Internet service on the road - making a switch

When George was volunteering in Big Bend, we could not get a cell signal. We ended up getting a landline to get on the Internet and make phone calls. It was the usual slow connection until 4:30 or so when the kids got home from school. If you got offline for dinner, it was hit and miss getting back on. Not satisfactory, but my Verizon aircard didn't work and neither did our cell phones. For a faster connection upon occasion I drove to Terelingua to a coffee shop that had WiFi.

Close to the end of our stay, we decided to go with satellite Internet. We ordered a system from Maxwell Satellite. In a few days, we had our system and George had it set up and working. I discontinued my aircard. That was in early 2005. Maxwell, by the way, has always been great to work with.

Last summer we found some limitations of the satellite system (as there are with all forms of connection). In the trees of New England, we could not always aim the satellite to pick up a signal. This winter in Arizona, our satellite system has been extremely slow. I have a dial-up connection with Earthlink I keep for when I'm visiting friends and relatives where I can't use satellite. Earthlink has been faster than Hughes! We have tested speeds and are sometimes getting only 25 kbs upload. The amount you can expect is higher, but that's all we are getting. Frustration!

On top of that, I suddenly lost access to my email. After talking to someone in India, I finally got to a "high level" technician in Maryland. That allowed me seven days with my pin and case number to talk to an American. However, they were no more helpful. After a couple of tries, I found out my email had been blocked because I am a spammer! The high-level tech people - and customers like me - however, cannot talk directly to the email department or the ones who handle "abuse." No one would/could tell me what I had done to trigger this event.

Next problem: Hughes would have to mail me a letter, which I would have to sign. I'm guessing that in  it, I would swear never to spam again. However, they would only mail it to the physical address on record, an address which does not receive U.S. mail. A post office box or general delivery was not ok. Almost three weeks have passed and I have not received the letter. Apparently it won't go to my mail forwarding address in South Dakota either.The case number and pin have expired, so it means starting over with India. In the meantime, all emails to Hughes have bounced and I have switched to Gmail.

George has been researching aircards lately, what with the broadband access now available. (Bless him!) Many RVers have switched. We were doubtful, especially for remote areas. However, after our treatment by Hughes and the slowness of the Internet connection as I try to upload a new Web site, on Tuesday we bought one of the new Broadband Aircards. We have 30 days to try it out. So far, we are very pleased. George has been running speed tests comparing the two systems. The Aircard is getting what Hughes promises; Hughes is getting around 75 download, 25 upload with a good 30 second before it pings- meaning it takes that long to even start sending.

We will be at Lake Alamo in Arizona for a RoVing Rods gathering right after Easter. It is quite aways from I-10 but RVers already in the area say they are getting a cell signal. With a Wilson antennae and an amplifier, we should be fine. That will be the test, however. It will be just in time to cancel Hughes before the next billing cycle and before our 30 days is up.

Anyone want to buy a perfectly good satellite Internet system- cheap?! I do hear they are adding a satellite, which should make a difference in speed. Jaimie Hall-Bruzenak

Comments

[Eric Hall]

Hi,

I just read your article on internet service on the road. I think you hit home with all of youre points. I currently use a Srpint Aircard, I love it. My wife and I are full time RV'ers and depend on the web to contact home and now to maintain our new website, which is still in its infancy.

One problem I have had with all of the sattelite internet service is they will not handle VOIP phone service. With my aircard I also purchased a Linksys Router from Sprint that allows me to insert the aircard into it and go online without having a computer turned on. The router functions as do all wireless routers so I connect the network wirelessly. This has enabled us to take our laptops outside, if we would like, and log on from he patio area or anywhere else around the RV. The cost is a little steep, but no more than sat service, its around $60.00 a month in the Detroit metro area for unlimited access. The aircard was free with a 2 year service commitment.

I will be posting an article on my website, with some pictures, so everyone can see just how simple it is.

Thanks for your wonderfull site, its a great referance place for things I need to address.

[Jaimie Hall- Bruzenak]

Thanks for the comment! I'm glad the Sprint Aircard is working for you. So far, so good with Verizon. We also have a router so we can share the signal. Jaimie

[Linda R. Moore]

How much would you like for the satellite equipment? Certainly interested, if the price is right, though it's very interesting to read your comments as well.

(I'd appreciate an email rather than a comment here if you could--not for privacy, but because I will probably forget to come back and check!)

Pleased to meet you, anyway!

[Andrew Thio]

Thanks for the comparative review of the 2 systems. Could you please give an update after 4 mos. of using the Verizon aircard? What model of aircard/modem, antenna & router?
Thanks again.