DirecTV Stops Selling WildBlue → Re: why does anyone want broadband from a satellite provider

My retired parents fit into this category. They can't get DSL on a land line. There is no cable. There is no TV reception. So it's satellite TV and WildBlue internet for them. WildBlue is both expensive and slow, I might add, but it is better than nothing.

I assume there are better solutions than DirecTV. Even cell phone internet would likely have less latency.

Many who cannot get DSL often cannot get cell phone coverage either. I do not know why, but small town cell tower footprints are not very big, even when they are 3G. Satellite or dial up is the only choice.

EDGE and evdo tend to have larger coverage than 3g umts overall. Even 200-300kps on edge is better than dial-up.

These same places that can't get DSL or cable internet are the same places that T-Mobile and Sprint (except for maybe Nextel... is that still around?) have no coverage. There are entire counties here in Florida where there is no T-Mobile coverage and AT&T is EDGE-only. I used to carry a Sprint PCS and a Nextel phone for that reason.

I assume there are better solutions than DirecTV. Even cell phone internet would likely have less latency.