Anyone with QSat?

pat13wx

T42 wrote: »

This would be my point also and until you know the facts then it's difficult to know whether the service has improved. If you buy this months What Satellite they do a full analysis of the Tooway KA-Sat Broadband Service and they rate it fairly highly, giving it an 86% mark, plus the speeds are very genuine compared to what most of the ISP out there are showing as their headline speeds.

My own understanding, made up from researching the Internet on Satellite BB and in particular Tooway KA-Sat is growing much more appreciative than when I first started looking into alternatives to Eircom, or fixed-line BB providers. I do not have Tooway or any Satellite BB, my only BB at present is a very slow Eircom connection. It is, however, consistent and I never have trouble getting on line, but it is slow, hence the reason I am looking into alternatives.

I am not into gaming on line, so latency issue might not affect me as much as other. But I do like to surf the net when necessary and download data without too many restrictions. However, I believe the 25Gig allowance package from certain Tooway providers would do me. Thing is the price tag is way beyond what I want to pay for a monthly package.

jor el

T42 wrote: »

Would you test a satellite broadband system if was provided to you and give an honest report on your findings.

T42, have you any connection to any satellite ISP?

T42

jor el wrote: »

T42, have you any connection to any satellite ISP?

Not directly, I'm a user of different services and would like a good evaluation of the satellite broadband, I'm very interested in it and think it is the way forward for rural areas which let's be honest will never see a high speed reliable service from any of the larger ISP. This could be a ready made solution without costing an arm and a leg to put in infrastructure, like we have spent on Fiber networks, and only 10% usage, huge waste.

jor el

Then how are you proposing to arrange trials and evaluations, if you have no connection to the suppliers? It seems a little strange to me.

Evil_little_me

pat13wx wrote: »

Good luck with it. Please let us know what you think once it's all set up.

Will do.

T42 wrote: »

What speeds did you got for that price, what is your normal daily allowance.
Very interested to know how the allowance will work out.
How long before they install.

Here's all the packages they're offering: http://qsat.ie/broadband/

Well, we'll be paying €69.95 monthly, for the Gold package and the €10 fee for the nightime unlimited bandwidth.

Basically, they said to send the forms away and when they recieve them, they're going to call us and discuss everything before taking the inital cost via direct debit. Until then, I really don't know anything concerning installation and such, only that there's a waiting list.

pat13wx

Evil_little_me wrote: »

Will do.



Here's all the packages they're offering: http://qsat.ie/broadband/

Well, we'll be paying €69.95 monthly, for the Gold package and the €10 fee for the nightime unlimited bandwidth.

Basically, they said to send the forms away and when they recieve them, they're going to call us and discuss everything before taking the inital cost via direct debit. Until then, I really don't know anything concerning installation and such, only that there's a waiting list.

Apparently it's a 4-6 week wait for installation. But it might be quicker now you have the paperwork sorted.

Evil_little_me

pat13wx wrote: »

Apparently it's a 4-6 week wait for installation. But it might be quicker now you have the paperwork sorted.

Perhaps, but I'm not going to hold my breath though. I was waiting up until Monday for any kind of feedback from them. They didn't call me back like they said. I just took a chance and rang them to see what the hold up was and the guy I was speaking to took my email address.

Like magic, I've got the paperwork in my inbox a few days later. :rolleyes:

pat13wx

Evil_little_me wrote: »

Perhaps, but I'm not going to hold my breath though. I was waiting up until Monday for any kind of feedback from them. They didn't call me back like they said. I just took a chance and rang them to see what the hold up was and the guy I was speaking to took my email address.

Like magic, I've got the paperwork in my inbox a few days later. :rolleyes:

When I called them they also took my details and promised to have someone call me who could deal with my queries more specifically. Now, after nearly three weeks I still haven't hear from them. But in fairness I was only looking for information that was not at the time on their website.

I am looking forward to hearing how you get on with these people.

Sometimes the product might be the finest, but those providing it might be lacking.

Evil_little_me

I'm living seven miles between Cashel and Thurles, so I'm basically as rural as could be. Eircom keep telling us year after year that we'll have broadband soon, but to no avail.

So, I'm really excited by the prospect of having a fast, and more importantly reliable connection. And although they didn't call me back when they said they would, every operator I've spoken to have been helpful and genuine.

bealtine

Evil_little_me wrote: »

I'm living seven miles between Cashel and Thurles,

Have you looked into Munster Broadband?

http://www.munsterbroadband.ie/

pat13wx

Evil_little_me wrote: »

I'm living seven miles between Cashel and Thurles, so I'm basically as rural as could be. Eircom keep telling us year after year that we'll have broadband soon, but to no avail.

