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Satellite Internet
By Editor | November 8, 2006
In the past 10 years, the speed of Internet access has increased tremendously. Around 1995, most of the world was using 56K modems and the world was looking towards ISDN that promised up to 128K for the home user. However, before the ISDN could catch on or reach a point of popularity, cable Internet and DSL had arrived and home users suddenly made the leap to 512K. For those who could afford it, the T1 and T3 lines, previously only feasible for large corporations, made their way into the homes of those who could now afford them without a million dollar corporation to pay the bills.
Today, modems are all but museum relics and there are hardly any Internet connections in urban locations that do not have the at least the minimum broadband Internet access speed. However, this speed-revolution has not reached the rural areas primarily due to a lack of infrastructure and consequently such users who might be interested, and can afford, high speed internet are left unsatisfied due to their slow connections. Fortunately, satellite internet can solve this problem because it does not involve reliance on most conventional means of communications and after installing the right equipment, it is possible to access high-speed satellite internet from literally anywhere, as long as there is a satellite overhead.
Despite this option, satellite Internet has not caught on in the rural areas, primarily because of the high individual costs involved. While city dwellers can get broadband Internet connections for a few dollars per month (or even cheaper annual rates), locations outside cities are not so cheap. First, satellite internet requires the installation of special equipment to receive and send internet signals via satellite and this itself costs around $500, depending on the model and features of the satellite equipment. Second, the monthly cost of using Internet can be as high as $100, depending on the service provider of the satellite Internet connectivity.
In cities, there is no special equipment that needs installation. Most desktop computers and laptops come with built in Ethernet cards and the Internet Company has only to supply the DSL modem and the Ethernet cable. The big upfront cost of the satellite Internet equipment acts as a discouragement to people who do not have the regular broadband options. However, the demand in remote areas for high-speed Internet access is always increasing not only because of the residents there but also because of commuting workers who rely on the Internet for their work. So the market is there for satellite Internet service providers if they choose to exploit it.
There are already many such providers who have set up business units in areas that had no broadband access. The key to making money from these units is to make them public rather than install them in individual homes. Or use a common satellite internet connection that is then spread to different homes through a regular Ethernet network. In satellite Internet kiosks, access is charged on a per-hour basis. Cost recovery is easy this way and it is also convenient for the users because they avail and pay for satellite Internet for precisely the duration that they need to.
Topics: Satellite Internet |