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USING STARBAND EQUIP. w/ other providers?

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Ex Member Ex Member	May 16^th, 2009 at 6:09pm I have had starband satellite internet but am considering switching to another provider. Can I use the starband dish, transceiver unit and modem for any other satellite system? I live in Baja california sur, mexico what is the best and simplest and cheapest way to go about this>? any suggestions or directions would be greatly appreciated, thank you, gmanflash@yahoo.com,
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Reply #1 - May 16^th, 2009 at 8:35pm

As a system, it's useless with any other provider. And LNB/transmitter - while technically within the same frequency band - almost certainly have proprietary mounts. Was unaware of Starband coverage over Mexico, so I'm assuming this system is/was used in CONUS.

If so, abandon it. Far as I know, only Hughes offers coverage over both north and central America. And then - only on selected satellites. The usual MO is to pick one that has coverage over the desired part of Mexico, then get it set up for the same satellite/transponder here in the US. Once it's comissioned and working, then pack it up and re-erect the thing at location #2.

That said, there are installers in the border states that can be contracted for this kind of work. Just depends upon where you live and who you know.

//greg//

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Reply #2 - May 16^th, 2009 at 9:30pm

Thank you Greg for your reply. Layman here and not too savvy with the technical lingo. Starband is not allowed in mex., that is a fact, this in order to make carlos slim richer than ...
You mention Used in CONUS? I don't uderstand the term. I looked into Hughes but it does not seem to have all I need for the price.
I am seeking the cheapest and easiest way to stay in touch with the world from Baja California Sur, 1000 miles from the US. and the Starband rep/tech here (is blind now) and has advised me that starband is switching to a cheaper satellite and the new one will not cover my area in the next couple of months, so hence the conundrum...gordon.

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Reply #3 - May 17^th, 2009 at 1:34am

Well, if you're not willing to pay the Hughes price, you're pretty much outa luck down there. Others provide some Central American coverage, but will cost considerably more. If I knew why it "does not seem to have all I need"......I might have a better idea if there's another direction to point you.

CONUS by the way, is just an acronym for CONtinental US.

//greg//

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Reply #4 - May 17^th, 2009 at 5:12am

thank you again for replying yet once more!, I do appreciate it.
I looked up CONUS yes, continental US...the way things are lining up, it seems Mexico will be the fifty something state.
Anyways, starband is not exactly cheap, considering I am only allowed to WATCH 3, maybe 4 You Tube videos a WEEK!!! and the emails I respond to must not have the copy of the received letter in my response because it adds up the MB in my allowance and they cut my speeds down to absolutely ridiculous speeds, they may as well just shut me down completely...because if my computer needs an update while i am working I am left in the cyber doghouse...
I use skype (*i did read that skype is not allowed on starband ...but then starband is not allowed in Mexico either, but I refuse to pay 8 dollars a kb here to telmex) very occasionally when there is no cel signal here or to tell someone to call me back because cel phone airtime prices in Mexico are the most expensive on earth, even more expensive than Irak, I have heard...
I check weather channels for hurricane updates in the summer and I usually have yahoo messenger on as long as my solar power permits...
I do not upload movies or spam, do not download music,nor movies, only stream music at 16kps max about 8 hrs a day if i can...and STILL the restriction on my bandwidth. That is what I meant about Hughes also has restrictions as such...? and similar pricing to starband.(except for the equipment maybe, starbands is quite expensive, here)
Ideally, I would like to use as much equipment as I can and that I have from Starband (maybe the tripod, dish, cables, ?) and try to see what HUGHES has to offer speed wise and the pricing...
a friend from Montana told me he has free internet access with a modem he bought for 200 bucks and a self standing dish he bought for 50 bucks...and got a direction and angle for a satellite for a free connection he has used it here in Mexico on his travels as well, but I cannot even get thru to my email, until next week when my bandwidth restriction is lifted, to ask him about it...
I did commission my starband in CONUS and would have to do the same for hughes, 1000 miles away, somehow...!

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Reply #5 - May 17^th, 2009 at 12:40pm

Well, I'm fairly confident that Mr Montana was jerkin' your chain. Short of an accounting error on the part of a provider, there is no such thing as "free internet". In the real world, you simply get what you pay for. And what you seem to want - ain't cheap.

SkyPE - or VoIP in general - is not prohibited. It's simply not supported. As such, it works poorly - if at all - on entry level service plans. That's by design, not by law. Hughes however has business plans, for which (among other things) - you can specify VoIP support.

