What is Satellite Internet and the how does it work?
Starlink from Elon Musk is looking to become the first reliable satellite internet service that aims to deliver consistently fast speeds no matter where you’re located around the world. This is good news because traditionally, satellite internet services are usually terrible.
If the Starlink system can deliver on what it promises, it could be a game-changer where broadband internet is concerned. At a time like this, where the world is becoming more connected every passing day, a reliable internet connection makes a lot of sense.
It is left to be seen if Starlink can solve many of the problems Satellite internet faces. For example, high expense and reliability issues. At the moment, the service is in the testing stages, so we will definitely find out in the months to come.
What is Satellite Internet
When we think of satellite internet, the first thing that should come to mind is a wireless internet service that is beamed down from satellites orbiting Earth to an ISP. It is not the same as services that require wires such as Fiber, ADSL, DSL, etc. If you want to know the different types of broadband services, then we urge you to
Read: What are the different types of FTT (FTTC and FTTH) broadband internet technologies.
For many, satellite internet is the only way for them to get online, and that is primarily due to their location.
How does satellite internet work
Regular internet services deliver data via subterranean and suboceanic cables, but the same cannot be said with satellite internet. You see, if you want to take advantage of what this technology has to offer, you’ll need a dish on top of your house and a modem on the inside.
When it is time to browse a website, for example, TheWindowsClub.com, the information is first sent to the modem, then to the dish, which then gets transferred to the satellite.
Once all of that is done, the satellite sends the data it collected to the network center back on Earth, which is sent to our servers. Our servers will send data back to the network center, which beams it to the satellite, and from there, it comes down to the dish in your home then straight to your router.
Right away, you should see TheWindowsClub.com loaded onto your computer with all the bells and whistles.
As you can see, the process is quite long when compared to the traditional methods. Because this is true, users will likely face higher pings when using satellite internet; therefore, it might not be the best option for online gaming.
Problems you will likely face with satellite internet
OK, so it is evident that this technology is not as affordable compared to the regular ways of connecting to the web. The internet service provider (ISP) must provide expensive equipment to get the customer online, and no doubt that increases the monthly cost.
Not only that, but the overall speed can be a problem. Yes, it is clear from many reports that Starlink is quite fast, but then when we look at the high pings, it is clear things are not 100 percent as they seem. High ping numbers mean high latency, which means fast internet service can appear slow.
Furthermore, should there be issues with the weather, then your chances of holding a decent connection are slim at best.
Some of the companies working on satellite internet
HughesNet is one American company that currently provides satellite internet services to those in its home country. Such services are primarily provided to folks who live in areas where the regular connection is impossible to attain.
Another company in the United States folks should know about is Viasat. Some view this service as the best of the bunch.
Then there is Starlink from the company SpaceX. It is said that this company will change the face of satellite internet forever with faster speed, lower latency, and cheaper fees. Not only that, it aims to provide connections all around the globe.
