Why Is Satellite Internet Not Popular Among Regular Consumers?

Satellite uses radiofrequency for communication with other devices. For transmitting the signals from one region to another, the electrical signal is converted into radio signals broadcasted by the ground to the satellite. Satellites have large parabolic dishes that reflect the movements to one single point. The communication satellites are used for sending and receiving signals across the. 

The geostationary satellites are positioned at 36,000 kilometres at the same point relative to the Earth. The rotational period of the orbit is 24 hours, which is as per the Earth’s rotation of such satellite is. Geosynchronous with that of the Earth and has internet access too. Shop Now on Sky Mobile

The satellite has an antenna for receiving communication signals from the Earth. It is designed for transmitting and receiving calls to and from various palaces on the Earth. It then transmits these signals to the locations targeted. The transponders and the antennas are the payloads of them. They amplify and group signals before they are sent to different addresses on Earth. A repeater subsystem radio frequency (RF) equipment enables the shipment and transponders to change filter frequencies. 

The high-gain receiving antenna of the satellite fuses the transmitted data to the transponders, which filters, amplifies, and translates them for redirecting them to the transmitting antenna on board. Then the signal is routed through “carrier”. Another significant component is a bus that consists of all the equipment for moving and positioning the satellite, regulating the equipment’s temperature, and providing and tracking information. Satellite Internet is not popular because of the following reasons. 

You have to send data to your ISP, located in space, and get it back; it has poor latency or a higher ping rate. So satellite internet is not suitable for gamers.

1: Geostationary Orbits

An object in a geostationary orbit looks motionless at a fixed position relative to the sky. Its rotation period is at par with that of the Earth. The orbital eccentricity is approximately zero. The communication satellites and the weather satellites are .kept in geostationary orbits so that the antennas are communicating with them are not required to move to track them. 

But they permanently point at the position in the sky where the satellites are positioned. Because of the 0^o latitude and circular nature of the geostationary orbits, the satellites are different at different locations only by longitude.

2: High Latency

Latency is the time elapsing between sending a packet of data and its time to reach its destination. Since satellites are positioned at a very high altitude, it will take longer for the signals to get to the satellites. After that, it has to reach back the satellite. Therefore, lower latency is an indicator of better utilization; when the Internet of Things or IoT dominates, all users expect the latency to be lower.

In addition to the above issues, if the packet must go through multiple services, the situation will worsen since the packet has to be transmitted via the satellite so many times before reaching the destination. So with the existing infrastructure, you have to bear with the latency, and the popularity will be an issue with you,

3: Highly Expensive

Other ways of using the internet are cable connections or fibre optics. Compared to this method of accessing the internet, satellite internet is most costly because it requires setting up a ground station to access satellite internet. Moreover, being a two-way connection, it needs data to be transmitted to and fro. Both the downlink and uplink speeds need to be synchronized with each other. 

Satellite communication, as well as satellite phones, is comparatively expensive. The amount to get a high-speed FTTH or cable connection with low latency will put you in regret for having it.

As a solution to higher cost, you are to set up a ground station and connect several houses to that station to offer satellite internet. So the cost per house will be cut down, and the feasibility will be heightened. 

4: Non-compatibility of VPNs and Tor Networks

By using VPN and Tor networks, the signal must go through multiple servers. Consequently, the same set of data is required to be transmitted back to the satellite many times. That will increase the latency, and meanwhile, there will be a timeout.

Therefore, VPN and Tor networks are not compatible with the satellite intended connections. 

5: Difficulty in Getting a Service Provider

You can get access to the internet quickly through the cellular network, easily. Just get a phone and a SIM card, and that’s all. Even getting a wired internet provider will not be that difficult, But getting a service provider for satellite internet connection is a relatively stricter job. In specific locations, there may not be any such service holder. Even after getting a service provider, the terms and conditions of the contract will be strict, and in some cases, you cannot change your plan. If eventuality so arises, you may have to give up your satellite internet connection all of a sudden.

The lock-in period is high in most of the satellite internet connections. So during this period, you can’t switch on to any other mode of internet access. This is because setting up a ground station for offering internet services is not a viable proposition of the cost.

6: Interference

In general, form precipitation affects satellite communication such as rain or snow in the signal path between end-users and ground stations. This interference is known as rain fade. But on a higher frequency, they may be severe. Fade may be more potent than mitigated in tropical areas with heavy rain by using a C band or 4/6 GHz and a circular polarization satellite. These effects may be of lower frequency like L and C bands…

7: Fresnel Zone

Although there remains a direct line of sight between the receiving and transmitting reflections from objects antenna, the signal can reduce the apparent power of movement through the cancellation of phase. How much signal is lost depends on the object’s location in the Fresnel zone of the antenna?

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