Starband and Dish Network

[RWebb71980]

What does anybody know about Starband? I heard that starband and dish no longer associate with each other, and that starband is filing for chapter 11. Is there a starband forum or newsgroup anywhere?

Any help would be appreciated.

[Richard King]

Starband and Dish are sold independent of each other now. They can still be done on one dish as before, but the DBS kits are bought by dealers through Starband rather than Dish. Billing is done through each company, so you will get two bills per month. Starband filed for Chapter 11 a few months ago and are still operating while reorganizing. I suggest to my customers, after informing them of the Chapter 11 situation, that they don't put any more into hardware that necessary and pick one of the $199 plans and pay more on a monthly basis for the first year. There is a newsgroup Alt.satellite.starband

[jrjcd]

be afraid...be very afraid(before you buy a starband....lol)

[jwhite]

I have Dish and Starband on one dish. It works ok. By ok, I mean better than the 28.8 dialup that is my only other option. At the time I got it, it was $59/month if you had both.

Upload speed is about dialup speed, download is a lot faster except for FTP which aborts all the time. Gaming, very large downloads (corruption), VPN's and running any kind of server are all impossible or prohibited with Starband. I have had Direcpc and two other non-namebrand one-way setups and they all have their own kinds of massive problems, so their isn't a "greener pasture" anywhere. Satellite Internet is for those of us who have NO other choices. Get DSL, Cable Modem, ISDN or even multiple 56K dialups (bonded together) instead of Satellite Internet. You'll be a lot less frustrated.

About Chapter 11, RKING has the right idea about minimizing your upfront dollars. An even better way is to buy a used setup. It will still need the same expensive "pro" install, but your out of pocket for the hardware will be less. People are always selling them as DSL or cable modems become available and they go pretty cheap as the number of available buyers is low.

I just hope that Starband stays in business until DSL gets here. It is 6 miles away (but probably another year).

Good luck!
Jay

[RWebb71980]

What about DirecWay? It seems cheaper, but their website has very little technical information.
thanks, Rob

[Geronimo]

I though t DirecWay was the same price after a short into period. How much is it?

[Richard King]

Starband is currrently $199 plus installation with a 12 month committment at $99 for the first 12 months and $69 for the next 12. If you commit to 24 months the cost drops to $59 after 12 months. If you happen to find a used one you will pay a flat $69 from the first day, not a bad saving over 12 month.

If DSL or cable modem service is available, GO that way FAST. Starband is meant only for areas where there are no other alternatives.

Shoot 'em up gaming is impossible because of physics. The satellite is 22,000 miles over the equator. Time (latency) is required to have the signal travel from your computer/dish to the satellite and down to the network hub at Starband. By the time the signal makes the trip, you are shot.

I have been using Starband (with Dish on the same dish) since it's beta testing days about 2 years ago and can't say that I have ever had problems with large downloads. That seems to be one are where it works quite well.

Starband install pix: http://www.pbase.com/rking401/starband_installs

[boba]

I started with Dish's Beta test of starband and have little good to say about it. I think DISH wrote off something like $100,000,000 investment in Starband. If you look at the amount of money they owed when they filed for Chapt.11 there is no way they could come out. They are currently trying to switch debt holders to investor status, I just don't see enough customers out there at their pricing to ever be successful.