I’ve been meaning to do a post on how important having dependable high-speed Internet access is for bloggers and anyone else who works online. I will eventually do a post on how various types of broadband Internet access compare and which is most suitable. This can’t wait though. Some may have noticed me complaining on Twitter about being unable to work or noted my post frequency has varied greatly lately. The reason is HughesNet is simply horrendous.
After collecting over a dozen case numbers which they never use for anything and escalating my issue to their Executive Customer Care they finally patched me through to Level 3 support again. Level 3 and Customer Care both told me that:
- We aren’t supposed to EVER open more than one tab at a time
- They never claimed their service would work for filling out forms on the Internet on sites like Yahoo Local or Google Maps
- That even if I couldn’t use the Internet there was absolutely nothing wrong – I should just “wait a few hours and try again”
At that point I knew that they were never going to admit what they were probably doing (using the ability to limit bandwidth – they hold patents on ways to do that – see graph below) and I was never going to have reliable Internet access from them. I hope if you’re reading this you have not signed a contract as there are complaints from people who paid their ridiculous early termination fees and were still being hounded by collectors for HughesNet.
I am moved to post this to hopefully prevent others from going through the pain of being stuck in contracts that are very difficult to break. I am, in fact, still paying more for an unusable HughesNet account than I am now paying for excellent fixed wireless that makes using the Internet a joy again.
In one review of HughesNet on DSL Reports MichaelRS posted this image of his speeds over several days:
HughesNet Speed Graph
Note that the speed switches dramatically between about 1.5 meg and under 33.6 kbps (older dial-up) at regular times each day. This is NOT what you would see if more and more people got active online.
Instead of writing any more about it I’ll just share the latest Tweets from suffering HughesNet users. My apologies in advance for any bad language. I can’t blame them for being so frustrated. If I weren’t graphics challenged I’d pretty them up, make them uniform in width and edit out the profanity.
Hopefully you’ll forgive me for just getting this done quickly so I can move on to getting caught up from all the work I’ve missed being able to do while trying to actually get HughesNet to fix my connection – or at least admit they were intentionally limiting my access. Any time my service was particularly bad there would be a rash of complaining Tweets. Just do a Twitter search for HughesNet any time to see them.
Note that these Tweets are all from the last few days. There are hundreds more complaining and these ARE representative of the issues involved. I preserve these here for posterity in hopes someone takes action to force HughesNet to release people who are stuck with long term contracts – contracts that HughesNet has broken because they are NOT providing the service for which they are charging.
Since these are images I provide here the links to reviews of HughesNet service:
- DSLReports HughesNet Reviews – 852 reviews (147 positive) (445 negative) as of today
- RipOff Reports Against HughesNet – 155 complaints as of today
- RateItAll HughesNet Reviews – 85 reviews, most have 1 star – many comment they deserve 0 stars!
Tweets Complaining About HughesNet:
If you’ve read this far you probably have or are considering HughesNet. I urge you to search diligently for a quality local independent fixed wireless company. They are usually owned by technical types who are not very good at marketing so ask around or try searching these links:
- WISP Directory - Find a Wireless Internet Service Provider
- DSLReports – They provide several ways to search for service, great tech support, speed tests, and forums with really sharp broadband knowledgeable techs.
Do be sure to read the reviews and search online for complaints. A wireless company is only as good as their people and the equipment they install. They tend to be either very good or very bad. You can also try searching in Local Search Directories.
If that doesn’t pan out then consider wireless cellular service. Instead of contacting the major phone companies call 3gstore.com. They are widely recommended for their quality tech support and knowledge of current and soon-to-be-announced equipment availability and limitations.
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Good review and alert to give to avoid future problems.
Twitter: @GrowMap
Hello Birmingham,
Thank you. I sincerely hope it saves at least some people from wasting their time and money on such a truly bad service. The worst part about it is their dishonesty.
Internet Strategist’s last blog post..How to Create a Successful Blog Based Business Part 1
If it were ME, there would be BAD BIZ FINDER reports, RIPOFF REPORTS, A one-star Yelp, and numerous other bad press created by me…….guaranteed to warn 10,000 potential customers away from Hughes Net.
