Satelite Questions

I am currently considering Satellite Broadband as fibre is not available for me. I was wondering what recommendations people have for this service. Here is what I would be hoping for and some questions:
I would be looking for the maximum speed available.
I am also a heavy user, but happy to change my habits to download off peak. When they say off peak unlimited is that subject to any kind of fair use policy at all? However unlimited 24/7 would be best.
As little initial outlay as possible (I would also be looking to hire the equipment). I would need installation due to a mortal fear of heights.
Cost preferably about the £50 mark but will go higher.
I would keep my current broadband for the time being but if the satellite turns out good then I can offshoot some of the expense by cancelling the BB & telephone service (BB max speed is 3.5mb down & <1mb up).
Does it work with Netflix etc?
Is it correct that I can forget about any kind of online gaming (PS3) with satellite?
Location is Ayrshire Scotland

Many thanks

800ms latency so yes say goodbye to any FPS gaming, old fashioned role play and round robin stuff may work

24/7 unlimited for £50/month - this was tried and congestion killed the service, so most have limits during peak times and unlimited overnight, but have not looked at depth to the contracts so check for fair use policies.

If your ADSL speeds are more than 2 Mbps I'd just stick with ADSL. If its 1 to 2 Mbps then get a second line and do downloads on one and leave other stuff to the other connection.

Some satellite services can have Geo IP services, so you need to get confirmation that your IP address and access appears as a UK resident or some things like BBC iPlayer work.

What location, have you totally ruled out improvements arriving via the BDUK or other projects

I'm in Kilmarnock - KA13TQ, Exchange Only line unfortunately, yet the slapped the Fibre box exactly where the EO lines start (ironic).

I contacted the local MP regarding and she contacted Openreach (high level complaints and this is their resonse:

.........
Thank you for your email of 31 March to Clova Fyfe, including correspondence from your constituent, EDITED KA1 3TQ. I welcome the opportunity to respond. I appreciate EDITED's need for super-fast fibre broadband and I do understand his concern. I�m sure you will recall that I wrote to you earlier this week about another of your constituents. I explained that we are, unfortunately, unable to supply him with fibre broadband because his line is classed as an Exchange Only (EO) line, which is incompatible with our Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC) technology. Mr EDITED line is also fed directly from the exchange, and not via a street cabinet, so I�m afraid his situation is exactly the same as with Mr EDITED. I�m sorry that we can�t provide fibre broadband for him. From comments in his email to you, it seems that he is already knows this. We�re very much aware that EO lines fed directly from the exchange to customers� premises is a problem that affects many areas nationally. Deployment in this part of the network brings a range of technical challenges and we�re running a number of trials and pilots to develop the best solution. Although I can�t give a timescale, we hope to deploy solutions at exchanges that are in the fibre programme and where it�s commercially viable. Meanwhile, our advice to the residents and businesses in the area is to register their interest for the fibre product with their Service Provider. All this will help us to identify commercial demand and shape our future deployment plans. I realise this is not the response Mr EDITED was looking for but I hope my comments assure you that we�re actively working on solutions to address this situation. If I�ve missed anything please get in touch with me, quoting our reference in the subject line. If you�ve any wider concerns about broadband delivery in your constituency and wish to discuss them further, please continue to get in touch Clova on 020 7356 5352 or [email protected].

......................................................Edited out personal data

as much use as an ashtray on a motorbike!

I know for some EO lines they can slap a cabinet outside the exchange, but I am almost 3KM from the exchange as the crow flies, my line is 'aparently' over 5KM (one engineer said it was almost 8KM). No two Openreach engineers say the same thing about that.

I would even consider FTPoD but not sure if that would be an option or available. The cabinet is extremly close (even following the road), but I would assume they would have to dig up the street or something to run a line from cabinet to the house.

I had hoped perhaps satelite may be a solution.

Anyone would think Openreach is some kind of secret society as they are nigh imposible to contact and they all seem to sing from the same pre defined hymsheet.

While 3.5 mb may seem fine to some people it is really frustrating.

I appreciate the reply )

This link may give you some idea of service. and supplier.
It is competitive against other suppliers looked at for a no broadband area of Powys Wales. No grant available.
Big drawback is length of contracts required, 24 months, without being able to trial

http://forums.thinkbroadband.com/otherbb/t/4323373-d...

The night downloads from satellite (Tooway) really are unlimited and do not activate the throttling. I have downloaded a great deal at night.

Since you are lucky enough to already have what I regard as an adequate service, i.e. over 2Mb, I agree that you should stick with that. The delay is annoying with satellite. If I could get 2Mb I would not bother with the satellite.

I know it is frustrating. Just be glad you don't get the 0.5Mb that BT provides me - with no plans so far to improve it.

zoinks 0.5Mb, I sure am glad I dont get that. In a sense that makes me appreciate my slow speeds.

You could get another ADSL line installed and bond them together to get a 7mbps line which should be fine..

Could I ask who you currently get broadband from as you might be able to get a bonded service from them.

This might explain if you don't know already and Google search should help too
http://www.eclipse.net.uk/bonded-dsl/

You may get a more accurate indication of your Line Length, by using-

http://windows.mouselike.org/be/?DoAction=BrasChecker
(Click on "Fetch BRAS Info anyway")

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It may also be worth trying the "Quiet Line Test", to ensure your present set-up is achieving optimum results-

The tests do not take long AND there is NO CHARGE for them.

In conjunction with the BRAS Test above, they will put you in a stronger position when discussing the overall situation.


At the NTE (box where BT Line enters home) unplug normal connections.

With the following tests, it may be useful to do them twice at each point, once with an ADSL Splitter; and again without.

Plug in a Corded Phone (the older the better almost).

Dial 17070

Select Option 2 (Option 4 if SKY)

Apart from a very low-volume hum, there should be no untoward noises (Snap, Crackle & Pop), Tones including any resembling Dialing, Fax etc).


If there are, report them to your PHONE Provider as Phone Faults - even if you rarely/never use the Land Line.

AVOID mentioning Broadband!

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If there is nothing untoward, reconnect the normal items, then do a similar QLT from one of your in-house phone sockets.

If now, there are any untoward noises, they originate within your house; and you would have to trace them yourself etc.

I am currently with Sky for broadband.

I will try out the QLT when I get home, I only have the master switch in the house now as I disconnected everything else when troubleshooting.

Thanks,

I have the Tooway XL package (20/6) via Avonline. My ADSL line speed was zero @ 7km from the exchange.

Its £65 a month and has been running for a year.

Started off as 'unlimited' but is now 50Gb a month - the communicatiojn around this was appalling and the CEO of Tooway had a pretty aggressive approach to any criticism/comment about it.

I have still had no formal confirmation of the change in the Terms of service.

As for the practicalities, it works most of the time unless the weather is truly appalling.

Apart from the first month I have not had consistent 20 down/6 up 24/7 but I expected that.

Its very usable, I can Skype my kids OK and watch streaming content and more importantly update software.

The support team at Avonline are very good but bear in mind that if you have a bit of the hardware fail (as I did recently when the business end of the dish packed up), you pay the full cost of replacement and if not prepared to install the replacement yourself would have to wait for a team to do it which would also cost. TBH it was dead simple.

If you have no alternative (like me - no G, 2G, 3G or 4G, no copper and no wireless locally) its a godsend BUT its not the answer for the future unless a lot more Satelittes go up - I suspect for many it will be too costly as well.