It goes without saying that the 21st century is the age of the internet. High-speed broadband has become a necessary prerequisite for the smooth functioning of almost every aspect of our day-to-day lives.
From finding optimal routes on maps to buying essential food and medicinal items, from job searches to entertainment and everything in between, everything task we perform, no matter how big or small, is dependent on the provision of high-speed broadband one way or the other.
If I were to say that the internet is now a core amenity, it would not be an exaggeration. And when a commodity is in such high demand there is no shortage of providers looking to take a bite of the profit pie.
Currently, there are literally hundreds of internet service providers (ISPs), of all shapes and sizes, operating out of the continental United States.
And while on paper all of them offer packages that are easily comparable to each other, one small look under the hood shows the stark differences in technology these companies are deploying to deliver high-speed internet to consumers’ doorsteps.
Starting from ancient technologies like Dial-Up Line Internet (DSL) to relatively modern but still slug-paced cable internet services and finally, to advanced highspeed fiber-based internet, terrestrial internet service providers can lie on any end of the internet technology spectrum.
DSL is now almost obsolete and cable internet will probably go down the same route and it almost seems like fiber-based internet is the future of high-speed broadband.
But there is a catch, advanced high-speed fiber-based broadband internet services rely on physical infrastructure that is not cheap to set up.
And while it makes sense to invest in this expensive infrastructure in places where there are a high number of users, setting up fiber cables to areas with small populations does not make any financial sense at all.
And this is where the newest of the new internet technology called satellite internet comes in. As the name suggests these internet service providers use satellites launched in space to beam highspeed internet to users’ homes instead of using physical lines, telephone, cable, or fiber, to transfer internet signals.
Because satellite internet technology is so new it is only understandable that users end up conflating all satellite providers and assume that they are all using the same technology. But that is far from the truth.
There are several different categories of satellite internet technologies and each of them has its own unique advantages and disadvantages. Knowing about these technologies will help users identify the providers that best suit their internet usage needs.
So here is an in-depth comparison.
GEO SATELLITE-BASED INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS
Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) Satellites are the most established form of satellite internet technology out there. Famed ISPs like HughesNet Internet, rely on this technology to provide users across the United States with Highspeed Broadband connectivity.
GEO satellites remain stationary relative to the Earth because they synchronize their rotation with the rotation of the planet. These satellites are launched to altitudes ranging from 25,000 to 40,000 Miles.
Being so far away from the Earth these satellites have better vantage points and as a result, a single satellite can beam high-speed internet to over 80 percent of the areas on Earth.
Here is a look at some of the pros and cons.
PROS
- Because these satellites are so far away from Earth, ISPs do not need a lot of them to provide worldwide broadband coverage.
- Because it is an established technology GEO satellite internet is much cheaper when compared to some of the other options on this list. And by cheap, I mean both set-up costs and monthly payments.
- These satellites provide very reliable communication services.
CONS
- While being so far away from the Earth has its advantages, it has one key disadvantage as well. Because of the high altitude, the signal has to travel vast distances between the satellite and the users’ dish.
As a result, GEO satellite internet has extremely high latency which can range from 200 MS to 650 MS. For comparison, the latency of terrestrial internet ranges from 20 MS to 80 MS.
In simple terms, GEO satellite internet is not the right choice for latency-sensitive activities like online Multi-Player gaming. Though other routine activities like surfing and even streaming remain largely unaffected.
But ISPs like HughesNet satellite Internet are working day and night to remedy the situation. For instance, HughesNet’s latest Jupiter 3 satellite is aimed at increasing throughput to compensate for the high latency rates.
LEO SATELLITE-BASED INTERNET PROVIDERS
Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite-based internet services are the new kids on the block and rely on relatively new technology to provide users with high-speed broadband. The most famous example is space baron Elon Musk’s Starlink Internet.
As the name suggests, Leo satellites are launched at very low altitudes of about 2000 Miles. And just like being too high has its advantages and disadvantages, being low has its own unique pros and cons.
PROS
- Being so close to the Earth means that the signal takes a much smaller time to travel between the user’s dish and the satellite.
As a result, LEO satellite providers pride themselves on providing extremely low latency internet ranging between 20 MS to 80 MS. This is even lower than terrestrial services. Which is a commendable achievement.
So, if you have a LEO connection you can binge-play online games for as long as you want without worrying about any lag at all.
CONS
- Being so close to the surface of the Earth means that a single LEO satellite does not offer much coverage. These satellites have to operate in constellations or groups ranging into the thousands to provide viable global internet coverage.
For reference, Starlink has had to launch a little less than four thousand satellites to offer respectable coverage, and even then, its coverage lags behind GEO satellite internet providers.
- LEO satellite internet is super expensive and can cost users over twice the monthly price of their GEO counterparts. And the set-up costs are almost scary.
For instance, depending on your package, a Starlink connection setup can cost you anywhere between five hundred to two thousand Dollars. I am sure I am not the only one who jumped from their seat after reading these costs.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The above comparison will give you a very comprehensive idea of the two major types of satellite internet service providers available to consumers in the U.S. This knowledge, in addition to making you smarter in the general sense, will help you make better and more informed decisions about which service provider best suites your internet usage needs.
REFERENCES
https://www.satelliteinternet.com/providers/starlink/
https://www.forbes.com/home-improvement/internet/starlink-internet-review/
