Viasat is one of the two largest satellite internet providers in the United States.

That feat alone is fascinating. However, when you take into account how much work is going into providing, maintaining—and excelling—then it’s impressive, to say the least.

Viasat is coordinating a lot to provide satellite internet; they must first launch satellites into space, synchronize them, coordinating the orbits, evaluating the speed, upload, and download times, and more. If a new technology comes out that could improve their systems, then they’ll have to launch a new satellite or make do with what they have already in place.

It’s quite baffling how it all works.

While the satellites may not be the newest out there, they are performing at or above standards. Viasat is currently working on designing, engineering, and launching a new fleet of satellites. They’re continually improving their technology and what’s available out there.

As the race to improve satellite internet begins to heat up, Viasat will be at the forefront, possibly even blazing a path. Doing so involves knowing what’s available, what can be improved upon, and blending the two goals together.

Another way of looking at it is to take a well-known piece of technology and doing things with it that no one thought possible.

Take, for example, a deck of cards.

You can shuffle it and play any game you want; canasta, solitaire, free cell, poker, Texas Hold 'Em, Baccarat, Blackjack, 24, Speed, Nine-Card Flip, Nerts, and the list goes on and on.

Playing games with cards is only one option though. You can build houses with cards too.

Alternatively, you can make the cards do things that don't seem possible- like jumping from one hand to another.

It's an art form called Cardistry.

Cardistry

The term “Cardistry” is the combination of the words “card” and “artistry.”

It’s a type of performance art that involves manipulating cards in unique and eye-popping ways. Much like illusionists who shuffle, palm, and make cards appear with their fingers, cardists create flourishes, passes, tosses, and other means of moving cards around with only their hands and fingers.

Some illusionists will also use this artistry into their acts as a means to distract the audience.

Moreover, there are the card throwing artists who incorporate this into their trick shots. It's a display of their dexterity, as well as a hint to the number of hours they've been practicing.

Cardestry, legerdemain, and card throwing appear simple enough.

Much like satellite internet, it’s merely moving a small object from one place to another. Right?

It’s not.

Cardistry is not as easy as picking up a deck.

To master moving cards effortlessly among your fingers, it takes time and lots, and lots, and lots of practice. If you get a chance to watch a cardist, or even an illusionist who's primary medium is cards, take notice of their hands. You'll notice a strange strength there, as though they've been lifting weights with their fingers. It's a unique trait that stems from handling cards for hours a day. When they pick up a deck, they're comfortable with it.

These hours of repetition is how they attain mastery.

Viasat is doing the same here. By taking a version of a technology, i.e., the satellites already in orbit, they're able to innovate and do impressive things with them.

Satellite Artistry

While Viasat is one of the largest satellite internet providers in the nation, they also have a large number of government contracts.

By working the United States Federal Government, they provide internet access for hard to reach places. These may be embassies or state department offices in remote locations.

Viasat is also providing satellite internet connectivity to our nations armed forces. A big reason for this is ships and aircraft require internet connectivity in their missions. Instead of creating an entirely new network for the government, the government has instead hired out Viasat to do it for them. Viasat, while providing satellite internet for many government and military projects, isn't the only provider sub-contracted to do so.

These projects range from aircraft carriers to individual aircraft.

To connect all these projects to their services, Viasat is working with Boeing. Boeing provides the technology, as well as the means, to maintain their satellite systems in orbit around the earth. The aircraft manufacturer is also working to create new satellites that Viasat will use to update their networks soon.

However, it’s not just the satellites that will set Viasat apart.

Much like it’s not enough to have a flashy deck of cards, Viasat has to know how to use the satellites to their fullest extent. Cardists are the same way. They may get a new deck of cards, but it’s not the cards that make the magic. It’s the cardist that does that.

Also, Viasat is working to make sure this happens as they move satellites around the globe to maintain a stable network.

By The Numbers

Viasat, thanks to satellites, is available in 32,787 zip codes. They now have a presence in all fifty states and the District of Columbia. The only stipulation here is that the dish must be able to face south without significant obstructions.

There is a tradeoff with satellites, however.

Transmitting signals down to a dish and waiting for them to return causes latency.

If a customer were to download a large file through their satellite connection, they run the risk of exceeding their download speed. To mitigate this, Viasat has instituted data caps. These data caps are to discourage large downloads. If a customer were to reach their data cap, Viasat could slow down their connection, suspend service for a short while, or charge them for the extra data used.

