Internet services have become a modern necessity in this digital era. It is beneficial in communication, business transaction, learning and for information purposes, among other uses. In the US, many telecommunication carriers offer internet services but are limited to specific geographical locations. Therefore, satellite internet service providers avail unlimited connectivity in such lagged behind areas.
However, if you reside in a remote or rural area where cables and DSL services are unavailable, then it doesn’t mean that you are out of internet services. Satellite internet provides high-speed internet that is faster than the dial-up connections that commonly used in rural areas. Interestingly, it doesn’t need hard-wiring through neighborhoods and roads for it to work. You simply need a dish fixed at the roof, and you are good to go.
Often, satellite internet is the most reliable connection on remote areas and farms where phone lines and cables haven’t yet reached. It is important to note that the ‘unlimited’ term means the amount of monthly data you can consume. The plans in the satellite internet providers help you to uses as much data as you want but usually come with data thresholds. You can access High quality
When Did Satellite Internet Launch?
Satellite services become available in the year 1996, and they have significantly impacted positive nearly 20% of the citizen living in the rural areas. Before the launch of the satellite internet network, these parts used dial-up connection or no internet at all. Like any other type of internet services, satellite connections are becoming fast and robust as technology advances delivering an excellent internet experience to the users.
The benefit of using satellite internet is the ability to reach where cable and DSL internet services can’t. Cable television services may be absent, and telephone wiring is always limited and unsuitable for DSL in remote, rural areas. As a result, dial-up has been the primary source of internet services, although it’s a bit slow. Nevertheless, to date, speedy satellite internet is highly available in the US with no restrictions.
Furthermore, the satellite internet enables the remote area residents to bridge the gap and have higher speed internet via a suitable signal to interact with most popular websites, cloud software and apps. Also, you can stream, download, upload and do gaming with an unlimited satellite internet connection. On the other hand, satellite internet requires a modem, a router for home Wi-Fi and a stationary satellite dish.
How Does Satellite Internet Service Work?
Satellite internet is a type of connection that uses satellite signals to send and receive data. The signals transmission is via the technologically advanced systems located over 22,000 miles away above the planet. The arrangements are referred to as geostationary satellite because they maintain their speed with earth’s orbit for constant positioning above the ground.
What happens when you search for a web page, the broadband satellite systems request data from the ground-based network operation centers (NOCs). Afterwards, the NOCs sends back the required data to the satellites through radio waves.
However, the user is with the receiver dishes pointed to the southern sky to capture the radio signals sent by the satellites. The next step is for routers connected to the receiver, to convert the signals into readable data, send it to your modem via the ethernet cables.
Factors to Consider When Choosing the Best Satellite Internet Service Provider
i) Data caps
First, you should consider the threshold and the data caps. In most cases, upon exceeding the data limit, your browsing needs will be put on traffic to pave the way to the users who are within their data threshold. If you are a heavy user of the internet, you should keenly observe these caps but thanks to the light user because the caps might not be essential to take into considerations.
ii) Pricing
In terms of getting value for your money, satellite internet access seems a bit costly than terrestrial internet, but availability is the most paramount factor. Mastering the plan that does justice to your internet needs while maintaining your budget at minimal is the trick.
iii) Internet speed
The browsing and downloading speed affect the quality of the content you choose to stream and download, the number of users in your connection and the time of getting files from the web. However, choose the satellite that offers high Mbps speed because it won’t only save on downloading speed but will significantly maintain the streaming and downloading quality
What Are the Applications of Satellite Internet Services?
Earth-orbiting systems revolve covering vast swaths around the planet to provide close to universal coverage. For businesses and offices in the remote areas in need of rural internet, the choices are limited. However, thumps up to satellite internet technology for providing a solution in such cases. Plus, you can get TV reception without cable or an antenna by use of the satellite signals and waves.
In rural areas, broadband internet connections such as DSL, fiber optic, cables are not readily available. Therefore, satellite internet, which is advanced than the old age dial-up and affordable than the cellular plans is the best option. In a nutshell, with unlimited satellite internet you can;
- Send and receive mails.
- Shop online
- Video chat with friends, business partners and family.
- Engage in online learning or seminars
- Download multimedia content
- Stream online
- Play games
What are the advantages of the satellite internet?
- Provides internet solutions to the marginalized areas where other internet services are unavailable.
- The connection to satellite internet has enough bandwidth for light to moderate usage, streaming online content and web browsing.
- It has fast speed than a standard dial-up connection; comparable to DSL internet.
- It’s highly affordable as compared to other internet service providers
- Satellite internet has full coverage around the planet.
What are the Disadvantages of the satellite internet?
- It suffers latency issues and prone to weather-related disruptions.
What Are The 5 Best-Unlimited Satellite Internet Service Providers?
There are only two service providers (ViaSat and HughesNet) that currently offer Unlimited satellite internet but new players are hitting the ground running with new technology in satellite internet services.
