Nuts and Bolts of Satellite Internet Service (Part 3)

Welcome to yet another exciting session on the inner workings of satellite internet access providers. The most obvious questions that come to the surface are: -

1. How do you access the Internet other than dial-up if you live too far from a phone company office for DSL and there is no cable TV on your street?
2. How does a satellite internet service operate?

High Speed Satellite Internet Service

is the answer for those who live outside the access area of their local DSL and Cable Internet providers. It's speed is comparable to other high speed Internet services, its always on, and you have the option of adding satellite TV service! Ideally, rural Internet users who want broadband access, may consider banking on satellite internet providers.

Satellite Internet Service providers do not use telephone lines or cable systems, but instead uses a satellite dish for two-way (upload and download) data communications. Upload speed is about one-tenth of the 500 kbps download speed. Cable and DSL have higher download speeds, but satellite internet provides about 10 times faster speed than a normal modem.

Two-way satellite internet service consists of:

• Approximatelya two-foot by three-foot dish
• Two modems (uplink anddownlink)
• Coaxialcables between dish and modem

The key installation-planning requirement is a clear view to the south, since the orbiting satellites are over the equator area. Moreover, like satellite TV, trees and heavy rains can affect reception of the Internet signals. Internet satellite companies that offer or plan to offer two-way satellite Internet service include StarBand, Pegasus Express, Teledesic and Tachyon. Two-way satellite internet providers use Internet Protocol (IP) multicasting technology; which means upto 5,000 channels of communication can simultaneously be served by a single satellite. IP multicasting sends data from one point to many points (at the same time) by sending data in compressed format. Compression reduces the size of the data and the bandwidth. Usual dial-up land-based terrestrial systems have bandwidth limitations that prevent multicasting of this magnitude.

Some satellite internet access providers still ask you to have a dial-up or cable modem connection for the data you send to the Internet. The satellite data downlink is just like the usual terrestrial link, except the satellite transmits the data to your computer via the same dish that would allow you to receive a Pay-Per-View television program. So, if you are in a rural area and you want broadband access to the Internet, satellite internet provides the right solution.

All satellite Internet service providers use the exact same satellite system for their high-speed connection to the Internet. The only difference between providers is the quality of service and support they offer.

WildBlue internet satellite company provides much faster internet access compared to other satellite internet providers. WildBlue satellite Internet service providers, connect your homes or small offices to high-speed internet access at 1.5 Mbps (30 times faster speed than a dial-up connection). The secure broadband connection allows you to download music, video, and pictures at lightning-fast speeds. Wild Blue satellite Internet service uses standardized modem technology based on the DOCSIS cable modem standards to offer a low-cost, two way satellite internet, a 26" satellite mini-dish and a small satellite modem. With 5 gateways located throughout U.S. and Canada, efficiently connect the WildBlue satellite access network with the Internet.

In Part 4 of this series, I will discuss and explain “Latency” and “VOIP” as it relates to satellite Internet service. These issues affect you whether you are using DirecWay, Starband, WildBlue or any other satellite internet access provider. Here is a hint - notice when a newsperson is speaking to a colleague over a satellite connection. There is always that small space of time where the listener looks lost. This is the time taken by the speaker’s message to bounce through space to the listener. How this affects your Internet experience will be discussed when we meet again.