Prehistoric Internet and the Perils of Satellite Connections

Wildblue Satellite Internet is a horrible, evil company and their product is a ripoff. Yes, I’ve considered how expensive satellite technology is, and the fixed speed of light. They still suck and are still evil.

Our connection has been down for a week. They had a service call scheduled on Wednesday. That morning, the subcontracted repair company calls to say that they can’t come out because Wildblue hasn’t sent them the parts they need.

This is the second time in a year they’ve done this. I paid over $300 for this equipment and it keeps breaking and no one ever has parts. I called customer service, sat on hold for 30 minutes and got an unsympathetic representative. She informed me that my contract was up at the end of May, then asked me if I wanted to cancel, or not. I declined at that moment, which tops the list of stupid things I’ve done.

Thursday I was grasping for straws. I went to see the folks at Verizon, to talk to them about an air card. We don’t get much of a signal on the property, and very little to no signal in the house, but our neighbors have a decent signal. So we talked about repeaters, and when we get back from vacation, I will be investing in one to see if we can boost our signal strength enough to use a cellphone connection. Because using the cellphone to surf the net is still cheaper and more reliable that satellite internet.

Friday I went out and bought a 56k modem and opened a dial up account. Sadly, it is not much slower than my satellite internet was, and even sadder, it’s $60 a month cheaper.

At some point over the summer, Verizon will be launching a broadband network in my area. If the repeater works, and I’m told I am a good candidate, I would have a near-cable speed connection.

So, for now, I’m limited to what my little crappy dial up connection can handle. Still, I’m free from satellite hell, and I’ve already contacted a few companies about selling that damn dish and modem, so there.

I got a card in the mail from AT&T about high speed internet in my area this week. I tore into it eagerly, hopefully. I live in a five mile gap between two ends of digital phone lines and digital cable lines. I just know that someone will close the gap. I just know it. It is only a matter of time. I thought the blessed day was on the horizon.

Nope! AT&T has partnered with Wildblue to offer satellite service to us dead zone folks. Well, you can keep your damn satellite internet, and personally, I cannot think of a better, more evil corporate alignment that a shitty satellite company and the telephone monopoly.

Cross your fingers for me that the repeater works, cause I can’t take this much longer…………….

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