A friend of mine recently bought a villa in the country. A sprawling 25 acres property with man-made lake, lush meadows and surrounded by a shady forest. About 30 miles away from the nearest civilization, it was her heaven on earth. Watching the sunset in the evening and sipping tea on the porch, she thought it was worthwhile driving 30 miles to the nearest town, just to buy groceries. However, soon she faced the problems of living away from civilization. Within days of moving into her new home, she discovered that none of the cable companies provided service in her area. Soon, she began exploring her options and came across DirecTV Internet, the satellite service which provides television reception along with high speed satellite Internet. Since, she had a complete unobstructed view of the western skies, this option seemed perfect for her. DirecTV Internet service is a satellite TV service, which caters to the need of viewers living in rural areas. This service is extremely effective in areas where normal cable service does not exist. However, many people living in cities are also opting for this service, owing to its many advantages. This Internet TV service has a tie-up with well-known Internet service providers such as AT&T, Verizon, Qwest, Earthlink and WildBlue, so that you can choose your favorite Internet service. Let us weigh the performance of DirecTV Internet service against various parameters. Accessibility This service can be accessed from anywhere right from cities to remote locations. Since, the service directly works on the satellite signals, it does not have to rely upon physical cable network. This, makes it a perfect solution for people who are always on the go. People living in the rural areas can now avail television service along with a high speed Internet without the hassle of putting up a local telephone line. Speed There are several options regarding the speed, so you can choose accordingly. It is better than normal dial up connection. However, the problem is that you will not be able to assess the speed unless you have already purchased a package. Also, DirecTV uses third-party Internet service provides, hence one can't know about the details about the connection speed. Connectivity One of the biggest advantage of the DirecTV Internet service is that, since it is a satellite service it is always available. Thus, you almost never experience times when there is no connectivity. As there is no physical network, turbulence in weather, it rarely affects the performance of this service. However, you might have to clean up your dish during snowfall. Accumulation of ice can affect the performance of this service. Portability Portability is yet another factor that has contributed to the popularity of DirecTV Internet service. You simply have to carry the dish and the modem to get uninterrupted connectivity. Thus, you no longer have to rely on Wi-Fi service. Moreover, you do not need a technician to install the assembly at your new place. You can easily do it yourself. This makes it possible to watch your favorite TV shows and check your emails even while you are on a vacation. Customer Service Most DirecTV Internet users have a good experience with the customer service provided by this service. In fact, another reason why people shift to this option is due to their harrowing experiences with the customer service of cable TV companies. You can go to their website for more information. They provide a billing center, a forum for technical help, and have an FAQ section. You can also call their customer service, or send them an email for support. The tech support is available 24 hours. Cost Cost is the only thing that goes against DirecTV Internet. This service is anything but cheap, as you have to shell a hefty amount initially to buy the dish and modem. Alternatively, you may sign a two year contract with the company which comes with a heavy buyout clause. The cost of this service is about 3 times more than DSL. It is also much expensive than cable service. However, once you pay up the initial setup cost, you can enjoy this service for a comparatively cheaper cost for the rest of your life. Previously the cost used to be higher, but now since they have tied up with other providers, which has helped to cut down the cost. Also, they offer variety of services and additional features now. There are various packages to choose from, some are expensive packages while some are more affordable. If you choose a long-term package then you get some discount. Apart from the package you buy, you will need to pay extra to get the Internet service. The prices also vary from place to place, to check their website to know the cost of various packages they offer in your region. As evident from the above information, DirecTV Internet can be a good option in the long run, only if you are willing to pay up for the higher initial costs. However, remember that the Internet connection speed can be slow, and the only way to know about it is, once you have bought a package. In some cases the speed provided by them is slower than many other providers. So, make sure you choose wisely.