Satellite Broadband FAQs

Transcription

1 Something puzzling you? Then take a look below at our quick FAQs. If you can t find the answer you want, simply give us a call on during office hours. Alternatively, if you re online, us at enquiries@uktelecom.net UKtelecom s Satellite Broadband Service availability record is 99.99%. If you re a customer experiencing a problem, please do check your equipment first. If something s still wrong, simply get in touch. Broadband and satellite UKT s Tooway service (My) Installation Technical questions Broadband and satellite What is broadband? Broadband means, very simply, a high-speed connection to the Internet that is 'always on'. It is significantly faster than the dial-up (56K) modems enabling you to view web content and download files more quickly. It's called broadband because it has a much larger capacity to receive (and send) data. Can I really get reliable Satellite Broadband anywhere in France? Yes it really is as simple as that. Satellite Broadband is available ANYWHERE in France (and the UK as well). As long as there is electricity, we can get you connected to Broadband wherever you need it. How do I choose the service that's right for me? This will depend on what you will be using broadband for. Most satellite broadband packages are based around how much you use it. If you are using it for general surfing and ing from home or a small office, our Tooway service could be the right, cost effective solution for you. However, if you are downloading lots of videos, or sending very large files, it may be better to choose one of our proven business broadband solutions. It is not possible to provide a fixed IP address on this service, so if you need to connect to a work network (VPN) this not an appropriate service for you. If you would like some free, impartial advice, please feel free to call us on and we would be happy to help you. How much data is required for common uses? Under normal conditions, you can use the following information as a guideline:- Download 2 Music Albums 0.1GB 5 Min Video Clip on YouTube Low definition movie GB Required 0.1GB 0.75GB 40 hours web surfing 1.0GB 8 hours of internet radio 1.0GB HD quality movie 4.5GB Am I charged for the time my broadband modem or computer is online? No. With our broadband packages you pay a fixed amount each month, no matter how often you use it. Does Satellite Broadband have any limitations I should be aware of? There are a few specialised uses that it is important to choose the correct system for but other than that, there is not much difference between satellite and other broadband services. Unlike some of our competitors, our packages accept direct connection to Apple, Linux, UNIX or Windows NT operating systems. UKtelecom s Tooway Satellite Broadband packages are not really suitable for: Some remote control software and video & voice over IP (VoIP) Heavy uplink traffic, such as Web or FTP hosting Certain VPN applications Online gaming and peer-to-peer networking UKtelecom s Tooway satellite broadband system does not currently support watch again portals like BBC iplayer but we are working on a solution

