The Directv portion of the System is your download speed. For the upload (ie
Web page request, sending out email etc..) is done through the Global star
network or Celullar network (If available). Up load speeds are somewhat slow.
DL speeds is like having Direct PC in your house. (Approx 400Kbs on a good day)
From my experience the system needs a lot of little things to work in sync to
work properly. When set up correctly it works fairly well. But there are to
many variables to be reliable.

Globalstar hands off from one satellite to another. Here in South Florida the
globalstar network is in between 3 gateways. More often times than not the
globalstar phones have trouble staying connected for long periods of times.

If you travel outside the "Spot Beam" coverage zone of the direct TV network
then you rely soley on the upload and download speed of the globalstar phone.
Which on average is 33kbs. If you travel outside of the globalstar Data
coverage then your speed drops to approx 9.6kbs. Mind you it costs approx $1/
minute + for using Global star.

If I where to want good accurate Consistant data coverage. I would go with A)
Inmarsat F55 or B) KU Band (If size of vessel permits)

Brian
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