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Review by tim_k See Profile

  • Location: Stewartstown, York, PA, USA
  • Cost Contract price not specified.
Download speeds are as advertised.
upload speeds are lower than expected
Great for satellite service
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Install Co-ordination:
Connection reliability:
Tech Support:
Mail,DNS,News:
Value for money:

Ordered service directly from Wild Blue. Three days later the equipment arrived, but I still didn't have an install date. Another call to Wild Blue and soon after, I had the phone number of an installer. Installer arrived on time the following week. Install went fine with no problems. I hooked the modem up to my Zyxel router. Didn't need to configure anything. It connected to the internet with no problem. I've had the service for two months now. I had to reboot the modem and router a couple times and I've lost connection a couple times, but nothing serious. My upload speed is lower than it should be, but it varies depending on what speed test I use. Many other people also complain about their upload speeds. Wildblue is aware of the problem and is trying to fix it. Overall, for satellite service, I'm very pleased.

UPDATE 1/20/09

I just cancelled service a couple days ago. As with others, service went downhill when they started traffic shaping and pings doubled. Traffic shaping made going to secure websites a real pain. Most all webpages loaded rather slow. I never had a problem with download speeds though. Service would go out when storms hit, but was up pretty much all the rest of the time. About 1 1/2 years ago an engineer stopped by to check my service since they determined the modem power numbers didn't look good. He remarked of problems with the install and left a flyer saying they would fix it for free. They never did and all attempts to contact engineering failed. Since service still worked I didn't worry about it. After I gave up trying to get upload speeds fixed I never had to contact tech support. If not for the traffic shaping I believe WB would still be the best bet as far as satellite ISPs. I'm trying EVDO now and it looks like it's going to take some effort to get it to work right.

member for 22.1 years, 5479 visits, last login: 80 days ago
updated 15.1 years ago


Commander
Duty is ours. Consequences are God's.
Premium Member
join:2007-07-29
Keeling, VA

Commander

Premium Member

Wild Blue vs. HughesNet

Almost anything would be better than HughesNet.

Review by delta_queen See Profile

  • Location: Searcy, White, AR, USA
  • Cost Contract price not specified.
good download speeds considering my rural options
upload speeds are pokey
it's my second and final option
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I had 3 good months with cellular bb and 4 bad months. see

Review of Alltel Axess by delta_queen)

I defected to satellite, my last remaining option. The installers did a fine job and even followed through on a special install location for me. I have not had to deal with tech support and I don't use wb email so I can't comment on those areas yet. My speedtest results during the day are :

1567 down
121 up

I paid for the pro pack.

peak hours test coming soon.

b/c this service is 'always on' tech at my company will be happier and I am able to use our wireless router which was not an option with celluar bb (unless pay $$$ for special equipment). I should have gone this route to begin with.

6/25/2008 >Update 17 days after install
Have not had to call tech support yet
speeds and connectivity are consistant
(5pm test)
1512 down
87 up (yucky)
half way through my first 30 day bandwidth monitoring I have used 9% of DL and 6% of UL. So this is something of a big relief.
I am on the internet and emails for 12 hours a day sending PPTs, watching videos here and there and hosting webinars with no probs. No gaming and no movies for me....

Happy Camper to date. I'll keep providing updates.

UPDATE: Jan 17 2009> 7 months after WB install
Have zero complaints. I installed bandwidth meter pro and this helps a good deal. I don't watch a lot of video, but I'm able to click at will on news clips and short youtube vids. Haven't downloaded any movies and only a few songs.

No outages in 6 months with the brief exception of bad storms

No problems with equipment or connections.

My job has me connected 10 hours a day and we keep surfing until bedtime. Never hit near the DL or UL limit.

Speeds are worse in the evening than they are in the day.

member for 16.2 years, 31 visits, last login: 13.1 years ago
updated 15.1 years ago

Brigrat
join:2003-09-01
Waxhaw, NC

Brigrat

Member

you will be an alltel customer again...

