An Insight Into Satellite Broadband For Rural Areas And Its Utility
24/7 connectivity is a standard irrespectively where we live and in what sector we are. Individuals and businesses alike require good broadband connection to go on with their activities. Living outside of highly populated areas can challenge this in various ways making rural residents left out, less competitive in business and private lives and without access to services. How to get internet in remote area then?Satellite broadband for rural areas can bridge that gap and give customers in rural areas opportunities urban residents have.
In the past few years, telecommunication technology has developed numerous systems and tools to be at the forefront of this reality, irrespective of the various conditions that may block communication and coverage. Rural broadband suppliers as an alternative to standard broadband services focus on improving signal reception, better quality of hardware and better understanding of local needs and requirements. The goal is to breach the gap between urban and rural access to Internet services, to provide alternatives that would work far from fibre exchanges and often far from 4G towers, regardless of geographic location and weather. When these factors are taken into account often what a rural resident is left with is… nothing. No access to reliable and affordable service. Satellite service for rural areas can make connectivity possible where no one else can.
Satellite broadband is one of broadband options that makes a difference by facilitating connectivity in rural and remote areas of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. You do not need complex ground structures to use the web service. Satellite internet technology works almost anywhere. Read on to know more about satellite broadband and options for broadband in rural areas.
What is Satellite Broadband?
Satellite broadband is an alternative way of using the web in your home. Similar to a satellite TV, it is beamed from space to a satellite dish on the property. You only need a Wi-Fi router to access the internet, just like with your standard broadband. Since this form of the internet does not depend on a network of cables, people living in remote locations favour this more, and its demand will only rise in the coming years. Especially in rural areas that cannot are awaiting for fibre rollouts that are unlikely to come.
According to ISPreview there is already between 27,000 (Ofcom) and 1.3 million (Uswitch) UK households using satellite to connect to Internet services. While Ofcom data was obtained from providers and estimated for the difference that was not received Uswitch came up with their own figures from a survey they sent to a nationally representative sample of over 4,000 adults. Considering the delays in Fibre rollouts and costs associated the expectation is that satellite broadband will remain important for rural areas in the future. Satellite Internet becomes more affordable with simultaneous increase in download speeds and capacity.
Affordable satellite internet presents a way of connecting to the web for people who are unable to use conventional wired internet connections. If slow internet is bothering you or affecting your work, this form of Internet connection will be ideal for your purpose. Satellite is often the best broadband alternative for rural areas.
You can avail of satellite broadband through various mobile and portable devices, the same way you would use your standard broadband connection. Satellite dish sends and receives signal through router to which you are connecting via ethernet cable or WiFi to access data and voice at high speed. It is a huge advantage for enterprises as it lets employees to carry out their activities in an uninterrupted way, whether they are accessing emails or videoconferencing, they can always avail of high-speed connectivity, in a city or in the countryside.
What are the myths regarding satellite broadband service for rural areas?
Satellite Internet is slow
This common misconception comes stems from the days when satellite internet providers were offering very slow and very expensive plans with hidden additional costs and capped data plans. The technology back then was good enough for voice connectivity but not for data. A lot has changed since then. Anywhere Broadband offers high-speed Internet connections that meet the needs of today’s world. You can enjoy streaming movies, browsing web and listening to the music. The speeds modern satellite broadband offers are comparable with those of Fibre broadband and can reach up to 100Mbps download speed. Satellite Broadband from Anywhere Broadband can get you sorted!
It takes a long time to get a signal
This is another misconception coming from the old days when satellite internet was a novelty with not enough installers to get you running. Today there is a multitude of professional installers who can come to your home and install satellite dish. You could probably do it yourself (although we do not recommend). When you sign up with satellite broadband provider you need to wait few days for hardware to arrive and then for installer to reach you. As most of satellite broadband customers live in rural areas it may take few days but usually you should be up and running within a week or two.