While annoying, data caps ensure that all customers can enjoy their service.

Viasat’s data caps range from 40 gigabytes to 150 gigs, depending on your plan.

So long as customers remain under the data cap, they do enjoy decent download times.

Netflix regularly checks the download speed of providers using their streaming service. Netflix compiles this data into their ISP Speed Index.

For Viasat, from September 2017 to September 2018, they averaged 0.86 Mbps. That speed puts them in the top 75 ISPs (internet service providers) in the nation.

Not bad at all.

Satellites and Cards

As satellite internet technology continues to improve, customers will have more and more options and will increase connectivity between government and military locations, as well as customers in rural areas. As preferable as cable and fiber are, it’s not available everywhere. Waiting for something like that to happen will take years and years of waiting.

Hence, why customers will opt for satellite instead. A satellite dish is more accessible and much faster, to install on their property than wait for fiber. Satellites are able available virtually everywhere in the world.

As Viasat expands their network and their reach, we may soon be seeing it as a serious contender within urban areas.

If you’re considering satellite internet in your area, make sure to check out Viasat internet deals to give you an idea of the upload and download speeds, as well as any deals Viasat may be running in your area.

Just like cardists and other card related entertainers, Viasat is practicing and honing their skills. Much like card throwing, Viasat is literally throwing a card from a great distance to hit a small target. And they’re doing this all the time.

Are you a Viasat Subscriber? Tell us what you like about them in the comments.

For news on new technology for satellite providers, keep your browser open to On The Download.

When it comes to satellite internet, HughesNet is one of the dominating providers for this sub-category. Their use of technology, as well as transparency, has put them in the lead when it comes to satellite internet.

It would be easy to liken them to the blockbuster franchise Transformers, but really, HughesNet goes above and beyond while Transformers merely entertains.

And here’s why…

What’s Happening with HughesNet?

HughesNet is a satellite internet provider based out of Germantown, MD. Their primary customer base is rural residents as well as remote customers. Since a great many ISPs (internet service providers) focus on specific towns and cities, customers outside of that coverage area are left without access to the internet. HughesNet fills this gap.

Usually, the main stipulation to installation is that the potential customer has a clear view of the southern sky.

HughesNet is also working to improve satellite internet’s reliability. And they’re not the only ones.

Recently, Elon Musk and Google, among other competitors, expressed interest in launching innovative technology to improve upon satellite connectivity. One such solution involved hot air balloons that would float up to a high altitude.

HughesNet is instead sticking with what it knows- satellites.

Echostar, HughesNet’s parent company, is working with Lockheed Martin to design another wave of satellites that will incorporate innovative technology to decrease latency and improve reliability.

Last year they launched their newest line of satellites, EchoStar XIX.

With this, HughesNet rolled out their Gen5 services. Gen5 (aptly named because it’s the fifth generation of satellites they’ve commissioned) will have built-in Wi-Fi. They’ve also increased most of their packages to include more data downloads and cut back on the data restrictions. Up until now, HughesNet, as well as other satellite internet providers, would throttle the download speed of a customer who had gone over their allotted download speed.

HughesNet is aiming to avoid this with Gen5.

As they work to improve the technology they incorporate into their satellite systems, HughesNet is evolving…in a sense.

It’s not as though the machines they’re using are getting upgraded and turned into more advanced devices. This isn’t Transformers. There are a few parallels though.

Transformers; The Next Sequel

Back in 2007, the very first Transformers film was a hit.

This was thanks to the big budget behind it, as well as the massive marketing campaign to get the word out.

But big budgets can be wasted if the right crew isn’t involved. Luckily, the smart decision was made to hire Michael Bay. With his penchant for explosions and high action (everything that would make the Transformers look cool), the movie did well in at the box office and dominated the summer blockbusters of 2007.

Transformers, based on toys from Japan, developed a mythos that grew and grew as more and more toys were created. As a result, there were cartoons and even an animated movie in 1986. While this film was just a continuation of the cartoon series, it could stand alone. It may have lacked the gleam and style of a Michael Bay film, but it’s pure 80s nostalgia for anyone who’s seen it.

Double the nostalgia points if you watched it before watching the recent Transformers incarnations.

Instead of relying on hand-drawn animation, the newer films use copious amounts of computer-generated imagery. When each one debuted, they symbolized the height of CGI filmmaking and technology.

Like all big films, however, Transformers didn’t age well.

