Wow~~ Another new frequency Ka band.
Oh ya, wanna to ask you. I know C band cost is higher than Ku band and also Ka band.
I'm not sure about it Is it C band is it same as Ku band cannot achieve higher speed of Internet? OR C band is not applicable for internet but only for broadcasting only?

And another thing is if using Ka band, I believe that the LNB is totally different with the Ku band already. Am I right?
I just can't imagine if customer (from rural area) upgrade to higher speed (if Ka band available), then causing all the satellite dish cannot be used the current one anymore?

UPDATE: https://www.soyacincau.com/2020/07/18/conne...obox=1595084469 - Connectme Satellite Broadband now costs a lot more to subscribe - By Alexander Wong 10:59 pm, 18 July 2020

Source; https://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopi...post&p=97518053

Why so big price hike.? Connectme got very high demand from rural kampung folks.? Maxis is hard up for cash.?
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This post has been edited by lurkingaround: Jul 19 2020, 12:52 PM

well satellite broadband service is not cheap to begin with...
not like fiber or wireless... cost is huge...

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Seems someone also sounds like a Maxis staff or sales agent.
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This post has been edited by lurkingaround: Jul 19 2020, 03:02 PM

Said by U Mobile staff / Sales agents...
Please go take care your celco first 🤭
Don't needed to lurkingaround in Network & Broadband section 🤣

I think because Connectme already fed up dealing with customers that keep making noise, saying "Connectme is cheating..." "Connectme expensive..." and so on.
The thing is, Connectme's parent company is Measat. Astro's parent's parent company is also Measat.

Measat aren't in favour to deal with customers that "wants to pay less, but get more". Measat is not like U Mobile... They are more keen towards business-to-business.
Their customer target group is more towards those who wants quality service and wouldn't mind much about cost, instead of those who favour towards "cheap and mediocre" service quality.

In my opinion, previously they made their plans as RM98/month 60GB and RM138/month Unlimited, they just want to create more awareness to new customers a little faster.
Plus, Connectme launched their community WiFi service throughout Malaysia called "Connectme Now"

This would make them easier to deal business with customers...
And perhaps, more profit in the long run as long the people in the community keep buying satellite broadband prepaid cards.

Since now they somehow "sub" their service to third parties to deal directly with customers, so Connectme can focus on customers who is serious to get satellite broadband equipment install at their premises for personal use, and not having financial issues like typical B40 households...

well malaysian want everything cheap but top class services.....
actually they did mistake for going into this... should just let government or TM do the connection... they is the monopoly player in the market.... create awareness is good..... needed to plan wisely...

also the third party agents also needed to be train better..... don't like become astro technician

Ayam sad connectme don't wanna sponsor panjat pokok Sabah girl. It's TM your hated company who tarik fiber 300mbps to nearest pusat internet

If third party agents don't manage things well, then the fault goes to that third party agent, not Connectme.
Just like how Measat provide Astro some satellite transponders to provide TV channels to viewers, but when viewers got problem with Astro, then Measat has nothing gotta do with it.

Connectme be like:
"Travel 11km away from home? Oh, we can offer community WiFi service at your area so that you can access to Internet right at your home. Contact our authorised distributor for more info."

Later on, Veveonah will have to keep buying Connectme NOW satellite broadband prepaid cards to access to Connectme NOW services via WiFi.

"You want free Internet? Then you travel 11km away from home, go to the Pusat Internet to gain Internet access. Up to 300Mbps somemore."

joshhd
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TM is also a Satellite ISP like Maxis's ConnectMe but for enterprise customers only. TM should extend it to ordinary consumers in rural areas. Why didn't TM do it.?, eg .......

https://www.tm.com.my/Office/Business/Enter...Pages/VSAT.aspx
''''''' VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal)

TM provides corporate and government agencies with responsive customer support, dedicated and customised solutions coupled with up-to-date communications technology.

VSAT is a satellite-based service used to transmit and receive video, voice and data to remote locations or areas without terrestrial connectivity. It is also designed to serve broadcast and interactive multimedia applications. It offers a cost-effective means of implementing a high quality, reliable communications link to widely distributed sites or isolated areas. '''''''

https://www.satelliteinternet.com/providers...esnet/internet/ - US Satellite ISP that caters to consumers and enterprises.

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Extend its satellite services to rural communities are more headache than business-to-business, just like what TM mentioned "TM provides corporate and government agencies with responsive customer support..."
That's why all this while, satellite broadband services in Malaysia are mainly used by commercial purposes only, since it's easier to deal with business customers directly.

Also, TM and Maxis themselves don't own the satellite. They just lease satellite bandwidth from Measat to provide the services to whoever interested to subscribe (of course not cheap), and all this while, they focus more on commercial business customers, rather than direct-to-consumer like Connectme.

