Satellite - is it worth it? - RV-Dreams Community Forum

NWescapee · RV-Dreams Family Member

Satellite - is it worth it?

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

Satellite internet will not help your cellular connections.

But it will work in Canada and Mexico, where you get charged high rates for using U.S. cellular data. You can get decent rates for using your voice minutes in Canada.

Lucky Mike · RV-Dreams Family Member

I agree with you bill.....I was pointing out cost , like I pointed out in my post if it is for entertainment or personal use like simple Email and lite surfing cell would suffice......heavy usage and business purposes it is a mandatory.......I use it . I carry cellular....I also have satellite phone. my business demands require absolute communications. but the price is costly and must be weighed out ...and not gone into blindly..........Tri-pod mounts are great but unless your sitting still and in a place where you can set up ....your down

auto dishes are great you can pull over up it goes do 20 minutes of work and down it comes at the push of a button , but not to get off track.

you either have an endless budget...(some do!!) or you give a little here to get a little there

Example

sprint network......... monthly unlimited 55.00

dish network TV......30.00

wifi / and internet free or tethered to your cellular

this is good for Recreational daily use for under 100 dollars a month

business
satellite internet ...70 per month
cellular (sprint) ....55 per month
satellite phone ..120 per month
dish network TV....30 per month

cost 275 per month.......but the business in my case absorbs the cost.......this is what I was trying to explain to them

these are actual costs reflected by my monthly bill........its also only my opinion which only the dog takes into account

-- Edited by Lucky Mike on Saturday 13th of October 2012 11:30:30 AM

NWescapee · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks Bill. Right now we don't have plans to RV in Canada or Mexico, but certainly something to consider in the future.

Lucky Mike · RV-Dreams Family Member

Using satalite for internet is an exspensive add on for initial set up and monthly fees. If entertainment and personal use out weighs business use you want to think about it

average cost for unit can be in the 3 - 5000 range and monthly can cost an average of 80 dollars......it tends to be more stable than cell but within the next couple of years with 4G and what is happining in the communication industy I think you will find that satilite will fall behind.

satilite internet is dedicated no TV or phone is available on those networks at this time......cell is exspanding fast the big boys are buying up all the little systems and merging together to create broader areas and are building more systems.

in most metro areas wifi is now availabe using systems wired into the electric and phone infrastuctures(telephone and cable lines) , it wont be long before it will be open access

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

Lucky Mike: While I agree that most can get by with cellular internet with wifi as a backup, it does not work for everyone. Satellite is falling behind but satellite will be around for those who need it or want it enough to afford it. Plus you can still get a tripod satellite internet system for $1500 or less and I have talked to people getting used automatic roof mounts installed for less than $2K. There will continue to be places cellular does not work well, especially in those rural and out of the way places many RVers love. We will miss our satellite internet when we next go camping in Canada.

NWescapee said that to work cell phone access was a requirement so he/she will not be camping in those out of the way places without good cell phone coverage and will also have to make sure not to be camping where the cellular internet is extended network (Verizon term) or roaming (Sprint or AT&T) since then the performance is terrible.

Technomadia · RV-Dreams Family Member

We also work from the road (software developers) and depend on being able to get online.

We've found that a combination of Verizon (using the Millenicom 4G/3G MiFi plan) and AT&T (hotspotting from our various devices on a MobileShare Plan) and our WiFiRanger setup - gives us 'good enough' cellular connectivity. Except for when we're traveling out west, then things get much more hit and miss. We were at a campground in St. George, UT last fall that had horrible park WiFi, and both Verizon and AT&T were unreliable... if we didn't have the sat dish, we would have needed to move on. And of course, we couldn't do Burning Man without it!

A couple years ago we purchased a used satellite tripod setup (for $600) that we can activate when needed. And it has come in really handy on multiple occasions. It's a PITA to get activated tho, many hoops to jump through.

That said, we've not used our satellite systems in over a year now - mainly because we've been out east in that time frame, where cellular is prevalent.

So I would say.. it depends on where you plan to travel and how essential being online all the time is. Look at the cellular coverage maps for the carriers you're planning to travel with, and where you'll be traveling... if there are absent spots, consider satellite (or a box of wine, absent internet is always better with wine.)

And yes, satellite internet would help only with your data. Unless you have other options like Google Voice, Skype, Line 2, RingCentral, etc. setup, where you can use phone over the internet. But even then, the latency over satellite will make those a bit frustrating to depend on for voice or video calls.

- Cherie

-- Edited by Technomadia on Sunday 14th of October 2012 02:48:50 PM