Hughes May Can DirecWay Company may shelve satellite web service According to a report in yesterday's Wall Street Journal, Hughes may be scrapping its Direcway satellite internet access system. The service at the moment has 150,000 subscribers but is not doing well, according to a Hughes Spokesman. " The challenge for DirecWay is the upfront hardware costs and the monthly service charges make it tough for us to get to a price point that's competitive with cable and DSL." (See Internet News and CNet, as well as this thread in our Satellite forum)
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  Buggy
join:2000-10-24
Tampa, FL | Bummer This is one of those things thats just nice to have available out there, just hoping that it can hang in and develope into something more viable and important. Maybe they don't think they have a long term market? I've never been a fan of high latency so maybe some wireless tech will sprout up to fill in the gap left by satelite ? | |
|  |  Jmartz
join:2000-07-20
Tenafly, NJ | Re: Bummer Someone will probably buy Direcway. If you get someone who is willing to spend a lot of money to make the hardware cheaper, they could be very successful. Especially if they target rural users with good deals and discounts.
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[BetaNews | phpBB |MSN TerraServer |Space Imaging] | |
| | | | I hate to hear that cable and dsl are winning over this. we have stepped up to try and get those customers who cannot get or cannot afford the high cost of cable modem or dsl, our wireless service is only 35 a month for 1.5 up and down point to point satellite. Were only in upper east tn atm but we are trying. Check us out »bewireless.biz | |
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 technickPremium
join:2000-12-16
Wheat Ridge, CO
kudos:1 | Sucks It sucks to see them go, being they are the only alternative for rural consumers who want broadband. They really need to make the stuff cheaper and more affordable and target a lower market.
Direcway was originally out to target the mid class, which well the mid class could just pay for a full T1 or frame relay if he or she wanted broadband. | |
| | | |  Re: Sucks
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D'way SRS 4.0.3.9 -SP B- , L99 degrees, 1250 MHz ,WIN 2000 pro sp3, Linksys router 512mb, p4 (1.5ghz) | |
| | | | | Re: Sucks "After getting binded to a 1 year contact with direcway for 99 dollars a month I find that a local isp provides wireless internet through radio waves for half the price and none of the hassles, such as FAP, (fair access policy), and 1000ms latency times. and weather issues."
So what you're saying is that because you failed to do your research properly before signing up for the service, you hope it goes bust and all those people with no access to broadband except for satellite loose their service. That's nice of you. | |
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| | Competing with cable and DSL? While it's true that they compete with other broadband providers to a certain extent, I would have to think that their biggest market is comprised of those who live in remote regions or places otherwise unserved by cable, DSL, or wireless. These folks are likely willing to pay a premium for broadband service if it is their only option.
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Adelphia Power Link. Blazing fast broadband while you sleep! | |
| | | | Re: Competing with cable and DSL?
And no, wireless isn't the silver bullet. Both WISP's in my area want $800 for equipment and $200-$400 for an install.
So, it's not the greatest, but at least it beats the crackling 24.4 modem in the rural areas.
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"Show me a thoroughly satisfied man, and I will show you a failure." -Thomas A. Edison | |
| | | | | Re: Competing with cable and DSL? "Apparently, after this, no options will be left for those of us further than 15,000 feet from a CO."
I am this close but SBC have somehow contrived to make the cable run just over 5 miles! | |
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| | Mr. Powell are you paying attention? What I want to know is, if this happens(and given starband troubles), will the fcc rethink it's concepts about the existence of a thriving competitive broadband market? | |
| |  zoom3148SupermanPremium
join:2001-04-30
Yermo, CA | Re: Mr. Powell are you paying attention? said by asdfdfdf:
What I want to know is, if this happens(and given starband troubles), will the fcc rethink it's concepts about the existence of a thriving competitive broadband market?
I doubt Mr. Powell is Listening, His stupid idea is that Satellite only competes with Satellite and Not with DSL, Wireless, Cable or even w/Dial-up. But then He lives in an FCC Dream-world versus where the Rest of US live in the Real-world where Competition is for any and All intents & purposes between Companies involved in a Competitive Environment, No matter what It's actual source might be, regardless If It's Cable, Satellite, Wireless, DSL or even old & Lowly Dial-up for that matter. This is because all of those services are competing for You and Me to be their customer and not someone else's customer.
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the Ultimate power in the universe,Kryptonite! | |
| | | | | Re: Mr. Powell are you paying attention? "I doubt Mr. Powell is Listening, His stupid idea is that Satellite only competes with Satellite and Not with DSL, Wireless, Cable or even w/Dial-up. "
Um, satellite doesn't compete with dsl, wireless or cable. Its been mentioned before, but I'll say it again: what fool would consider the latency, shared medium, weather problems, and rate limiting found with satellite and then NOT get dsl, cable or wireless if he could? No, people buy satellite internet service because they can't get anything else. I resell AT&T network/internet access and I can't get a T1 to the internet for anything less than $600 per month, wholesale! THAT is my only other broadband option. | |
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| | Bah Satellite broadband is a niche market anyway. WHo wants latency, high costs and FAP anyway? The only people who will really hurt is rural America and they're in the minority. | |
| |  trparkyApple... YUMPremium,MVM
join:2000-05-24
Cleveland, OH
kudos:2
 ·Time Warner Cable
| Re: Bah Yes, but what you don't seem to realize is that DirecWay was the only way for people in the "middle of nowhere" to get broadband. For a lot of people DirecWay was the "Holy Grail."
