[Techtalk] Satellite Internet

[Maluvia]

Hi,
Just wondering if anyone has satellite internet access, and if so, could tell me how it is working for them.

After the past few weeks of truly horrible dial-up connections (averaging about 14.4kbps on a good day, and unable to connect at all on the bad ones), in addition to the growing tension of trying to juggle internet access time between several family members all wanting to spend more time online, I'm at my wit's end.
(Just to be clear: we live in a remote area, and cable and DSL are not available out here.)

I've been reading up on Starband, but it is a big hardware investment: $500 for residential installs, and $1500+ for mobile access, and ~$70+/month.
I'd like to know it's really going to work if we're going to sink that much money into it.
(I'm also unclear exactly how the multi-user aspect of it is implemented.)

Any feedback would be appreciated.

-Maluvia