To date, there have been five transformers movies, and the last one did not do well. Although it was considered a commercial success, this was in large part thanks to the younger demographic that enjoyed lots of explosions, robots, fighting, and a shallow story.

Steve Jablonsky, however, delivered a dynamic soundtrack for each film. While the subject matter may have been “sub-par,” his music is something to be heard though. That’s one aspect of the movie that hasn’t changed.

Each successive film, however, seemed to rewrite the history of the Transformers. Although the toys came without a backstory, Hasbro set about creating one. Readers of the original comic books and those who watched the original cartoons would have a better idea of how Transformers was “supposed” to go. This mythos, however, was largely ignored for the movies. The original narrative of the cartoons was cut out, and the Transformers franchise was turned into a money-making machine for the summer movie season.

Instead, the movies were formulaic. Each one could be boiled down to a simple equation like:

The equation was used again and again for each subsequent movie. There was a difference though as the equation for each new movie was multiplied by a factor of five to outdo the previous one. When that happens, each subsequent movie will suffer a loss of excitement and allure by a factor of ten. And while the author of this piece is not very good at math (he barely passed), he knows that that math will not hold up for long.

The last Transformers film was announced to be the last one directed by Bay. Although there is a standalone movie based on Bumblebee coming out soon, we have yet to see if this will revive the franchise.

Parallels

While HughesNet is a real company and the Transformers films are a work of fiction, there are a few parallels between the two;

By The Numbers

HughesNet, thanks to their capabilities as a satellite internet company, has availability in all fifty states, including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The only stipulation being that the customer must be able to see the southern sky clearly to receive a signal from the satellite passing overhead. Thanks to this capability, of the 42,000 zip codes in the United States, HughesNet has a presence in 33,131 of them. When the author utilizes some basic math skills, that turns out to be 79%.

HughesNet, being a satellite internet provider, may not be considered “fast” when compared with other providers. For example, Netflix keeps track of the download speeds of all the providers that support the streaming service. They track the rate at which providers can download content during peak hours. These peak hours are generally between 5 pm and 10 pm every day.

From September 2017 to September 2018, HughesNet averaged .67 Mbps.

That number may seem low.

On the upside, HughesNet advertises their speed “as is.” You won’t see “speeds up to” in their marketing. For this reason, the FCC ranked them first in advertised download speeds. This transparency has translated to higher than average customer service reviews.

Unlike Transformers, HughesNet is upfront about their technology and how it’s going to work in a typical situation.

HughesNet and the Future

There is one industry where satellites are the primary source of internet- travel.

With more and more people commuting for work and/or traveling, a satellite is the only option for providing internet connectivity. This will only help HughesNet.

As they work to improve satellite internet, either through their current equipment or by launching new material, HughesNet will be at the forefront of the industry for the foreseeable future.

If you’re interested in HughesNet, take a look at their internet deals and packages to see if they’re right for you and your home. They are considered one of the best ISPs when it comes to customer satisfaction.

Do you have HughesNet in your home? Do you like the service? What could be improved?

Are you a Transformers fan? What did you think of the newest movies? What about the Bumblebee film coming out later this year?

Post your answers in our comments section and keep reading On The Download!

Roughly 90% of what I watch, I stream through Netflix. If I’m not streaming through my TV, then I’m streaming it through the Netflix app.

I consume my content this way because of convenience. It's easy, it's right there, and there are no commercials! Yes, I'm admitting I’m lazy. It’s something that I’m working on. Netflix is also enabling me.

Despite Netflix enabling of my apathy, I enjoy the content offered. It also helps that I checked out the best internet deals and packages.

Not everything I find there is something I want to watch though.

I would prefer, every now and then, to partake in content that’s centered around my hometown of San Antonio, TX. Not southern California dolled up to look like San Antonio. Instead, I'd prefer a more realistic facsimile.

Not only that, the program should present the city of San Antonio as it truly is. The representation should be based on current trends and not what people in Hollywood assume it is- some uber-conservative town steeped in old thinking (San Antonio is quite progressive, and I should know, I live here).

Can I find this on Netflix?

No, not at all.

Should it be a near-accurate representation of San Antonio in both image and sociological makeup?

I would say, “Yes.”

And can I require Netflix to create that show just for me?

Given my laziness—yes, absolutely I should!

Is it the right way to create content?

…hmmm.

Content Quotas

Although I might have some influence—something like 0.000000000000000001% influence—I highly doubt Netflix will scramble to make my dream become a reality.

Why?

Because they’re not even doing that for the European Union.