So, I'm really excited by the prospect of having a fast, and more importantly reliable connection. And although they didn't call me back when they said they would, every operator I've spoken to have been helpful and genuine.

We live close to each other in that case and, by the sounds of it in the same boat. I am in the Jockey:)

pat13wx

bealtine wrote: »

Have you looked into Munster Broadband?

http://www.munsterbroadband.ie/

I tried them but they don't extend to the Jockey, which is a pity as they seem to be on the ball....but they are available for those living closer to Cashel.

Evil_little_me

bealtine wrote: »

Have you looked into Munster Broadband?

http://www.munsterbroadband.ie/

I didn't even know such a thing exsisted. I'll look into it, thanks for that.

pat13wx wrote: »

We live close to each other in that case and, by the sounds of it in the same boat. I am in the Jockey:)

Small world

What makes me so mad is that I go to college in Thurles, and the internet there is just amazing and I'm just a few miles away with nothing but a stick and a dream.

pat13wx

Evil_little_me wrote: »

I didn't even know such a thing exsisted. I'll look into it, thanks for that.



Small world

What makes me so mad is that I go to college in Thurles, and the internet there is just amazing and I'm just a few miles away with nothing but a stick and a dream.

A kindred spirit:)

I have friends and family in Thurles and they too have amazing BB speeds and when I once told them of what I was getting they didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

On a serious note, many people who live in areas where respectable speed are the norm will never fully appreciate what some of us rural dwellers have to tolerate and how we'll try anything if it helps us get something close to decent.

watty

T42 wrote: »

Would you test a satellite broadband system if was provided to you and give an honest report on your findings.

I have extensively tested a wide range of Satellite systems and given honest report. As a Communications engineer with considerable Network expertise I also understand how the TCP/IP spoofing works, how the caching works, limitations inherent to ANY fixed satellite platform etc.

I don't need to try any more, ever. The only thing that can improve really is cap, and only if there are more customers or a huge amount more satellites are added.

Since Avanti/Hughes with Hylas-1 and Viasat/Eutelsat are now trying desperately to re-purpose their Ka capacity as Digital Cinema feeds and Regional TV, the Hylas-2 and the SES-Astra "birds" already booked and launching in the next year or two will be the peak of European & Irish Satellite Capacity for Internet.

http://www.lyngsat.com/launches/ka.html

Internet using Geostationary satellites will always be for a tiny user base and inherently absolutely inferior to other technologies. Mobile 3G/HSPA/LTE can be worse or better, it is never going to have the consistency nor true "always on" of real Broadband.

There are simply broadband applications that can never work on using Geostationary satellites .

watty

T42 wrote: »

Not directly, I'm a user of different services and would like a good evaluation of the satellite broadband, I'm very interested in it and think it is the way forward for rural areas which let's be honest will never see a high speed reliable service from any of the larger ISP. This could be a ready made solution without costing an arm and a leg to put in infrastructure, like we have spent on Fiber networks, and only 10% usage, huge waste.

It's not the way forward, unless the Government and Civil Service is corrupt or stupid.

Fibre can be got to anywhere ESB gets too. Not really any more expensively than ESB.

Fixed wireless is the way to do people that can't get DSL, Fibre or UPC cable. It can deliver true broadband, and while install cost is x4 that of Mobile (due to labour) the install cost is cheaper than Satellite Terminals. The Infrastructure cost is about 1/2 of mobile per base and can be 1/10th of Mobile per Mbps of traffic.

Really no-one in Ireland should have to get expensive Satellite (where virtually all the revenue leaves Ireland). You might decide to give the last 100 sites Satellite in a Universal Broadband rollout, but actually there is likely no need if those 100 people subsidized by the 1.5 million Urban and Suburban users.

But having 2,000 to 6,000 users is criminal stupidity.

P.S.
I currently don't work for ANY ISP or Radio company.

Evil_little_me

pat13wx wrote: »

On a serious note, many people who live in areas where respectable speed are the norm will never fully appreciate what some of us rural dwellers have to tolerate and how we'll try anything if it helps us get something close to decent.

Exactly. I'm desperate for anything that could download a song faster than what it usually takes me. (20-30 minutes) Or have a youtube video load without having to do the housework just to pass the time!

pat13wx

Evil_little_me wrote: »

Exactly. I'm desperate for anything that could download a song faster than what it usually takes me. (20-30 minutes) Or have a youtube video load without having to do the housework just to pass the time!