It seems to me that from now on, let say you live in deep rural areas and you need satellite broadband but can't afford the high costs, Connectme will tell you to contact their distributors to deal with them directly, to set up community WiFi and so on.
Once it's up, if you (the end user) is within the WiFi coverage in the community, then all you need to do is purchase the Connectme NOW prepaid card to get access to Internet, powered by Connectme.
That way, people in the community will have even easier access to the Internet by connecting to the WiFi network from your own device.

Compared to installing satellite broadband equipment at one customer's premise in the middle of nowhere, and you got to bear the high monthly costs even if you're just an orang asli (for example), you might lose hope of wanting to use the service.
With this way of doing business (Connectme NOW), this could also ensure that those who really needs a proper Internet access (example like Veveonah) will have access to it as easy as possible (and no need to climb up to the tree to get decent Internet), compared to individuals who residing in places without 4G/fibre but want to use Internet like nobody cares (e.g. endless streaming/download large files and so on).

Connectme themselves, they want to do business also... They don't want because of "cheap" and "affordable", ending up affecting quality of service and putting them in a difficult position.
It's just their way of doing business now la, and they do have the right to change the way of them doing business, even if the methods used (FUP of 100GB and no Internet access after reaching 200GB) may not be liked by everyone.
I read somewhere for those RM138/month "unlimited" plan who're not happy with the 100GB/200GB FUP, they can choose to cancel their Connectme without penalty fees (due to early termination from the 24 mths contract). I don't have any further details on that... If anyone here got further info about this, do share it here..

Therefore, whoever wish to enjoy their very own, dedicated Connectme satellite home internet service at the comfort of their own home/premise, and don't have money problems, then get ready to pay the price, starting from RM198/month for 60GB, RM700/RM1200 installation fees, and other relevant fees upon sign up.

I would say, Connectme started off with some mistakes, and now they're somehow trying to "rescuing" it by making sure they'd go to the right track as they intended it to be...
Luckily, Connectme isn't too widely known to the average Malaysians yet...

This post has been edited by joshhd: Jul 20 2020, 12:06 AM

joshhd

To me, a Satellite ISP Internet service is not very different from Astro Satellite TV service.
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What you mean? Could you elaborate further about that?

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Both Satellite Internet and Satellite TV services are not difficult to provide to consumers and they use similar technology and equipment. Only difference is the Satellite Internet customers may not have a sustainable massive market, similar to Satellite phone service. Nevertheless, the government should provide subsidized affordable Satellite Internet service to rural young folks/students to empower them with information technology. This is part of important human resource development.

Note that both 4G/3G and Satellite Internet backhaul connections have to go through TM's HSBB and submarine fiber cable networks for onward access to the world wide web/www. TM imposes substantial fees for these backhaul fiber connections, eg about RM90 for 30Mbps per line. For rursl folks, TM, as a GLC, should subsidize such fees for Satellite Internet.

Laying fiber cables for fixed home Internet or 4G/3G Internet to every rural area is too cost-prohibitive.

Instead of spending RM billions to send just ONE Malaysian to the moon or ISS, the government should instead spend this money to send Internet to thousands of rural young folks/students from a Satellite.
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https://www.thestar.com.my/tech/tech-news/2...n-sabah-sarawak - Gov to reduce broadband coverage gaps in Sabah, Sarawak - Internet - Monday, 03 Aug 2020

''''''' KUALA LUMPUR: The government is conducting a thorough study on the use of satellite technology to provide broadband access to Sabah and Sarawak via the National Digital Infrastructure Laboratory (IDN Lab) series programme to be held on Aug 13 and 14, the Dewan Rakyat was told today. '''''''

Looks like the Malaysian government will be extending TM's Satellite Internet ISP to ordinary consumers like Veveonah Mosibin right in her home at subsidized prices, eg RM30 per month for 6Mbps of unlimited data. All that is needed is a Satellite dish and modem-router, macam Astro Satellite TV service.

IOW, no need to lay hundreds of miles of fixed HSBB Fiber over land or put up tens of 4G cell towers every 6 miles apart in rural areas of Sabah and Sarawak.

May be great news.
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This post has been edited by lurkingaround: Aug 3 2020, 03:26 PM

That article didn't specifically mention TM also...
If you say, satellite dish and a satellite broadband modem-router being installed in those rural houses, the cost will be very high oh...

