Communicating In The Bush

[Jenny]

This is really sort of a continuation of Kristianna's thread started last spring about (something like) What if you're in a remote location.....

We were talking about internet and phone service. When we moved back home last summer after being gone 2 years, we found that the new phone system the local company was using no longer supported internet or fax service, and the phone barely works. When we checked on Starband a few years ago, the prices were prohibitive, but now they're more reasonable. Just this past week we got Starband hooked up, so that's what we're using. HOORAY! ! ! As much as we love the simple bush life (well, ok, the oil lamps are a bit high tech compared to animal fat candles) we do like the internet, and it will probably come in handy for making a living.

We have lots of new folks around here since we last discussed this topic, so what are other folks doing, or what do you plan to do when your off the grid and beyone regular local phone company service?

When we got back and started checking on satellite internet service, we received different info from everyone we called. Even what they told us about the installation was way different from person to person. Some charged as little as $200 total to fly out here (plus the cost of flying and the equipment), and said they could do in a couple of hours, including setting up the dish. Others said we'd have to guess at the best location and way to set up the dish ahead of time, then they'd fly out to set it up to work with our computer. Some said just that little bit of work could take 2 or three days, and they charge $600 per day Well, the money aside, I sure didn't want to entertain and feed some stranger in my home with our little boys for three days! ! !

Well, we decided to do without, until we got a call from a family in the bush about 15 miles from here. They'd just had Starband installed and were thrilled with it and the fellow who flew up to set it all up for them. He brought the dish and everything out with him, and did it all (including finding the best spot for the dish and digging the hole) in about 2 hours. We bought our system from the same business, and were just as happy with his work ;D

We'll probably go to using satellite for phone in a few months. I think it will cost about the same, or maybe less than, our local service, and we won't have all those long distance charges. Anyone using satellite phone service yet? What company, what's the service like, and what does it cost, including the set up and modem and such?

Thanks,

Jenny

[Jenny]

Oops! Just realized a similar thread is going on under Bush Living, but no posts since November.

[ugashikrobert]

Glad to hear your online with Starband. I looked at several options and its the only one that made sense to us. We've been on it for over four years and it has its ups and downs. We have one of the original 360 modems and currently are on our third one. Will be converting to a current 481 model shortly because they are more reliable and transfer the mission control function from your PC to the modem where it belongs. We currently pay 54.99 a month but looks like we could get as low as 49.99 month with a 3 year contract if we upgrade to a 481 system. Starbands accounting can be stranger than science sometimes so what you get for a price is a real roll of the dice.
The Alaska Volcano Observatory has asked to install two web cams at our home to veiw both Mt Chiginagak and Mt Puelik which are semi active volcano's. Will have to look at both our power and Starband usage for that.
We installed our Starband system ourselves and its really not rocket science if you can get a security code from a installer its just a matter of making a couple adjustments after you find the bird. I recommend that because if you are located in a remote area you should learn as much as you can about fixing something as you usually see the person in the mirror who has to fix it.
We are also interested in Sattelite phone as safety measure. Our radio phone as been very reliable for the last ten years but lately we have had a rash of problems that have been centered around the very old analog phone company switch in Pilot Point. We are totally at the mercy of ACS and its not unusual to wait for two or three weeks for a service person to get onsite. After I did max whinning about it they will credit your phone bill for the time of the outage which is much cheaper than flying a serviceman out here in a timely fashion. The initial investment was high (3k for 2 transcievers, antenna,cables) and the monthly cost is around $25 when the phone company finishes up adding on all those magic taxes, surcharges and the deal of the day. We do all our long distance including intrastate for less than 3 cents a minute via calling card.
What I've seen of Sattelite phones was a $800-1200 cost for the phone but the air time was very high. These are perfect if your a world traveler but think you are paying for a lot of function you don't need if your intent is to use it as a emergency backup in just Alaska. I have a VHF on every vehicle we have for emergency but a sat phone would be better as you could carry it on your person. We've used hand held VHF's but battery problems and range are limiters. Would be nice if you could find a SOS plan similair to what they used to have on Bristol Bay Celluar. Essentially it was just a plan with no monthly charges buy a very high air time rate intended for emergencys only. To summarize my view of radiophone vs sattelite it looks like it is a matter of where you pay your money over the life of the service if you exclude service and reliability which I have no experience with on Sat phone. Higher up front costs and lower air time with radiophone and the opposite with Sat phone. Better air time plans could change that with Sat phone plus probably provide better service and reliability plus its a newer technology that will receive more of the devolpment focus.

[Chuck]

"We are totally at the mercy of ACS and its not unusual to wait for two or three weeks for a service person to get onsite"

Sounds like they use the same customer service folks as good ole MTA

[ugashikrobert]

We had replaced our Starband 360 modem(Provides sattelite internet connectivity) 3 times in 4 years so recently I upgraded to a 481 mainly for the reliability and the fact you can get your monthly charge down to $49 a month with a three year contract. You also unload all the mission control function from the gateway PC to the modem which is more effecient. In the process of converting I spent three days and countless hours on hold/ignore with Starband and was less than impressed because all they did was try to convince me the problem was my end and it finally worked on there third set of modem ids/cluster/subcluster assignments. After they fixed there problem I had to reninstall all the software I stripped off to prove the problem was there's. All the problems were intermittent and difficult to diagnose.
The other issue with Starband is they implemeted a FUP or fair usage practice that throttle's all 360 or 481 users if you exceed a little over a 100MB a day on a total of 730MB a week. Not hard to do if you download pgm updates and Microsoft fixes. I got FUP'd/Throttled for downloading a copy of the Turbo Tax program I purchased because we may not get mail before tax time. The numbers are slightly higher if you pay over a $100 a month for 484 small business service. This came about because a great deal of the Starband users abuse the service by networking there services to others. I know of entire villages running from one Starband connection. What I believe happened is Starband has over restricted everyone because of a few but the important thing is they did it without notice to anyone. The ISP options to most rural users are few and Starband knows that. Judging by the forums the biggest Starband complainers(may be the biggest abusers) are jumping ship to Wild Blue and my question is has anyone in Alaska tried this or any other alternatives?

[Washkeeton]

I was told to look at V sat and internet any where US. You will have to google to find them but you might look into it as an alternative.

[smwon]

Ok... you all are talking language I don't understand... really. I looked up DirectWay which is now HughesNet. Does this work in the bush? And it says you can add satelite phone service to the HughesNet... it says the Internet service is $59.99 and the phone service is $35. a month. Does anyone know about this?

[longrider]

So does anyone use Short Wave?

are Sat phones and TV and Internet all availble from the same supplier or are they always different if you have them?