# Anyone have satellite internet?



## mrbobo (Dec 11, 2014)

I am stuck in an area of Nueva Vizcaya where my only internet option is Smart Bro mobile internet. The bandwidth is really bad, usually measured in KB rather than MB per second. Although there are occasionally "good" days (1.5 to 2 MB) they are for the most part very few and far between. Most of the time is sucks. The connection is always dropping and I have to reboot the mobile router every 10 minutes. It is really frustrating. The only good thing about Smart Bro is that it is cheap. I moved here from Las Vegas where I had a 10MB DSL connection so you can understand my frustration. I am retired and I spend a lot of time online. Anyone out there using satellite internet at a reasonable cost? I did find a Thai based company called IPStar that was offering satellite internet for 50 dollars a month but the information on their website was sketchy and there was no mention of bandwidth.


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## Tukaram (Dec 18, 2014)

When we were getting Cignal satellite TV I asked about internet. They looked at me very confused..."sir, we are TV". Yes, I said, but do you have satellite internet available? "....uh.... we are TV....."

They have never heard of satellite internet ha ha.

But now I hear that Sky Cable is starting to offer it but I don't know anyone with it.


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## jon1 (Mar 18, 2012)

It is going to be costly when you do find a provider. Try looking for DreamVSAT or Indigo. Plans can cost you 15,000p per month and does not include the cost of the terminal around 60-70,000p. 

It is considered a last resort type of package for someone that absolutely MUST have. The high cost is due to the transmission to a Satellite transponder and back to the home terminal (I believe at Clark COMCAST). It is also still subject to rain fade and clouds heavily laden with moisture.

Check out this link http://www.dream.com.ph/wannadream/subscription_plans.asp?npage=11


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

The main thing here is (and this is just my personal opinion from years of experience living here) anything, any product, or any company, that locals own, operate, manage, or in any way control - is broken and inefficient even when brand new or just started business. 
So when you deal with ANY local internet provider, no matter what they say. offer, or promise, you are going to wind up with junk and disappointment.

In my view, the only way to get what you are paying for would be to locate a satellite internet provider in another country - where there is no contact or dealing with ANYONE here in the Philippines. Then and only then will you have adequate service.

The Angeles City Flying Club did exactly that several years ago for this exact reason. They no longer have it as there is different ownership and management now. 
But when they did have satellite internet it worked and it worked very well ALL THE TIME.



Jet Lag


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## 197649 (Jan 1, 2013)

satellite tv is a hit and miss for us too much cloud cover and rain. So I imagine internet would be the same
PLDT has fiber optic in many places


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## HondaGuy (Aug 6, 2012)

Jet,

Any idea which provider the flying club used and about how much they paid?


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

HondaGuy said:


> Jet,
> 
> Any idea which provider the flying club used and about how much they paid?


Sorry, I have no idea. Didn't matter to me at the time but wish now I had asked..

Where most business can be done worldwide now, It might pay to check with satellite internet providers back home. They could send the equipment and just pay each month online.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

*DSL available as a package deal only*



mrbobo said:


> I am stuck in an area of Nueva Vizcaya where my only internet option is Smart Bro mobile internet. The bandwidth is really bad, usually measured in KB rather than MB per second. Although there are occasionally "good" days (1.5 to 2 MB) they are for the most part very few and far between. Most of the time is sucks. The connection is always dropping and I have to reboot the mobile router every 10 minutes. It is really frustrating. The only good thing about Smart Bro is that it is cheap. I moved here from Las Vegas where I had a 10MB DSL connection so you can understand my frustration. I am retired and I spend a lot of time online. Anyone out there using satellite internet at a reasonable cost? I did find a Thai based company called IPStar that was offering satellite internet for 50 dollars a month but the information on their website was sketchy and there was no mention of bandwidth.


I had no idea that PLDT has DSL in my area, I'm somewhat remote in the opposite direction from you, I had no idea until I applied for it at the main office, If I applied just for DSL then it's not available, so in my area I had to have a packaged deal with a land line, so it all comes down to visiting the office, there must be a PLDT main office in your area.

The other Telcoms offer WiFi only in my area similar to you, my Globe account worked terrific for 4 years and was also low cost but a real pain when these units loose their signal or ? In our municipality they had some sort of problem that required an Engineering fix, trouble is they never shared that with me and I waited months, got tired of dealing with it and switched, well a couple months after I switched Globe fixed their issues, they still didn't share with the customers what had happened but they did come by to pick up their equipment, trouble is I turned it in to their main office, had to make a copy of the material surrender receipt. Positive note is that I'll never have to deal with Globes customer service or their main office ever again.


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## Manitoba (Jun 25, 2014)

I used satellite internet extensively in Afghanistan. There the costs were in the $US thousand plus range for a small service. That was a few years ago and was dealing through Afghans who are even more corrupt than Philippinos so current prices through a reputable contract I don’t know.

You might want to get a couple households near by to connect together and share a service., This of course involves significant trust.

Also as mentioned above they do not like the rain very much and service degrades significantly when it is raining ( or snowing there has happened occasionally.)