Trust me...I made the same choices you did...I am back with Alltel.

wait till somthing breaks in the warantee period, and they wont send you a knew one with sending a tech out, and charging a $90 fee for the service...

Not to mention Wildblue continued to change me four months after my service was canceled! what a pain!

Review by buggycrazy See Profile

  • Location: Lebanon, Linn, OR, USA
  • Cost Contract price not specified.
I cancelled after 1 year of wasted money
this nightmare will never end
use homing pigeons, it is faster
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Salesman lied about reliabilty, (or I NEVER would have wasted money trying it) every time it drizzled service was out, he said only hard rain would put it out, it was out most of the winter. Speed was NEVER as advertised. I canceled as soon as possible and upgraded to dial-up, I have a website to run and slow is better than NO internet. Trying to run my business on Wildblue was a nightmare and I just didn't have the time to sell much. I had basic service, they told me for $20.00 MORE per month I could have 10 hours of back up dial up, well I got unlimited dailup for $10.00 from someone else so I could have a connection. I didn't get sucked into upgrading my service as I know they were lying when they couldn't provide the service I was already paying for. And after reading the other reviews about this company I WAS LUCKY.

15 months after canceling my service I got a bill in the mail, complete with interest and penalties. This was a complete surprise as this was 15 months later and the FIRST bill ever in the mail. In the order cancellation email sent to me (I did NOT use wildblue for email) there was NO mention that there would be a special billing or anything else owed since they only way they accepted payment was directly charging my credit card. Since the customer service rep was so snotty I will never pay them or even bother opening another piece of information from them, this company is as crooked as they come and many complaints have been filed with the Atty. Gen. I know this is yet another sneaky way Wildblue has of ripping off customers, they are not satisfied with taking a huge amount of money for 1 year while not providing services promised, they will keep stealing form you after you think you are free of them.

Stay away from Wildblue! DSL service was finally brought out to me, I am a record distance out and due to new switches or something I can now get it, check with your phone company! Or just stick with dialup, speed is the same and it works all the time!

Plus we now have a permanent leak on the roof from the install and will have to completely re roof, after 1.5 years of trying to fix it we give up.

member for 15.2 years, driveby review (so far)
updated 15.2 years ago


Review by (hidden by request)

  • Location: Lusby, Calvert, MD, USA
  • Cost Contract price not specified.
Works about 80% of the time
Download speeds are always below what you are paying for; tech service is non-existant, just people reading scripts.
Wireless internet providers - your wireless phone company - is becoming a better bet now most people.
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Stay away!!!.... if you can't get cable at home, go with wireless if available instead of WildBlue or Hughes.

We've been WildBlue customers for more than 3 years. We have no cable or even DSL options on our rural road. Our cell phone signal is improving as more towers go up, so I look forward to the day when I can switch to Verizon or AT&T for our wireless internet connection and call WildBlue to cancel.

WildBlue has has driven us crazy with slow and unpredictable speeds, outages, and total lack of customer support. However, our neighbors with Huges aren't any happier. Both services stink. They know people are stuck with their services and so do little for customers.

Satellite internet is very slow relative to cable (generally $70 a month, and WildBlue dropped our speeds by more than 90%. I believe this is a ploy to get people to pay for a more expensive (higher speed and increased download) service, since they will reinstate your "normal" speed if you pay for a higher level package.



(review was emailed from domain wildblue.net)
lodged 15.2 years ago


Review by hpurcell See Profile

  • Location: Marshall, Madison, NC, USA
  • Cost Contract price not specified.
fast, reliable, good customer service
none
Excellent for me for three years in western NC
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I've have the medium speed service, 1 gb download speed for $70 a month for three years. There is an outage less often than once a month, lasting from a few minutes to a couple of hours. Heavy rain of course will defeat it for a while.

I had an equipment problem once and they were there the next day with a replacement modem, with no charge.