2 If you want to do one or more of the above, we recommend, based upon many years of providing high quality Satellite Broadband solutions, that you take a look at our Business Broadband section. These uses can be easily accommodated in our more specialised products and we are always happy to advise on such matters. UKtelecom s Tooway service What is Tooway? Tooway is UKtelecom s newest Broadband Satellite service. A reliable 20Mbps Broadband connection now available wherever you live. UKtelecom offers a range of three monthly download packages which means that you only need to pay for the service that is most suitable to your needs. Why should I get UKtelecom Tooway? UKtelecom Ltd is a UK based independent Satellite Broadband provider. We are accredited by the British Standards Institute (BSI) to ISO 9001 (Quality). What equipment do I need? You supply the computer, our installation engineer will install (if requested) the satellite dish (outside) and connect it to a modem (inside). If you're opting for Self Installation the Standard Wall Mount is part of the Home Installation Kit. You will need basic tools like spanners and screw drivers to mount the satellite dish. We provide you with full installation instructions and a video tutorial. How fast is UKtelecom Tooway? All four Tooway packages operate at a reliable speed of 20Mb download speed. Satellite Broadband works in a different way to a normal (ADSL) connection in that you don t share your connection with your neighbours. Can I install it myself? You can self-install if you re good with DIY. We have full instructions to assist you. Alternatively we can offer installation by one of our installers or if you wish to use your own local installer, we re happy for you to do that. Please talk to us about a price for one of our installers. Are and other services included? UKtelecom Tooway supports the usual webmail applications like Hotmail, Gmail, MSN and Yahoo but if you use an client (E.g. Microsoft Outlook) you will require the use of an SMTP server to send your mail, as many ISP s allow you to receive but block you from sending. If you require sending services, please contact us. Do I need a phone line? No, Tooway does not require any cable or phone lines and Tooway supports free internet phone calls via Skype. However you should be aware that free VoIP services like Skype aren t suitable for making emergency calls like 999 and so don t compromise your safety by leaving internet phone calls as your only means of communications if you live in a remote location. Are there any minimum requirements for computers? No, most computers these days come with a network card or wireless option which will allow you to connect to the internet. Can I integrate UKtelecom Tooway into a network? Yes, it s possible to connect the modem directly to a router, or other network LAN device, to share the connection with other users. We can supply you with a suitable router with wireless capability. Can I connect more than one user to the service? Yes. Unlike some of our competitors, it is possible to connect the equipment directly to a router, or other network LAN devices, to share the connection with other users. See the answer above about using a wireless router that will enable you to share your connection with multiple users. Can I play online games with UKtelecom Tooway? We do not recommend Tooway for online gaming due to something called latency (ie. The time it takes the signal to get up and down from a satellite 22,000 miles high. If you are desperate to do online gaming in a remote location, our best advice is to talk to our team about some of the Business Solutions that we offer. Can I use this equipment with my Apple Mac or Linux computer? Yes. With all our services connection via non Microsoft Windows platforms is straightforward. Are there limits to how much data I can transfer? Yes, each service is subject to a Fair Access/Fair Use Policy (FAP or FUP). The FAP has been designed to be as open and flexible as possible, while ensuring fair use for all users. Unlike other services, where hard transfer limits apply over which you are charged per additional MB, UKtelecom employ a Fair Access Policy. In summary this means that during peak usage times, heavier users of the service will experience some reduction in their connection speed, ensuring an equitable access for all users throughout the day. There are no hidden changes.

3 What is a Fair Access Policy? The Fair Access Policy has been defined by our Satellite Provider (Skylogic) to enable each user to receiver a high quality internet access service via Satellite. The FAP is implemented to prevent unfair use and an unacceptable use of the network. In order for everyone on the Tooway platform to get a good reliable service, we operate a Fair Access Policy (FAP). We monitor the usage of all the users on the platform to ensure a good quality user experience for all. What this means is that during peak times, extremely heavy users of the service may find their connection throttled slightly to ensure that everyone gets equitable access. Does the Fair Access Policy apply to both upload and download? Yes, traffic volume is measured on both the inbound and outbound connection and is measured over five time periods. Please refer to our Fair Usage Policy for more information. What is priority traffic? Priority traffic is the amount of traffic that can be used (upload and download) before a restriction is applied. What is my priority traffic usage? This depends on the monthly service option. Please use the table above to check the services. What happens if I exceed my traffic usage, will I be cut off? No, you will not be cut off but your bandwidth will be reduced until you come out of restriction. This is to help maintain a quality of service for all users. Is the Fair Access Policy applied 24 hours a day? Yes, there is however a night time policy where only 50% of the total transferred data volume is counted in the calculation. This is from the hours of 12 midnight till 6am. Can I check how much traffic I am using? Yes, you can request a copy of your FAP graph from our support team. We are also working on an online facility and hope to have this service available in the near future. Can I get more advice on the Fair Access Policy? Yes, a member of our support team will be happy to discuss any questions you may have. Is the equipment/service mobile - can I use it at different locations? If you are looking for a transportable system that can fixed to a vehicle please check our mobile system section. Will I need to buy any extra software? As your broadband connection is 'always on', it is a good idea to install firewall software to protect you from any attempts by hackers to access the files on your computer. UKtelecom strongly recommends that you install a suitable Firewall and Antivirus software to protect your computer from unauthorised access from the internet. (My) Installation Please see our installation guide and video. Available upon request. Do I require planning permission or other permits? Though conditions may vary slightly from Department to Department, normally planning permission is not required for your satellite dish provided you do not have other dishes on your building. If your building is a protected historical building official permits will be required. Also, if your location is within a short distance of an airfield, or similar, special conditions may apply. It is your responsibility to understand and comply with the rules and regulations regarding the placement of equipment on the building you occupy. However, since it is what we do for a living, we re always pleased to offer you advice based upon our knowledge and experience but any final decisions & responsibility do remain with you. Do I need my landlord's permission? If you do not own the building where the equipment is to be installed, you must get written authorisation from the landlord approving the installation. uktelecom will normally require a copy of this prior to installation. What happens if/when I move? We are happy to advise on de-installation and re-installation charges. Moving the antenna/dish to another location, whether on the same building or otherwise, must be undertaken by an approved installer. When planning your first installation, please give careful consideration to the location of your dish to minimise the likelihood of requiring a move. Can I suspend the service? Yes. The service can be stopped so that you are not incurring any charges when you are not at your property; however, you must give a 30 days notice in order to stop it and an activation fee of will be applied each time the service is

