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Affordable Connectivity

Some Americans lack money. This has always been true, but especially in the last two years. And with all of the financial pressure we face, broadband internet service could be out of reach for some of us. With this in mind, HughesNet has joined the FCC Affordable Connectivity Program.

What IS affordable internet access anyway? – World Wide Web Foundation

Under its terms, each household can get up to a $30.00 monthly credit against broadband bills. For residents of tribal lands, the monthly credit could be up to $75.00.

In addition, the program does not require credit checks or annual contracts.

Qualifying is simple, and you can apply online or by mail. Getting in is a three-step process:

The first step is to visit the FCC website to see if you qualify. The second is to submit your application. The final step is to call Satellite Country with the verification code the FCC gives you.

Where is the affordable broadband available?

HughesNet service is available everywhere in the continental U.S. You can even get it in rural areas where telecom and cable networks don’t exist. All you need is a clear line of site to the southern sky for the satellite dish.

If you live in an apartment, though, you may need landlord permission to mount the dish on the building.

What do you get with HughesNet?

HughesNet satellite internet service is true broadband, with download speeds of 25 megabits per second and upload speeds of 3 MB/S.

Through Satellite Country, you can get any of four affordable HughesNet data plans, from 15 gigabytes per month to 75 G gigabytes per month. All plans come with built-in WiFi.

CALL 1-855-216-0185

To function well in the modern world, you need a reliable internet connection. To get the best deals, shop with Satellite Country. We can help. Call today.

CALL 1-855-216-0185

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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.)

 

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VPN: Do You Need One?

How much of your life is on the internet? How much do you communicate online?

If you’re like most of us, you probably reveal much more about yourself than you intended. Your schedule, your relationships, your general location, your political and religious loyalties- all are open to public scrutiny on the web. Skilled hackers can also obtain your credit card, social security, and bank account numbers, plus your identification codes.

The web is notoriously insecure. What’s even more alarming is that your ISP is allowed to sell your browsing history.

Image result for vpn images

How, then, can you keep your data secure?

One of the most effective methods is the virtual private network (VPN), an encrypted connection between you and the network’s private server. Some experts call such connections “tunnels”. The network masks your identity, because to a hacker or a spy, your web surfing appears to originate from the VPN’s address. It’s highly unlikely your data will be intercepted, especially if the sites you visit are secured with HTTPS protocol. If it is intercepted, though, it’s almost impossible for anyone to trace it back to you.

What level of protection do you need?

How do you know you need a VPN? It depends on how concerned you are about data privacy. If you never use public WiFi networks, you never buy anything online, and you keep a low profile, ordinary internet precautions may be enough. Even in this case, an extra level of protection may be wise.

You certainly should consider a VPN if you use public WiFi. You need to be especially wary on public networks. Not only is public WiFi  vulnerable to spies, some such networks are actually run by the thieves. The Applebee’s name on the network doesn’t always mean Applebee’s operates it. Anyone spying on the airport or coffee shop WiFi, though, will be unable to intercept data you’ve routed it through a VP network.

Consider, also, whether and how often you shop via the internet. Buying online can expose your credit card numbers, bank account numbers, personal I D codes, and other private data.

Finally, what is your profession? What are your hobbies? How do you use social media? If you’re a journalist, a public official, or a celebrity, you could be a high-profile target. Countless people may have powerful incentive to ruin your life, and an insecure web connection may be the opening they need.

 

If any of this applies to you, you need an extra measure of online security. You may need a VPN.

 

(For a secure home internet connection, talk to us. We can help.)

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BROADBAND FOR YOUR BUSINESS

Broadband service that works well enough for home use might not be adequate for business. This is especially true for businesses located in rural or suburban areas. Broadband options that are fast enough are usually expensive. More economical options might have data caps that are too tight. Some businesses find that they often exceed their data caps with ordinary business use, even though they never play interactive games or download video.

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HughesNet Business Internet

HUghesNet plans come with NO hard data limits. To be fair, they do come with data caps. If you exceed your allotment, your download speeds could be slowed.

