The number of households in the US with Internet connections has skyrocketed in the last few years. It is almost impossible to find a home in America that does not have at least a dial up connection. In fact, the number of people adopting Internet technology has outstripped the ability of many broadband companies to provide coverage. For instance, for those who live in rural or outlying areas even a few miles from urban centers, DSL and cable connections are not available. They must rely on dial up connections if they want to connect to the Internet.

Thankfully, this problem has been addressed and new options are available. No, the cable companies have not suddenly decided to extend coverage to these areas. No, the phone company has not brought high-speed DSL to these areas, either. The new access is thanks to satellite providers. Most customers in these areas have used satellite providers for their TV watching enjoyment for years. Today, those same providers have developed broadband Internet access that goes where other technologies fear to tread, namely into rural and outlying areas. Because cable companies will not extend coverage to an area if the population base does not meet their requirements and phone companies cannot afford to provide DSL coverage in these areas, satellite Internet is the uncontested champion.

How doe satellite Internet work? What speeds does it offer? Is it truly better than dial up? Let's tackle the last question first. Satellite Internet is tremendously better than dial up connections; in fact, there is no comparison. Satellite Internet is a broadband connection, which means that it is always on; there is no lengthy dialing in process, no wait for connection and account authentication and your downloads move along at a tremendous rate. That brings us to the question of speed: satellite Internet provides speeds of at least 1.5 Mbps, which allows you to download files in a fraction of the time that dial up entails.

Finally, satellite Internet access works in much the same way as satellite TV programming. You will need a satellite dish from your provider, as well as a special modem that connects your PC or laptop to the dish. The Internet signal is transmitted from a ground station to an orbiting satellite and then from the satellite down to your dish via spotter beams. From the dish, the signal then travels to the modem and then to your computer; there are no phone lines involved in the equation. You get blazing speed, a constant connection and no need to tie up the phone line. Are there any drawbacks to using satellite Internet? Actually, there are no drawbacks to the technology, other than the chance that you will begin spending more time online!

Satellite Internet access provides anyone in North America with a constant connection to the World Wide Web. Because the satellites used to transmit the signal orbit the equator, all you need is a clear view of the southern skies. This ensures that anyone, whether in a rural area or an urban area, can have the Internet connection that they need.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Emily_Hayes