This is likely a "franchise" operation, so a bad experience in one area of the country doesn't translate into another area.

member for 18.1 years, 5 visits, last login: 15.2 years ago
lodged 15.2 years ago


Review by catmanabcd See Profile

  • Location: Union, Neshoba, MS, USA
  • Cost Contract price not specified.
None
Customer Satisfaction, Tech Help, Reliability
Do yourself a favor and stay away.
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Had no other options for broadband at the time.
512 MHZ Dn.......$49.95
Order was ok
Install a nightmare
Do not know what model the equipment was.
Bad Points....Installation, Customer Service, Tech Help, reliability, Customer Satisfaction
Good Points...My experience had none.

The service was provided by authorized distributor of WildBlue Communications, Inc. ("WildBlue").

To be honest If the system had been installed correctly ( In my opinion) or had there been an effort by ISP provider to make the installation right at no additional cost to me I think my total experience would have been different and I, in all probability would still be a customer.


member for 15.3 years, 2 visits, last login: 10.7 years ago
updated 15.2 years ago


Review by Wcameron See Profile

  • Location: Anderson, Shasta, CA, USA
  • Cost Contract price not specified.
Only
Very Expensive, bad latency and serious problem with measuring download usage for FAP
Its the only game around and I am praying for wireless to get our way
Pre Sales information:
Install Co-ordination:
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Tech Support:
Mail,DNS,News:
Value for money:

Wild Blue (Branded Gotsky) is a great ISP if you just cruise the internet and send text emails. Start downloading music, Windows updates, watch movie trailers, or demo programs and you will potentially run into their 800lb gorilla called "Fair Access Policy". While a "FAP" is an understandable tool to keep people from clogging the system up by endlessly downloading movies and music from pirate sites, there is a serious problem with whatever system they use to measure your usage. I ran into major problems when I was at home with a illness and was using the computer more than normal. Some iTunes downloads, a few episodes of Battlestar Galactica and some software updates and I saw a serious jump in my download usage. By the way, Gotsky has a login page where you can monitor your usage. Its archaic and usually 48+ hours behind and runs on a rolling 30 day period. Since I was, at the time, in their middle tier "Select" plan, I was allowed 12000 MB or 11.7 GB per rolling 30 day period I figure I would be ok because that "SOUNDS" like a large amount of DATA and impossible to reach. That's 400MB a day!!! Well, when I saw a huge spike in my FAP meter, I backed off from downloading and just used the net for news, sports and basics. My FAP meter, however, kept climbing. Day after day it just kept rising. I called Gotsky and they looked into the problem and said I showed huge spikes at all times in the day. They said I had spikes at times between 3 and 6 AM!! Spikes at times when all my computers we OFF. My wireless network is heavily locked down and I dont have neighbors within a half mile of me. The Gotsky agent even had me unplug my router and modem for 48 hours while I was out of town. What do you know, major spikes in usage while I was gone. Their answer? Well, its tricky. The Gotsky agent was 100% behind me and worked hard to help me. Gotsky, however, is just a middle man for Wild Blue and acts as a liaison for tech support. All major issues had to be ran past Wild Blue. In other words, I would call Gotsky and report my issues, Gotsky would have to call Wild Blue and discuss the issue and then Gotsky would get back to me. This would often take several days and sometimes even a week. I could never talk to WB directly. In the end, the Gotsky rep (who I had established great rapport with) said that Wild Blue didn't believe that I unplugged my equipment and said there was nothing the could or would do. I found it strange that they suggested I unplug my router and modem and when results came back supporting a problem on THEIR end, well, then I must be lying. Why suggest the test in the 1st place. Feels really nice to hear a company that you pay $80/mo call you a liar!

I had to increase my plan to the highest level so I wouldn't go over the FAP limit. Amazingly, after the final word from Wild Blue when they called me a liar, my FAP meter DROPPED like a rock and I was doing nothing different with my usage.

