Satellite Internet vs. Other Broadband Options - Technology - Communication

The Internet, when it first debuted as a consumer product, was very limited by the speed of the connections. Telephone lines and modems of the time were not much of an improvement over their predecessors employed for BBS systems. As the technology advanced, users soon adapted that technology to more and more purposes. Each advance made the demand for broadband more urgent. Today, broadband is available anywhere.

Cable and DSL services both succeed in making very fast access to the Internet affordable. Where they lack is in their availability. A DSL line's speed is determined by the distance between the user and the telephone company's central office. The longer the distance, the slower the service. For rural customers and even for customers in some areas of major cities, this means DSL is not much of an improvement over low bandwidth connections.

Cable, of course, is limited by the availability of cable television service in any given area. Even in smaller towns where cable is available, some providers dont offer Internet access. While cable is popular in large cities, it is oftentimes a non-option anywhere else. Cable, as well, is notoriously expensive and inflexible in subscription offerings. Their subscriptions tend to be of the "all or nothing" variety and while "all" is very fast, it's often far more than a casual user really needs.

Satellite broadband is universally available. As long as a satellite dish can be afforded an unobstructed view of the southern sky, the service can be hooked up. Their packages are fast, usually spanning a range of options between under 1Mbps and 3Mbps or more. The ability to purchase a package that suits one's needs and one's budget is a particular advantage over cable Internet services.

As Internet usage has increased, those in areas not serviced by DSL or cable have found themselves suffering from being left out of the broadband market. Satellite Internet service represents the only viable option for many of these users and, fortunately, the option is not a compromise. Many of these families are accustomed to getting various services, such as television, via satellite already, so the idea of getting Internet service through such technology is not a foreign one.

Satellite Internet has proven equally useful in urban environs, as well. DSL is not always available in every neighborhood. Sometimes, it's available but not particularly fast and is oftentimes more expensive than satellite. Satellite connections require no landline, so there is no need to pay for that service on top of the Internet service. As more consumers abandon landline service in favor of cellular phones, landlines constitute a waste of money in many cases.

Satellite Internet services are available almost anywhere and there are nationwide providers. Even those who live very mobile existences can have a permanent connection as satellite dishes can be mounted on RV's and boats as easily as they can on a permanent house. Broadband may have been the first internet innovation. Wireless is likely to be the next.

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