Twitter: @GrowMap
Hi Matt,
I’m still working to get caught up from all the work I could not do for the many weeks HughesNet service was limping and I could not work. Believe me when I say I will warn as many people as I can as many places as possible.
My research will be very useful in the future. Eventually a major class action lawsuit is bound to be brought against them. There already is one in California.
Internet Strategist’s last blog post..How to Create a Successful Blog Based Business Part 1
Another weapon is the simple Credit Card…….ALWAYS pay with C/C and you can dispute the charges.
If the service was not provided in the manner promised, you win the “Charge-Back” and the disputed item can be refunded to your Visa account. The number of days allowed varies from Bank to Bank…….I know my bank would have reversed all fees paid within a 90-day period…….YMMV (your mileage may vary).
Twitter: @GrowMap
Hi Matt,
That isn’t a bad idea. I wonder if that would work. I probably will unless the banks aren’t willing to take on HughesNet.
Internet Strategist’s last blog post..Select Keywords First to Make Your Content Easy to Find
Twitter: @nickherinckx
I hate these large companies that take advantage of unsuspecting users. I’m so paranoid now that it takes me forever to commit to a service, as I had to look for so many reviews!
Sorry for you tough time, we’ve all been there!
Nick’s last blog post..Targeted Email Marketing
Twitter: @GrowMap
Hi Nick,
Thank goodness there ARE reviews. I am a big advocate of encouraging more people to write reviews because we all benefit from them. I’m working on an upcoming series of how-to write reviews for the major Local Search Directory sites to make it easier for everyone to get started.
If you’re an expert on targeted email marketing I’m sure there are many readers here that could use what you share in your blog.
Internet Strategist’s last blog post..We Miss The Golden Days of the Internet – Pay Per Click Advertising Circa 2003
Twitter: @nickherinckx
Thanks for the response,
That’s part of the reason I started my current blog, because I deal with clients on a regular basis who use a wide variety of email programs, some good, some not. It is almost impossible to get a clear recommendation of a solid email marketing program (and other software for sure), so I hope to help out a bit. Of course, full disclosure, I hope to make some money off my recommendations too! But at least they will be legit, from someone who works with these programs every day, and not simply the software with the best affiliate program. That’s why I think it’s so hard to find good reviews these days!
Keep me posted on your latest how-to guide!
Twitter: @GrowMap
Hi Nick,
I was just catching up on comments and thought you might want to check out the new features in FeedBlitz if you haven’t already. What they’re doing may make having another email list management tool like AWeber unnecessary.
.-= Gail @ Social Media Marketing´s last blog ..Wedding Boom Predicted for Next 22 Years =-.
Twitter: @DennisEdell
So all is good now with the new wireless? I’ve never heard of them, but thankfully our local cable is fantastic.
Dennis Edell’s last blog post..3 Tips For A Better Adsense CTR
Twitter: @GrowMap
I am so grateful for REAL INTERNET again! No more waiting until the middle of the night to download anything. No more ignoring everything audio and video because I might hit the ridiculously low FAP limits and be without Internet for 24 hours.
I can get twice as much done now and with that resolved I have a new faster PC being built. I should have it by Friday and then things will really speed up with two PCs and two Internet connections. (Since I can’t get rid of HughesNet I may as well use it.)
Most people don’t realize that fixed wireless is usually provided by a small local company owned by a geek. The better the geek the better the service. Compared to HughesNet it would be really difficult for a wireless company to be worse. This one has been good so far and their reputation is they are dependable.
InternetStrategist’s last blog post..DMOZ Now Largely a Waste of Time
Twitter: @bartimus
Holy Cow!
I almost signed up for HughesNet last Wednesday after spending three days on the phone with BellSouth trying to figure out why/how my DSL account was closed without my permission.
I had never had an issue with BellsSouth before and I have used their DSL Internet for over five years. No one could seem to offer me a sensible explanation for the account closure. I did consider giving HughesNet a call on the recommendation of a friend who thought they offered a good service. Personally, I thought they were a little pricey and decided to wait for BellSouth to correct their mistake.
