Share on Social Media:

Crisis Management by Digital Means

By all accounts, 2020 has been an unusual year. One alarming crisis succeeded another- then another- then another. The Covid-19 pandemic, and the ensuing restrictions on normal activity, have imposed unaccustomed hardships on most Americans. Hurricanes, mass riots, devastating wildfires, and electrical outages (in California) followed.

404 Not Found | Brush fire, Orange sky, California

In facing such daunting events, what can we do? Well, some communities rely on digital technologies.

Where do we look for help in a crisis?

One answer is HughesNet. The satellite internet system offers several emergency services. One is SatCell Connect. Another is called Internet Continuity.

The first provides instant cellular service when cell networks fail. SatCell registers up to 10,000 cellular devices, and can handle up to 100 streaming video calls or 400 voice calls at a time. In addition, it can handle up to 800 simultaneous chat sessions at speeds of up to 200 MB/S.

The latter is slightly different. ‘Internet Continuity’, designed chiefly for small businesses, provides emergency backup when cable and fiber internet networks fail. In event of such failure, HughesNet automatically routes web traffic to the satellite system. Then, when the original service is restored, HughesNet switches back to it.

Call 1-855-216-0185

In a crisis, a satellite internet system proves most reliable. Weather conditions and earthquakes that disrupt fiber, DSL, and cable systems won’t interrupt HughesNet.

Businesses and government offices that can’t afford prolonged internet outages need this emergency backup.

HughesNet is also the practical internet alternative for remote locations. Customers can connect service quickly and easily, and with HughesNet’s built-in WiFi, workers can easily connect their mobile devices. Furthermore, with a wide array of fixed and portable antennae, you can connect almost anywhere.

To sum all of this up, HughesNet may be the ideal means to guarantee you can remain online in a crisis. And Satellite Country is the ideal portal for HughesNet.

So, then, don’t take unnecessary chances. Contact us today.

How soon can you get connected?

Don’t take chances in an emergency. If you can’t afford to stay offline for long, you need a reliable connection. For the best deals in reliable web service, call Satellite Country. Call today. We can help.

Call 1-855-216-0185

Share on Social Media:

HughesNet Pushes Satellite For Broadband Backup

If you operate a business, how will you respond if your wireline broadband service fails? Do you have an adequate backup?

Image result for hughesnet satellite images

This is a question many business owners are asking since last month’s massive outage of Comcast services. Millions of residential customers were effected, and thousands of businesses were crippled by the outage. It affected a large portion of the U.S., from east coast to west, and all Comcast services suffered: phone, TV, internet, and business services. Ironically, even the Down Detector failed.

(The Down Detector is an online service that tracks cable and satellite service outages. It tracks dozens of internet, video, phone, gaming, and social media services. It even monitors access to individual TV channels.)

Comcast blamed the outage on a fiber cut in a Manhattan system owned by one of its backbone ‘partners’. The incident affected both business and residential customers.

Can anything insure against lost connections?

HughesNet cited the Comcast outage as the type of catastrophic surprise businesses need to insure themselves against. And HughesNet says it has the solution.

HughesNet Network Solutions now offers a backup high-speed broadband service for such events. It will automatically switch users to satellite broadband when their terrestrial web connections fail. The backup service is under the name of HughesNet Internet Continuity. For a mere $39.99 per month, it insures against losses due to DSL, cable, or telecom down time.

With the backup system, the customer gets a WiFi modem, an antenna, a router, and a radio. Once the terrestrial network is restored, the HughesNet Continuity system switches back to it automatically.

The backup system operates at speeds of up to 25 MB/S for uploads, and 3 MB/S for downloads. These speeds meet the FCC definition of broadband.

The need for some sort of internet insurance has long been evident. As many as 90% of businesses have suffered at least one web service interruption. A third report facing an outage every month. Such outages can block access to critical systems.

At minimum, the service interruptions bring loss of revenue. In extreme cases, they can alienate customers and even force business closure.