Long story but indicative of what you are up against with Wild Blue. Their FAP policy and monitoring is wacky and shady. They will not explain exactly how they system works and the fact that the meter is 2-4 days late and runs on a rolling 30 day period forces the user to spend a lot of time making sure everything is correct. Check some of the independent Wild Blue forum sites. Theyare mostly devoted to problems with Wild Blue support and the FAP. This week the strange FAP problems have started again. My meter has spiked 4GB in a few days and the only major download was a couple of ITunes albums (300 MB total). Its really mind boggling.

I will also add the usual ISP complaints about inconsistent download speed problems. With 1.5 mbps down you would think that basic YouTube videos would play without having to pause and buffer every 5 second. Its not computer related as all my computers are less than a year old and stripped of all bloatware.

member for 17.9 years, 17 visits, last login: 12.4 years ago
updated 15.2 years ago


Review by (hidden by request)

  • Location: Cincinnati, Hamilton, OH, USA
  • Cost Contract price not specified.
none
too many to list
stay away
Pre Sales information:
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Mail,DNS,News:
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Be afraid, be very afraid.

(review was emailed in)
lodged 15.2 years ago







Review by carralo See Profile

  • Location: Granite Falls, Snohomish, WA, USA
  • Cost Contract price not specified.
Nice if you need to download a large file.
weak to nonexistant tech support, Latency is outrageous,
costs a bundle, contract that is horrible
Pre Sales information:
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Had WB since Dec, 2005. Could do many things with it. MMO games were not a problem. VPN worked well, file up / down was nice and refreshing compared to dialup. Since November latency has went form an average of 680ms to 1400ms-3500ms and it's all but went out the window VPN doesn't work reliably, games do not work. which makes it an overpriced connection to browse the web and obtain your email. Contract will lock you in while WB goes to the bank with the monthly fees. stay far far away from WB and don't believe anything there website says about how there system is designed to help offset latency and make it better and faster.

member for 18.8 years, 178 visits, last login: 11 years ago
updated 15.2 years ago

LoRo2
join:2006-10-10
Stanwood, WA

LoRo2

Member

RE: WildBlue Sucks

Dude you have no clue... I'm not to far way from granet falls here in arlington and the service just sucks. I have been pushing their engineers and people to admit it is their network. They keep trying to push it back on the installer.

I'm going to be filing the majority of complaints with related departments to make sure WildBlue has a hard time.

Or of course they can just fix it

5000ms with 40% packet loss for $90 a month SUCKS!
WildBlue1977
join:2007-01-14
Ainsworth, NE

WildBlue1977

Member

WildBlue Installers Issue

I have been waiting over a week for an installer. I contacted them on my installtion date which was set for the morning and they later changed it to the afternoon. Then later that day I called in and they said they would not make it due to weather. So they rescheduled me for the following Monday. If it takes this long to get an installer out here how long will it take if I have technical problems!? I later called them and told them I wanted to cancel and they told me they would not refund me the money for the dish which they took out of my account the day I signed up for $299.00 and I would still have to pay for a full year of service which is another $264. I have a problem with a company that takes your money and takes there time installing and telling me that I broke the contact.

WildBlue is another Directway HughesNet. Now I am stuck with a dish and no service. I would never do business with WildBlue or HughesNet again.
lhookins
join:2007-01-05
Bonham, TX

lhookins

Member

Re: WildBlue Installers Issue

It takes just as long to get a tech out to fix your system as it did to get one out to install it. The whole process has a somewhat haphazard feel to it. There were several times I was about to cancel while waiting for an installer.

If I remember right, you don't actually sign a contract until the installer is there. With no contract, it might be difficult for them to charge you for a year of service. And without an installed dish, you're obviously not getting service.

If they charge you for the year of service, contest it with the credit card company. And if they put anything on your credit report, contact the credit reporting agencies and add your comments. If it comes to that for me, I intend to put a link to this site as well as writing my own comments.

I was quite uncomfortable about WildBlue sending the dish hardware directly to me instead of having an installer bring it. That should have been a big red flag.

