But the installation is pretty easy and the speed is good, at 400K bps. You're not sharing your line with anyone, so the speed is a constant. Perfect for rural areas with no other choice. But if it is raining, snowing or very cloudy, forget it. That means you still need a modem and an account with an Internet Service Provider.
Wireless access is widely available in a radius around a central antenna, and quite speedy.
A network card in your PC brings you the content and you're good to go. Often the same price as cable modems, but speedier. No rain fade or other issues with satellite systems. The antenna setup can be hideous, depending on how far you are from the antenna and what technology the company uses. I recommend Norton Internet Security 2001 for most users.