In the end, I was able to finally speak with a manager at BellSouth that not only reinstated my account, but also gave me a credit on next month’s bill.
Looks like my frugality might have saved me a tremendous amount of agony.
.-= Terry@Rip Off Report´s last blog ..You Must Buy Links To Rank For Some Search Results =-.
Twitter: @GrowMap
Hello Terry,
The only way HughesNet could be considered good is if someone uses very little Internet bandwidth. Perhaps those who just check their email and look at only one page at a time and never update their operating system (OS), visit a lot of pages in one day or go to YouTube would find it better than dial-up.
If you do a search for HughesNet at Twitter it becomes really obvious that serious Internet users will find getting work done nearly impossible. I still have it on a secondary PC but find it so slow even though I use it less than 10% of the time and never for large files or updating my OS that I do almost everything Internet related on fixed wireless now.
You are far better off with DSL and if you ever did need to make a change use the links in this post to seek out a small wireless company. They are so much easier to deal with than any corporation.
.-= Internet Strategist @GrowMap´s last blog ..Intelligent Bloggers to Consider Reading =-.
Oh! I hate it when companies have such a poor level of customer support! If only HughesNet spent as much on tech support than they do on advertising!
I have a question, I found this blog post while doing some research into sat. broadband, I am soon going to be moving to rural France, and as I run a few web businesses, I am researching best options for broadband – I was thinking about Sat. bband, but now I am not too sure…
My question is… have you tried any other Satellite broadband providers? Do you have an opinion on who the best satellite broadband company is at the moment?
Thanks!
.-= peter@mobile broadband free laptop´s last blog ..Cash machines turned into Wireless Broadband (Wi-Fi) hotspots =-.
Twitter: @GrowMap
Hi Peter,
I had one of the very first Earthlink satellite accounts installed in two different locations and never had the issues I experienced with HughesNet even though Earthlink was using a HughesNet satellite.
Satellite is not usable for certain types of applications – especially gaming – because of the inherent latency caused by having to send a signal so far above the earth and back down again.
The problem with HughesNet is most likely the way they are managing their bandwidth and not the satellite technology itself. I noticed that my wireless download speeds for large files is slower and for routine Internet usage is faster.
That tells me my WISP (wireless ISP) limits throughput for certain actions (large downloads) so that everything else has better response times. This is a much better way to handle bandwidth limits than the way HughesNet gives you either all or almost nothing.
You should check out the reviews and forums at DSL Reports to find out which companies provide the best service in your area. Also check the WISP Directory to see if they have International information on wireless providers. I would always choose point-to-point direct wireless over satellite.
.-= Internet Strategist @GrowMap´s last blog ..Select Keywords First to Make Your Content Easy to Find =-.
I live in a rural area and after being laughed at by AT & T about DSL, I decided to give Hughesnet a try. I should have stayed with dial up. It ran smoothly during the initial 30 days , during which I ran afoul of the “FAP” on one occasion. During the last four days, I have been unable to go on line for 30 minutes out of almost every hour. It s appears to be DNS server related and Hughesnet customer support is useless. I can ping Yahoo and other IP’s but get error messages if I try to surf. The connection is useless for at least 30 minutes to an hour each time. I would love to explain the problem to an american technician without being asked inane questions. If some one is considering Hughesnet, DON’T. I wish I would have checked before.
Twitter: @GrowMap
Hello Barry,
You have described the issue that those of us who have serious issues with HughesNet have seen. Some suspect they intentionally and severely limit bandwidth which causes many sites to fail to load.
I spoke to level two and three support and Executive Customer Care. It doesn’t matter whether they can speak English well or not – they will insist there is nothing wrong even when any rational person would conclude that their Internet connection was unusable.
That was true even though I had upgraded to the Elite Pro plan. It is very unfortunate because there are still some locations that have no other high speed options. Worse yet is their cancellation policy. Even though I now have wireless for far less than HughesNet’s least expensive plan I am still paying them every month for almost useless Internet access.