Satellite Internet does not work in adverse weather
Storm and blizzards can disrupt Internet connection, any Internet connection. Bad and extreme weather can affect Fibre as well as 4G and satellite signal by disrupting supply, damaging lines, masts or moving satellite dishes. It’s easy to fix though and as satellite is high in geostationary orbit and is unlkely to be affected, your connection would probably get restored faster than with other technologies. Generally, the signal is restored as soon as the storm passes.
Satellite Internet is expensive
It ised to be the case. First satellite broadband plas were offered via technology not really suitable for big data and that’s why it was expensive. Nowadays. satellite broadband connection from providers like Konnect are affordable and in line with traditional ISPs. What also changed is that satellite Internet providers now offer Unlimited Data Usage, what means no extra charges for exceeding your data plan. These extra charges made a very bad name for satellite broadband in the past but nowadays you can use your broadband the way you would to with traditional connection.
The 6 Usual Components of a Satellite Broadband System
The Dish
It is positioned on or close to your house and needs to be properly installed to send and receive a signal through the satellite. The dish concentrates the signal and focuses it on the Tria. Your dish has to “see” the satellite on a geostationary orbit above the Equator.
The Satellite
Most service providers rely on geostationary satellites orbiting Earth above the Equator. Satellite keeps pace with the earth’s rotation. Hence, even though the satellites are travelling at a great speed and are over 22,000 miles away, they stay relative to our position on earth. Due to this, your Tria and dish need to be positioned just once to point at the satellite.
The Modem and Router
This is similar to standard broadband connection, when your satellite Internet is installet the technician activates your router and you can enjoy.
The Tria
It is placed on the arm of the satellite dish. The Tria belongs to the system that connects to the cable and brings the signal into your house. This component both sends and gets a signal to and from the satellite.
The Coaxial Cable
The coaxial cable connects Tria with the router. As one is outside and the other inside of your house the cable needs to be fed there by a professional installer. It is also important to have the router as close to the dish and Tria as possible. The recommended length is 25 to 50 m. T
The Ground Station
It is the equivalent of the telephone exchange. It transmits and gets signals from the satellite to and from the wider internet. For uninterrupted broadband for rural areas, get in touch with expert satellite internet service providers.
Standard Broadband vs. Satellite Broadband: How Do They Work?
From the user perspective it’s a very similar experience. With a standard internet connection, you connect your appliances wirelessly to your ‘home hub.’ It is usually a combination of a modem and a router that connects to the cable in your house. It runs from your house to the exchange, and then, through fibre, it is connected to a network of data servers commonly known as ‘The Internet’.
Satellite broadband, although your end-user experience is similar, works differently. Here, you connect your gadgets wirelessly to a combined modem and router and also use the same web at the other end of the journey. What differs is the middle part of the journey. Rather than a connection with an exchange, the cable connects to a satellite dish positioned on or close to your building. The satellite dish then sends and receives information through a satellite. It transmits the information to a ground station on earth, which is connected to the same network of data servers. Hence, accessing satellite broadband is quite similar to using the web in any other way.
As you can see from the above desription satellite broadband removes the need for expensive connection to your home. It replaces it with wireless satellite link making it easier to deploy in rural and remote areas that are more difficult to access for standard broadband providers.
Satellite Broadband or Traditional Broadband: Which Is Better?
Satellite wifi for rural areas has a great advantage: you can use it from anywhere. With this technology, you need not rely on national infrastructure to get a high-speed web connection. You can access it from any location, be it a hiking refuge on the top of a mountain or a remote cabin by a lake. Satellite Internet service requires a satellite dish and visibility of the southern sky. In this respect it’s a good option.
Satellite Internet comes with certain limitations though. Because satellite orbits Earth the signal needs to travel from your device through the satellite to the ground station. And back. This causes higher than with standard conneciton latency. You should expect it to be around 600ms.
What it means for you? In most cases, nothing. You can stream movies, browse web, send emails. Some of applications may not work the way you would exect them to. Some VPNs (if you work from home it may be important) may not be optimised for higher latency. If your kids are addicted to game consoles, satellite Internet is not recommended for this kind of connectivity. Otherwise, you are fine!