15k can't provide for a very enjoyable music experience, although in your case I'm guessing it's self-inflicted. But streaming 8 hrs/day? �No wonder you get throttled. 15kb may not sound like much when it rolls off the tongue. But consider that's 15 kilobits per second. At that rate, you consume 54MB of your allowance every 8 hours - JUST FOR BACKGROUND MUSIC. Is there some reason a shortwave radio isn't a reasonable alternative?

Don't know which plan you have, but here are the current Starband usage limits (otherwise known as FAP):
Nova Pro 1000 [1024/128]
Download Threshold (rolling 7 day period) - 1600 Mbytes
Download Recovery Rate - 150 Kbps
Download Exit threshold (rolling 7 day period) - 1024 Mbytes
Upload Threshold (rolling 7 day period) - 400 Mbytes
Upload Recovery Rate - 56 Kbps
Upload Exit threshold (rolling 7 day period) - 275 Mbytes

Nova Pro 1500 [1.5/256]
Download Threshold (rolling 7 day period) - 4000 Mbytes
Download Recovery Rate - 400 Kbps
Download Exit threshold (rolling 7 day period) - 2750 Mbytes
Upload Threshold (rolling 7 day period) -1000 Mbytes
Upload Recovery Rate - 96 Kbps
Upload Exit threshold (rolling 7 day period) - 700 Mbytes
And perhaps you don't know, but these limits only apply to the hours of 0600 and midnight. Usage between midnight and 0600 is unlimited. By comparison, I have a mid-level Hughes consumer plan (1500/256). It includes a rolling 19 hour FAP limit of 425MB, no limit between 0200-0700. .

As far as how many "kb per dollar" you get, there's no meaningful difference between/among CONUS satellite internet providers. From my perspective you either have to either modify your browsing habits �to stay within usage limits (like setting Windows Update to download only during the FAP-free period for starters), or increase your budget for a more accommodating rate plan. There's really not much middle ground here.

//greg//

« Last Edit: Nov 17^th, 2014 at 10:32am by Admin1 »

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Reply #6 - May 19^th, 2009 at 1:25am

Thank you Greg, sorry I did not reply before, my modem got misconfigured by mistake, (mine).
Like you said, things roll off the tongue like it is peanuts and just the 2 words "get online" can entail 2 volumes on facts and one on peripheral hoops, loops of fire, hurdles to jump through and figurative cartwheels one has to do in this here 3rd world (where is the second world?!) and in reading your responses, I am getting a better education on all this, reality.
There aren't many techs here nor savvy people in regards to broadband comms, and it is hard to come by anyone who can come up with facts and answers and results most of all...so far 3 years on starband has proven quite satisfactory, though I know the drawbacks...
I will definitely be changing my browsing habits and have looked into local cel tower broadband (today)and the prices are comparable to starband and hughes (with current exchange rate of 14 pesos per dollar) though they only offer 3GB a month (telcel), and I know that there will be IP addresses that are censored/blocked, for instance, I like my mail and news in English and not the propaganda that locals are fed here,(yahoo.com.mx does not allow messenger with phone and cam period. they want people to use the telmex lines and charge like there is a war here, is there<>?!), I appreciate the extensive information you have sent me and I will copy and paste it to save as a file for further reference. Best regards, Gordon.

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Reply #7 - May 19^th, 2009 at 1:33am

PS, the broadband receiver for the computer is a USB plug and play that costs 120 dollars, and a 45 dollar a month plan as opposed to the grand and a half I paid for the starband equipment,..(*maybe it was more $?) ...but your suggestion of canning my starband equipment still rings in my head (painfully!) I will have to walk down to the beach here with my fishing pole, some bait, the dogs and think things over...hopefully fresh dinner will be there! Greetings, Gordon.

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Ex Member Ex Member	Reply #8 - Jun 9^th, 2009 at 10:02pm What size antenna and what's the wattage of the BUC?
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Ex Member Ex Member	Reply #9 - Jun 17^th, 2009 at 10:51pm Hi Gordon, As a Starband dealer I can tell you that Starband is working out a plan for customers outside the new satellite's footprint to continue providing service on the same satellite. You will not loose your connection when other users migrate to the new satellite. Your speeds will increase as there will be fewer users on your existing satellite.
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Ex Member Ex Member	Reply #10 - Jul 17^th, 2009 at 8:56pm Is that Gordon from Tijuana?
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Ex Member Ex Member	Reply #11 - Jul 20^th, 2009 at 7:13pm Mel, You're thinking of the starband installer Gordon Parnell (Tijuana/Ensenada). I know Gordon P. and I'm pretty sure this Gordon is someone else.
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Ex Member Ex Member	Reply #12 - Jul 23^rd, 2009 at 4:31pm Thanks!
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