Frequently Asked Question
Is your service better than Satellite Internet? (Wild Blue or HughesNet)
Yes, our service works during inclement weather, when satellite providers lose their signal. If you’ve ever used a satellite based internet provider, you probably noticed a reduced level of service during extremely cloudy days and during any adverse weather. Our service is not affected in the same manner as satellite internet since we do not point your antenna to the sky, we position your antenna pointing toward one of our towers. This is not to say that our system ever goes down. Lightning can strike a tower site or a customer’s house and that can cause your service to go down temporarily.
Additionally, satellite internet service has an astro-physical problem compared to our service. With satellite internet the connection must travel over 100,000 miles round trip to reach your home. This causes a latency issue to the internet, otherwise known as lag. What this means is that it takes up to 200x the amount of time for your internet connection to receive the data than it does with our service.
Satellite Internet providers also have a “Fair Access Policy” with daily download limits. Generally, these daily limits are between 200Mb-400Mb per day. Once you go over their daily download allowance, your speed is degraded to the point that you cannot even browse the internet.
How fast is you service?
We offer our customers 2 different speed packages:
1Mbps download speed / 256kbps upload speed
2Mbps download speed / 512kbps upload speed
A higher speed option is planned for later.
All of these packages range from 20x to 80x faster than dialup service.
Do I need a phone line to get service?
No. Our system works independently of your home phone line.
Is there different installation equipment used at different locations?
Yes, we use two different types of equipment for installations.
The first type is for CLOS (Clear Line Of Sight) customers. This equipment is used for customers that are located close enough to one of our towers that the antenna has Clear Line Of Sight to the Tower.
The second type is for NLOS (No Line Of Sight) customers. This equipment is used for customers that are too far away from the tower that the antenna does not have Line Of Sight to the tower.
*There could be additional costs with the installation such as: telescoping antenna pole, attic run, wall fish, wireless router etc.*
I’ve tried using Satellite Internet to play online games with XBOX Live and Playstation Network and the lag is so bad that I cannot play the game at all. Is your service any better?
Yes, due to the latency issues associated with Satellite Internet, they have latency speeds in excess of 1,000ms and sometimes even more than 2,000ms. These latency speeds are not conducive for internet gaming. Our customer’s average latency speeds are between 55ms-250ms. This allows for a good experience when playing online games.
Do I ever own the equipment installed at my residence?
No, the equipment is leased to you for the duration of your time as a customer of Vance Wireless.
Do I have a warranty on the equipment installed at my residence?
Yes, all installed equipment has a 1 year service warranty and any mechanical issues with the equipment are covered at no charge to the customer. After the 1st year, the customer will have the option to purchase an equipment maintenance plan. This plan will cover mechanical issues with the equipment at no charge to the customer. The customer can choose to opt out of this Protection Plan, but if there are any issues with the equipment, the customer will be responsible for the replacement of the equipment.
Is there a contract with your service?
If a new customer pays for the entire cost of the installation when the service is installed, there is NO contract with our service. Only customers that choose the Payment Plan options will be under contract until the balance of the installation costs have been paid.
Is it possible to do a Self-Install?
Since our installation requires professional configuration of the equipment based on location, it is not possible to do a Self-Install.
Do I need to purchase any special equipment?
No, we provide all the equipment necessary during your installation. The only equipment required is a computer with a 10/100 Network interface. Most computers have these by default.
Can I use a wireless router in my home?
Yes, you may connect our service directly to your wireless router or you can purchase a wireless router and have it available on the day of the install. You can also purchase a wireless router from our Installation Technicians if you choose.
I already own a wireless router; will you configure it for me during installation?
Yes, however if you purchase a router after the installation is completed and the installer has already left, you will be charged a $75 service call fee for him to return and program the router.
Is your service portable like Cingular, Sprint, Verizon, etc. mobile broadband?
No, our wireless service is a fixed wireless connection, meaning you cannot travel with it. Additionally, mobile broadband speeds are normally slower than ours, and you experience higher latency (delays) with mobile broadband networks.
My house has deed restrictions which do not allow outdoor antennas, can I still get service?
Federal Law limits the ability of landlords, homeowner associations, and local/state governments from restricting your ability to install an antenna to receive our service. For more information please visit the FCC Web Site.
Is your service unlimited?
Yes, our service is unlimited.
Do you have a “Fair Access Policy”?
Yes, however our fair access policy is much different than our competitors. We do an overall fair access policy. Our bandwidth levels are monitored continuously and when our overall bandwidth reaches a certain threshold the top talkers or top bandwidth users will be throttled down to allow everyone fair access to the internet. As the system slows these throttles will automatically be removed. This is something that most will not even notice but for those that want to download movies 24×7 it will effect you. Rather than restrict users to certain monthly amounts we feel it is better to monitor the whole system. We do have a Acceptable Use Policy as well and you can read about it here. Anyone using our service has to comply with our AUP.
Do you offer a way for the customer to pay their bill online?
Yes this is being setup at this time.
Does Vance Wireless send out paper invoices?
No. In order to keep our overhead low and offer great rates to our customers, we only use email invoicing. Each month the customer will receive an invoice by email approximately 5 days before their invoice is due. The customer can pay the invoice electronically, or they can print the invoice from their email and mail their payment into our office.
