Bandwidth Use

Yes. Your local cable company would be happy to provide you with the information.

Disregarding post #1 entirely, I don't think you have many choices. Either phone line or satellite may be your only options. Average usage isn't the thing. It's getting the stuff downloaded fast enough to keep you from going bonkers.

My brother has the same problem. He finally went to satellite because phone lines are sooooooo slow he couldn't stand it. It's OK, except when it rains hard.

I use satellite (Hughes) because living out in the sticks, I don't have much choice as dial up is out of the question due to the speed or lack there of.

I upload and down load construction docs - drawings and specs which are quite large as well as video clips, live camera feeds, ect.

I have no complaints regarding the service and speed but as LynLynch pointed out, heavy rain fall is a problem and interrupts your service. Loss of service does not happen often, for instance this past summer I lost service for a few minutes on about 6 - 8 occasions.

As far as gaming, probably best to call Hughes and have them offer a plan based on your anticipated usage. Remember, as the bytes (bandwidth) increase on the various packages so too will your monthly cost.

Oh yes, one more tiny detail, if you live in an area which receives snow, keep in mind that there will be occasions you will have to go out and brush snow off the dish if you do not purchase a dish heater.

For this reason, hopefully your family member has a clear southern horizon so the dish can be mounted on a short mast at ground level.

Climbing a tower or getting up on a roof in 20 degree temps and blowing snow can't be much fun.

Have her look into Clearwire or Verizon. I had Clearwire 3G and it was good, used it for phone and internet, fast too. I got dumped out of service when they switched to 4G.

If there is a cell phone tower anywhere near her, it may be an option. They mount their equipment on them. I hope she is in the service area of one of them, it would beat satellite or dial up.

I agree

I might just add; beware 'one way satellite' as your uploads go via 'dial up' and so it's useless for anything 'interactive' like games. I.e. confirm it's 'two way'.

Also if you can get 'wireless broadband' it is easily twice as fast as satellite (~500 kB/s, (if more then they are lying))

BUT cellphone broadband providers will 'shape' the broadband savagely in peak phone use hours - i.e. during commuting & early business, lunch time, schools out, and so on - IF the tower/system, lacks capacity.

Wildblue two-way satellite may do