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## cvgtpc1 (Jul 28, 2012)

mrbobo said:


> I am stuck in an area of Nueva Vizcaya where my only internet option is Smart Bro mobile internet. The bandwidth is really bad, usually measured in KB rather than MB per second. Although there are occasionally "good" days (1.5 to 2 MB) they are for the most part very few and far between. Most of the time is sucks. The connection is always dropping and I have to reboot the mobile router every 10 minutes. It is really frustrating. The only good thing about Smart Bro is that it is cheap. I moved here from Las Vegas where I had a 10MB DSL connection so you can understand my frustration. I am retired and I spend a lot of time online. Anyone out there using satellite internet at a reasonable cost? I did find a Thai based company called IPStar that was offering satellite internet for 50 dollars a month but the information on their website was sketchy and there was no mention of bandwidth.


I think only time will help. If I'd move now to where I had planned I'd have the same internet issues which is making me re-think things. But then I won't be there for 10 more years and who knows how developed that area might be then.


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

cvgtpc1 said:


> I think only time will help. If I'd move now to where I had planned I'd have the same internet issues which is making me re-think things. But then I won't be there for 10 more years and who knows how developed that area might be then.


Hmmm- add three more "zero's" to your number and you might see a slight improvement in service ound:

Don't mind me, It's my sarcastic Saturday-Hahaha:eyebrows:


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## cvgtpc1 (Jul 28, 2012)

Jet Lag said:


> Hmmm- add three more "zero's" to your number and you might see a slight improvement in service ound:
> 
> Don't mind me, It's my sarcastic Saturday-Hahaha:eyebrows:


Well Globe was pulling cable down the national road on the west coast of Samar and were 10km north of Bolusao when Yolanda hit. Can't catch a break lol

No idea if they're re-doing it or what.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

*Internet*



cvgtpc1 said:


> Well Globe was pulling cable down the national road on the west coast of Samar and were 10km north of Bolusao when Yolanda hit. Can't catch a break lol
> 
> No idea if they're re-doing it or what.


Amazing what companies are available, is PT&T available in your area? Not sure if you've heard of them, they offered our first land line service in our area and it ran about $100 and back in the middle 90's they had some options for internet but I didn't have a computer back then. 

PLDT was very limited back in the middle 90's but they've come a very long ways, I was watching the news on internet slow ups during the holidays and PLDT has 70% of the customer population, so maybe even PLDT.

I had no idea that DSL was available to me, all the citizens in my area have it, I just didn't realize it because they had WiFi units on top of their roofs (so I thought they had WiFi) but what happened was they had upgraded their account to DSL but the service technicians never took down the WiFi antenna's on the roof. 

Another issue is find someone who speaks English and has a clue whats available (only at the office), it ended up I got real curious, went down to the main office of the Telcom and even they weren't sure  they had me fill out an application for service and I still didn't get any word if it was available, found out the day they came to install it...LOL, :thumb: man that's how things work here, sometimes they have a rep that will come around and offer internet service to you, best option and even the office prefers this method, I went this route and contacted my rep a few times on what was going on, he would do the run around with the Telcom but give them no money what so ever, you get billed for installation and charges later, he's the one that told me this.

Another note, I asked the Globe techs when they couldn't fix my internet issue's if then knew of any other Telcom that provides DSL, they said they don't know...Lol, man you'll never get the right answer. There is one way to figure it out, if you have internet cafe's in your area what is there provider?


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## pakawala (Sep 10, 2014)

mrbobo said:


> I am stuck in an area of Nueva Vizcaya where my only internet option is Smart Bro mobile internet. The bandwidth is really bad, usually measured in KB rather than MB per second. Although there are occasionally "good" days (1.5 to 2 MB) they are for the most part very few and far between. Most of the time is sucks. The connection is always dropping and I have to reboot the mobile router every 10 minutes. It is really frustrating. The only good thing about Smart Bro is that it is cheap. I moved here from Las Vegas where I had a 10MB DSL connection so you can understand my frustration. I am retired and I spend a lot of time online. Anyone out there using satellite internet at a reasonable cost? I did find a Thai based company called IPStar that was offering satellite internet for 50 dollars a month but the information on their website was sketchy and there was no mention of bandwidth.


I suggest trying an external mimo antenna before you pursue the costly satellite option. 

My wife had the same reception problem using Smart Bro LTE 4G Mobile Internet that she uses when she goes home. We bought the same antenna as this one for sale on OLX Lte 4g 9dbi Mimo Antenna B593 Tattoo Brandnew With Box - Brand New For Sale Philippines - 64094667 and she no longer has reception issues. 

You could also consider a Mimo Dish antenna if the smaller square on doesn't work for you.

They mounted it to a bamboo pole and slowly rotated it until the bars on the Smart bro increased. Ensure the 2 female connectors that plug into the Smart Bro are included with the antenna if you purchase one. 

China town Manila sells them or look on one of the merchandise for sale websites.

Folks in your area are using the Yagi type Antenna to increase cell signal as well.


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