Fair Access Policy for Internet Satellite
A drawback to living in the country and receiving Internet service through a satellite provider is the Fair Access Policy, also known as FAP. These providers set limits on the volume of exchangeable information via uploads and downloads to ensure everyone using the service has equal and fair access.
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Fair Access
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Satellites provide limited bandwidth for Internet connections shared by multiple users. To ensure fair and equal access for all users, satellite Internet providers penalize those users who violate FAP by reducing their downloading and browsing speeds substantially. Some providers offer a free three-hour window each night and suggest scheduling heavy downloads during that period when most users are off the system.
Download Thresholds
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Download thresholds occur within a specific period set by the user plan and Internet provider. The more a user pays per month, the larger the download threshold. Some providers set the download threshold over a period of a rolling 24 hours while others set it at a period of a rolling month. Download thresholds range from 200 megabytes per day and 7,500 MB per month on rolling-month systems. Though no fines are issued for violation of the Fair Access Policy, one company allows you to purchase a token for $10 to "buy" back your browsing speed.
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Upload Thresholds
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Not all satellite Internet providers set upload thresholds. For those that do, this figure consists of the volume of information counted in megabytes a user can upload over a rolling month.
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