Satellite Internet Access Overview

Satellite Internet access works by connecting your home modem to an actual satellite dish, usually on the roof of your home.  The satellite dish in this case acts both a transmitter and a receiver, meaning it can both send and receive signals for a fully interactive experience.  The signals it receives are carried from the dish outside to a special modem inside your home, which means you will need to have the service installed by a high speed satellite Internet provider.  The modem and your computer share data and communicate with the world at large through the dish, letting you enjoy "always-on" Internet access.  In most respects, therefore, satellite broadband works exactly like more traditional forms of Internet access, but there are some important differences.

What makes satellite broadband different from its land-locked counterparts?  The most obvious distinction, of course, is that satellite uses no wires to transmit and receive data.  This can be a great benefit when outages occur or bad weather renders traditional forms of connection useless.  Satellite Internet access also offers broadband anywhere in the world, making it far easier to move and maintain your connection wherever your travels take you.  Many people in remote places and undeveloped countries adore the technology because it bridges the "final mile" to their doorstep where no wires may exist.

The good news is that you don't have to give up any speed for the privilege of a fully wireless satellite broadband connection.  The best high-speed satellite Internet connections rival their cable modem counterparts at around 5,000 kilobytes per second (Kbs) download and 500 Kbs upload.  The bad news, however, is that significant delays (latency) appear in these connections because each signal has to travel into outer space and back again before it reaches your computer.  This generally won't pose a problem for surfing the Web, but it can be a source of difficulty for real-time services such as broadband phone and Web conferencing.

Satellite Internet access is less expensive than it used to be, but it still remains the priciest of the three big broadband options.  This is a function of the technology – there are only a certain number of satellites in outer space, and the companies that own them rent out time at a premium.  Add in the cost of renting a dish for your home and it's no wonder satellite Internet access represents something of an elite option for people who want broadband around the globe.  Prices are dropping steadily as more providers get into this market, however, so the day may come when satellite Internet access is the number one form of broadband on the planet.

If you are looking for a good way to get online and you lack the resources or location for traditional broadband like cable or DSL, satellite broadband may be the perfect replacement.