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Internet over satellite is a high-speed Internet connection made through satellite in order to provide satellite broadband service and two-way access to the global Internet. This is accomplished through low-earth-orbit (LEO) satellites.
Internet over satellite is the ideal solution for carriers, Internet service provider (ISP) corporate customers, Internet cafes and residential users because it allows them to access a connection through a two-way, very-small aperture terminal (VSAT) satellite dish using hub dishes provided by satellite broadband ISPs.
Internet over satellite is a boon for rural Internet users who require broadband access because it does not use telephone lines or cable systems. Although cable systems and digital subscriber lines (DSLs) have high download speeds, satellite systems are faster than normal modems.
Two-way satellite Internet consists of two modems, coaxial cables between the dish and modem and a 2x3-foot satellite dish. The key feature relating to the installation of satellites is a clear view to the south, because orbiting satellites are located over the equator. Two-way satellite Internet uses Internet Protocol (IP) multicasting technology, including up to 5,000 channels of communication that can be simultaneously served by a single satellite. IP multicasting sends data from one point to many points by sending it in a compressed format. This reduces the size of the data and the bandwidth required to transmit it.
A two-way satellite Internet service both sends and receives data from remote very-small aperture terminal (VSAT) sites through a satellite-to-hub teleport, which relays data through the terrestrial Internet. Satellite dishes at all locations are precisely pointed to avoid interference with other satellite signals.