Satellite Internet is a form of high-speed Internet service which utilizes telecommunications satellites in earth orbit to provide Internet access to consumers.

A satellite Internet connection is basically an arrangement in which the upstream (outgoing) and the downstream (incoming) data are sent from, and arrive at, a computer through a satellite. Each subscriber's hardware includes a satellite dish antenna and a transceiver (Modem) that operates in the microwave portion of the radio spectrum. Your computer, through the satellite modem, broadcasts requests to a satellite dish antenna that sits on top of your home or business. The dish antenna then sends and receives signals from satellites that orbit some 22,300 miles above the equator. As long as your dish maintains a clear view of the southern sky (in the U.S.), you receive broadband Internet access. Currently, satellite broadband is slower in both the uplink and downlink, when compared to a DSL Internet service, for example.

Satellite Internet services are of two types. One-way service uses DVB-IP (Digital Video Broadcast- Internet Protocol), which is only for inbound connectivity. Hence, one way service is ideally suited for webpage viewing.
Two-way services provide complete broadband services to the users. Two-way service enables high-speed access for both download and upload. This platform is ideal for home, offices and small and medium enterprises. In this two-way satellite Internet connection, the upstream data is usually sent at a slower speed than the downstream data arrives. Thus, the connection is asymmetric. The upload speed will always be slower than the download speed. A dish antenna, measuring about one and half feet high by three feet wide by three feet deep, transmits and receives signals. Uplink speeds are variable and nominally 128 to 500 Kbps for a subscriber using a single or multiple computers. The downlink occurs at speeds ranging from about 700 Kbps to 2000 Kbps, depending on factors such as Internet traffic, the capacity of the server, the sizes of downloaded files and upon the plan provided by the service providers.

Satellite Internet systems are an excellent option for people in rural areas where Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) and cable modem connections are not available. Now, because of technical development it becomes a good option for urban subscriber also who needs high speed Internet. A satellite installation can be used even where the most basic utilities are lacking, if there is a generator or battery power supply that can produce enough electricity to run a desktop computer system. The two-way satellite Internet option offers an always-on connection that bypasses the dial-up process. In this respect, the satellite system resembles a cable modem Internet connection. But this asset can also be a liability, unless a firewall is used to protect the computer against hack attempts.

The nature of the satellite internet connection is good for web browsing and for downloading of files. Because of long latency compared with purely land-based systems, interactive applications such as online gaming are not compatible with satellite networks. In a two-way geostationary-satellite Internet connection, a transaction requires two round trips between the earth's surface and transponders orbiting 22,300 miles above the equator. This occurs in addition to land-based data transfer between the earthbound satellite system hub and the accessed Internet sites. The speed in such a connection is theoretically at least 0.48 second (the time it takes an electromagnetic signal to make two round trips at 186,000 miles per second to and from a geostationary satellite), and in practice is somewhat longer. Satellite systems are also prone to rain fade (degradation during heavy precipitation) and occasional brief periods of solar interference in mid-March and late September, when the sun lines up with the satellite for a few minutes each day. Rain fade and solar interference affect all satellite links from time to time, not just Internet systems.

So now there is an amazing internet service called broadband satellite Internet services for those who can't get a cable to their home or office or for those who have no access to DSL. It provides a super-fast, independent 2-way duplex, always-on Internet connectivity that delivers flexible, IP-based services on a single platform.

All agencies with Satellite Internet services utilize the same technology, but have different pricing packages and customer service. But, if you talk about pricing packages, better internet services and customer services, the HughesNet® is one of the best among all.