[A/S] Re: Internet Satellite

["Bhat Grrl" <ColorMeGroovy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Charles

The gilat-to-home satellite service, now Starband, is offered in two 
ways. 

1) You can use MSN service at $60/ month, pay $299 for the modem, and 
buy a NEW Compaq PC from RadioShack(required)(from $700 - $1400). The 
required PC 
purchase is not mentioned on the MSN site(a rather serious omission 
since you can only purchase the service from RadioShack, see 
http://essentials.msn.com/access/satellite.asp)

OR 

2) Find your local Echostar rep, distrubutors of DISH Network 
satellites. Their package includes the StarBand dish antenna and 
a "satellite modem" that will be connected to a USB port on your 
existing PC. The official retail price for the modem and install is 
$349.00 plus the $199.00 install fee(some folks have found modems  
for as little as $250). The service will run $69.95/ month unless you 
get a deal.

The PC requirements for the stand alone modem are as follows:
· Pentium-class CPU 
· 32 MB RAM 
· 100 MB of available hard-drive space 
· CD-ROM drive 
· USB port (If there are no free USB ports, you will need to get a 
USB expansion unit.) 
· Operating systems: Windows98, Windows98SE, Windows2000 or
WindowsMe 

Some of this information can be found at 
http://www.starband.com/faq/starbandfacts.htm#company

There seems to be some concern that the reason, beyond greater 
profit, that RadioShack requires the new PC is because the 
installation of the satellite modem and configuration has done some 
serious damage to users' existing OS. It generally takes six to seven 
hours for *professional* installation. 

Please see the following sites for beta testers comments and up-to-
date info on the service. This is where I found the rest of the info.:

http://www.delphi.com/gilat/messages/
(see Hey Rvers-Sucess! thread for RVing w/ Starband info)

http://www.geocities.com/starband2000/
http://www.echostaruser.org/euo/

Also, lots of people on another discussion board (ZDNet) were VERY 
upset that MSN is partnering w/ Radioshack et al and requiring the PC 
purchase and are waiting for DirecPC to unveil their two-way 
satellite internet service, set to launch in January. Their pricing 
is expected to be in the same range($60-70/ month)

Hope this has been of some help.
Nicci(recently changed my eGroups ID)