Why does the minority always seem to be the last group to ever be represented and the first group ever to be shafted?
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WedgeAntilles250 | |
| | | | | Re: Bah quote:
Why does the minority always seem to be the last group to ever be represented and the first group ever to be shafted?
Because you're in the minority, and this world caters to the majority. It's a tragedy though, and I wish there were other alternatives for you guys. Maybe someone will buy Direcway and continue service. | |
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| | What about DirecTV broadband Well, I think that they might can DirecTV Broadband as well. There are some movements in the company today. | |
| | | I want my contract money then I know if they can Direcway I will be suing them for a breach of contract. I locked into a 1 year contract and if I need to pay $300 some odd dollars for breaking the contract then they should pay me the same amount if the contract is breached on their end.
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Direcway SRS G4R, 1110 mhz, Win 2K, Athlon 2200+, 2GB ram, 2-120gb hds | |
| | | | Re: I want my contract money then It sounds like a sound plan, although it hardly ever falls that way. I'd re-read your contract, 'cause most have a line equal to that of:
Company may terminate contract with user at will.
Which really isn't all that bad. I mean, yeah you have to look somewhere else. But look deeper. I've seen contracts that finished that last sentence with:
Company will then assess an early termination charge of $$$$
Whenever binding into ANY type of contract, read the fine print closely. | |
| | | mc5w
join:2002-06-14
Independence, OH
|  Even in urban areas
If you are a computer guru or IT professional then what you need is raw speed. Direcway can download a 124 meg file (Windows 2000 Service Pack 3) in about 3 minutes.
The net result of the merger disapproval is that there will be LESS competition and even nonexistence of service.
Hopefully somebody along the lines of Echostar buys Direcway but that will still not solve the problem that Hughes has new satellites that have been on the ground for years because of limited space shuttle flights.
Kinky Sex with an Egg.
By the way, my understanding is that a one way installation can be done as a self install. That is, the professional installation is only mandantory for 2-way sites.
[text was edited by author 2002-12-14 05:46:44] | |
| | | | | | Re: Even in urban areas quote:
Essentially ALL of the cable companies refuse business users. (What?! They don't want to make money?)
Time Warner in NYC doesn't refuse business users. | |
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| | Long Live Direcway You don't have to live in the boonies to be at the mercy of your local CO for fast internet access. Just ask all of us outside of Verizon's 15,000 feet "standard distance" for DSL access. I hope Direcway will continue on because it ROCKS compared to my 28.8K dial-up piece of crap modem. | |
| | | | Re: Long Live Direcway Just read about Hughes considering shelving Direcway. Hope they don't do that. Or if they do, they at least give thos employees more notice than they did thier DIrecTV DSL employees. | |
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 Webmaniac$That's Mentally DebilitatingPremium
join:2002-07-24
Sharon, PA |  The future of Broadband... I believe could be.....
This... (click link)
»www.powerline-plc.com/
AND...
W.L.L. (Wireless Local Loop )
Cable/DSL? Sure, but if I was them, I would be "beefing up" "my" infrastructure, TODAY!
peace.
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Webmaniac(Disclaimer: My comments, are just that, "my comments.") | |
| | | We are in deep SH*T With comcast & att merged, directway gone, cable price will continue going up. Consumers are in deep $HIT. I would jump on those Comcast stock. Nah, I hate those greedy bastar*. Monopoly anyone. Bend over and prepared to be screwed by Comcast. | |
| mrcorpse
join:2002-11-18
Lake In The Hills, IL | direcway cancellations.. Like others, I'm getting bitten by the DirecyWay cancellation demon... My service had 1,000ms latency for which I was paying 100/month.. 7 months later (now) I'm cancelling, GLADLY paying the 700 cancellation fee (damn THIEFS is what they are) - I now have wireless lan setup for 65/mo (250 setup - TRUE 10 meg speed with 100ms latency any time of day).. to clarify, it's 300 to cancel and 400 until they get the equipment - yet they won't let me return the equipment first to avoid the extra 400 charge.. No wonder why so many ppl in my area have dropped them.
DIRECWAY sucks - it's horrible and I hope they do go under - only for selfish reasons though  Save your "I live too far for anything else" flames for someone else - I'm just venting since I just cancelled my service, and DirecWay didn't even offer me any KY-Jelly. | |
| | | DIRECWAY DOES SUCK!!!!!! THEY SUCK BIGTIME! I also got hit with the $700 charges for early cancellation and equipment fees. Guess they weren't considering the roof that they ruined on the install. The dish is PERMANENT!!!! I only had them for 6 weeks. Out of that, 2 of them I was FAPPED (Fair access Policy). 142 MB every 4-6 hours? BITE ME!!! So they charged my debit card $700 without notice and screwed up my checking account. Not a problem though, I just disputed it, and they refunded the $700. FUCK THEM!!!! And for those who cant get dsl or cable, WAIT, Direcway is NO BETTER than dialup. Sometimes EVEN WORSE!!! | |
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