The following are answers to commonly
asked questions about WildBlue.
General Information:
- What is the
WildBlue service and where is it available?
- Why should
I get WildBlue?
- How hard is
it to use?
- Who do I call
if I have a problem?
- What equipment
is needed to get the WildBlue service?
- What are my
computer system requirements to get WildBlue?
- Are there any
cancellation fees?
- What kind of
speed can I expect?
Services and Prices:
- What does WildBlue
cost?
- What email
do I get with my WildBlue account?
- What web space
do I get with my WildBlue account?
- Do I get dial-up
service with my WildBlue account?
- Will WildBlue
require a separate account with an Internet Service Provider
(ISP)?
- If I sign up
for WildBlue service, can I keep my AOLŪ account?
- Will you limit
heavy bandwidth users?
- Do you offer
a limited warranty on the equipment?
Availability Information:
- When and where
will the service be available?
- Can I get WildBlue
service in a mobile vehicle like an RV or boat?
Installation Information:
- What will the
installation process be like? Can I install my own dish?
- Can I use wireless
home networking with WildBlue?
- Do customers
have to have a phone line in addition to the satellite connection?
- Do I need a
southern line of sight to receive a signal from your satellite?
Technical Information:
- How fast is
this service? How does it compare to cable modems and DSL?
- What operating
systems are compatible with the WildBlue service?
- Will WildBlue
work with Macintosh computers?
- What Web browsers
and email clients does WildBlue support?
- Will I be able
to use a virtual private network (VPN) with WildBlue service?
- What is the
impact of latency? Can I play real-time Internet games or
make Internet phone calls on your service?
- What if my
computer did not come with a Network Interface Card (NIC)?
What can I do?
- Is WildBlue
service affected by weather?
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General Information:
- What is the WildBlue service and
where is it available?
WildBlue is a high-speed Internet access service for homes,
home offices and small offices. It will be available in
virtually every location across the continental United States.
- Why should I get WildBlue?
WildBlue provides access to the Internet at much higher
speeds than dial-up access: up to 1.5 Mbps which is more
than 30 times faster than dial-up. A whole new world of
content will open up to you with your broadband connection.
And with WildBlue, you get an "always on" connection which
means no dialing-in or other delays to get high-speed access
to the Internet.
- How hard is it to use?
Not hard at all. Once we professionally install your WildBlue
system, you are ready to surf the Internet at lightning
fast speeds. You can use your same web-browser, go to the
same sites, use your email, etc. just like you always have...but
a lot faster! And it's always on so no more dialing-in delays,
or getting "bumped off."
- Who do I call if I have a problem?
You just call our friendly customer care agents, 24 hours
a day, 7 days a week.
- What equipment is needed to get
the WildBlue service?
It's easy. All you need is a WildBlue minidish and a WildBlue
modem.
- What are my minimum computer system
requirements to get WildBlue?
Most computers in use today will meet our minimum system
requirements. If you don't know if you meet them, please
contact us and we can help you figure it out.
PC/ Windows: 300 MHz or faster processing speed, minimum
128 MB Random Access Memory (RAM), and Windows 98SE, ME,
2000, or XP operating system. 100 MB of hard drive space
and an ethernet card are required.
Macintosh: 300 MHz or faster processing speed, 128MB Random
Access Memory (RAM), and OS 9, OS 10.2 or higher operating
system. 100 MB of hard drive space and an ethernet card
are required.
- Are there any cancellation fees?
WildBlue customers are required to sign a service contract
when they initiate service. If you disconnect your service
before the contract expires, there will be a cancellation
fee equal to the price of your monthly service multiplied
by the remaining number of months in your contract.
- What kind of speed can I expect?
WildBlue will offer different packages that provide you
different speed levels. Our core Value Service will offer
up to 512 kbps download speed. We plan to offer other services
with up to 1.5 Mbps download speeds.
View our speed demo.
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Services and Prices:
- What does WildBlue cost?
There are two costs - an upfront fee to pay for the equipment
and professional installation, and a monthly service fee
for the high-speed Internet access. We will offer a variety
of packages at different monthly fees, including a Value
Service at $49.95 per month.
- What types of email options do I
get with my WildBlue account?
We offer an advanced suite of Internet services including
the commonly used POP3 (like Outlook or Outlook Express)
and web-based email options. Our subscribers will receive
between 5 and 10 email addresses (each with at least 10
MB capacity depending on the package chosen). More email
addresses and additional capacity are available. Learn more
about the packages we offer for your
home and
small office.
- Do I get web space with my WildBlue
account?
Yes. We provide customers with between 10 and 20 MB of web
space as part of their WildBlue service package. The exact
storage space depends on which package you choose to buy.
Learn more about the packages we offer for your
home and
small office.
- Do I get dial-up service with my
WildBlue account?
Yes. We will offer a remote-access dial-up service to our
subscribers, allowing you to access your email when you
are not at home or out of the office. Instructions for remote
access will be included with your installation. Learn more
about the packages we offer for your
home and
small office.
- If I have WildBlue, do I need an
additional account with an Internet Service Provider (ISP)?
No. The WildBlue service includes all key ISP features like
email, web space, etc. If you prefer, you can continue to
use your existing email account and use the WildBlue service
for your broadband Internet access.
- If I sign up for WildBlue service,
can I keep my AOLŪ account?
Yes, if you prefer. You can use WildBlue for high-speed
broadband Internet access and keep your AOLŪ service if,
for example, you want to retain your current email account.
You will need to pay a separate fee directly to AOLŪ beyond
your monthly WildBlue fee. Please contact AOLŪ directly
for more information.
- Will you limit heavy bandwidth users?
