Ka-Band Satellite Internet Access from XplorNet

Today, I received the following email from XplorNet, which notifies the reader of the planned deployment of XplorNet's service strating in the July timeframe:

Thank you for expressing interest in Xplornet's new high-speed Internet service. The response we've received has been outstanding, and we're very excited about using Telesat's Ka-band technology to bring high-speed Internet service to so many Canadians previously denied the incredible benefits of high-speed broadband service.

We will be rolling out full national service by July of this year. In the meantime, we'd like to take this opportunity to provide you with some details about our new service.

Because it's delivered by satellite, Xplornet high-speed Internet service will be available to both residential and business customers wherever they live in Canada. This two-way (i.e. upload and download) satellite delivery will provide an "always-on" connection to the Internet with various data transfer speeds and price points to satisfy a wide range of user requirements.

As noted above, Xplornet will use Telesat's Ka-band technology to deliver this service. Unlike other technologies - which rely on a broad "footprint" to deliver satellite communications, Telesat's Ka-band technology uses a "spot beam" approach. The result of this is the most efficient delivery possible - maximum upload and download speeds, significantly more capacity, and lower service delivery prices.

In order to receive this service, customers will need a small antenna (about 67cm), which can be installed on a roof or wall, cables, and a small indoor unit, which is connected to the computer. The antenna, cables and indoor unit will be sold, as a package, at a competitive price compared to other, less robust, satellite Internet systems (details to be announced soon). Importantly, Xplornet operates without the need of phone line connections, so there is no need for a second line.

Residential service packages start as low as $59.99 per month, providing download burstable speeds up to 512 Kbps - which means you can download materials up to 20 times faster than with conventional dial-up. Additional service packages, with higher speeds and greater capacities, are also available.

Business service packages are available with download burstable speeds at up to 2.0 Mbps - or, up to 75 times faster than with conventional dial-up. Importantly, these speeds are faster than those delivered by the T1 lines used by many large businesses. Pricing for this business package will be $199.99 per month.

We believe that Xplornet is offering the best value in satellite-delivered high-speed Internet service ...ever. While some services may quote lower monthly service costs, there is, quite simply, no comparable two-way satellite delivery service being offered at these speeds, for these prices in Canada.

Over the coming weeks, a customer service representative will be contacting you, via email or telephone, to discuss how Xplornet can satisfy your high-speed Internet needs. If, in the interim, you would like to get additional information, or read up on our latest news, please visit us at www.xplornet.com.

Thank you, again, for your interest in Xplornet; we look forward to discussing your needs for high-speed service with you in the near future.

Bruce Barr
President & CEO

I think I've commented on this before, but in case I haven't...

The advertised price for basic service is $59.99/month for residential service. According to XplorNet's website, that price only gets service at 512 Kbps download and 128 Kbps upload. These data rates are not broadband, as per the definitions that I posted on my website. Still, this level of service may be acceptable to some subscribers.

In order to get what I consider to be true broadband (i.e. minimum 1 Mbps download), you would need to subscribe to XloreNet's $99.99 per month service, which offers 1 Mbps download and 256 Kbps upload. IMHO, that's getting a bit pricey for the average homeowner, although it may be worthwhile and within the budget of a business.

There is the question of how these services would perform for would-be telecommuters who access their corporate networks via VPNs. The nature of satellite communications and accounts that I've heard about the performance of other two-way high-speed satellite Internet access (eg. LincSat at ~512 Kbps down and ~64 Kbps up) makes me think that the basic service level would slow down considerably when going through corporate firewalls and VPNs. My thinking is that the basic service (512Kb down/128Kb up) would not fare any better than previous satellite services in this scenario.

It may be a bit early in the game to make any additional comments on XlorNet's services, at least without additional information and facts.

Comments welcome.

-Chris