Hey my mate wants to get fast internet but may not be able to get ADSL as he is out of range. Would satelite be a good or bad solution? For playing games such as counter strike online?

Depends on the set up. Some satellite solutions use a standard phone line for outbound traffic, (typically web page requests, so small amounts of data) and use the satellite feed for the inbound, (download).

Some use satellite communications for both legs. So I'm guessing it would either be;

a: terrible

or

b: worse than terrible.

Fine for web browsing and emails, but your ping times are gonna suck.

How good is your Mobile phone reception?

There are new "modem adapters" that allow laptops to connect to the internet via their own connection to current mobile phone networks. However I can't find on the site the device that I saw at a convention I went to a few years back so I can't give you details on who the ISP would be, the price of the network charges or the baud rate that the modem can cover.

However it potentially would match or even undercut the cost of a satellite system using already implimented technologies. (it might only be 128k)

satellite is not your best option, however vodafone offers wireless modems to run on their cell network. and (i assume) many cities have wireless connections like christchurch which you can access from about 60km provided you have a dish around your antenna directing it towards the city.

where do they live, because the lines have improved well eneough for me to finally get adsl 50km from the city.
go to orcon.net.nz for prices, and call 0508 467 266 to check availability.

There are new "modem adapters" that allow laptops to connect to the internet via their own connection to current mobile phone networks.

You can get GPRS cards which connect at 56k, UMTS at 384K (on a 3g network). Vodaphone and Orange sell them, and they're expensive. (£250), and of course, depend on coverage.

Of course, depending on the tariff, you pay a monthly fee, and if you aren't payng top whack, like £70 odd quid a month to go unmetered, end up paying per Mb download.

Ping times will be hugely sucky still, so crap for online shooters.

Thanks for the information Phlog

Thanks for the information Phlog

Well, I've recently purchased some GPRS networking capability, but was too tight to fork out for UMTS, when it's patchy still.