Recently, the EU took to changing up the rules they impose on outside entertainment services. Part of that rewrite includes demanding that Netflix allot 30% of their catalog to content centered on European works.

Netflix, understandably, balked at the maneuver.

I can see where the EU is coming from though.

They want to see more and more content that reflects the socioeconomic, ethnic, and regional background of their viewers. This will lead to less alienation, and hopefully, more confidence in oneself. Or maybe they’re just looking to provide opportunities to the content creators themselves? I’m inferring those last two points.

Anyway, this move could backfire.

You’ve heard the saying “the road to hell is paved with good intentions”?

The road to hell can start with these good intentions.

By holding Netflix responsible for creating content specifically geared towards a subset of their audience, Netflix gets hamstrung. They need to figure out what types of programs those viewers like to watch, bring in producers for it, and create the appropriate content. This ties up money and creative powers.

Sure, it helps those specific content creators.

But are they going to create something worth watching for the wider audience? It's possible.

Ethics aside, forcing the many to watch something that appeals to the few will end up alienating the larger group in the end.

And if there’s a quota to meet, then quality will get sacrificed so that Netflix can say, “Hey, we met the quota, so what are you complaining about?”

A Different Tact

Is it more advantageous to create content aimed at specific sub-groups?

Sure. Why not?

As I mentioned earlier, I demand a program centered on San Antonio that doesn’t involve someone butchering a Texas accent, or making all Texans look ignorant.

But forcing Netflix to create that just for me will end up alienating viewers from Dallas, Houston, and the hipsters up the road in Austin. Soon they’ll get their own shows too. When that happens, I’ll refuse to watch them based on principle. This will drive overall viewership down and put Netflix in a bind. They could end up losing money on this content.

This solution is bad.

To solve this problem I’m required to (sigh) get up and do something about it.

If I desire to watch content about San Antonio that represents it honestly, then I need to go out there and make it myself. And if it’s no good, then Netflix can pass on the project. This will, in turn, force me to work harder to create content that’s of quality and will appeal to the mass audience.

And it will involve…sigh…work.

For those who want to have content that better reflects who they are, they’ll have to go out and create it themselves. Or get on board with a project.

Others Can Help

Given how much Netflix is pouring into their content creation, they probably can accommodate new content from creators from specific areas. If the content is approved, Netflix can add it into their catalog and appeal to that specific sub-category whilst still putting out content for the larger audiences. Netflix will handle the distribution while the creators handle the production end.

Another option would be for local and regional governments to offer incentives to content creators. For example; the San Antonio Film Commission offers a 7.5% incentive on film and television project with at least $100,000 of approved San Antonio spending (check the details at filmsanantonio.com). This is to help content creators secure locations and equipment in San Antonio for their projects.

With this kind of assistance, burgeoning projects can find a place to shoot their film in and around San Antonio. They can avoid straining their budget and keep an authentic look. Once filming is wrapped, they can move forward with presenting it to distribution outlets, like Netflix.

It serves as a better motivation for content creators, as opposed to making Netflix go and find content creators. While it sounds a little elitist, this keeps sub-par content from getting distribution.

In the end, it will work out better for Netflix, the greater viewing audience, and even me!

Frontier Communications, based out of Norwalk, Connecticut, is going the extra mile for residential and business customers.

While they do have round-the-clock customer service, there is something more that customers can expect.

Let’s set the scene here;

A circular council chamber. Ringing the outside of the chambers are stone chairs. The walls are ornately designed and the windows are stained glass. Outside is a beautiful sunny day. This casts the room in a warm yellow hue with hints of reds and greens from the windows.

Each chair is occupied by what you would expect; a character from a fantasy novel. One’s a wizard, another’s a knight, and there’s elves, dwarves, giants, and other creatures filling out the rest of the seats.

Entering the room is a simple person. No flashy clothes or arrogant airs about this person.

They’re just your average customer. They could be a residential customer or a business customer, makes no difference.

The person is lost. There’s so much information out there that it’s confusing.

And not just confusing, but beyond comprehension.

The council chairs empty as the characters encircle the bewildered guest.

“We’ll help you.” The wizard says. “We’ll show you the way. We are…“

(Pause for dramatic effect)

“…your fellowship!”

(Cue music and fade out)

Not So Dramatic

Was that too much?

Theatrics aside, Frontier Communications has launched a new marketing campaign- “Don’t Go It Alone.”

