About One Way Internet Satellite
Satellite Internet access has long been an attractive option for web surfers who live in remote locations or who otherwise have no direct connection to an Internet Service Provider (ISP). By beaming an Internet feed from an orbiting satellite directly to the subscriber, satellite Internet providers have been extending the reach of the Internet for over a decade. This article will explore the history, time line, function and considerations of satellite Internet service.
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History
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The first man-made satellite to orbit Earth was the Russian Sputnik-1. Launched in the late 1950s, Sputnik opened the door to worldwide communication via satellite relay. By the late 1960s, only a decade later, telephone conversations were routinely being beamed from one continent to another by way of orbiting satellites. This communication relay service went a step further when, in 1973, Sweden connected to a growing global X.25 network, laying the groundwork for packet data transfer across satellite services. As technology improved and prices declined over the subsequent decades, satellite data connections became increasingly viable for consumers. In 1996, a service known as DirecPC launched in an effort to expand the reach of Internet access; later acquired and renamed to HughesNet, this service was the first commercial deployment of consumer satellite Internet service. Technology has continued to advance since that time, with satellite connections now operating in both one-way and two-way communication modes, and multiple satellites providing a blanket of data service to almost every continent.
Function
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Basic one-way satellite Internet connections operate on a very basic principle: The user sends a command to a server, the server processes the command, and the resultant data is beamed via satellite back to the user. The paths taken by the uplinked and downlinked data are incredibly different/ However, the downloaded data, which normally represents the bulk of the data transferred in any Internet connection, is delivered via satellite at near broadband speeds. The uploaded data, such as user input and any files being sent, generally represent only a small fraction of the data exchanged in an Internet session. Since this data is relatively small, one-way satellite Internet users send their input and uploads through a dial-up telephone connection to the service provider's servers. The uploaded input and files combine with the downloaded data to create a seamless Internet surfing experience.
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Geography
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Satellite Internet providers, such as HughesNet and SkyWay, employ geostationary satellites to relay their Internet data. Because satellite transmissions are "line of sight" communication and geostationary satellites (sometimes known as "birds") maintain a fixed position relative to the Earth, their coverage area is somewhat limited. In the early days of satellite Internet service, American users who resided outside the contiguous 48 states, as well as users in Canada and Mexico, were unable to subscribe to satellite Internet. As the service has proliferated and more satellites have gone into orbit, though, these restrictions have largely been erased. Today, only users in the northern extremes of Alaska and Canada are outside the range of satellite communications.
Considerations
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Although satellite Internet is considered a broadband Internet service and is, according to provider Constellation, capable of download speeds approaching 600 kilobits per second (600k), the upload speed limitations make satellite the slowest broadband connection available in today's market. With upload speeds of one way satellite service limited by the telephone company's switching equipment, upstream communications max out at about 56 kilobits per second (56k). For users who upload large amounts of data, play online games, frequently use chat rooms, or perform other data-intensive tasks, this limitation may cause an unexpected lack of functionality.
Benefits
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Despite its drawbacks, satellite Internet service offers a high speed data lifeline to rural users who would otherwise be completely without Internet connectivity. For these users, who are often limited to dial-up Internet service or even none at all, satellite Internet can mean the difference between isolation and connectivity. Businesses in remote areas not otherwise served by cable or DSL Internet services can also use satellite service to create and maintain a web presence, linking them to mainstream information, suppliers and shoppers.
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