you are currently charged at the rate of half a dollar per megabyte! Let's say that again: exceed your limits and you will be charged half a dollar per megabyte!. This is a good way to see what a $500 internet service bill looks like.

The Takeaway: Local wireless broadband providers represent a legitimate alternative to satellite-based Internet and telco-provided DSL services, while they last. 'Nuff said. If you are in a position to get  Air-Pipe service - get it. Great service and well-thought-out technology at a great price. Give cellular broadband a pass unless you live close to a tower and/or you don't really care about networking - and even then there's no guarantee.

Satellite-Based Broadband Internet Access

Satellite-based broadband services use one or more satellites as the link between you and your Internet service provider (ISP). In this case, a satellite acts as a relay in the communications chain. Some satellite systems have been designed from the start for internet traffic, and these work very well. Other systems piggy-back on top of communications architectures designed primarily for TV, and their performance and reliability reflect that fact.

Why Should I Use Satellite-Based Broadband?

Reason Number One: Location Issues

Rural Areas

If you live in a rural area, satellite-based broadband service is often your best choice. In fact, it may well be your only alternative to dial-up.  The reason for this is that in rural / semi-rural areas, your local telephone company simply doesn't see the the population density necessary to warrant the investment in the time, equipment, expertise and ongoing maintenance costs necessary to set up, operate and maintain conventional broadband Internet services such as DSL and cable. Generally speaking, the quality of rural telephone lines, while fine for voice, is so poor as to make the whole Internet experience frustrating and basically unworkable. In many areas, you're dealing with copper lines that are 30 to 50 years old. Dialup connection speeds are often in the 16.8 to 28.8 kbps range. If you run a business out of your home, this won't do. You simply can't afford the slow speeds and dropped connections that are so typical of rural telephone line quality. And services like voice over IP (VoIP) and VPNs are out of the question. Another item worth considering: your local telco is by law obligated to guarantee voice-quality service only. 

What's Your Speed?

Urban/Suburban Areas

If you live in an urban area, DSL- or cable-based broadband may be your best and most cost-effective bet for high-speed Internet access. You may have several choices when it comes to obtaining broadband services for your home or business. The reason for this is simple: the higher population density of urban areas makes the high cost of offering high speed Internet services a good investment for local providers. In other words, urban/suburban areas simply provide more potential customers per square mile.

But even in the largest of urban areas, jurisdictional, economic and right-of-way issues can lead to conventional broadband 'blind spots.' It is not unusual to be within a stone's throw of high-speed optical fiber lines, yet have no way to access them because of those issues. Internet service providers (ISPs) seldom find it worth their while to deal with the cost and aggravation of trying to cut across the legal and political lines in order to make their services available to us. Still, DSL, cable or terrestrial wireless broadband may be the best alternatives for you if you can get them.

Reason Number Two: Performance and Reliability Requirements

• Performance. Interestingly enough, some satellite-based (or VSAT-based as it is also known) broadband services actually offer faster speeds than conventional DSL- or cable-based providers. Satellite-based broadband speeds can run as high as 5-7 Mbps as opposed to cable's 6 Mbps and DSL's 768 Kbps to 1+ mbps. Notice that we didn't say that satellite-based services are cheaper - just faster in some cases.

• Reliability. For some occupations and business operations, 99% uptime or better is a must. Satellite systems are, as a rule, less prone to the issues that can affect the reliability of telephone- or cable-based systems. If this seems like a stretch, take a look at the roof of every gas station and convenience store. Virtually all of them use a satellite-based system for credit/debit card validation and other point-of-sale systems. Some even have two entirely separate systems - one as primary and the other for fail-over, or backup. The same holds true for many pharmacies and hospitals. And their satellite-based internet access is not used as a backup - it is their primary communication mode. Finally, consider this: no one's going to put a backhoe through a ground-to-satellite connection.

The Takeaway:

Here's your bottom line on satellite-based broadband internet access providers:

• Use local terrestrial services if you can get them. Generally speaking and for low-priority everyday residential use, DSL, cable-based or terrestrial wireless broadband internet services are your best bet if you can get them. Most of the time (but not always), it's a better deal. For business use however, satellite-based internet access can offer real advantages over premium services like T1 or 56K frame relay in terms of cost, reliability and performance.

