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There's no southern sky for 10 miles?
"of any sort" might not be the phrase you're looking for.

You're right... let's call it, "any sort less than less than $50 a month" (alternate link here).

er, I'm from Washington too (other side of the state). What bugs me is that they can get decent, high-speed access out in the middle of the Atlantic, yet I'm still stuck with a high-latency, FAP-happy satellite connection.

Considered satellite broadband (for example, DirecWay ?

Wouldn't trade in my cable modem for it, but it looks like it'd be better than your setup -- and a lot cheaper than moving to the city.

> Why not Direcwav while you're at it? It's $100
> setup and $50/month and all you need is a direct
> view of the southern sky (in TX I doubt that would
> be a problem - and no, I'm not even a customer of
> theirs).

FWIW, from the URL: http://hns.getdway.com/faqs.html#twentythree

Q: Can I put this system on a boat or in an RV?
A: No. The DIRECWAY system as supplied by HUGHES is for fixed installs only. Third-party providers do offer customized solutions for this requirement.

Do able, but not from DirectWay directly.

Direcway Pricing

Except latency sucks, and DirecWay's Fair Access Policy means that if you download more than 169 MB in some period of time (their website doesn't say), you get dropped to 47 kbps for 8 - 12 hours.

The software for my roommate's digital camera was a 125 MB download from HP. Using this for anything like installing or upgrading a Linux box is out of the question. I've seen 50 MB government documents doled out like candy.

Ergo, as long as the world keeps getting more byte-bloated, the technical limitations of satellite internet will plague it into highly rural markets, as even many small communities have some form of land-based broadband.

I'd suggest DirecWay if you've got a cabin in the middle of nowhere, but that's about it.

For a supposedly "operating system agnostic" ISP I'm disappointed that Flash is required to use DirecWay's web site.

Of course, "agnostic" means "skeptical about the existence of God". Perhaps what is required is a full "atheist operating system".

--
Joe

"Q: What is the difference between the DW6000 modem and the DW4000 modem? A: The DW6000 is the next-generation DIRECWAY system modem with a sleek new design. It makes connecting to the Internet easier by incorporating DIRECWAY software inside the DW6000 unit. So there's no DIRECWAY software to load on your computer or upgrades to download. The DW6000 automatically updates itself via the satellite. Also, the DW6000 modem houses both the transmit and receive components in one compact unit, unlike the DW4000 that has separate transmit and receive modems stacked together and linked by a 24-pin serial cord.

It also uses a simple Ethernet connection to connect your computer to your DIRECWAY service. Once your satellite dish is installed and connected to the DW6000, all you need to do is connect your computer by using the provided Ethernet cable and you're high-speed surfing (see 'Can I run DIRECWAY on a small network?' for networking capability requirements).

Q: Is the DW6000 faster than the DW4000? No. Both the DW6000 and the DW4000 modems deliver the same DIRECWAY high-speed service experience. The DW6000 modem allows you to connect to Windows- and Macintosh-based operating systems, has no software to load on your computer, and makes networking your DIRECWAY high-speed connection to multiple home computers easier (see 'Can I run DIRECWAY on a small network?' for more information on home networking).

Q: Should I upgrade to the DW6000 from my current DW4000? A: Upgrading from a DW4000 modem to the next-generation DW6000 modem is a good idea if you would like to network more than one home computer or laptop to your DIRECWAY high-speed connection. By networking more than one computer, your family will be able to access your DIRECWAY high-speed Internet connection from any computer on the network and will not have to wait in line in order to get online.

Please understand that all computers on this network will be sharing a single connection. Simultaneous use of high bandwidth applications by multiple users may result in degradation of speed and is subject to the Fair Access Policy. Actual speeds may vary. Speed and uninterrupted use of service are not guaranteed."

The cost figures make me wonder whether a WISP might be less expensive. Sprint and AT&T Wireless have been advertising cellular based WISP service in the Boston area. I don't know if this type of service is available in the Ann Arbor area.

Speaking of dry pairs and T1 lines, I have heard that if you can order Switched 56 or ISDN from the phone company, you can be assured of obtaining a dedicated copper pair. Once you have the copper pair, you MAY be able to switch over to ISDN service.