Overview Of Satellite Internet

Comparing The Main Features Of Broadband Satellite

by Jon Norwood - October 17th, 2006

Satellite Internet access is becoming more popular in rural area of the United States as the proliferation of broadband service continues. Although there are many limitations to this service, it has a great number of strengths as well.

The average consumer is not as aware of satellite internet service as they are DSL and cable due to the simple fact that satellite services rarely market themselves as strongly in market segments already served by other broadband carriers. Relevant information to consider when researching satellite internet access includes the technology, price, performance, and availability.

Satellite Internet Technology

Satellite Internet service has the most high tech sounding system available. When a technician says, “Your Internet signal is being routed to a geosynchronous satellite in low orbit around Earth” it sounds more like a Star Trek episode than a tech call from an ISP. This however is true, and is the source of many strengths and the number one weakness of satellite access.

Data sent through a Satellite connection goes through the Internet like any other data packets until it reaches a hub which transmits the information to a satellite in space. Once received by the satellite, the information is sent back to earth and to the end user. The user is sending and receiving data through a satellite dish that is installed at their location. This dish is very similar to the ones now being used by satellite television services, and is not the bulky eyesore once used in the past.

Other than the dish and a few cables, no other hardware should be required unless networking is an issue. If that is the case the user is on their own, as most satellite services do not support networking and do not provide hardware for it. If the user knows how to network computers using a router on another system, the procedure is almost identical however.

Satellite Internet Pricing

A major deterrent in the expansion of the satellite Internet market has been pricing. With DSL and cable offering more bandwidth at less than half the cost, it is easy to see what satellite isn't taking off in the major markets. In general, Satellite service will cost a consumer around $100 per month in most cases. There are services that are a little less, and a great deal more, but $100 is a good deal.

The monthly fee isn't the only problem with pricing. The hardware and set up fee tend to be extremely high compared to other services as well. An example is Earthlink Satellite services, whose upfront $649 fee for equipment, and $250 installation fee make the service much less desirable than say cable Internet with free installation.

Several Satellite providers are allowing users to finance the cost of equipment through the ISP, and others are setting up a lease option for users similar to what cable customers are currently using. While this helps defer the cost, the customer is still paying it.

Satellite Internet Performance

From a performance standpoint satellite leaves much to be desired when compared to other broadband offerings. With less bandwidth, usability restrictions, and unavoidable latency, satellite is not for everyone.

Satellite Internet provides upstream speeds between 50 to 150 Kbps, and download speeds of about 150Kbps to 1200 Kbps. This is about half the speed of most DSL, and less than a third the speed of most cable Internet access. The many consumers this simply isn't worth the expenditure.

Unfortunately, many satellite providers also have a Fair Access Policy, or FAP. A FAP will decrease a user's throughput down to around dial up speeds after a certain amount of data transfers occur. This amount is variable with the service but tends to be around 200MB per day and the decrease in bandwidth tends to last around 24 hours. Of course most customers want broadband to speed up large downloads, and a FAP can decrease that value down to almost nothing.

Latency is unavoidable in any Internet connection, the trick is to optimize a connection to avoid as much of it as possible. When one on the user's hops is in orbital space, latency becomes a bigger issue. Signal delay to a satellite ranges from around 500 to 900 milliseconds, and this isn't including any standard hops. This is because the signal must travel 22,000 miles into space, and then return to earth.

This latency can render many Internet games unplayable, and any software that requires real-time user input will be problematic at best.

Satellite Internet Availability

So what is satellite Internet really good for then? It is available almost anywhere in the United States from the densest metropolitan area to remote farms in the Pacific North West. This is where satellite really shines as it can provide users with no other broadband choice an alternative to dial up. If there are providers anywhere near a user's location, you can bet they have access.

In the end, it appears that satellite Internet is a viable alternative to dial up, but if another choice is available take it.

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To learn more about Satellite Internet Access and compare this type of Internet service with other forms of broadband, return to our main information section on satellite Internet.