If you're still stuck with the dish hardware, but haven't gotten it installed, contact the credit card company about what protections you might have as a consumer. I don't know if you can get your money back on that, but it's worth a try.
WildBlue1977
join:2007-01-14
Ainsworth, NE

WildBlue1977

Member

Contacted the BBB on WildBlue

I contacted the BBB and here is my report Now it is time to contact My State Attorney General. This worked for me when I had problems with Direcway / Hughesnet.

Filed against :
Johnston Communications
320 E. 3rd Street
Villisca IA 50864
&
WildBlue Communications, Inc.
Greenwood Corporate Plaza, Bldg. 1
5970 Greenwood Plaza Blvd., Suite 300
Greenwood Village, CO 80111

WildBlue Communications, Inc
P.O. Box 4427
Englewood, CO 80155
1-866-WildBlue (945-3258)
Complaint Description:
I signed up January 5, 2006 and the automatically took the money out of my account for the dish. I have been waiting over a week for an installer. I contacted them on my installtion date which was set for the morning and they later changed it to the afternoon. Then later that day I called in and they said they would not make it due to weather. So they rescheduled me for the following Monday. If it takes this long to get an installer out here how long will it take if I have technical problems!? I later called them and told them I wanted to cancel and they told me they would not refund me the money for the dish which they took out of my account the day I signed up for $299.00 and I would still have to pay for a full year of service which is another $264. I have a problem with a company that takes your money and takes there time installing and telling me that I broke the contact. They never lived up to their end of the agreement. WildBlue is another Directway HughesNet. Now I am stuck with a dish and no service since they will not refund me the money. I would never do business with WildBlue or HughesNet again. I called in yesterday and they said someone would get back to me. I was never called!! I called today January 16th, 2007 and they told me the same thing. I paid for this service and now I am obligated to pay for another 12 months when they never lived up to their end of the deal. I am tired of the run around. They told me when I first signed up that if it is scheduled on a certain date then the company they have doing the job will be out because they hired them to do so!! Thank you,

Your Desired Resolution:
Either install or refund the money
Wcameron
join:2006-04-24
Anderson, CA

Wcameron

Member

To those just getting service

Expect a long list of problems. If you think getting is installed is a problem, wait till your FAP meter starts going haywire. Wait until tech support asks you to unplug your modem and router for a few days to see how it affects you FAP. When your FAP goes UP...wait for them to call you a liar and suggest that you never unplugged anything.

This company knows that most of its customers have no other choice for "broadband". While I wouldn't call Wild Blue (or any other sat system) broadband, it is faster than dialup. Because you have no other choice, they put very little money, resources and emphasis into tech support and throw the problems back at you....after all....where you gonna go? Back to dial-up? hahahaha

Review by djumpp6 See Profile

  • Location: Keystone Heights, Clay, FL, USA
  • Cost Contract price not specified.
Desperate Dial-up alternative
Slow, Slower or Down most of the time
Only use as a last resort and keep a dial-up account.
Pre Sales information:
Install Co-ordination:
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Tech Support:
Mail,DNS,News:
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I have had WildBlue for two months now and it is pathetic. I can't believe DirecTV is willing to sacrifice their reputation by associating with it. You don't get anywhere near the speeds they advertise and when you call all they say is that is that the advertised speeds are up to speeds, not actual speeds.

In the sign up info it mentions fair access, but doesn't define it. About 30 days after signing up, I received a notice in the mail that I only get 12gb down and 3gb up. If you get within 80% of this you are supposed to get a warning email. If you exceed the threshold in any 30 day window, they reduce your speed to 128 kbps down and 28 kbps up, until your usage is 70% or less of threshold. I didn't get the email and instead my service was dropped to the point where I can't access a webpage without timing out.

I complained about the impossible speeds and they suggested I check my email in the middle of the night. They actually had the audacity to tell me that I probably wouldn't have adequate speed to use the Internet most of the day.

If this is the policy, it should have been stated in all caps in the contract before they took a hefty installation fee and a $150 cancellation penalty.

member for 17.6 years, 1 visits, last login: 15.2 years ago
updated 15.2 years ago