Satellite Internet Service
I live in a remote area, and we're not likely to have DSL or cable internet any time soon. I can get dialup internet service, but it's terribly slow. What are the pros and cons of satellite internet service for people in my situation? |
Internet Access via Satellite
Satellite Internet service is high-speed Internet access delivered via satellites instead of ground-based networks such as cable, DSL, WiFi, or cellular phone technologies. Satellite Internet service is sometimes the only alternative to slow dial-up connections in rural areas. If you live at the end of a long dirt road, on top of a mountain, or out in the middle of nowhere, satellite Internet service may be your best option.
Two types of satellite are used to provide Internet service. Geostationary satellites provide faster connections (up to 5 Mbps) than low Earth-orbit (LEO) satellites. But LEO satellites can cover the entire planet. Geostationary coverage is limited in the U. S. to the lower 48 states, excluding Hawaii and Alaska.
Users need a satellite dish and a special modem. The modem can be connected directly to a computer or to a router, hub, or other type of network device. The equipment may be purchased or leased. Professional installation is usually required for safety and to align the dish with the satellite that serves it.
Satellite Internet service speeds range from 1 to 5 Mbps. However, the large distances between satellites and dishes add latency to the connection. Latency for satellite Internet service is often measured in hundreds of milliseconds, compared to dozens for ground-based services. Latency is less of an issue when downloading a large file than it is for Web browsing. A Web page may contain dozens of URLs for images, embedded video, etc., the loading of which is delayed by latency. VoIP (internet phone services), streaming video and live gaming can be difficult with satellite Internet.
Weather can also degrade satellite Internet performance. The satellite signal is diffused and weakened by rain or snow in a process called "rain fade." Heavy cloud cover also affects satellite signals adversely. A bigger dish can reduce rain fade.
Satellite Internet Service Providers
In the United States, there are four primary satellite Internet access providers: HughesNet Satellite Internet (http://hughesnet.com), WildBlue Satellite Internet Service (http://wildblue.com), SkyWay USA (http://skywayusa.com), and StarBand Satellite Internet Service (http://starband.com). Each has a network of dealers who help customers with installation and customer service.
Prices for satellite Internet service are based primarily on speed. A 1 Mbps connection may cost $40 a month, while 5 Mbps can run over $100. Each of the major providers offers multiple tiers of speed and pricing.
Portable satellite Internet receivers are also available, but they provide much lower speed and cost thousands of dollars. Typically, only well-funded expeditions to the world's remotest regions use portable satellite Internet. However, you can rent mobile satellite internet equipment for short timespans at a more reasonable cost. Inmarsat offers packages starting at $45 per week that allow you to get online from almost anywhere on earth.
Bandwidth caps are notoriously restrictive on satellite Internet connections. If you download more than your fair share of bytes per month, the provider may slow down your connection, charge more for each additional byte, or even cut off your access temporarily. Be sure to ask about usage restrictions and conserve satellite Internet bandwidth as if it was water in the desert.
Do you have experience with satellite internet service? Post your comment or question below...
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Posted by Bob Rankin on 3 Jun 2011
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Article information: AskBobRankin -- Satellite Internet Service (Posted: 3 Jun 2011)
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Most recent comments on "Satellite Internet Service"
Posted by:
Dave
03 Jun 2011
I have used HughesNet for several years now. While the speed is significantly less than cable or ADSL, neither of those options are available to me. The 'fair use policy' which lays out the available bandwidth per day that you may use is not overly restrictive for general browsing but does not allow for live video or even youtube during normal hours, there is a tool to monitor your usage. They do provide an open unrestricted time of several hours during the very early hours which is good for downloading programs or even operating systems. I schedule my Windows and Linux updates into that window. The latency does not support VOIP and causes a few timeout errors on some servers. Weather interference is minimal and short lived except for snow accumulation on the parabolic section, keep it ground mounted so that you can brush it off.
Another option in some areas, 2 of my children use this option, is through the cell phone companies. They also invoke bandwidth limitations but on a monthly rather than daily basis you would need to evaluate your own needs to be able to make that call.
Posted by:
Ken
03 Jun 2011
We are at the end-of-the-line literally. Our next door neighbor - about 1/2 mile away - is on a different electrical coop and a different telephone exchange. Way too far and expensive for wired service!!!
Looked at wireless but too many ridges in the way.
Started with Starband, but had quality issues, besides the FAP issues.
Went to WildBlue via GotSky and worked well until I was doing more work at home. Then upgraded to their Pro pack. Only issues is bad weather - during a heavy rainfall will get little or no service. Otherwise it works well with our 5 computers.
Posted by:
Loren barrett
04 Jun 2011
In Pahrump nevada we have many choices depending on which part of town you live in. DSL & Cable are not all over so Over the air or Satellite is all there is. Most services suck. We had Wild Blue & it was terrible. DSL was even bad when available. Keyon was bad until they changed to 3G Wi-Max. Now they are the best after cable.
We do a lot of streaming from netflix & satellite will not cut it.
Posted by:
Mark
05 Jun 2011
We also have no cable access and dial up was so slow that internet browsing was a chore. Installed WildBlue with Gotsky and subscribed to their middle bandwith package. Have not even come close to using the avaialble amount of bytes. I have a 12+ year old Dell 9100 and video streaming is more of a computer issue than the satallite. It takes very extreme weather to interrupt receprion - We live in western Washington. Their customer service is excellent - Real people speaking English clearly.
Posted by:
Starchman
05 Jun 2011
In Eastern Canada satellite service is provided by Xplornet. Never achieved speeds even close to advertised. I was with them for 9 years at 1 Mbps for $90 per mo. FAP was applied on an hourly basis and they did not provide any way to check throughput, so you were at their mercy. One day when I was out of the house for 8 hours and computer was off, upon my return my speeds were slow and when I called they said I was on FAP, yet I was not home. Ater 9 years I had had enough of FAP and left them. Went to cellular service for internet and as long as I do not exceed 5 GB per mo, it is cheaper than satellite, and 5x faster. I stay away from You Tube as I cannot afford the bandwidth usage. Not a big problem for us, as satellite would take 30 mins to stream a 2 minute video. I would go to dial up before using satellite again.
Posted by:
Clinton
25 Aug 2011
I live in an area of northern Florida that is not not served by DSL or cable. Have had Hughesnet satellite for about 9 years. It works well at times but I would not recommend it unless you absolutely have to have high speed internet. We get quite a bit of rain here, which reduces or even stops the internet connection. One other thing that Hughesnet does is throttle back the connection speed at 4 pm in the afternoon until 12 midnight. They deny doing this, but I have checked it many times over the 9 years I've had their service, and they do indeeed throttle the speed. Technical support is located in India and many of the techs I have spoken to do not speak English well. I would recommend their service only as a last resort.