Internet Questions-Frequently Asked Questions

Below are the answers to some frequently asked questions about WildBlue Satellite Internet. Have a question that isn't answered here? Please call us!

General Information

1. What is WildBlue Internet Service and can I get it where I live?
2. Why should I order WildBlue?
3. Is it difficult to use?
4. Does WildBlue have Customer Service if I have a problem?
5. What equipment is required/installed for the internet service?
6. To get WildBlue, what are the minimal system requirements for my computer?
7. Is a contract required? What about cancellation fees?
8. What kind of connection speeds should I expect?

Services and Prices

9. What is the cost of WildBlue?
10. How do the email accounts work with my WildBlue account?
11. What about dial-up service with WildBlue?
12. How do you prevent some users from "hogging" bandwidth?
13. What about the equipment warranty?

Installation Information

14. How does installation work? What about installing my own dish?
15. Can I use a router and have a home network with WildBlue?
16. Is a phone line required for the service?

Technical Information

17. How fast is the internet service?
18. Will my current operating system work with WildBlue?
19. What web browsers work with WildBlue? Can I keep my "Favorites"?
20. What is latency? Can I play real-time Internet games? What about Internet phone calls?
21. Does weather affect WildBlue Internet service?

 
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General Information

1. What is WildBlue Internet Service and can I get it where I live?
   WildBlue is broadband speed Internet service for residents (homes) and offices. If you live in the contiguous United States, you can probably get WildBlue Internet.



2. Why should I order WildBlue?
   WildBlue gives you much faster internet service than dial-up internet. If you live in a rural area and currently have dial-up and make the switch to WildBlue, you can expect download speeds up to 30x faster! This means downloading files, email attachments, music, pictures - it's all muc, much faster. Additionally, with WildBlue there is never a need to "dial-up" because you always have a ready-to-go, "always on" internet connection waiting for you.



3. Is it difficult to use?
   Not at all. Using WildBlue is even easier than your current dial-up internet because there is no need to dial-in. You just sit down and click your favorite web browser (Internet Explorer, FireFox, Chrome, etc...) and you are surfing. All your favorites are the same. Email is the same. It's all the same, just now it is much, much faster.



4. Does WildBlue have Customer Service if I have a problem?
   If you ever have a problem with your WildBlue internet service, just give us a call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Customer Care: 1-866-WildBlue (945-3258) (toll free)



5. What equipment is required/installed for the internet service?
   Just two pieces of equipment are required. The WildBlue mini-dish that is professionally mounted on your roof (or elsewhere on your property) by a WildBlue install technician and a small internal modem that sits beside your computer.



6. To get WildBlue, what are the minimal system requirements for my computer
   If your computer is less than 5 years old, chances are very good you will have no problems with WildBlue Internet Service. If you are not sure if your computer is updated enough currently to use WildBlue, just contact us and we will help you figure it out.
   
   PC/ Windows: 300 MHz or faster processing speed, minimum 128 MB Random Access Memory (RAM), and Windows 2000, XP Home, XP Professional, or Vista operating systems. 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 10.4 or higher operating system. 100 MB of hard drive space and an ethernet card are required.



7. Is a contract required? What about cancellation fees?
   WildBlue does require customers to commit to a 24 month contract at the beginning of service. You may cancel your service before the Minimum Service Term or the Extension Term and the Termination Fee is pro-rated and calculated by multiplying the number of months remaining in the term by $15.00.  



8. What kind of connection speeds should I expect?
   That depends upon which package you select. There are 3 different WildBlue Internet Packages which range in download speeds from 512 kbps to 1.5 mbps.

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Services and Prices

9. What is the cost of WildBlue?
   The WildBlue modem and mini-dish are leasted to you as a customer of WildBlue. The activation fee for this is a one-time $149.95. Each month customers pay a low $5.95 monthly lease fee (not unlike cable or DSL modem leasing fees). Your WildBlue equipment is covered the entire time it is in your home by a worry-free replacement warranty. Also, customers have an additional savings option of pre-paying their first 24 months of lease fees for just $99.95. This is more than seven months free! Professional installation of the WildBlue system is free.
   
   The monthly high speed internet access fee depends upon which WildBlue package you choose. Plans start at $49.95 per month.



10. How do the email accounts work with my WildBlue account?
    Through a partnership with Google, WildBlue offers a suite of advanced internet services. As a WildBlue customer, you will receive between 5 and 10 email addresses. Each email address comes with at least 7 GB of storage capacity. More email addresses are available for a minimal extra charge.



11. What about dial-up service with WildBlue?
    For an extra $7.95 per month, WildBlue offers an optional dial-up service for accessing the internet and your email when you are not at home or in the office. This plan is optional and covers 10 hours of use per month.



12. How do you prevent some users from "hogging" bandwidth?
    Like other ISPs, WildBlue uses a Fair Access Policy (FAP) to manage its network bandwidth so that a few users cannot consume extraordinary amounts of bandwidth and negatively affect other users. Over 95% of users will not be affected by the FAP and it has no effect on their usage. For the very few who exceed their bandwidth guidelines, the system will restrict their access speeds until their usage falls below the stated thresholds. See WildBlue’s Fair Access Policy for details.



13. What about the equipment warranty?
    As a WildBlue customer, your equipment comes with a 90 day labor/24 months parts limited warranty at no extra charge. View the Two-year limited warranty.

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Installation Information

14. How does installation work? What about installing my own dish?
    WildBlue uses professionally trained and certified installers to install the WildBlue dish and setup the WildBlue modem. The mini-dish is about 26" x 28" and is easily mounted by the technician on the roof, outside wall or ground. There is a cable that connects the dish to the interior satellite modem that sits by your computer. This modem is then connected to your computer via a short ethernet cable. Self-installation is not an option as our warranty does not allow for that.



15. Can I use a router and have a home network with WildBlue?
    Yes. Whether you have a wired or wireless network, WildBlue will integrate seamlessly with these home networking products.



16. Is a phone line required for the service?
    No phone line required! WildBlue uses a 2-way satellite internet connection, so your phone line is once again used only for your phone.

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Technical Information

17. How fast is the internet service?
    WildBlue's always-on broadband Internet connection provides a user experience similar to most DSL services. We offer download speeds of up to 1.5 Mbps, which can be up to 30 times faster than today's dial-up speeds for file transfers. We offer upload speeds up to 256 Kbps. WildBlue's high bandwidth opens up a window to a world of rich content that is largely unavailable through dial-up modems.



18. Will my current operating system work with WildBlue?
    WildBlue works with Windows 2000, XP or Vista on Windows/PC computers. On Apple/Mac computers, WildBlue works with OS 10.4 or higher.




19. What web browsers work with WildBlue? Can I keep my "Favorites"?
    Your favorites in your web browser will not be affected at all as long as you are using a recent, compatible browser.

    Compatible Web Browsers
    Windows/PC:	Internet Explorer 6 and 7, Firefox 2.x and 3.x
    Mac:	Safari, Firefox 2.x and 3.x




20. What is latency? Can I play real-time Internet games? What about Internet phone calls?
    With all satellite internet systems there is a slight delay (latency) as the signal travels between your modem and the satellite. Most applications are not significantly affected by this latency at all. But there are some like real-time gaming and VoIP (voice over IP, or "internet phone calls") that will have a noticeable effect on performance.



21. Does weather affect WildBlue Internet service?
    WildBlue internet service is only minimally affected by bad weather. Usually this will only happen during severe conditions. If this happens, a typical symptom would be temporary slower access speeds during snow or rain showers.

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Have more questions? Please contact us at 1-888-637-8571.