| There are a number of options available for | | | | VNP traffic or VOIP connections. Download |
| Business Class Satellite Internet connectivity in the | | | | speeds are listed as up to 20 times faster than |
| U.S. today. New offerings seem to launch every | | | | dialup...whatever that means. Dish size is 24"x36" |
| week in 2005 and it is becoming a bit confusing | | | | and transmitter strength not given. |
| for the business owner who can't obtain traditional | | | | Equipment Cost: $900 + shipping + installation |
| high speed internet or can't afford the expense of | | | | (price not given) |
| running a T1 line to a location off the beaten path. | | | | Monthly Service: $160 |
| I've outlined below several options for business | | | | 4. DirecWay Business Plus Service (U.S. only): |
| with the positive aspects as well as negative | | | | This is the DirecWay "beefed up" version of |
| where applicable. Each company and heavy | | | | service. The only meaningful difference between |
| individual user has different needs, so no one | | | | this platform and the Starband setup above is |
| platform is a "one size fits all". I will outline them | | | | DirecWay has more experience "massaging" the |
| and you decide: | | | | DVB conversion to IP and possibly more |
| 1. iDirect Platform: | | | | advanced acceleration techniques. They will |
| This is a proven Enterprise platform which | | | | support some types of VPN and VOIP, but it |
| provides a wide range of dependable speeds for | | | | requires expensive equipment ($2,000+) to be |
| most any business, government or heavy use | | | | placed at the satellite location and at Headquarters |
| individual. Download speeds from 64 kbps to over | | | | for a VPN circuit- often to the chagrin of the IT |
| 2000 kbps and Upload speeds from 64 kbps to | | | | department at HQ. Inadequate upload speeds for |
| over 1000 kbps are available. The platform | | | | heavy VPN "chatty" programs still plague this |
| supports "shared bandwidth" or guaranteed "QOS" | | | | platform. |
| bandwidth at much higher pricing. In the U.S. a 1.2 | | | | You can expect download speeds ranging from |
| meter dish is standard. | | | | 800 kbps to 1500 kbps or more. Upload speeds |
| Equipment Cost: Equipment - A 2 watt system will | | | | range from 29 kbps to 90 kbps. This system |
| cost about $2,700 installed. A 4 watt system is | | | | uses a .98 meter dish and 1 watt transmitter. |
| about $4,300 installed. | | | | Equipment Cost: $900 + $375 installation (shipping |
| Monthly Service: A minimum circuit is about $250. | | | | included) |
| A typical setup of 1000/256 kbps is $499 per | | | | Monthly Service: $129+ |
| month for a shared bandwidth-no FAP setup. For | | | | 5. Ka Band Satellite Internet: |
| about $350 per month you can get 2000/500 | | | | When this technology becomes available the |
| kbps service with a 3 GB throughput allowance | | | | summer of 2005, it could literally shake the |
| per month. There is a cost of $.09 per MB | | | | foundation of the satellite internet world - or not! |
| thereafter. The "shared bandwidth" package is far | | | | It is a technology that has been many years and |
| more predictable with the iDirect platform than | | | | over 1.5 Billion dollars in the making. There will be |
| with DirecWay or Starband setup's. You can | | | | 30 spot beams aimed at the U.S. and 5 used by |
| expect to see the advertised speeds 85 % of | | | | uplink centers with the initial satellite (Telesat's |
| the time or better. | | | | Anik F2) which will be operated by Wildblue |
| 2. Surfbeam Platform: | | | | Communications, a Denver, Co. based company. |
| This product is in the process of being introduced | | | | It is being targeted to small business operators |
| in America. Surfbeam uses the same platform | | | | and consumers in rural areas through a network |
| basically that a cable or DSL provider would use, | | | | of rural electric operators (NRTC) initially and |
| except it is satellite internet. It is much less | | | | through two national distributors as the year |
| expensive than "Enterprise" grade systems. There | | | | progresses. If it works as advertised it will permit |
| is only one provider ready to launch this platform | | | | telecommuters to successfully VPN into home |
| in the U.S. and they should begin shipping | | | | office much like they would with a cable or DSL |
| equipment by April 1, 2005. In most cases a 1.2 | | | | connection - except at somewhat slower speeds |
| meter dish will be utilized with a 2-3 watt | | | | (due to about 500ms of latency). Still, it has a lot |
| transmitter. Download speeds of 1500 kbps and | | | | of promise for the small businessman. They will |
| uploads in excess of 500 kbps are the advertised | | | | not offer an Enterprise solution for some time- if |
| speeds; however, this hasn't been verified in the | | | | ever. |
| field as of this article date. | | | | With a satellite dish about the size of a trashcan |
| Equipment Cost: Ranging from $1,295 - $1,995 | | | | lid (.67 meters) and a two watt transmitter, users |
| including installation. | | | | will be able to download at speeds up to 1500 |
| Monthly Service: Ranging from $95 - $400. | | | | kbps and upload at speeds ranging from 128 kbps |
| 3. Starband 484 Platform U.S. : | | | | to 256 kbps. |
| This is the "beefed up" version of Starband | | | | Equipment Cost: $300-$500 Installation: $ ?? |
| service designed to attract small businesses and | | | | Monthly Service: Three plans with varying |
| heavy individual users. This is DVB (digital video | | | | download speeds |
| broadcast) technology which is converted to IP - | | | | $49 - 500 kbps download speeds |
| the conversion process is the problem. It adds to | | | | $69 - 1000 kbps |
| overall latency and even with higher upload | | | | $79 - 1500 kbps |
| speeds than their consumer products (they | | | | It is unclear whether the upload speeds shown |
| advertise "up to" 256 kbps in Turbo Max mode- | | | | above will apply to all service levels. |
| unclear what that really is), they don't support | | | | |