If Connectme would to help, they have been offering community prepaid WiFi service via satellite broadband called Connectme Now which I've explained on my previous posts.
https://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopi...post&p=97525603

https://www.tm.com.my/Office/Business/Enter...s/VSAT_FAQ.aspx

8. What is the access speeds for VSAT?
The list of access speeds (in Kbps) are as below;
1. 1.2 up to 56 6. 512
2. 64 7. 768
​3. 128 8. 1024
4. 256 9. 1536
5. 384 10. 2048

3G speed is faster and cheaper than TM VSAT

Some petrol station small town main road got streamix/unifi/4G coverage have VSAT antenna on top of the roof.

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So, TM VSAT can only give maximum 2Mbps while Maxis ConnectMe can give maximum 25Mbps.

For most rural folks who can only have access to Satellite Internet, 2Mbps is still fast enough (macam the old TM Streamyx via copper wires), especially if subsidized by the government for monthly subscription fees and installation of the Satellite dish. 2Mbps can stream Youtube videos at 720p/HD = better than my 4G postpaid GX50 phone plan which can only video-stream at SD/480p/1Mbps.

Seems, TM VSAT can be boosted to maximum 4Mbps. .......

http://www.vads.com/integrated-ict-service...nectivity/vsat/
''''''' Higher Speed
High bit rates allow, 256 kbps to 4 Mbps duplex links '''''''

I doubt Maxis ConnectMe will be willing to subsidize the rural folks in Sabah and Sarawak.
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Your suggestion may not be practical because afaik, Wifi hotspot has a very short range of about 50 to 100 feet, similar to the 50 feet range of the Wifi hotspot of a TM Unifi Home Fiber Internet modem-router. To extend this Wifi range, Maxis ConnectMe can install Wifi repeaters about every 200 feet apart.

In comparison, a 4G/3G cell tower has a range of up to 3 miles/5km for Internet data and up to 20 miles fir voice calls/sms. So getting a prepaid SIM card from a 4G/3G celco and from Maxis ConnectMe community Wifi service is vastly different wrt coverage.

Wifi hotspots are often not practical, eg Wifi Smart Selangor seems to have gone off the air, at least near my location in Selangor. ....... https://therohani.com/wifi-smart-selangor-daftar-login/
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Seems Satellite Internet has very limited bandwidth(eg each Ku-Band transponder = 506Mbps bandwidth capacity), compared to fixed Land Fiber Internet(eg each Fiber line = XG-PON or 10G-PON or 10Gbps bandwidth capacity) Eg a row of link-houses share the 10Gbps Fiber bandwidth, hence got TM Unifi Home Fiber Internet 300Mbps plan and unlimited data)

The newest 2014-launched Maxis-owned Binariang Measat 3b, which has a working lifespan of only 15 years, uses the modern Ku-Band. It's 506Mbps bandwidth capacity in each of its 48 transponders has to be shared by all the subscribers of the Satellite ISP, eg Maxis ConnectMe and TM VSAT and by subscribers of Astro Satellite TV.
....... Since Measat is owned by Maxis, it could offer ConnectMe@Home plans at 25Mbps while TM VSAT could only offer it's business subscribers 2Mbps.

So, if more subscribers, worse is the network congestion, ie much worse than 4G network congestion in city/urban areas. .......

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satellite_Internet_access
''''''' Modern consumer grade satellite Internet service is typically provided to individual users through geostationary satellites that can offer relatively high data speeds,[2] with newer satellites using Ku band to achieve downstream data speeds up to 506 Mbit/s. ...

Bandwidth

Consumer satellite Internet customers range from individual home users with one PC to large remote business sites with several hundred PCs.

Home users tend to use shared satellite capacity to reduce the cost, while still allowing high peak bit rates when congestion is absent. There are usually restrictive time-based bandwidth allowances so that each user gets their fair share, according to their payment. When a user exceeds their allowance, the company may slow down their access, deprioritise their traffic or charge for the excess bandwidth used. For consumer satellite Internet, the allowance can typically range from 200 MB per day to 25 GB per month. A shared download carrier may have a bit rate of 1 to 40 Mbit/s and be shared by up to 100 to 4,000 end users.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MEASAT-3b

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Measat 3b's has 48 Ku-Band transponders with each having a bandwidth capacity of 506Mbps maximum. For each Ku-Band transponder, If >20 Maxis ConnectMe@Home subscribers(= 25Mbps plans) in Malaysia get actively online at the same time = network congestion on that transponder. Imagine if got 100 such subscribers = traffic jam = each may get only 5Mbps.

Note that Maxis Astro Satellite TV service also uses some of Measat 3b's Ku-Band transponders.

Looks like Satellite Internet is a very expensive option for the government to help rural folks in Sabah and Sarawak.Maybe, the government should go for 4G cell towers 20 miles apart and subsidized 4G parabolic grids and cell signal boosters via its GLC, Celcom.
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This post has been edited by lurkingaround: Aug 4 2020, 04:40 PM