How It Works: Satellite Internet Access

Get the Web From Outer Space

Consider the current broadband situation: According to the Yankee Group, at the end of 1999, about 63 percent of all U.S. households couldn't get cable or DSL Internet access. By the year 2004 that figure is projected to drop to about 30 percent. That still leaves a considerable segment of the United States without access to broadband for years to come.

Meanwhile, the Yankee Group estimates that about 50,000 homes received Net access via satellite in 1999. That figure is expected to jump to 3.9 million by the end of 2004, as new providers and services appear, and as speeds increase and pricing becomes more competitive with cable and DSL access.

Currently, the only satellite provider is Hughes Network Systems, through its DirecPC or DirecDuo services. The latter includes satellite TV broadcasting.

What You Need

To get started, you'll need a Pentium running Windows 95 or later, at least a 28.8-kbps modem, and 32MB of memory. DirecPC also recommends about 20MB of free disk space to install the software. The dish connects to a cable, which runs to your satellite modem, then to the PC from a Universal Serial Bus cable or PCI card.

You'll pay about $150 for a DirecPC dish and modem. Monthly fees are based on use, starting at $30 for 25 hours per month. The DirecPC Web site can steer you to an online or local retailer, and you should shop around because prices vary widely between vendors.

If you're a computer-savvy Bob Villa, you can install the dish yourself using a kit that costs $30 to $40, although it won't be easy. Or you can pay to have the dish installed, at a cost of between $150 and $200. Note that if you want DirecTV service, you'll need to pony up an additional $150.

Once the dish is set, you'll sign up with an ISP and install the DirecPC software. You have a choice of PCI (internal) or USB satellite modems. Unfortunately, notebook PC users are out of luck: There are no PC Card modems for laptops.

DirecPC is about to have some company in the satellite access market. By the end of 2000, Gilat-To-Home will offer two-way, always-on satellite service. The primary benefits will be increased upload speeds, in the range of 128 kbps to 200 kbps, which should be sufficient for most Web surfers.

Gilat is partnered with Microsoft and EchoStar Communications, which provides the Dish network satellite TV service and will distribute the service in a single dish that can also receive Dish television programming. MSN will act as the ISP, and RadioShack will also sell the service through its retail stores, but no pricing has yet been announced.

DirecPC also says it will offer two-way service by the end of the year. In addition, America Online plans a ramped up, broadband version of its service to be delivered by DirecPC. The service, AOL-Plus, is also expected by the end of this year.

By 2002, we're likely to see speeds of at least 1.5 mbps, and potentially much faster, provided by satellite services including Hughes' Spaceway service and Teledesic, a service scheduled to launch in 2003 that has the high-profile backing of investors including Bill Gates, Boeing, and Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal.

All of which means you'll be able to get broadband no matter where you are, even if your local cable and phone companies can't get it to you.

Paul Heltzel is a frequent contributor to PCWorld.com and lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.