DirecTV Internet - WildBlue
By The Guru | August 30, 2007
Many people who want broadband simply can’t get it. As the rural broadband crisis in America continues, there is an alternative to cable and DSL for those who either can’t receive these services or are looking to try something different. DirecTV’s has partnered up with Wild Blue internet service to offer broadband internet through a satellite connection to it’s subscribers. This means that now virtually anyone, anywhere in the US can have access to broadband Internet.
This is great news for many people who want to watch online videos and other rich - bandwidth heavy content. It is also perfect for those who do business online but live in rural areas and have to suffer the slow speeds of dial up internet. WildBlue only takes a few hours to set up, and it’s “always on” so you don’t need to worry about getting “bumped off” if you receive a phone call.
WildBlue is currently offering 3 different packages through DirecTV. Each package has a different internet download and upload speed. The faster these speeds are the more expensive the plan is.
The WildBlue Value Package starts at $49.95 a month and offers speeds up to 512 Kbps down and 128 Kbps up.
The WildBlue Select Package starts at $69.95 a month and offers speeds up to 1.0 Mbps down and 200 Kbps up.
The WildBlue Pro Package starts at $79.95 a month and offers speeds up to 1.5 Mbps down and 256 Kbps up. - Recommended
The WildBlue Pro Package, which is the most expensive is about the same speed as DSL. It is about 30 times faster than dial up internet service. We recommend bundling the WildBlue Internet with a DirecTV programming package, this way you get a better rate on your satellite TV and internet. You can save up to $120 a year by doing this.
So what are the requirements for WildBlue internet? Well first off location doesn’t really matter, as long as you are in the continental United States, chances are WildBlue is available to you. It is recommended however that you have a computer with at least a 300 MHZ or faster processor, 128 MB RAM, and Windows 200, XP, or Vista. The service also works with Mac computers.
Topics: Information |
August 31st, 2007 at 12:41 pm
WildBlue requires a separate antenna for a Broadband connection. Further, you are definitely NOT “always connected.” I have had WildBlue for over a year, and they are so oversubscribed, they totally disconnect you several hours each day. I have dial-up as a backup, and will probably drop WildBlue altogether because I’m wasting my money on it.
August 31st, 2007 at 3:54 pm
I have WildBlue and It has been pretty good, not great because you do get disconnected at times, however it definitely is better than dial up.