 

(For the most reliable web connection, talk to Satellite Country. We can help.)

 

Share on Social Media:

 100 MB/S Satellite Internet Service in 2021

Launching a New Satellite

HughesNet already offers the fastest consumer satellite internet service in the United States. The ISP isn’t finished upgrading its system, though. On August 11, it announced plans to launch a new satellite to enable download speeds of 100 megabits per second (100 MB/S).

The company said its new satellite will be operating in early 2021, and will be dubbed Echostar XXIV.  HughesNet says the new bird will serve “key markets” in the U.S., Mexico, Brazil, and several other countries in South America, doubling the company’s Ka-band capacity in the Americas. The 100 MB/S service tier will be  available where HughesNet currently offers Gen5 service.

Following Gen5

In March, HughesNet inaugurated what it called the Gen5 service platform. Since, then, it’s been moving subscribers into Gen5, which offers download speeds of 25 MB/S.

This is the the fastest speed available with any satellite internet service.

Peter Gulla, HughesNet’s SVP of marketing, spoke to Multichannel News last week. Gulla said, “Right now, it (25 MB/S) seems to be meeting the needs of our customers. But that doesn’t mean that’s the end of the line.”

Hughes has offered its internet services primarily in rural areas. It plans, though, to move into some suburban and urban markets where DSL service is weak.

About HughesNet:

HughesNet has provided satellite-based communication services for more than forty years. It serves government residential, and commercial clients, chiefly in the U.S.

In March 2017, HughesNet became the first satellite internet system to offer FCC-defined broadband service from coast to coast. Its Gen 5 tier operates at download speeds of 25 MB/S and upload speeds of 3 MB/S. With Gen5, the company offers integrated modems with built in WiFi. All Gen5 plans include 50 gigabytes of Bonus Zone capacity for use between 2 a.m. and 8 a.m.

The FCC has ranked HughesNet first among all major ISPs for consistency in reaching advertised speeds. This ranking is for all ISPs, not just satellite.

About Satellite Country:

Satellite Country is one of America’s largest retailers of TV, internet, home security, and home automation services. It has been in business since 1999. Satellite Country offers a full range of home services, and can find the best deals available where you live.

 

(For the internet service that’s best for you, talk to us. We can help.)

 

Share on Social Media:

MYTHS ABOUT SATELLITE INTERNET

Image result for images of satellites

Myths can obstruct our understanding of the world. They can keep us from seizing advantages we otherwise would have had.

Some people hesitate to acquire satellite internet service because what they’ve been told about it isn’t true. The most common myths about it are that it’s expensive, it’s too slow, and it won’t work during or after bad weather. Here we’ll examine each myth in turn.

Myth #1:   It’s Expensive

This was true several years ago. It’s not anymore. Huge advances in technology have multiplied speed and bandwidth, and greater efficiency has dramatically reduced consumer price. Seven years ago, the most basic satellite internet service cost $79.00 per month. Today, HughesNet’s entry-level tier, with a download speed of 5 megabits per second (5 MB/S), costs just $29.99 per month. This is highly competitive with DSL and cable broadband services.

Myth #2:   It’s Too Slow

One if the most persistent myths about satellite internet is that it’s too slow to be practical. It was true several years ago, but not now. At the dawn of satellite internet, download speeds averaged about 750 kilobits per second (750 KB/S), and upload speeds averaged about 256 KB/S. HughesNet now offers plans with top download speeds of 5 to 15 MB/S- comparable with cable internet- and upload speeds of 1 to 2 MB/S.

Myth #3:   The Signal Lags

You need only about half a second. There is some latency in sending and receiving signals, because they bounce off of a satellite 22.500 miles high, but this limitation has been highly exaggerated. You’re unlikely to be hampered by signal latency unless you’re playing interactive games. You probably won’t notice any effect on your e-mail, web browsing, social media posts, or sharing of photos.

