Techstar installed equipment. Installer tried to force us to sign up for their internet support, stating HughesNet was so bad that we would spend all of our time on the phone to India. Techstar wanted another $18 to keep HughesNet working.

The service was suppose to be 1MB. It was never over 22KB. Techstar scheduled appointment to correct their shotty installation. Technician never showed up. When I called the local office, the guy said that he had sent the tech home for the day. I told him to cancel my service and pick up the equipment. He hung up on me.

I spent the next 2.5 hours on the phone, primarily to India. None of them spoke english beyond reading from a form. Eventually I got U.S. numbers but they were worthless. Ultimately I spoke to Anna, who was suppose to be a district office over Techstar. She was worthless. Told me if I took the satellite off of my roof, boxed it up and shipped the 50+ lbs. of equipment, at my expense, to MD; they would refund me $200 of my $476.96.

What a total scam. They have no intention of providing a service. Techstar makes their money installing and selling you additional technical support so they aren't going to help. HughesNet is so insulated by foreign countries and indifferent employees that they aren't going to help. After all, they have your money, what do they care.

American Express notified me that they didn't get adequate justification from HughesNet and credited me for the charge. HughesNet promptly turned it over to a collection agency.

Don't get involved with HughesNet or any of their contractors. They provide miserably inadequate service and are only out to take you for every dime they can get. I can't begin to tell you the grief they have caused.

I never had any problems with my internet speed or had heard of a "fair access policy" until Hughes Network took over Direcway. For the past year I thought the problem was with Dell computers and have spent numerous hours trying to figure out what was going on, Dell even replaced my hard drive. Only this past week have I learned that it is not my computer but my internet service.

After contacting Hughes Network I was informed that even though I do not use my internet everyday that I still am using more than I'm allowed for daily use. In order to abide by their fair access policy they will slow down my access speed to 8 kbs for 24 hours at which time my speed will return to normal.

I can however "upgrade" my service to either pro or pro-plus in order to "overcome" the fair access policy which still limits my internet usage. Either I can purchase a new router for $25 shipping fee plus $69.99 or $79.99/mo or use the same router with a monthly fee of $89.99. Hughes Network is changing the ORIGINAL contract I agreed to when purchasing this product without "fair" notice and then expecting us to abide by their rules. For many of us who use satelite are those who live out in the country without access to other services. Personally why should have to "eat" the original cost of $600 in order to switch to a landline when I already had an original contract stating my usage?

Since writing this complaint the customer service referred me to call the technical department to allow me access back online. However in order to access internet I had to "agree" to their service contract!