DSL ISPs Cable Companies Dialup Internet Service Providers
The high-speed competition
Some non-competitors
|
Satellite dishes
The only currently available satellite service is DirecPC from Hughes Network Systems. Several other companies, including Teledesic and Motorola, are planning to launch satellites to provide high-speed Internet access through satellite dishes. These products won't be available until after the year 2000 (2002 for Teledesic). Cost DirecPC hardware costs $499 plus installation and a one-time $49.95 activation fee. There are several pricing options. The Moon Surfer plan offers unlimited surfing from 6 pm to 6 am on weekdays and all day on the weekends for $39.95. The Sun Surfer plan switches the hours to 6 am to 6 pm for $129.95. For more details, see the links section. DirecPC users must still use a standard modem and phone line for uploading, and must have an account with a local ISP (typically $19.95 per month for unlimited service). Speed 400K for downloading. Uploading is at 28.8K or 33.6K through a standard analog modem. Availability Assuming you have an unobstructed line of sight to the south, DirecPC service is available almost anywhere in the United States. This is the huge advantage of satellites: their signals can point almost anywhere, and there's no need to string expensive cables. Note that you will still need a local ISP for the uplink. Requirements DirecPC requires a PC with Windows 95, a Pentium processor, an ISA slot, and an unobstructed line of sight to the south. Discussion DirecPC delivers high bandwidth Internet connection through a 21 inch elliptical satellite dish similar to the one use for DirecTV, another product of Hughes Network Systems. The 400K download rate is impressive, but uploading is through a standard analog modem and a local Internet Service Provider. Another option is DirecDuo, which combines, in essence, DirecPC with DirecTV.
Links DirecDuo Home Page DirecPC - Requirements DirecPC - What You Get With It DirecPC - Installation DirecPC - Service and Pricing DirecPC - Where Can I Get It? http://www.direcpc.com/about/a35f.html DirecPC - How It Works DirecPC - News DirecPC - Fact Sheet DirecPC - Frequently Asked Questions High Bandwidth Web Page - Satellite News.com - Cyberspace in outerspace PC Magazine - Technical Excellence Awards: Networking
Hardware Teledesic Corporation USA Today - Motorola plan could spark space wars |
