OK, right now I have exceeded my data cap for the month and am being connected at reduced speed. That may or may not affect ping time.
The following tests are done from my laptop over an older wifi to an access point, which then connects to an older router, which then goes through the phone wedge that provides my phone service, and only then to the modem and transponder. Obviously, there are avenues of delay in that mess, and I'm not about to buy a new 'puter and hook directly to the modem to test.
If you will look through my posts on the subject, my point is simply that a two second delay on a phone conversation, as Larry claimed, is bullcrap. I described what talking on my phone, which goes through the first Viasat satellite, is like. That is
real life, real world experience, and there is NO two second delay - period, end of story. No talking out my wazoo based upon hearsay, as is so common these days.
this first test, from the site I referenced, I don't particularly trust.
https://broadbandnow.com/speedtest/9...2-c9897fa51ba2
The fake [ACK] sounds like a reasonable explanation for the low latency. I'll agree with that idea.
Speedcheck.org gives an average over 3 tests of 946, but I don't trust that test site either, as is says my upload speed is way faster than it actually is in restriction.
Speedtest by Ookla gives 678 or 677 fairly consistently
https://www.speedtest.net/result/10260969248
That seems reasonably on target, especially as it reflects my general daytime experience browsing. It has been a while since I've done speed tests, but I recall some from there with significantly lower readings, especially at off-peak hours.
Now - on phone connection - Viasat/Exede handles it a little differently. The company geeks know that any delay is going to result in complaints, and phone traffic bandwidth is minimal and a good source of added revenue. In response, Viasat does the phone tap as a wedge, even before any router, and prioritizes the phone traffic. My ping can be slow, but the phone still acts normal. That would NOT be the case if I used a Google number, Skype, or other internet phone provider on the Viasat link.
Again, phone over a satellite works fine. In a disaster, such as tornado or hurricane or cut of a fiber, all of the land lines and VOIP using fiber could be down, but mine continues merrily along. If the satellite finds the local NOC is out, it goes for a different one outside of the disaster area. My outages come from any immediate storm with high clouds just to the west of me, and the maintenance outages on the satellite. That can be an issue, but it is one I live with.
FWIW, the general latency for internet is only a minor inconvenience for me, as I have cross wired nerves and a slow twitch response which means I would automatically lose at online games if I ever played them.
[Edit to add] Just used my VPN and the ping went up to 720-750 range. In case there are questions about how the predictive stuff Viasat uses might throw off tests. Through the VPN, such tricks get disabled.
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