Hardware: Satellite Modems

Forms of Satellite Internet Access:

There are 2 forms of satellite internet access. The most common
known form is one-way satellite internet access offered through
Direct TV. The second form is two-way satellite internet access which
offers upstream and downstream services via satellite. Companies
already offering and planning to offer two-way satellite internet
access include: Starband, Pegasus Express, Teledisc, Tachyon and as
of late 2003 Direct PC.

Advantages of Satellite Internet Access:

Two-way satellite internet access offers customers the advantage of
connecting to the internet regardless of location. It is possible to live
in the most remote location and receive satellite signals as long as
you have a view of the southern sky.

Disadvantages of Satellite Internet Access:

The disadvantages of satellite internet access are: 1) Speed –
Maximum downstream speeds are currently at 500kbps and the
upstream speeds are about one third slower. These speeds are partly
because of the distance the signal must travel to the orbiting
satellite and back to earth before it can be viewed. 2) Satellite
internet connections are prone to interruption from weather and
solar events. It is common to loose connectivity in rainy weather or
when the sun lines up with the orbiting satellite in the spring months.
3) Satellite internet access is not compatible with interactive web
games because of its huge latency. The high speed, low latency
two-way communications needed to play these games online do not
exist with satellite internet access.

Summary:

Satellite internet access is a form of internet access that may not be
considered by most people considering its high price, compared to
other means of connectivity, and its slow speeds with high latency
issues. However, a potential subscriber to a form of high-speed
internet access that is out of range for DSL and cable would welcome
the option of using satellite internet connectivity