4 reactivated. The service can only be suspended up to 3 times a year and must be active for a minim of 6 months in a year. Must I purchase the equipment? Yes. To receive the broadband service it is necessary to have the satellite dish and relevant modem. You will need to purchase the equipment outright at time of order. What does a Standard Installation consist of? The standard installation allowed for in the Initial Fee is as follows: mounting on a standard brick or block wall at a height reachable on a standard double extension ladder, and not more than 30m from the proposed location of the modem. What equipment do I need for broadband? Put simply, a satellite dish (outdoors) and a small modem (indoors). Generally we provide a 96cm dish, however in some locations a larger dish may be required to ensure strong signal strength. You will be advised in advance if a larger dish is necessary and if any additional costs apply. Technical questions I've heard of latency issues with satellite - what does this mean? Due to the distance travelled by the signal to/from your computer and the Internet Hub, via the satellite, older satellite technologies exhibited a noticeable lag between communications. Our latest Satellite Broadband service employs software techniques to minimise this lag, including an Internet Protocol Accelerator ( IPA ). In use, when a web page is requested for example, the IPA strips out surplus protocol data and requests, and retrieves the page in fewer larger 'pieces', than a typical dialup connection for example which assembles the page piece by piece. Similarly this technique is ideal for handling large file or downloads. How long will it take to get installed and operational? We usually get customers installed within two working weeks. We do need to get all of your order paperwork correctly completed before we can start. This includes your Service Agreement, Direct Debit Mandate and Initial Payment for the hardware and installation. Why does ping not work/give very slow response? Due to latency, when a network tool like ping typically sends small data packets, this accentuates this issue. Try using ping - t -w 2000 'address' to get round this problem. In our experience, there are much better and more reliable ways of testing for this type of network. How can I check what download/upload performance I am getting? Go to This will give a good idea of your systems performance. You can also use UKtelecom s FTP server to accurately check upload and download performance. Please contact our Technical Support team to arrange a test. PLEASE NOTE: The above download link is offered for information only. uktelecom are not responsible for any software you choose to download and install and can therefore not offer any support for those products. Does the satellite service get affected by weather? The standard dish installation is designed to withstand 60mph winds. Clouds and showers have little impact on satellite communications. However, torrential rain may cause degraded service in extreme conditions as signals are reflected a little by rain. Our systems automatically increase power levels to compensate for losses.

5 Guidelines to determine whether online activities are considered web pages or In order to be certain to fully enjoy, when experiencing service limitation, web browsing and , you need to follow all of the guidelines below (otherwise no service will be available): Virtual private network (VPN) and remote access software must be turned off You must be using a web browser application. Only static (non-video, non-music) content viewed within a web pages application qualifies as web browsing and/or . Content viewed in other applications may not be considered web pages or (e.g. Android, iphone or ipad apps other than web browsers) Web Browser URLs must begin with or This means ftp:// and other types of sites that launch external applications will not be classified as web traffic attachments must be 10 MB in size or less

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