Satellite Broadband

Submitted: Monday, Jul 31, 2006 at 01:09

ThreadID: 36299 Views:3318 Replies:6 FollowUps:14

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_gmd_pps

anybody using this ?

Site Link

am looking for a decent solution in the outback also useable on a boat.

and while we are at it : What TV (I assume satellite too) are you using ?
I am not so much into TV (would not spend much money on that ) but just occasional news etc ...

Anybody heard of faster broadband (mobile of course) than 256 or 512 at a decent price ?

I have a CDMA phone but am not interested in Telstra mobile .. coverage is not good enough ...

How many of you have internet in their campers/caravans ?

Regards
gmd

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Reply By: Mungo - Monday, Jul 31, 2006 at 07:24

Monday, Jul 31, 2006 at 07:24

GMD you have a spare $20K to $25K to spend on this satellite outfit for land and $35k for sea. For 2 way satellite for outback and marine use that is the $$$ you are up for. You cannot move the same gear from land to sea.

Telstra mobile coverage with decent broom stick style aerial system is good and better than majority think. You can get up to 100km from base station depending on terrain.
I am full time mobile wireless with Telstra and have been for many years and have no complaints. I dont believe there is any other affordable option, or none that I have found.
There is no other alternative to Telstra for average joe that is affordable. Perhaps you are not joe average financially.

AnswerID: 186194

Follow Up By: ellmcg - Monday, Jul 31, 2006 at 08:35

Monday, Jul 31, 2006 at 08:35

The purchase price on the website looks like $3000 to me.

Looks like a very decent deal for those who can't get broadband & VOIP another way. Not sure if I'd bother for short-term use - looks like they're after a 24 month contract.

FollowupID: 443233

Follow Up By: _gmd_pps - Monday, Jul 31, 2006 at 11:30

Monday, Jul 31, 2006 at 11:30

these prices are history ..
Thanks for posting
gmd

FollowupID: 443269

Reply By: Leroy - Monday, Jul 31, 2006 at 09:34

Monday, Jul 31, 2006 at 09:34

We use sat links to remote sites as a last resort. They work. They are not fast (but better than dial up) and have a few issues in bad weather.
You wouldn't be able to use it on a boat beause you have to align the dish to point at the satelite. If you are on a boat you are moving all the time to you'd have a hell of a job keeping that dish pointing in the same position!!

Leroy

AnswerID: 186219

Follow Up By: _gmd_pps - Monday, Jul 31, 2006 at 11:33

Monday, Jul 31, 2006 at 11:33

unless you take it to shore and use a wireless gateway pc.
but in essence you are right ...
Thanks for posting
gmd

FollowupID: 443270

Follow Up By: disco1942 - Tuesday, Aug 01, 2006 at 00:21

Tuesday, Aug 01, 2006 at 00:21

You can use it on a boat - that's the extra $10-15K - tracking dish.

PeterD

PeterD
Retired radio and electronics technician

Lifetime Member
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FollowupID: 443480

Follow Up By: _gmd_pps - Tuesday, Aug 01, 2006 at 12:32

Tuesday, Aug 01, 2006 at 12:32

10-15 would be quite ok actually ... the auto tracking dishes I have prices of are more expensive .. 10-15 is a guess for an auto find not an auto track ..
I guess for a boat the Began Norma modem would be the way to go but
just for minimal communication and it is still $500 a year without any bandwidth
thanks for posting
gmd

FollowupID: 443539

Reply By: Member - Andy Q (VIC) - Monday, Jul 31, 2006 at 11:11

Monday, Jul 31, 2006 at 11:11

G'day _gmp_pps, Recently I looked into getting Satellite broadband out here where I live. There was a subsidy of $1500 with a monthly plan fee to pay, I missed the cut off by two days while applying(it is being reinstated in September I've been told).
There are still a few problems with Satellite, still, as in speed of downloading and previously it was nearly impossible to upload but with the continuing improvements with technology these problems are being overcome. So with a bit of luck I may be able to get Broadband soon.

andy
ps if you go through your IPS(or others) they will have some information about Satellite Broadband, forget telstra

AnswerID: 186240

Follow Up By: _gmd_pps - Monday, Jul 31, 2006 at 11:33

Monday, Jul 31, 2006 at 11:33

I am looking for a mobile solution .. not stationary
thanks for posting
gmd

FollowupID: 443271

Reply By: Member - Omaroo (NSW) - Monday, Jul 31, 2006 at 11:19

Monday, Jul 31, 2006 at 11:19

BGAN from Immarsat is coming. Landwide Sattelite Solutions are already dealing in Regional BGAN (R-BGAN) at the moment, but this is being phased out soon for the global newcomer. At this stage, only Western Australia is covered, but another satellite will soon be implemented giving Eastern Australia (and I think New Zealand) total coverage. It's a little pricey atm, but as the technology is adopted the usual price spiral will happen.

Full broadband speeds that are apprently a lot less affected by weather.

broadband.inmarsat.com/

www.landwide.com.au

AnswerID: 186243

Follow Up By: _gmd_pps - Monday, Jul 31, 2006 at 11:29

Monday, Jul 31, 2006 at 11:29

I read about this, but I think it is too slow.. it is primarily built around ISDN
and at the second link they say it uses a 144kb satellite channel which is slower
than the first solution ..
I am looking at getting a solution by early next year when I am out for longer periods.
Thanks for answering
gmd

FollowupID: 443268

Follow Up By: Member - Omaroo (NSW) - Monday, Jul 31, 2006 at 11:35

Monday, Jul 31, 2006 at 11:35

BGAN operates at 492kbps - which is quadruple the speed of two ISDN b-channels (multiplexed to 128kbps).

