Spaceway / HN9000 Service - What Happened

[Liz]

Many of you know that there was a service outage for customers who receive their HughesNet service via the SPACEWAY satellite. The satellite experienced an event resulting in the spacecraft temporarily dropping user traffic. Events like this are extremely rare and the satellite responded exactly as designed for a situation like this.

Our engineers worked around the clock to get the service back up and running, and your service has been restored. It was a complex and lengthy process involving multiple teams. The SPACEWAY satellite is fully functional and operating normally.

We have added a free 1GB Restore Token to accounts that were impacted. A Restore Token is a set amount of data that gets added to your account for your use while online with HughesNet. Once you have used up the data allowance you have as a part of your plan, you will automatically begin using the extra GB that has been added to your account. This will allow you to continue using your service without interruption or slow-down. You can see this additional 1GB of Token Bandwidth if you use the HughesNet Status Meter, or by checking the bandwidth visible from your modem’s web interface, at http://www.systemcontrolcenter.com.

Your Restore Token does not have an expiration date. This Token has been automatically applied to your account, so you do not need to log into your HughesNet account to activate it.  Also, if you don’t use the whole Token at any one time, the unused portion will remain in your account to be used as needed.

Thank you for your patience and we appreciate your understanding.

-Liz

[Liz]

If you still cannot access the internet on your HN9000, please try power-cycling your modem. The best way to do this is to unplug your power cord from the brick, not the wall or the back of the modem (as shown here)


If powercycling does not restore connection, please give us a call at 866.347.3292, we may have to walk you through some processes to address your concerns.

Thanks,
Liz

[Stacy Brown]

Still having issues in Alabama. Called many times and we are told our equipment is working. Last time we called we had to hang up because you were having problems. We have done what you recommended. Still nothing.

[tedalmgren]

For Liz-  Also posted in Amanda's chat-

For Amanda - Kudo's to your system engineers and System software folks for resolving most of the issues and getting the system back up.  As a retired Chief Systems Engineer specializing in advanced system architecture and security, and having been in similar situations, I know the dedication, knowledge and effort required to resolve a problem of that magnitude.  I have been a customer since the early Direcway days and never has there been a problem of this magnitude.  Despite what some are saying about support, my experience has been overwhelmingly positive.  Please give my compliments on your support and recovery efforts to at least your Division VP.  (I can remember when Hughes was only doing "Black" things) . A comment - more information tends to reduce speculation and complaints!

[bar2zmt]

My service is so slow i can't use what i purchase in a month, and you don't care, your token only means you have taken more from me. Thanks Hughes Net

[Bill Reynolds]

1Gb is not near enough. Been out since the evening of Monday, Aug 3, now being the evening of Friday, Aug 8, I'm think you need to offer a better comp.

[Gwalk900]

You really don't know if they care or not .... this being based on the fact that you have only made a single post in the Community.

That being said ...... You haven't stated any details as to the type of service you have .... usually based on modem type (DW6000/HN7000s, HN9000 "Legacy" (read daily refill), HN9000 monthly "Gen4 wannabe" or HT1000/HT1100 true Gen4 system) or plan level you have within the stated platforms.

The range in speeds in the above mentioned systems is considerable.

Have you ran any speed tests (5 tests in a row, done three times in 24 hours ?

http://consumer.performancetests.hughesnet.com/

Beyond that:

What operating system are you on ?

Are you using a Router ? (brand, model)

Are you connected directly to the Modem(?) or Router by wire ?

  or Wirelessly ?

[cranedriver]

Have the tokens been credited yet? Just curious.....

[bar2zmt]

Sounds like you are a know it all twit, I have had this service for more than 6 of the past 8 years and I know good or bad, you need more to do than scrool through here telling me how smart you are, go away!

[C0RR0SIVE]

bar2zmt, please read the community guidelines.

http://legal.hughesnet.com/CommunityGuidelines.cfm

[BirdDog]

Ah, name calling.......priceless......it's the Donald Trump era.

[Gwalk900]

Well, I tried.

[tedalmgren]

for Liz - Thank you for your explanation of the cause of the system outage. (from a personal curiosity standpoint it would be interesting to know what computer subsystem caused it but I understand proprietary).  Knowing something about how satellites work and are controlled , although nothing about the current SPACEWAY satellite, I am surprised that in the current solar environment we have not had more issues.  Although it's clear that I do not use the system in ways that others do and although satellite is the only viable internet in my location (no cell phone either!), the reliability of the system is commendable.  I think that the company offering comps for something beyond their control is also commendable.  Noting some of the other comments (the polite ones!) a very simple explanation on cost and control of the redundant systems used for backup on the bird by one of your systems engineers might explain the "maintenance" and backup process and might calm some of the misconceptions by others.  I also understand why you might not think it necessary!

Thanks Again!

[Stan Burman]

Liz, thank you for the update info. The restore tokens for 1 GB have not yet been added to my account - as of Friday, 7:54 p.m. MST.

Certainly would appreciate your checking to see why tokens have not been placed in all accounts affected by the outage.

Thanks,

Stan

[JACQUELINE PAZ]

On what days did this service outage take place, how long was the outage for customers who receive HughesNet service SPACEWAY / H900 ?

[vawatkins2011]

And all those speed tests just suck up more data.  AND I have learned over the past year, you only get faster service when you are near your data allowance or are on at about 0300 to 0500.  But so, we all live in the woods and have no choice.  And I thought the executive order by Obama for high speed internet would get it done.  However, the cost for data really hurts it averages to about $11.00 a gigabyte at the cheapest plan of 5 g. a month, who really uses that little.

[C0RR0SIVE]

Approximately 32ish hours I think.

[yocena]

Liz, I have Disconnected the power source from the brick and still nothing. I will call in.
FYI, this is my first week with hughesnest, and so far, not a good thing.

1. Sales gal on the phone mislead me to believing I was getting 65 gigs for my $80 a month. The installers said many people have been mislead. When I am awake I get 15 gigs for the month it turns out and the other 50 gigs are a nice scam way of getting people in.
2. The installers did not know how to find the password for the modem for an hour after they wanted to leave.,
3. The internet with Hughesnet for the first two days before outage was slower than dial up.
4. I filled out a request or chat and it said I am no authorized to chat after entering all the details including the account number
5. The customer service phone line is so busy from the outage I assume that I cannot get through.
6. I have no token
7. It took a gig of data just to search out my problems and watch videos and all to find out there is no help for me at this point. 

There is more but my intentions are not to sound unreasonable but rather to share the feel of the customer. Sure there is pride in your work and I appreciate your hard work and effort to please the end user however you are working for a corporation and these days it is real hard to find a large company that actually knows how to keep the end user happy. We want good service, communication and truthful sales people that know what they are doing, selling, and who they are working for.

I will be canceling Hughesnet on Monday and its too bad I have not even got not try out the internet service for a few days. Gotta get out before 30 days is up and get the holes in my roof repaired.