My ISP is going out of business. Not exactly big news these days but In my case they are in cahoots with the local cable company and this cable modem is the only high speed access I can get hereabouts. <br><br>It appears my only option will be a satellite system from Starband or DirecPC. Both now offer two way stsems with downloads upwards of 500 and downloads upwards from 125. <br><br>Has anybody used either of these systems? <br><br>The installation is very expensive (700 bucks) and I have to run it from a Windoze machine (which I'll also have to but - I've never owned or worked on a wintel box) <br><br>I hate this but I need highspeed access for my business and my dialup line will only hookup at 26400 over my rural phone line<br><br>
I've heard it's stable but pricey... and, as you point out, Windows only for the moment. Really its only market is people like you, who need broadband but don't have access to it.<br><br>Which ISP is it that's folding?<br><br>
The company is HSA - High Speed Access. They are owned by Wired World which I think is one of Paul Allen's deals. They had neat market niche - partnering with small rural cable TV companies and acting as the backroom to provide net access to their customers. It is mostly a one way deal - all telco return.<br><br>But HSA sent me a letter last week saying that they are folding that business on the 29th so everybody is scrambling. The local cable guys are working with another ISP (MeshNet?) to pick up the service. HSA is selling their account list to Earthlink and transferring everyone there with a dialup account for $20 a month. I'm looking at the satellite deal as a longterm solution - the costs are comparable to cable after the initial big hit startup and install costs. <br><br>
Not sure you have to have a PeeCee to hook up to Starband. Got a friend out on the delta in the Napa Valley using it for his G4 connectivity. Most of the time that ISPs say Win-only just means they ain't gonna figure out for you how to set up your Mac. <br><br>
very true... it is just TCP/IP connectivity (pretty much any OS can do that). Most of the time you just have to know to open up the TCP/IP control panel and plunk in the numbers. <br><br>-- j o n k n e e --<br><br>
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