Broadband Internet Compared to Satellite

Whereas satellite Internet requires the installation of a mini-dish on premises, cable Internet's coaxial cables are underground. This makes cable wires virtually insusceptible to adverse weather conditions. Satellite Internet is not. As of the time of publication, the highest speed provided by major satellite Internet providers in the United States is 2 Mbps. Providers of cable Internet have service plans that range up to 105 Mbps in some regions. A comparison of cable and satellite Internet plans may also reveal that satellite Internet plans tend to cost more than most comparable cable plans.

While satellite Internet transmits signals from a mini-dish on premises to a geostationary satellite about 22,000 miles into the sky, wireless Internet uses wireless towers on the ground, and within a short radius of the wireless device at the subscriber's address, to transmit broadband data. As a result, wireless Internet technology is not as prone to interference because of adverse weather conditions. Wireless Internet technology may provide speeds comparable to satellite Internet and, in some instances, offer speeds that are far greater with the use of 4G wireless networks.

DSL technology uses a landline phone connection to transmit broadband Internet data. It is virtually unaffected by weather conditions and is always available as long as your landline phone service is active. DSL providers may offer download speeds that exceed 10 Mbps and can often bundle high-speed Internet, landline phone service and digital TV for subscribers on one monthly bill with one due date for all services. Satellite Internet providers typically focus exclusively on broadband Internet service although some may offer fixed price bundles with home phone and digital TV through other service providers.

In comparing satellite Internet broadband technology with other forms of broadband Internet such as cable, DSL and wireless, consider the types of activities you will engage in on the Internet. If basic web browsing is all you'll be doing, a download speed of up to 2 Mbps should be satisfactory. Heavy Internet usage or computer-intensive tasks such as high-definition movie streaming will require significantly more bandwidth. Speak with service providers about customer service hours, network availability and reliability and fees associated with establishing new service. If considering satellite Internet, you should be aware that the technology suffers from latency, a delay in processing Web requests that may involve tasks such as authentication or verification because of the distance data must travel back and forth.