Introduction:

Satellite Internet service provides online access to the Internet  through satellites. Users all over the world no matter how remote can enjoy this service through LEO (Low Earth Orbit) satellites. Satellites that are geostationary offer higher speeds however. The only problem with geostationary satellites is that they cannot reach certain polar regions. If you live in rural areas and you do not have the access to DSL or cable internet access, satellite internet is often your best alternative.

Speed:

Satellite internet service providers normally offer different levels of service with a download speed ranging from 700 Kbps to 1.5 Mbps and an upload speed of 256 Kbps. These speeds are the optimal speeds. The typical speeds in peak hours are usually slower.

Cost:

The price of the service depends on the service provider and the kind of package you are acquiring. The average price for this service is around $60 per month for 700 Kbps and about $80 per month for 1.5 Mbps. In addition to this, the equipment cost ranges between $300 and $400 and the installation cost is almost $200. Vendors do have offers for installation and equipment though.

Impact of weather on satellite:

Weather like snow or heavy rains can stop or slow down the internet services  just like it does to satellite television reception. . This can happen in the case where the weather is bad in the area of the satellite or it is bad in the subscribers area.

Other than the service degradation because of bad weather, satellite access is highly reliable. It does suffer from the occasional breakdown but such issues are very rare. Some people do think that it is good to keep dial-up connections along with satellite services so that they can have a back up when ever the satellites is down. However, there are certain people who do not think like that and trust satellite as a reliable system. The equipment used in satellite is very reliable and robust and it rarely breaks down. However, if it does break down it will require days for the repair personnel to reach your home to fix it.

Equipment required:

The equipment required for satellite internet service is made up oftwo pieces. A dish outside transmits and collects signals to and fromthe satellite. There is also a “satellite modem” inside. A coaxial cable connects it with the dish. This modem is connected to a PC or any network equipment with an Ethernet based cable or router.

No ongoing maintenance is typically required. Sometimes you need your dish to be re-aimed or re-peaked at a satellite for best performance. Some parts of the equipment can go out of order like the transmitter, receiver and modem. In such cases the parts should be replaced. These issues are very rare.

Another advantage of satellite internet systems is that they can be networked the same way as cable modem or DSL connections. You can always connect the indoor modem of the satellite internet system to a router with the help of Ethernet cable. The cable and DSL service providers won’t give you any help in troubleshooting or setting up home networks with the satellite internet system however.

Latency:

Latency means the time that is required by one signal to move from the source to its destination. In satellite Internet service, it includes the time that is required to move the signal up to the satellite and then back down to the ground. Since the orbit of the satellite is almost 22,000 miles from the earth, latency is at least one second long every time the data is received or sent. This sort of delay means that some particular applications are not that practical when on used via satellite.  Voice over IP (VOIP) applications like Skype are good examples that shouldn’t be used with a satellite internet service.