Immarsat have just released a TCP-accelerator that now doubles this speed to nearly one megabit.

FollowupID: 443272

Follow Up By: Member - Omaroo (NSW) - Monday, Jul 31, 2006 at 11:37

Monday, Jul 31, 2006 at 11:37

Dang I wish I could edit.....

I forgot to say that the speeds you are quoting relate to regional BGAN (R-BGAN) which is old news.

FollowupID: 443273

Follow Up By: _gmd_pps - Monday, Jul 31, 2006 at 11:48

Monday, Jul 31, 2006 at 11:48

Ha, that sounds expensive :)) ...

then lets wait and see the plans .. I like the size of the thing thats for sure ...
Thats why I was intruiged the first time ... there is very little info out there
at the moment about this subject ... but I guess that will change ...
thanks for the update
gmd

FollowupID: 443277

Follow Up By: Member - Omaroo (NSW) - Monday, Jul 31, 2006 at 11:55

Monday, Jul 31, 2006 at 11:55

Call & talk to a good friend of mine - John Booth (CEO of Landwide Satellite Solutions) on 0409 030027 and tell him "Chris with the Land Rover" sent you. He knows a lot about BGAN and is developing remote satellite trailers using the technology for mining and industrial operations. He is an Immarsat BGAN dealer and a keen 4WD'er too. The reason I know that he's the right man is that I was going to work with him on this project but decided to stay where I was. He will tell you about developments and give you pricing if you wish.

Cheers
Chris

FollowupID: 443278

Follow Up By: _gmd_pps - Monday, Jul 31, 2006 at 12:31

Monday, Jul 31, 2006 at 12:31

I made some inquiries.

Bgan is available modem betwen 2795 and 3195 (3 versions)
The running cost is massive: somewhere between $5.30 and $8.90 / Megabyte
speeds around 256-300kb hmmm... thats not really economical for browsing ... very nice solution though ... and the 5.30 is within a 6month plan for 100MB a month which costs $3000/6month

Newsat: much cheaper .. realistic to use for browsing .. BUT for full coverage
you need a 1.8meter dish ... ufff .. the 1m dish is not giving full coverage in
regional areas ...

No competition in site for the Bgan to bring the prices down in the near future.
So thats clearly a luxury .... a luxury I would not pay for ..

hmmm.. back to the drawing board
thanks guys
gmd

FollowupID: 443288

Follow Up By: _gmd_pps - Monday, Jul 31, 2006 at 12:57

Monday, Jul 31, 2006 at 12:57

more info:

1.2m antenna should be fine in WA and soon everywhere.
Middle next year the coverage will improve all over OZ
(some technical infor given but too much to write)... so
1.2m is fine ... manual positioning of course ...
This seems the only logical way to go ....
gmd

FollowupID: 443292

Reply By: Neil & Pauline - Monday, Jul 31, 2006 at 16:46

Monday, Jul 31, 2006 at 16:46

I had a satelite internet for over 10 years (and tv) on the farm. Put up with bigpond until westnet went into satelite broadband. Very effective but a bit dearer ($60 per mth). I believe that if you don't have broadband available subsidised satelite is available at normal broadband price. Can't see it working on a boat unless the sea if very flat or frozen. Needs to be very accuately lined up with the satelite. If the stand is not solid enough the wind will cause a drop out. Used heavier pipe and then no problem.

Neil

AnswerID: 186300

Follow Up By: _gmd_pps - Monday, Jul 31, 2006 at 21:44

Monday, Jul 31, 2006 at 21:44

yep the dishes have to be quite exact ...
the Began system with the cheapest modem is more tolerant
up to 30degree tolerance .. which is a lot ... the higher end
modems with higher gain antennas need more precision ...
the dishes have minimum tolerance ....
I opt for the Newsat system with a 1.2m dish ... will put that
on my boat trailer where the other gear is (it's a custom trailer currently
under construction). Alternatively I might put a pole on the truck camper
but most of the time we will have the boat trailer with us anyway even if
the boat is in the water. I have other gear on the trailer plus tanks.
That Satellite technology is not developing as fast as the other areas ..
well no wonder with the amount of money involved and the overheads
for a satellite ... I wish CDMA would be better but there is not much hope either..
anyway the Newsat is good and 75 a month is cheap .. compared to Began ...
I had a lengthy conversation with two people today and it looks that it's
not too hard to adjust the dish .. since I dont do it every night it's probably
not a problem and an automatic trace is too expensive and mostly smaller
dishes anyway.
Exciting times :)) .... I can travel without TV easy ... but without Internet is kinda hard ... times have changed ...
thanks for posting
gmd

FollowupID: 443449

Reply By: Bonz (Vic) - Thursday, Aug 03, 2006 at 17:24

Thursday, Aug 03, 2006 at 17:24

Hi there I had satellite broadband for 2 years here before the ADSL started to work, it was pretty good, I had 256k and it worked very reliably for that time, sat download and upload, now the dish is on the roof and not being used the sat modem is still on top of the PC and not being used, if you want it you can have it for a small outlay (think double figures)