How to Find a Quality Satellite ISP

When it comes to finding the best Internet service, people that live in rural or remote areas are often limited to dial-up or satellite Internet, as other forms of broadband are not available. While satellite Internet access poses some drawbacks such as cost and signal delay when compared to other types of high-speed Internet, having the benefit of broadband-speed Internet wherever you live far outweighs these disadvantages. When searching for a good satellite Internet service provider (ISP) that services your area, it can help to follow some tips for finding a quality satellite ISP.

A Good Satellite ISP Should Provide 24-hour Tech Support

One of the main qualities you should look for in a good satellite ISP is 24-hour tech support in case of an Internet outage. This is extremely important, especially if you have a job that depends on you having some form of Internet access when you are away from the office. This also shows a company’s commitment to its customers, as many people work during regular business hours and cannot call for technical assistance during these hours.

Find a Satellite ISP that Offers Unlimited Internet Usage

When you have satellite Internet services, your connection works by sending a signal to a satellite dish, which transmits the information to the satellite ISP’s operation center. The information then returns to your computer through the same path. Since the signal must travel almost 22,000 miles into space to the satellite and back to Earth again to reach the operation center, it requires an extreme amount of power. Therefore, many satellite Internet providers have a Fair Access Policy (FAP) that limits the amount of bandwidth you can use in a certain period. Depending on the company you choose, this may be anywhere from 150-200mb for a certain amount of time. If you surpass this threshold during the allotted time, your satellite Internet provider reduces your download and upload speed to 56 kbps, the same speed as dial-up Internet.

When searching for a quality satellite ISP, two of the most important things to keep in mind are 24-hour tech support and unlimited Internet usage, as these indicate a quality company that cares about its customers. While satellite Internet may require a larger investment than other forms of broadband, it is often the only option for high-speed Internet if you live in a rural area and want to avoid the frustration and hassle of dial-up.