Satellite Better Than Using Internet Through My Wireless Phone Company
As the breadth of wireless internet coverage increases so does the adoption of using it as a primary internet connection. It is no secret that wireless has been highly used as a secondary internet connection for some time as connected smart phones have become increasingly popular. However, it has never before been so widely used as a primary household connection. Many households in rural areas have started asking, which is better for me, satellite internet or wireless internet. The answer is, it depends.
Your selection should depend on how you plan on connecting to the web. As a general rule a satellite based connection is going to be more stable, and likely faster and less expensive. Another benefit is that satellite service providers typically don’t charge once the account goes over a certain amount of usage. On the other hand the speed may be throttled down a little to allow fair network access, but at least extra charges will not be incurred. Now, a benefit to wireless would be portability. If portability is a high priority then wireless might be a wise option. However, in most other circumstances when seeking a residential connection to the web, satellite is by far the best option.
Spot Beam Satellite Technology
Many people find it difficult to understand the different types of satellite transmission technologies. There are actually two different transmission technologies, which are known as Ka and Ku band. Ka band technology is the latest and most advanced technology; however Ku band still has several advantages. Ka band transmission allows for smaller satellite dishes and also allows for lower latency issues because the satellite can orbit closer to the earth. It also emits a series of more narrow beams, which enables the internet providers to keep a closer watch on overfilling the beams.
Although, Ku band is an older technology it still does a better job of making a point-to-point connection, which would be used with processing credit card transactions. For this reason providers using Ku band satellites are often better suited for business use than Ka band satellites. Ku band satellites do not use spot beam technology, and therefore can provide access to a larger area of people. It is however, much easier for their network to be overloaded by a few heavy internet users.
Ka band and Ku band internet services are offered by different companies and different regions. So before spending a lot of time deciding on the best technology it might be wise to see which is offered in the area where service is needed. Some people also claim one technology or the other works best with their region’s weather conditions. At the end of the day it is simply a personal preference.
Is The Satellite Dish Portable
Many people interested in a satellite based internet connection want to know how portable the service is. For example, people want to know if the satellite dish can be placed on a travel trailer or similar mobile unit. Unfortunately this is not possible simply because the satellite dish must be setup as a stationary unit that faces the southern sky. There are satellite services that offer portable equipment that can automatically adjust itself. However, most of this type of satellite equipment is not designed for residential use, and can be extremely expensive.
However, this does not mean that the equipment cannot be moved/transferred to a new location. Exede/WildBlue uses a Ka band satellite that uses spot beam technology. This means that the dish must be in the range of an open satellite beam. So if one has the dish setup in one location and wants to move it to a new location that does not have access to a satellite beam this would not be possible. If there is a beam available in the new location the dish and the internet service can be reinstalled. It is necessary, however, to have a professional WildBlue installer to come out and set everything up again. It is important to not try to set the dish up alone as there are special precautions that need to be taken.
Difference In Satellite TV and Satellite Broadband Technology
Often people think that satellite TV and satellite broadband operate and receive signal in the same way. Many people even think that the two technologies can operate off of the same satellite dish. The truth is that internet streamed over satellite needs the ability to send and receive signal, whereas TV only needs the ability to receive signal. This is the reason that satellite based TV does not have to be concerned with latency issues. Latency is the amount of time it takes for signal to be sent to the satellites and then back down to the satellite dish. Latency is also the reason that services like Skype, Online Gaming, and VoIP do not work that well. Broadband also requires a slightly larger satellite dish than TV, which is one reason why the two cannot use the same satellite dish.
This is not to say that one could not use their broadband to watch TV through services like Hulu or other online television services. However, satellite companies do place limits on their internet service, which places boundaries on how many videos one can download. People will most likely only notice these limits when trying to download video, because their file sizes are so large. This type of limiting is essential in order to make sure everyone has a fair chance to download the same amount. On the other hand satellite TV is not able to download any sort of internet connection, so if one was forced to choose between the two, internet might be the better choice. Nevertheless, at the present time few people are able to substitute either for one another.
Clarifying The Exede/WildBlue Rural Recovery Act
The Government's Rural Recovery Act has proved to be very beneficial to rural areas across America, by providing funds to multiple industries that would otherwise find it difficult to expand services into rural areas. One of the industries that seem to have benefitted the most from these rural recovery funds seems to have been the internet industry. Typically it has been very difficult for internet providers to expand into rural areas because of such densely placed households. The Recovery Act funds have been given to both satellite internet companies as well as terrestrial internet companies providing services like DSL, cable, or fiber optics. This has allowed two things to happen. First it has allowed more terrestrial-based internet companies to expand services to more remote and rural areas. Secondly it has allowed satellite-based services to be closer competitors to DSL and cable.
In the past a satellite connection has been known to be slightly slower than DSL or cable connections, while at the same time being slightly more expensive. For this reason satellite broadband was only a viable option for people who only had access to dial-up. However, funds from the Recovery Program have allowed satellite companies to build better technology that allows speeds that are just as fast if not even faster than DSL and Cable. This creates more competition, and allows people to have more of a choice when choosing internet providers.
End of the line DSL Vs. Satellite Internet
Although, many people in rural areas have access to DSL, they may be so far down the DSL line that they experience very slow internet speeds. This problem occurs because as the internet signal travels down the DSL line it continually gets weaker. Residents located close to the end of the line may get as low as 1mbps or even lower.
People who have DSL that are in this scenario often wonder if they would be better off with Satellite Internet Service. The truth is they just might be. Normally a satellite based internet service is only meant for people whose only other option is dial-up. However, a satellite based connection can offer speeds up to 1.5mbps and even higher, which may make it a better option for people located at the end or near the end of a DSL line. Actually new satellite technology is on the way that will offer even faster speeds at less expensive prices. At the end of the day people that experience low-grade DSL will have to make their own decision after comparing pricing, speeds, customer service, and other options. However, a satellite connection should most definitely not be ruled out for people in these circumstances.
As a matter of fact depending on how far you live off of the DSL line it actually might be quite expensive for you to even get DSL setup at your residence. Most DSL companies only offer free setup and installation for residences up to so many feet away from the main DSL line. If your house is beyond that allowed distance it can be big bucks to get the DSL company to extend the line the extra distance. So if you are at the end of the DSL line make sure you do your research before entirely passing up a satellite connection.
How The Latest Technology Affects Your Internet
Although continual improvements in technology are wonderful it may make consumers’ purchasing decisions more difficult. When it comes to finding an internet provider this seems to especially hold true. Satellite internet service like many other service companies require a minimum contract period in which you are obligated to remain with that particular service. Often this minimum time period is two years, and can seem like a long time to commit to a monthly subscription given how rapid technology advances. The good news is that many services will allow you to change your agreement slightly within those two years to further address your changing needs. This is the case with WildBlue’s service (Exede), as they allow customers to adjust their packages throughout those two years if a higher download capacity is needed. This allows for some slack if one needs to upgrade to the latest technological gadgets that might consume more data.
It is important that companies, especially internet providers, allow for this type of maneuverability within the contract period, as this can greatly ease the mind of the consumer. A lot can happen within a two year period, such as changing jobs or changing locations, etc. It is also helpful for internet providers to allow customers to move their service to a new location. When looking for a new service provider this type of information can be important to find out, however are often things that people do not think to ask. So before signing that new contract have these things in the back of your mind.