Fortunately for me I can use it as backup and for a secondary computer so it is not a total loss. Others have it far worse Just search for HughesNet on Twitter any time to see their pain.
.-= Internet Strategist @GrowMap´s last blog ..How to Add Your Free Business Listing to infoUSA =-.
Twitter: @GrowMap
Every time I do a search for HughesNet at Twitter my heart goes out to all those suffering from almost no Internet access because they use HughesNet. One suggested that everyone file a complaint with the BBB. Sounds like an excellent idea.
What really needs to happen is a class action lawsuit. If anyone hears of one let me know and I will forward them all the information I have including lists of Twitter users who have Tweeted complaints.
.-= Internet Strategist @GrowMap´s last blog ..How Much Is A Memorable Logo Worth? =-.
Hmmm, I have never tried HughesNet!
Does anyone have a good suggestion for broadband in southern Spain? (Andalucia specifically!)…
I was going to go for a satellite bband option, but now I am wondering if there is a ‘local geek’ -(as you put it
) in the area!
Hmmmm an investigation is needed I guess!
.-= Johnny@broadband´s last blog ..Podcasting Pioneer Scott Sigler Launches Book Publishing House Dark Overlord Media =-.
Twitter: @GrowMap
Hi Johnny,
Do you have any geek hangouts in Spain? Do check the sites I linked to and especially DSL Reports. They have a forum with some great people. With any luck some will be in Spain and will know what options are available there.
.-= Internet Strategist @GrowMap´s last blog ..Local Search Directory Taps the Power of Television =-.
Is a disgrace that they get away with this poor service. Unfortuately there are so many big companies who don’t care about their customers. A complaint to the BBB could sort them out!
Twitter: @GrowMap
Hi Phil,
While filing complaints with the BBB is a good idea to let others know about the issues they don’t really have the power to get businesses to do anything. As long as a business responds to the BBB they usually don’t have much impact. Any business that does NOT respond makes it extremely obvious that they simply do not care even that much.
.-= Internet Strategist @GrowMap´s last blog ..Major Television Stations Feature MyLocalLookup =-.
Thanks for the heads up. My uncle was actually planning to try out their service. I better warn him fast.
.-= Sandra@1800PetMeds Blog´s last blog ..Why Does My Dog or Cat Scratch So Much? =-.
Twitter: @GrowMap
Hi Sandra,
I hope you caught him in time. I still have HughesNet I use as a backup and it is still pitiful even when I rarely use it. Any time I update anything on that PC it slows to a crawl.
I hope you had time to check out all the great resources here for growing your blog and business. If you have any questions just ask. I’ve been at this a long time primarily assisting ecommerce sites to increase their conversions, traffic and revenue with great success.
.-= Internet Strategist @GrowMap´s last blog ..How to Evaluate Your AdWords Accounts =-.
I don’t think this kind of technology is reliable yet – but I can’t hardly wait.
Twitter: @GrowMap
Wireless has been around since the early days. The equipment now is far better – especially the Canopy stuff – and very reliable except when hit by lightening. Antennas on the highest available points do tend to attract it and that is an unfortunate drawback.
We have had thunderstorms with unnatural amounts of lightening so I have had two short outages. Both times they responded quickly and resolved the issues. There really isn’t much they can do to prevent that type of damage.
.-= Internet Strategist @GrowMap´s last blog ..Social Networking is NOT Chat =-.
Thanks for the heads up. Cant see how they can stay in business with such attrocious principles. This reminds me of that Liberty Domaines of America based out of upstate New York. They send out letters and emails to domain owners trying to get them to renew with them. their letters are deceiving and misleading to say the least. Once an unsuspecting customer sends payment their domain is switched and hijacked for a much higher annual fee. If you want to move elsewhere, there is another incredibly high fee. Buncha crooks. beware of liberty domaines and hughesnet.
Twitter: @GrowMap
Hi JT,
Thanks for the tip. I had not heard of that scam yet. The difference between the two scams is that Corporate scams usually get ignored for political and financial reasons while smaller scams generally move and change their names, addresses and phone numbers as complaints mount.