1. Viasat Satellite Internet
Formerly known as Exede internet. From the launch of its new satellite in 2017, the provider now records speeds of up to 100Mbps in some areas. However, on its unlimited plans, ViaSat has data threshold across several internet speed packages. The monthly data threshold is 100GB with ViaSat.
Upon reaching your data threshold, your connection slows will down. Besides, you won’t accrue any overages fees except that your data will deprioritize. It means that whenever you hit the server, your request remains behind, and the demands of those not yet reached data threshold considered first. Consequently, if the traffic is high there is going to be delays.
There is ViaSat free zone that is only applicable to those members that subscribed to liberty data plans during the Exede era. The free zone is the time between 3 am to 6 am where data consumption doesn’t count against your threshold. The bad news is that these data plans are not currently available in the unlimited internet plans.
2. HughesNet Satellite Internet
HughesNet was the leader in speed and affordability before ViaSat launched their new satellite. HughesNet straight forward pricing structure and plans makes it the best budget option for satellite internet users. However, the provider has data threshold on the unlimited data plans, but the speed is all 25Mbps.
On the other hand, the highest monthly threshold is 50GB, and you won’t get charged an extra charge once you reach your data threshold level. In this case, HughesNet will limit your browsing services to just 3Mbps until the next cycle. You can still get back to your average speed of 25Mbps by topping up data tokens.
Moreover, HughesNet Bonus Zone is a period when the data usage doesn’t count against your basic monthly allowance. In the bonus zone, data is not unlimited, but you get an extra 50GB for the month. The bonus time runs from 2 am to 8 am off-peak hours. You can take advantage during this time to download movies to watch later, stream and game as much as you can.
3. Amazons Satellite Internet Launch
Amazon recently filed an approval to the federal communication commission (FCC) in the US to launch over 3,000 broadband satellites, to provide convenient satellite internet access to rural areas across the globe. As the world-leading online retailer, it would be a significant milestone, and the plan makes sense.
Currently, living in a rural area with no DSL, fibre or cable internet services and the satellite internet lagging services can be difficult. It makes streaming and other web services partial due to data caps and low speed. Hence, let’s wait and see if the Amazons satellite launch into space is a gamechanger to the broadband coverage.
FCC finally expect to approve the Amazon plans for its Kuiper System. During November 2019, the company announced that it would install 12 satellite facilities around the globe to provide an essential link for transmitting data to and from the satellite in orbit. Once the approval matures, the recent date for the KUIPER System to go online is 2021.
4. Space X Starlink Satellite Launch
SpaceX company president has called for a massive constellation of 12,000 satellites a challenge that has never witnessed. The $10 billion project is estimated to provide low-cost broadband satellite internet access to million users Americans in the mid-2020. However, the US Air Force is doing piloting studies on Starlink satellites and is reporting positive results of 600Mbps download speed.
In overall, the Starlink Company requested to launch 42,000 satellites which are a massive number in comparison with around 5,000 satellites in the space. Also, the plan is that each craft orbit to operate at a lower altitude of 550 kilometers above the earth or an equivalent of 32 miles. However, this mechanism is to improve on the traditional satellite internet.
SpaceX targets to offer the service to the US government, but it’s also focusing on how it will serve the consumer markets. About the pricing, the company Director stated that millions of users pay $80 per month to get poor services, so it’s unclear whether Starlink will cost high or below $80 per month. Also, it’s estimated that the terminal user fee with a range from $100-$300.
5. OneWeb Satellite Launch
Oneweb aimed at building a 650-satellite constellation to provide internet space-based connection to users’ all over the world, mostly in remote areas with no reliable connectivity. For this to happen, the company seeks to produce mass high-speed broadband internet satellites each weighing 325lbs.
The initial coverage was predetermined to be by late 2020 with 24 hours coverage provided by 2021. Unfortunately, after the launch of 34 more satellites in February 2020, the company has reported bankruptcy curtailing all the effort of bringing high-speed internet to the 48% above the arctic circle that has no limited or no connectivity.
To leverage on the situation at hand, the US Northern Command requested $130 million donations to kick off the project by 2021. The plan involves using a prototype terminal with the ability to link to new low earth orbit constellations, with hundreds of small satellites mass production. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there will be delays in launch because of the economic crisis, travel restrictions and disruption of supply chains worldwide.
Bottom Line
In summary, two key providers offer Unlimited Satellite Internet service that is the ViaSat and HughesNet in remote and rural areas. However, these providers don’t participate in any government aid program to help the remote and rural residents with free government internet and laptops like other wireless telecommunication carriers.
Therefore, as you shop for the best unlimited satellite internet, factor in your web needs to ensure that you get the best internet plans that match the needs of your home and office. Otherwise, we have many emerging companies that are in determination to offer the best unlimited satellite internet services. In the long run, they will be no more extended monopoly in satellite internet services which promises for improvements in plans soon.