For those who think in much more dramatic terms, it is like having your own personal fellowship. Although it won’t be nine creatures from a fantasy realm. Well, seven actually; Aragorn and Boromir are human. But that’s beside the point.

What’s important to remember here is Frontier Communications focus on helping the customer.

And there are two ways they’re doing this.

Residential

With the “Don’t Go It Alone” Campaign, Frontier Communications is acting as the guide for technology.

It’s the “in” thing these days to be tech-savvy. For most, however, that’s quite a challenge.

Getting a computer and setting it up has been a simplified process. But getting the most out of your computer, your internet, and even your smartphone is something else. Knowing how the computer works with all of its software programs and parts is difficult. In fact, those with computer engineering degrees can find it difficult.

One approach is “trial and error.” Over a long enough timeline of trying, a user will be able to figure out how to make a computer program do a specific task. Like with Excel and figure out averages. One can keep punching in commands to the function bar and they’ll get there eventually.

But who has time for all of that?

By sitting in front of a computer, or with your smartphone, and tapping at all the little icons and punching in commands, you’ll be busy for a while. Though you may not get to the “mastery” level, you’ll at least get to “proficient.” In the meantime, however, you’ll have to forgo spending time with friends, family, and your job.

Again, who has time for that?

And who wants to risk their relationship with their friends, or losing their job?

Frontier Communications is banking on this by training their employees to be all-inclusive “guides.”

Since the campaign was launched on October 9^th, 2018, we have yet to see how effective it is.

Business

Frontier Communications is also helping out their business and enterprise customers by launching Frontier Connect WAN.

A WAN (Wide Area Network) is a means to connect parts of a business that may not be in the same place. Given the rise of remote workers, as well as the popularity of outsourcing work, WAN’s are growing in appeal.

By the way, it’s WAN, not wand. We got away from the fantasy allegory a few paragraphs back.

Anyway, WAN’s are similar to LAN’s (local area networks).

Remember, back in the day, when it was just an Xbox?

Everyone was playing Halo and the Xbox came equipped to hook up to a LAN. This allowed for more than just four players to play against each other. Now they could expand to as many as sixteen.

Sixteen!

Back in 1999, this was a big deal.

The main restriction here was the LAN was confined to a specific range, hence the name Local Area.

WAN’s do the same thing but over much greater distances.

This allows for a company or organization to create a WAN and have their own little network. Only employees of the company have access to the WAN.

Frontier Connect WAN is providing this.

By using software to define the WAN, business customers can access it via the cloud. Cybersecurity software keeps the WAN contained and free from intruders, while other software allows for sharing and collaboration on files and programs.

Business customers lease the software from Frontier Communications. From there they can create their own “mini-internet.”

Unfortunately, this is for business only. Not a company-wide Halo 1 tournament.

Sigh.

By The Numbers

Frontier Communications is available in 29 states, according to their website. They currently have a presence in 8,076 zip codes.

When it comes to downloading speed, Frontier Communications is doing well. This is proven by the Netflix ISP Speed Index. Netflix monitors the download speeds of all the providers who offer the streaming service. During peak hours, generally between 5 pm and 10 pm at night, Netflix is watching to see how fast providers are able to download their content.

From September 2017 to September 2018, Frontier Communications averaged 3.35 Mbps. For peak hours, that’s not bad!

Therefore, if you’re looking for a reliable internet, Frontier Communications is a good option. They have both cable and fiber options.

The ISP entered into the fiber market a few years back. They’ve installed some fiber lines themselves, but they’ve also bought up existing lines from both Verizon and AT&T. This has worked out well for them as they’re able to stay competitive during peak hours.

One more thing; Frontier doesn’t have data caps on its plans!

Join the Fellowship

As Frontier Communications engages with its customers to help them navigate technology, they’ll continue to expand as well.

In this technology-saturated world, it’ll be interesting to see how that type of help will play out. It’s one thing to claim to be helpful but being helpful is a different thing. If Frontier Communications is genuine in this endeavor, they could end up rebranding themselves entirely.

It’s still too early to tell.

But for those who want to go with Frontier Communications as their ISP, or to switch from another ISP, then check out the best Frontier Communications Deals and Packages.

Who knows, you could be joining a Fellowship and setting off on an epic adventure. Or you may just find an answer to a nagging technology question.

It will most likely be the latter. But the former would still be a lot of fun though.

By the Numbers

Where it Counts

RCN is Advancing

USS Defiant

Get a Better Ship

Small Powerhouse

RCN and The Defiant