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Satellite TV: High internet satellite speed
While satellite TV has quickly become the choice form of home entertainment, satellite internet, a form of high speed internet access, is quickly making a name for itself as a new way to connect to the internet.
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What is Satellite Internet?
Much like satellite TV, satellite internet requires the use of a satellite dish to access information. It does not require a phone line to function. Satellite internet is most commonly used by households and/or businesses located in areas where cable, DSL, Dial-Up, or other forms of internet are unavailable. In order to access internet via satellite, a person's home or business must have a clear view of the southern sky, from which satellite transmissions are emitted. Satellite internet company facilities transmit information to the satellite dish, allowing satellite internet users to access the internet. There are several major satellite TV providers, the most prominent being:
- Star Band;
- Hughes Net (formerly DirecWay);
- Wild Blue;
Satellite internet companies provide both the necessary equipment for satellite internet access and the subscription to access satellite internet. Compared to other sources of internet, satellite internet is usually the last choice, chosen routinely by households in rural areas where other internet service options are unavailable. While satellite internet does have many things in common with cable, DSL, and wireless internet, there are several points that clearly differentiate satellite internet access:
- Satellite dish. Households that wish to access satellite internet must install a satellite dish.
- Higher subscription fees. The average monthly price of satellite internet is $99, and the average installation and setup fees range from $99 to $399, whereas other forms of internet access cost $35 to $60 a month with installation and setup fees ranging from none to $150.
- Potential satellite dish malfunctions. Much like satellite TV access, satellite internet access requires a properly aligned and functioning satellite dish to work. This means satellite internet access can be disrupted if the dish is not properly aligned, if severe weather bumps it out of alignment, if transmissions are blocked by obstructions, and if severe rain collects on the dish or causes rain fade.
Satellite Internet Speed
A common question to satellite internet providers is: how fast is satellite internet? Satellite internet is capable of allowing high internet satellite speeds comparable to DSL. Both satellite internet and DSL are conspicuously faster than basic, and now dated, Dial-Up, which requires users to log-on in order to access the internet. Satellite internet does not require any dialing in order to use, nor does it require the use of a phone line. This allows satellite internet to be available and accessible 24 hours a day without the disruption of the telephone, as long as the satellite dish is functioning properly. However, because satellite internet requires long distance transfer of information from a household dish satellite to the satellite provider's satellite, there may be noticeable sluggishness.
Satellite internet speeds
Download speeds: 1 to 1.5 Mbps (megabytes per second)
Upload speeds: up to 200 kbps (kilobytes per second)
Actual satellite internet speeds will vary with access and plans.
These speeds are competitive with other forms of internet access; however, satellite internet speeds do not function efficiently under certain circumstances:
- Voice and/or Video Over IP;
- VPN (Virtual Private Networks) and remote access;
- Online interactive role-playing games, particularly "shooting" games which require very high internet response times.
VPN does not function well with satellite internet in that it bypasses acceleration programs and cause dial-up-like speeds. Online interactive real-time games require instantaneous responses and feedback that satellite internet, even when equipped with acceleration software, cannot provide.
Additionally, periods of heavy rain or other severe weather can cause downgraded satellite internet performance or even cause it to stop functioning for a period. This can also happen with cable or DSL service when associated cables are disrupted, frequently by construction.
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