Oh yeah! This all sounds so familiar:D

I hope your BB worries are soon over.

T42

How many wireless companies have gone out of business, ICE were going to deliver broadband to rural ireland, but due to huge infra structure cost they failed and this was during the height of our economical growth. Ripplecom have taken on the mantle but they too are struggling.

Do you live in rural Ireland, if you do then you would understand the frustration We suffer from our non existent network. Fiber as a solution is not cost effective and will not reach rural areas, Fiber to home will not happen here, only in the large cities and towns. The ESB have invested heavily in their network, who will invest in the broadband network.

It might be worth looking at Satellite Broadband as a solution the meets our needs, NOW, no more waiting and the Speeds are real, not the headline speeds being touted by the ISPs and never delivering.
Maybe Eamon Ryan should have considered investing in a Satellite, rather than his cock and bull with 3, 99% of the country now have broadband





QUOTE=watty;73879890]It's not the way forward, unless the Government and Civil Service is corrupt or stupid.

Fibre can be got to anywhere ESB gets too. Not really any more expensively than ESB.

Fixed wireless is the way to do people that can't get DSL, Fibre or UPC cable. It can deliver true broadband, and while install cost is x4 that of Mobile (due to labour) the install cost is cheaper than Satellite Terminals. The Infrastructure cost is about 1/2 of mobile per base and can be 1/10th of Mobile per Mbps of traffic.

Really no-one in Ireland should have to get expensive Satellite (where virtually all the revenue leaves Ireland). You might decide to give the last 100 sites Satellite in a Universal Broadband rollout, but actually there is likely no need if those 100 people subsidized by the 1.5 million Urban and Suburban users.

But having 2,000 to 6,000 users is criminal stupidity.

P.S.
I currently don't work for ANY ISP or Radio company.[/QUOTE]

watty

Satellite isn't Broadband.

The cap is abysmal.

The latency is minimum 650ms, typical 800ms

Many applications won't work: Cloud/Ajax, most VPNs, Gaming...

Fibre is cheaper than mobile LTE rollout for Fixed use, giving over 100x speed even with just FTTC. It's perfectly economical and Fixed wireless for groups that are not feasible for fibre. One Fixed Wireless mast can have the same capacity as ALL satellite for ALL of Ireland together.

The 3G in the past and Satellite mantra now just hands Government and civil servants an excuse to do nothing. Convince them that 3G, LTE and Satellite are NOT solutions and then we will get action.

T42

Watty, I agree totally with your view on the government action, but how long more have the people in rural ireland got to wait. Can you tell me, honestly now, when a decent BB Service will be available to us.

You as a tecki have your opinion on the technology and I agree with most of it, but me as a consumer needs the answers now and we will never be served by our inept governments, so if a service provides us with high speed BB Now then we will are entitled to it, why should we be used as a stick to beat the powers that be. We don't need VPNs or Gaming, I'm working on a cloud app and it's perfect. In actual fact iv witnessed live streaming of video content on the Tooway platform, UPLOAD of 2.5mb, and it blows Eircom and other ISP out of the water. If you know of another solution then let us know.

Satellite Broadband might be worth another look, don't rule it out.

watty wrote: »

Satellite isn't Broadband.

The cap is abysmal.

The latency is minimum 650ms, typical 800ms

Many applications won't work: Cloud/Ajax, most VPNs, Gaming...

Fibre is cheaper than mobile LTE rollout for Fixed use, giving over 100x speed even with just FTTC. It's perfectly economical and Fixed wireless for groups that are not feasible for fibre. One Fixed Wireless mast can have the same capacity as ALL satellite for ALL of Ireland together.

The 3G in the past and Satellite mantra now just hands Government and civil servants an excuse to do nothing. Convince them that 3G, LTE and Satellite are NOT solutions and then we will get action.

dc27

Hi does anyone know what direction and angle the Qsat dish needs to be pointed towards? Thanks very much.

Cabaal

T42, just to reiterate jor el's previous query which you appear to have missed

Then how are you proposing to arrange trials and evaluations, if you have no connection to the suppliers? It seems a little strange to me.

T42

Cabaal wrote: »

T42, just to reiterate jor el's previous query which you appear to have missed

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It would be nice to get a service tested properly before it is slated here on the boards, that's all I proposing. Most people on here have used Eircom, UPC, Vodafone, etc, and are well positioned to make a comment, very few if any have used Satellite Broadband. If you red this months What Satellite they give it an 86% rating, which is good, does it deserve this rating?

pat13wx

Cabaal wrote: »

T42, just to reiterate jor el's previous query which you appear to have missed

I suspect T-4 works for some Satellite BB company or other and is more involved than he's mentioned. I have no problem with this. I feel he is disappointed with the negative stuff being posted here so want to defend something he believes in. Again, I have no problem with that.