If this is a concern for you, consider HughesNet Business Internet. It offers a strong connection and low cost for the amount of bandwidth. HughesNet commercial plans start at just $69.99 per month. All HughesNet commercial internet plans feature download speeds of 25 megabits per second (25 MB/S) and upload speeds of 3 MB/S. Data allotments range from 35 GB to 250 GB per month. The best business plan will meet the needs of more than ten heavy users.

With the Status Meter, you can track your data usage in real time. And HughesNet, unlike competing vendors, offers the option of purchasing tokens to restore speed by adding bandwidth. Other vendors add the tokens automatically, even if you don’t want them.

The FCC has rated HughesNet first among all internet service providers for reaching advertised speeds. That’s ALL internet providers, including fiber and cable.

Free WiFi Modem

A WiFi modem is included with every Gen5 plan. With the WiFi modem, you have two network options: 2.4 Gz and 5Gz. The 2.4 Gz network transmits over longer distances, and through walls. But it’s susceptible to interference. The 5 Gz band is best for newer devices, such as tablets and phones, because it can handle more data. It could lose signal strength, though, if your device is too far away from the modem.

Devices which stream a high volume of video should use the 5Gz band.

With the HughesNet Mobile App, you’ll have a WiFi gauge, so you can detect where the signal is strongest.

Image result for images of internet

A Few of the Ways Businesses Use HughesNet Business Internet

With HughesNet Business Internet, all commercial internet functions are practical. Order fulfillment. Inventory. E-mail. Negotiating with vendors. Churches use it for communicating with members, coordinating food aid, even computer training to help parishioners acquire job skills.

Almost any internet function you can imagine, HughesNet can handle. The only exception is interactive gaming.

 

To find out more about HughesNet Business Internet, contact Satellite Country. We provide TV and internet service everywhere in the U.S.

Talk to us. We can help.

 

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RURAL VS URBAN BROADBAND

Image result for cowboy on horseback monument valley

Why Are You Left with So Few Choices?

People who live in densely populated urban areas usually have several options for high speed internet. In most cases, these will be cable or fiber-optic connections.

But what are your choices if you live in a rural area? You’re short of practical options there. Cable and fiber systems almost never build their networks far beyond their urban cores. You can find DSL almost everywhere, but it’s usually far too slow to be called genuine broadband. It’s unlikely to be fast enough for video streaming or for most business functions. You can get satellite internet service almost anywhere in the continental U.S., but it’s often even slower than DSL.

The Best Option

If you reside in a rural or exurban area, your best option is almost always going to be HughesNet. It is a satellite network, but very different from the others. HughesNet upgrades its satellite fleet almost constantly, which expands capacity and increases data speeds. The FCC, in fact, lists HughesNet as the only satellite system that consistently delivers broadband speeds.

HughesNet has also been independently rated first among broadband providers for consistency in reaching advertised speeds. This is a first-place rating among ALL broadband providers, including cable and fiber systems.

If you’re a new customer, you can get 10 GB of data per month for $49.99, and 50 GB for just $99.99 per month for the first year. The latter rate reflects a $30.00 discount for the first year. In the thirteenth month, the 50 GB tier will be priced at the standard rate.

Data Plan Features

With all HughesNet service plans, you’ll find the following features:

  • Built-in WiFi
  • 25 megabits per second (25 MB/S) download speed nationwide, 3 MB/S upload speed
  • No hard data limits
  • Video Data Saver

The Video Data Saver automatically adjusts your video streams to use less data. Its default setting is DVD quality (480P), but if you want to watch HD video, you can opt out of the Data Saver temporarily. And you can “snooze” it for four hours at a time.

Exceptions

We don’t claim HughesNet is for everyone. Though it’s available nationwide, apartment dwellers may face difficulty getting it. Landlords often refuse to allow satellite dishes on their buildings.

Because the HughesNet signal is beamed from a satellite 22,500 miles high, it takes half a second to complete a round trip. This time lag is called “latency”. It makes HughesNet impractical for interactive video games or other purposes requiring low latency.

Final Thoughts

If you live in a rural or lightly populated suburban area, HughesNet is almost certainly your most practical broadband option- and an outstanding value.

(We serve rural and exurban areas all over the U.S. Find the internet connection that works best for you. Talk to us. We can help.)