What is Satellite Broadband Internet Access

Satellite Broadcast Internet Access - Need

Broadband internet access is a rapidly developing technology. The term broadband itself suggests that the bandwidth provided by this technology is high. The dial-up connection is now becoming obsolete due to the various drawbacks associated with it.

The dial-up connection requires a telephone line to establish a connection between the service provider and the customer. The telephone line remains busy when you access the internet using a dial-up connection. Broadband internet is the solution to this problem. Broadband internet technology is used in various forms like DSL, cables, wireless and fiber optics technology. However, the services provided by these technologies are limited to certain areas. Usually, internet access services are rendered to only the major cities, by the service providers.

Many remote areas, and terrestrial locations do not have an access to the broadband facility. Satellite broadband internet connection is a solution for this problem. People living in rural and remote areas can gain access to the internet through satellite communication. The satellite communication was already being used in the form of satellite TV. The availability of satellite communication and the area limitations of other forms of internet access, have led to the emergence of the satellite broadband internet access as the most convenient way of connecting to the internet, in these areas.

Satellite and Internet Access

The method of internet access using the satellite broadband internet access technology is the same as that of the other satellite communications. The communication between the satellite and the user is via a one-way dish or a two-way satellite dish. The satellite dish must be stationed in a way that minimizes the interference of signals from other satellites. The two-way satellite dish is an expensive option. Instead, the dial-up connection can be used for uploading purposes and the satellite internet connection can be used for downloading data. One-way satellite dish is an economical option, but the choice of the type of satellite internet access will depend upon to the requirements of the consumer. Mostly, the two-way communication dish is preferred by residential users and small businesses. The two-way internet service is characterized by Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) and single channel per carrier (SCPC). Currently, the satellites operate in the 'C' and 'Ku' frequency bands. C and Ku band frequencies are frequencies within a particular band of the electromagnetic spectrum used specifically for satellite communication.

Satellite Coverage and Internet Access

Total coverage and uninterrupted access are the most important benefits provided by the satellite connection. There are three satellite constellations, viz. GEO (geostationary earth orbit), LEO (low earth orbit) and MEO (middle earth orbit), of which GEO and LEO are used for internet and voice services.

GEO stands for geostationary earth orbit. The satellites in this orbit have an angular velocity same as that of the earth. They are at the height of 35,900 km from the earth's surface. As the angular velocity of the satellite is the same as that of the earth's, the GEO satellites always appear to be stationary above the earth's surface and thus, provide constant coverage to that particular area. However, the GEO satellites has a feature of latency. Latency is the time required to track the geostationary satellites, after a request is sent from the internet user. This is a delay of about 800-900 milliseconds and is acceptable for internet services. Two-way satellite internet is generally not used with GEO as against one-way satellite internet access. The LEO satellites do not exhibit the latency problem. Typically, the satellite dish must be in the line-of-sight of the satellite for communication. Rainfall and moisture in the air also affect the internet access via satellite connection.

The various services provided by satellite internet include the VoIP (voice over internet) service, which is a relatively recent technological development. VoIP uses the internet to send the voice packets from one place to another. Voice calls using VoIP are very cheap and customers living in the remote areas can take advantage of connecting to different places in the world.

With the advent of satellite broadband internet access, technology has enabled everybody in this world to access the internet from any place on the earth.