G, how difficult is it going to be to get my address changed over after HughesNet gets my system installed? I suppose I will still have my SandiBeach address with g-mail until I can get the new one set up in Outlook Express? What information do I need from HughesNet to make the address change? I suspect this is very elementary but I have never done this before. Sandi ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gman" <gman.pctt@xxxxxxxxx> To: <pctechtalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Tuesday, July 22, 2008 5:44 PM Subject: -=PCTechTalk=- Re: high speed internet > Sandi, > We had problems with the service almost from day 1. The speeds and > connectivity were great at first, but soon started to drop off. Within > about a month, we were hardly able to connect at all. After several calls > and transfers (and a couple of months complaining), I got to speak with a > WildBlue senior tech who confessed that one of their 5 satellite beams was > having a serious issue and it was affecting everyone running off of that > beam. During our conversation, she asked me if I would prefer to back out > of my contract without penalty. I asked her to give me her personal > opinion > on whether the service would be fixed and improved any time soon and she > said she did, but couldn't give me a timetable since the techs themselves > weren't really sure what was at the root of the problem. I knew she was > being real with me (a VERY strange feeling when dealing with most tech > support people) so I told her I'd hang in there a little while longer. > Thankfully, she was kind enough to add that offer to my records so that I > could activate it later if necessary. > > Well, they got the beam fixed, but a few months later, we were hit with > a FAP violation and our speeds were cut down to just above dial-up speeds. > Our contract was for their top tier $80 US/month service (1.5Mb/second) > which includes 17000Mb worth of downloads and 256Mb in uploads over any > rolling 30 day period (this is much higher than Hughes FAP limit, BTW), so > there was no way that we had come anywhere near that amount over the > previous 30 days (or ANY 30 day period for that matter). I called to > complain and was told that DishNetwork doesn't monitor bandwidth use and > has > no way to even look into the matter. When I asked them to put me in touch > with someone at WildBlue, I was told that my contract specifically states > that I can only get support directly from DishNetwork. I was absolutely > livid! The speed reduction remains in place until the measured use drops > below 70% of the limit, which is 11000Mb in our case. It took about 3 > weeks > at those dial-up speeds for it to drop that low and our advertised speeds > to > be reinstated. > > By now, you can probably imagine where I'm going with this. After > numerous calls, transfers and runarounds (and a couple more FAP violation > accusations/speed reductions), I eventually had enough and decided to play > the wildcard that wonderful WildBlue senior tech had added to my account > record. I backed out of the 18-month contract after about 10 months of > headaches without penalty (although they unsuccessfully tried to charge me > for a lot more equipment than I had used) and switched over to the DSL > that > my phone company had JUST finally brought into my neighborhood. > > My current connection is now DSL and is the slowest speed the company > offers (1.0Mb/s), but they tell us it's the best they can do for our area. > The funny thing is that our perceived speeds are actually much faster than > when we were using satellite internet, there's no such thing as a FAP and > the company is very responsive, courteous, etc. to customer calls. Oh, > and > the package only costs us $20 US/month for the first year under the sale > they had going at the time we signed up. That will increase to the usual > $30 US/month for the second year. Faster speeds, no FAP and decent > service > for about 1/4 of the price? Go figure! lol > > Peace, > Gman > > "The only dumb questions are the ones we fail to ask" > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Sandi Beach" <sandib2@xxxxxxxxx> > To: <pctechtalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > Sent: Tuesday, July 22, 2008 5:49 PM > Subject: -=PCTechTalk=- Re: high speed internet > > >> G, did you last through your 18 month contract period or opt out sooner? >> If >> sooner, what kind of a penalty did you have to pay. We will be on a 2 >> year >> contract and that bothers me a bit. Especially when I just now thought >> about cleaning the snow off the dish in the winter time! >> I have explored all other options. I thought for a while we might get >> high >> speed with our local telephone service which is Nex-Tech rural telephone >> but >> they could not see us though all the trees. I offered to negotiate >> putting >> up a tower on our property but they have had several offers like that. >> Not >> enough population out here to make that attractive to them. Then I >> learned >> they would be putting up another tower but when I checked on the location >> we >> will still not be within sight so--- just hope HughesNet works for me. >> Several people in this area have told me they are happy with them. >> Sandi > > > --------------------------------------------------------------- > Please remember to trim your replies (including this sentence and > everything below it) and adjust the subject line as necessary. > > To unsubscribe or change your email settings: > //www.freelists.org/webpage/pctechtalk > > To access our Archives: > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PCTechTalk/messages/ > //www.freelists.org/archives/pctechtalk/ > > To contact only the PCTT Mod Squad, write to: > pctechtalk-moderators@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > --------------------------------------------------------------- > > > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com > Version: 8.0.138 / Virus Database: 270.5.4/1566 - Release Date: 7/22/2008 > 6:00 AM > > > --------------------------------------------------------------- Please remember to trim your replies (including this sentence and everything below it) and adjust the subject line as necessary. 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