Myth #4:   Bad Weather Critically Disrupts the Service

Extremely severe thunderstorms or blizzards can interrupt the signal temporarily.  This condition, though, is not as serious or as frequent as it’s been made out to be. You’ll begin receiving the signal again once the storm passes.

By contrast, severe weather can knock out cable service, for entire neighborhoods, for days or even weeks at a time. This is especially true if the cables are flooded or cut by falling trees.

Don’t let myths keep you from the internet service that works best for you. If you have any questions, talk to us. We can help.

Share on Social Media:

GETTING THE BEST DEAL IN INTERNET SERVICE

How can you be sure you’re getting the best deal in internet service? There are a few questions you should ask about any web service offered.

First, make sure you understand all charges. Many internet service providers offer low monthly rates for a promotional period, usually three months to one year. After the promotional periods, though, the rates increase sharply. Some providers offer ‘free’ equipment and installation, but they add the equipment and installation charges to the monthly fees, and they require long term contracts, with fines for early termination.

This doesn’t necessarily mean you’re being cheated. Make sure you’re getting a complete list of all charges before you sign a contract, though. Before you agree to installation, be sure you understand the total you pay in advance, the total monthly fees, including taxes and other surcharges, and the total you will pay after any promotions end.

Second, assess your needs. Consider how many people in your household are likely to be connected at any one time, what kinds of devices you connect to the internet, and what functions you want. If you will connect only one or two devices, and your web use is chiefly e-mail and light web surfing, then you might get by with fairly low speed and a low data cap. If you intend to connect multiple devices, though, or if you want to download music or video, then you will need a higher download speed and more data capacity.

Conduct a speed test of your present internet service, and monitor how much data you use. This will tell you how much speed or data capacity you will need from a new provider. If your present service is too slow or too limited, these steps will still give you a rough idea of how much extra speed or capacity you will need.

If you’re paying a low rate for your internet service, but it’s inadequate for your needs, then you’re not getting a bargain.

Finally, to be sure you’re getting the best deal in internet service, talk to us.

Share on Social Media:

SATELLITE INTERNET: HOW IT WORKS

To understand the advantage in HughesNet service, it may help you to know how satellite internet works. It differs from other sources of internet service.

In rural- and some suburban- areas, the dominant internet services are either dial-up or DSL. Each requires a phone line. Dial-up service ties up the phone, so you can’t place or receive a call while connected to the web.  Dial-up is also extremely slow- too slow to be practical for any but the lightest web-surfing or e-mail.

DSL (digital subscriber line) service won’t tie up your phone, but it brings other disadvantages of a community phone line: your download speed will be affected by your distance from the central office, and by the number of your neighbors connected at the same time. If you’re close enough to the central transmission facility, you could see download speeds in excess of 6 megabits per second. If you live farther away, or if your community DSL system is under heavy usage, your download speed could drop to a small fraction of this.

With satellite internet service, you won’t face these problems. Your HughesNet system will not require a home phone line. Because it receives its signal directly from a satellite high in the stratosphere, it is independent of any neighborhood phone or fiber system, so your service will not be affected by the number of your neighbors connected at the same time.

HughesNet is faster than typical DSL service. and many times faster than the fastest dial-up service. HughesNet offers four levels of residential internet service. With the basic plan, you get download speeds of up to 5 megabits per second (MB/S), and with the best plan, up to to 15 MB/S.

HughesNet’s Echostar XVII satellite network features the highest download capacity of any satellite internet service.

Your HughesNet service will be suitable for web-surfing, e-mail, word-processing, social media, and downloading music or video. The only function we don’t recommend it for is interactive gaming. The signal from your computer has to travel 22,500 miles to the satellite, then travel the same distance back. The round trip takes about a quarter of a second. For most uses, this is not a critical lag, but it can ruin an interactive game that depends on quick reflexes.

Apart from that one limitation, satellite internet service works. Is HughesNet right for you? Call us, or fill out a contact form, to find out.