Who Needs Satellite Broadband and How Can They Get It?
One can use satellite internet in any region, provided there is a clear view of the sky. However, it is particularly useful for those who cannot obtain a fine ADSL or fibre optic connection. Also, if you stay far away from a telephone exchange, it might be the best option for getting internet in your home.
To obtain best satellite broadband, first, contact a service provider. They will install a satellite dish at your place. You need to install a modem in your house, with the wires connected to the satellite dish, and generally, a wireless router too. The installation process lasts a few hours and is usually hassle-free.
What Problem Does Satellite Broadband For Rural Areas Solve?
There is a high investment involved in installing the necessary infrastructure to provide web services. Hence, generally, only the users from the big cities, or generally from densly populated areas, benefit from this as they get good access to the network for trade, business, and educational purposes. Infrastructure requires time to be built and Fibre rollouts are notoriously slow. Not only that, most Fibre installations now are so-called Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC) meaning there might be good service delivered to… the cabinet but from there to the premises old copper cables may decrease its value.
Rural area internet providers usually offer a range of alternative service providers. This is where satellite broadband comes handy. Satellite internet service for rural areas can be deployed quickly, without much hassle. Without the need for expensive and time-consuming infrastructure satellite can solve your problems now instead of waiting for years. It can give you access to services, leisure, connect you with friends and family. It can close the communication and information gap for individuals and businesses.
Why Choose Satellite Broadband for Rural Areas Service Over Other Options?
Global High-Speed Coverage
Satellite communication can provide a smooth and undisturbed experience with data, voice, and video that you can access from any part of the UK. In fact, satellite can offer nearly global coverage.
Cost Savings
Satellite broadband is viable in areas where alternatives are unreliable, expensive, or are unavailable. This technology facilitates scalability and profitability. Service providers can have low operating expenses with its help, all while tackling the absence of proper communications infrastructure.
Value
People have a wrong notion about satellite internet and think that it is expensive. However, compared to mobile hotspots and other options for those who reside in remote locations, it often presents a better bargain per gig – especially considering the cost of connecting these places with physical cables.
The infrastructure used by traditional service providers is a heavy investment and is suitable if you reside in a city. But, if you are from a rural location, you will find yourself getting a lot less and paying a lot more when you choose them. Moreover, you might even have to spend extra money to dig trenches to run a cable to your home.
Reliability
You can depend on satellite networks, and they can deliver constant connectivity even if terrestrial networks fail. Through this form of broadband, companies can maintain business continuity through built-in redundancy and automatic backup service.
Resilience
When it comes to satellite broadband, there will be less equipment on the ground when compared with terrestrial internet services. As a result, the network is less likely to face damage during extreme weather conditions and other kinds of emergencies. Users will experience less interruption in services, and in the case of one, it can be restored quickly. This is one of the biggest advantages of getting satellite broadband for rural areas.
Scalability
VSAT (very-small-aperture terminal) system removes the necessity of constly infrastructure in remote areas and can serve multiple purposes where no other provider can. Satellite systems are used to monitor wind farms, as a backhaul for mobile operators where they cannot get any other signal, and allow to scale up operators without the need for costly investments.
Best Satellite Internet For Rural Areas
Unlike with standard broadband there are only very few companies offering satellite internet access in rural areas in the UK. Satellite Internet Providers for rural areas include Eutelsat (Konnect), Freedomsat, Northsat and couple more. The best Satellite Internet For Rural Areas from the perspective of Price and Speeds is currently Eutelsat offering Konnect Satellite Broadband Plans in the UK.
Options for broadband in rural areas
What are options for broadband in rural areas? The reality of living in the countryside is that not everything will work there. Satellite internet technology can deliver high speed broadband where other providers cannot. It can also deliver speeds and realibility that other technologies can’t. The sad truth for many people is that there is not broadband alternative for rural areas and satellite can be the only option available where fibre optics cannot reach. This type of broadband can provide faster speed than traditional copper ADSL lines (internet over a phone line) and less congestion than mobile broadband.