• Engage a competent installer. If you go with a satellite-based internet service provider whose capabilities and limitations match your planned usage, then engage an experienced, knowledgeable installer with a proven track record and solid references. It's important to understand that the vast majority of dissatisfied satellite system users have made a poor choice of service provider and/or have gotten a poor installation.  See the site Broadband Reports for real customer reviews and experiences.

• TV service installers generally make poor satellite Internet installers. Choose a company that can provide an complete, end-to-end solution for your home or business, not one that will just install the dish and walk away. Remember: the job's not done if you aren't left with a secure, well-integrated connection. Most TV installers are clueless when it comes to computer issues, networking and security.

• StarLAN Consulting Services will ensure that you get a satellite-based internet service that matches your needs and expectations combined with expert installation and integration with your existing network. Don't have a network or need an upgrade for your existing one? StarLAN Consulting Services can take care of that, too.

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Other Satellite ISPs

StarLAN Consulting Services represents BroadSky Networks as its sole recommended and supported business-class satellite Internet provider. Here's why: WildBlue, StarBand and HughesNet (formerly DirecWay) also offer satellite Internet access - but their service falls well short of those offered by BroadSky Networks. The chief objection to WildBlue, StarBand and HughesNet is their 'throttling' of your service when you exceed a certain download limit. HughesNet and WildBlue call this their 'Fair Access Policy;' StarBand calls it their 'Acceptable Use Policy.' This is all a polite way of saying that their systems won't support the bandwidth that LinkStar or iDirect offers. Here it is from HughesNet's own website in their own tiny print:

               "HughesNet Systems are subject to a Fair Access Policy limiting cumulative total download amount to 169 MegaBytes during a 1-4 hour period."

Yikes! It doesn't take long to blow past HughesNet's 'Fair Access Policy limit and find yourself throttled or even shut down, and especially so if you are running a home office or home-based business. WildBlue is a relative newcomer on the satellite broadband scene, but they suffer from the same 'Fair Access Policy issues as DirecWay/HughesNet. And that's not 'fair' at all. Want streaming audio and video? Forget it. 'Podcasts? Don't even think about it!

Another issue: HughesNet doesn't really have local dealers. You buy directly through Hughes and your installation is fulfilled by a low-paid installer from as far away as Lewiston or even Tacoma. Here's the real problem: The $12.00/hr TV installer types the mega-dealers and fulfillment outfits send out are by and large the ones responsible for a ridiculous number of bad installations.  They have absolutely no stake in the installation nor are they interested in long-term customer relations. They basically don’t give a damn.  Hughes isn't alone in that regard. WildBlue also sells direct, and there are any number of Internet-based outfits that'll sell you the gear and then fish around for a local installer. The bottom line: the odds of your getting a quality installation are pretty poor if you buy direct or from anyone who isn't a local dealer/installer. 

You expect service level agreements and acceptable use policies that do not hamper your access to the Internet when you purchase one of these services, and that is precisely what BroadSky Networks delivers. The others don't. Don't bet your business on anything less!

As for other Satellite Internet providers, check out http://www.howstuffworks.com/question606.htm and you'll discover that their websites are either gone or inoperable. Not encouraging. Sky Vista and WildBlue have the best technology, the best cost model, the longest history and the best overall performance and support. The bottom line: BroadSky Networks, WildBlue and StarBand are your best choices!

See the Residential Satellite Service Comparison and the  Commercial Satellite Service Comparison pages for a more extensive comparison of the various satellite-based broadband services.

Security - It's Your Responsibility

Shop carefully. Broadband service providers differ widely in their offerings and in their understanding of fundamental security and networking issues. The issue of security bears careful consideration - ignore it at your peril. The fact is that most terrestrial and satellite-based broadband service providers offer little or nothing in the way of a secure connection. Some providers claim to offer spam, virus and botnet protection, but almost without exception, the safeguards they use are minimal at best. That puts the responsibility for maintaining the security of your private and personal information squarely in your lap. The relatively unsecured nature of your broadband connection need not be an issue for you and your business. Please see the Data Security section of this website for an overview of the products, policies and techniques that will help you to keep your personal, business and financial data secure from those with bad intent.