The problem for me is the pitiful download allowances currently being offered for the more basic Satellite packages. I could handle the latency issues, but would not put up with the derisory download limits I have read about. If Satellite BB providers were to be more generous in what they allow and reduce the price until they’re in line with more conventional BB providers, then they’d receive less complaints and far more support and (more importantly for them) attract far more customers.

Regardless of what some on this forum would have us believe I know Satellite BB works and works well enough for many of us who live in rural Ireland, but while the allowance and pricing issues remain the Satellite approach to a BB type service will not be as attractive as it could be. I am sure in time Satellite companies will change and offer more realistic download allowances and prices, but I fear by then it may be too little too late.

Sponge Bob

Listen, we covered this a long time ago around here from first principles. Every year we get another snakeoil outburst on Boards from the VSAT selling classes and this years one is worse than usual with Hylas and Ka Sat having gone live.

None of the new generation of satellites, individually, have the backhaul and throughput capability..deliverable to Ireland, of a SMALL RURAL TELEPHONE EXCHANGE and the older sats used up to 2010 are even worse....Hotbird 6 shared 4 Ka transponders for Tooway...around 250-300mbits for the whole of Europe and Astra2connect share 10 smaller Ku band transponders for around 300mbits across the whole of Europe as well.

Speeds should still be good on the new sats, they have no customers yet! Wait till christmas though.

watty

T42 wrote: »

It would be nice to get a service tested properly before it is slated here on the boards, that's all I proposing. Most people on here have used Eircom, UPC, Vodafone, etc, and are well positioned to make a comment, very few if any have used Satellite Broadband. If you red this months What Satellite they give it an 86% rating, which is good, does it deserve this rating?

It has been tested by many people on Boards, including qualified Network and Communication engineers.

There is nothing new now except some new capacity, the new Irish capacity combining BOTH satellites is STILL ONLY about 1/30th of one fibre in a bundle of fibres, and only equal to fixed wireless capacity at Three Rock. With 50 times worse latency.


What Satellite is barely more than an Advertising brochure. Most Tech Retail Magazine reviews have been meaningless since mid 1980s. Also it's a consumer TV receiver publication, what would they know about networking.

Cloud services in general do not work on Satellite. Some may.

No-one other than the companies selling it should be promoting Satellite at all. The companies selling it are mis-representing it. It can be a backup emergency solution, a disaster emergency communications solution or last ditch connectivity. It's not Broadband.

You are doing no-one a favour promoting it.

I am sure in time Satellite companies will change and offer more realistic download allowances and prices

No, they won't!

They can NOT offer larger download allowances. The totally obnoxious hourly, daily and weekly limits are to reduce congestion as there is about 1/20th to 1/80th of the capacity needed to service the number of customers they plan. They can only be economic by "oversubscribing" by x10 to x100 compared to terrestrial systems (contention). That means that the speed would be 10 times to 100 times slower than an equivalent speed of DSL / Fixed Wireless package if they had the same kind of caps.

pat13wx

watty wrote: »

They can NOT offer larger download allowances. The totally obnoxious hourly, daily and weekly limits are to reduce congestion as there is about 1/20th to 1/80th of the capacity needed to service the number of customers they plan. They can only be economic by "oversubscribing" by x10 to x100 compared to terrestrial systems (contention). That means that the speed would be 10 times to 100 times slower than an equivalent speed of DSL / Fixed Wireless package if they had the same kind of caps.

In that case Satellite may not survive too far into the future. The demands for faster speeds and greater allowances will only increase as time goes on and if Satellite can't compete with providers able to meet such demands - due to the limitations you outlined - then unquestionably they are going to be left behind.

watty

That's why they have changed emphasis of marketing of Ka-Sat from Internet only to Digital Cinema, OBs, Regional Tv.

RTE will be using nearly 1/4 of the Irish capacity for Saorsat. Satellite does broadcasting and ad-hoc temporary links well.

pat13wx

watty wrote: »

That's why they have changed emphasis of marketing of Ka-Sat from Internet only to Digital Cinema, OBs, Regional Tv.

RTE will be using nearly 1/4 of the Irish capacity for Saorsat. Satellite does broadcasting and ad-hoc temporary links well.

I see what you mean. It really is looking quite ominous for Satellite ISPs, then. Too bad if they can't continue as Satellite seems an alternative for rural dwellers without other means of getting connected.