INTERNET ACCESS

High Speed Satellite Internet Service is the answer for consumers and businesses that want a high speed Internet connection but unfortunately live outside the area of local DSL and cable providers.

Satellite Internet service provides you with a broadband connection that is much faster than dialup. Currently, most satellite ISPs offer their customers download speeds ranging anywhere from 768 Kbps up to 5.0 Mbps, which is very comparable to a standard DSL connection for the home or small office.

If you live in a remote region or new development and there just isn't cable or DSL access available to your home, then Satellite is going to be your best (any probably only) option for getting high speed Internet.

While satellite access will usually be more expensive to get then either cable or DSL, the level of service is just as good. The speed of satellite Internet is comparable to other high speed Internet services, and just like DSL and cable, it’s always on.

Satellite Internet Service vs. DSL / Cable

The truth is, consumers only need to consider signing up for Satellite Internet when there is no broadband cable or DSL Internet available in their area. If you qualify for either cable or DSL, then one of those should always be your first choice for high speed Internet access. Cable and DSL Internet are much cheaper, easier to set up, and often won't require the service commitment that's typically involved in ordering Satellite service.

If satellite is your only option for high speed Internet, then you'll need to be prepared for some upfront costs in terms of installation and satellite equipment. This can run from three to six hundred dollars in most cases, although many satellite Internet providers will run promotions that waive the setup fees. Once the service is set up and running, the monthly bandwidth costs will generally range from $50 to $120 per month. So, satellite is a bit more costly than cable or DSL, but it certainly beats getting stuck with dial-up.

The connection to your high speed satellite Internet service is comprised of both indoor and outdoor equipment. Outside, there is an antenna and transmit-and-receive electronics, along with a connection to a small, unobtrusive dish. This equipment connects by coaxial cable to the Indoor Receive Unit (IRU) and Indoor Transmit Unit (ITU) which connect to your computer through a simple USB connector.

If your geographical area has been overlooked by DSL and Cable providers go outside and look to the south . . . if you have a clear view of the southern sky, then you can most likely get high speed satellite Internet service!

For most Americans, the choice of which type of high speed Internet service they will use in their home is a simple one -- DSL or cable? However, new forms of broadband Internet access are being developed which are making that choice a little more complicated. Fiber optic networks and new wireless technologies are being developed which give consumers a broader choice in high speed Internet access.

This overview is intended to help you understand the various types of high speed Internet access that currently exist, and how to compare them to each other. For the most part, the choice is still between your telephone company, in the form of DSL or fiber optics, and your cable company, in the form of fiber-enhanced broadband cable Internet.

Although fiber optics is the fastest, it is also the most expensive. However, most cable companies are upgrading their networks to compete with fiber. For example, Comcast has introduced plans with up to 50 Mbps download speeds in select U.S. cities. In most areas, the speeds shown above for DSL and cable are (by far) the most common.

The Main Types of High Speed Internet Access

To get Internet access through most DSL Service Providers, you're local phone lines will have to be fitted with special copper wires in order to receive DSL Internet signals. In older cities and most rural areas, such wires are currently not in widespread use, and so DSL service is limited to those areas which are already equipped with copper wires.

Your choice of Cable Internet Providers is limited to only those companies that provide you with cable television service. For example, if Comcast is your current cable provider for TV reception, then you will have to choose them for cable Internet service, as well. This is currently the most popular choice between cable or DSL.

While DSL and Cable are both faster, and much cheaper, than Satellite Internet Service, their range of availability can be quite limited. However, if you have a clear view of the southern sky from your home anywhere in the continental United States, then you can access the Internet via Satellite. While readily available, Satellite access is at least twice as expensive as DSL / Cable, and not nearly as reliable.

For those who travel a lot, different forms of high speed Wireless Internet Access are now available for your laptop or cell phone. Availability of these new wireless services varies greatly, but they are typically found in areas like hotels, airports, cafes, and the like. So, at the current time, wireless Internet is not "everywhere", but it will be available in the places where you need it most while traveling in the U.S.

And finally, for those consumers who want faster speeds, but who do not want the additional high costs that come with it, there is accelerated Dialup Internet Access that is up to 5 times faster than your normal dialup service. However, no ISP can exceed the transmission limits imposed by the FCC on communications through phone lines. So while such dialup services are faster for browsing pages on the Internet, they cannot move large files or downloads any faster than normal.