There are many sites where we can warn each other about scams so I hope you posted information about them on those to increase the likelihood others will avoid being scammed.
.-= Internet Strategist @GrowMap´s last blog ..Instantly Acquire 76 High Quality Incoming Links =-.
Yup – it sucks but at least you have a choice. Here is South Africa we are being raped by Telkom and there’s nothing we can do about it!
Twitter: @GrowMap
Hi Jim,
Is there only one ISP and no WISPs in your area? What independent dial-up companies do is buy a trunk line from the Telecom and resell to their customers. Wireless companies put up their own towers to send the signal directly to a receiver at your location.
In some parts of the United States there are now choices but many areas still have no high speed options until a small business decides to install wireless where they are. There are many countries with far better Internet infrastructure than here or there.
For many very important purchases we do not really have choices – we only have the ILLUSION of choice. There may be two major phone companies but they are really the same. Even independent Internet companies have to buy from the same major Corporations so we are all dependent even when we do our best not to be.
.-= Internet Strategist @GrowMap´s last blog ..Instantly Acquire 76 High Quality Incoming Links =-.
That is completely ridiculous. My dad also got told “wait a few hours and try again” when it wasn’t working. What planet are these guys on. Internet that always works is standard for the price they charge. It’s not meant to be a bonus if it actually half works!
Twitter: @GrowMap
Hello and welcome,
Yes, ridiculous is what I thought when they insisted it was working when it wasn’t working. When their Executive Customer Care and Tech people both told me we could only open one tab at a time that was it. I had to find real Internet access somewhere.
Even though I barely use the HughesNet connection it is still so slow it is almost worthless. I have a secondary PC hooked to it and only use it for Social Networking sites, checking email or working on spreadsheets.
I sincerely feel for anyone stuck with using HughesNet. If anyone has read this far I recommend sticking with dialup because any time you try to actually use it for high speed access you’ll get clamped down far slower than the slowest, original dial-up speeds.
.-= Internet Strategist @GrowMap´s last blog ..Best of GrowMap: Our Pillar Foundation Content =-.
Twitter: @vhinz316
Hi, your post is really informative…thank you very much for sharing this satellite ISP issue.
I have never used Hughes, and now I know I never will,
.-= randy from @exotic car rental los angeles´s last blog ..Business travel can help the bottom line, studies suggest. Take a trip, boost the bottom line. =-.
I am certain to stay well clear of these guys – many thanks.
It is extremely important to have a reliable internet connection for anybody who works online or has a blog, or even a casual user… after all, he/she is paying for it! It is ridiculous for them to tell you things like you should not open more than one tab or do not use Google maps… its like telling you cannot use our bandwidth even though you have paid for it! Such ISPs require a quick boot from the regulatory bodies.
Twitter: @paydayloansaus
Internet is now a matter for every on, everything is available on net and people do work through net only. So a god isp who can provides you a steady Ethernet well.
Twitter: @mobilerainbow
Internet marketing is getting popular now day by day. Even people try to do shopping, make banking transaction through on line. So its very necessary to get a connection from a reputed ISP who can provides you better bandwidth.
Thanks for the great info, keep up the good work, I’m an avid reader!
Before contacting any satellite broadband provider, you should keep yourself informed of their qualities so that you will have basic idea of what the company offers. These details will help you deal with them professionally and also ask questions for which you need answers.
Satellite broadband is an unsuitable option for fast-paced applications like internet television services or online gaming. However, it is also the only option available for those in the remote areas. It would be better if HughesNet provide improved customer support.
ANY CLASS ACTION CASES ON HUGHES NET?
I’LL SIGN UP
THEY NEED TO BE STOPPED!!!
Even if you are not on the blogging business, HughesNet is not recommended. This is the worst ISP ever and their support cannot not actually provide one.
.-= Gretchen@ All Seasons Car Rental´s featured blog ..Hypoglycemic Vegetarian… Help =-.
Well, Even if you are not on the blogging business, HughesNet is not recommended. This is the worst ISP ever and their support cannot not acually provide one.
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