As is standard with other Internet Service Providers, WildBlue
will ensure that its service operates at optimum speeds
for all of its customers. Since WildBlue is a shared network,
we will have a Fair Access Policy to ensure that extraordinary
usage by a few customers doesn't negatively affect the normal
usage of other customers. For the vast majority of users,
the Fair Access Policy will have no effect on their usage.
For a few very heavy bandwidth users, the system may restrict
their bandwidth and therefore their speed. WildBlue's Fair
Access Policy will be well-documented and communicated to
you before you become a customer. We plan to offer multiple
service levels that should accommodate most users' needs.
- Do you offer
a limited warranty on the equipment?
Yes. You will receive a manufacturer's warranty on all equipment
at no charge when you become a customer.
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Availability Information:
- When and where will the service
be available?
We expect to begin offering the WildBlue service in the
second quarter of 2005 to customers throughout the community.
Please enter your name on the
priority waitlist
(there is no obligation to purchase the service) and we'll
contact you when WildBlue is available in your area.
- Can I get WildBlue service in a
mobile vehicle like an RV or boat?
Not at this time. WildBlue service was designed for stationary
locations like homes and small businesses. We do not offer
broadband service for mobile vehicles at this time.
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Installation Information:
- What will the installation process
be like? Can I install my own dish?
Our professional installers will quickly and efficiently
install equipment and activate WildBlue's broadband service
at your chosen location. The satellite mini-dish is about
26 inches x 28 inches and can be easily mounted on a roof,
outside wall or in the ground. A cable from the dish will
connect to a satellite modem (a small box usually placed
next to the computer), which will connect to your computer
via an Ethernet connection. Installation will require an
installation professional to make sure that the dish is
pointed at the satellite accurately and to verify that all
connections are made properly. Self-installation is not
currently being offered. See our
How it Works Demo.
- Can I use wireless home networking
with WildBlue?
Yes. WildBlue is compatible with all major wireless home
networking products.
- Do customers have to have a phone
line in addition to the satellite connection?
No. WildBlue offers an efficient 2-way broadband connection
that requires no phone lines.
- Do I need a southern line of sight
to receive a signal from your satellite?
Yes. You will need a clear view of the southern sky to receive
a signal from the WildBlue satellite.
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Technical Information:
- How fast is this service? How does
it compare to cable modems and DSL?
WildBlue's always-on broadband Internet connection provides
a user experience similar to most DSL and cable modem services.
At launch, we will offer downstream speeds of up to 1.5
Mbps - more than 30 times faster than today's dial-up speeds.
WildBlue's high bandwidth opens up a window to a world of
rich content that is largely unavailable through dial-up
modems. See our WildBlue Speed
Demo.
- What operating systems are compatible
with the WildBlue service?
Windows/PC: Windows 98SE, ME, 2000 or XP
Mac: OS9, OS 10.2 or higher
- Will WildBlue work with Macintosh
computers?
Yes. The WildBlue service is compatible with Macintosh computers.
- What Web browsers and email clients
does WildBlue support?
| Web
Browsers: |
| Windows/PC: |
Internet Explorer 5.5
& 6, Netscape 6 & 7.x, Mozilla 1.7.3, Firefox 1.x |
| Mac: |
Netscape 7.x, Safari
1.x, Mozilla 1.7.3, Firefox 1.x |
| |
| Email
Clients: |
| Windows/PC: |
Outlook Express 5 & 6,
Outlook XP & 2003, Netscape Mail 6 & 7 |
| Mac: |
Outlook Express 5, Outlook
2001, Outlook 2004, Netscape Mail 6 & 7, Apple mail |
- Will I be able to use a virtual
private network (VPN) with the WildBlue service?
Yes. WildBlue recommends the use of SSL-based VPNs as they
work well on the WildBlue network because they work efficiently
over a satellite connection. IP Sec-based VPNs may be slower
due to the effects of latency. Our customer care representatives
can explain more to you about VPNs.
- What is the impact of latency? Can
I play real-time Internet games or make Internet phone calls
on your service?
The WildBlue system is engineered to help offset the impact
of latency, which is the delay caused by sending signals
from the earth to the satellite and back again. However,
there is a delay of about a quarter second as the signal
travels up to the satellite and back down to the ground.
For most applications this latency does not affect performance,
however, there are some applications like voice over IP
(telephone service delivered over the Internet, also known
as VoIP), or real-time interactive gaming, where latency
will have a noticeable effect on performance over the WildBlue
network, as it would on any satellite-delivered service.
- What if my computer did not come
with a Network Interface Card (NIC)? What can I do?
Many computers can be upgraded with a 10/100 Ethernet Network
Interface Card (NIC) - which you can find at almost any
consumer electronics store, or at an online store. If you
are comfortable with opening your computer and installing
hardware, most Ethernet NICs can be self-installed. Check
with your computer manufacturer for more information on
the right Ethernet NIC for your system.
Also, if you have an available USB port on your computer,
you can purchase a USB Ethernet adapter (available at almost
any consumer electronics store, or online) This may be easier
to install than a PCI card in your computer. For a laptop,
you can purchase a standard PCMCIA card that provides an
Ethernet connection, or you can purchase a USB Ethernet
adapter as well. We recommend that you upgrade your computer
to meet all of the requirements listed above
to get the most out of your Internet experience.
- Is WildBlue service affected by
weather?
The WildBlue service is only minimally affected by weather,
and only under extreme conditions. The WildBlue service
will offer availability equal to that of satellite TV. Like
satellite TV services, during a very heavy rainstorm, you
may notice slower WildBlue speeds, but this should normally
only last a few minutes.
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