What exactly is satellite internet? How can it benefit you when using the internet? Take a look at this helpful guide for everything you need to know.
15 May, 2024 | Posted by:
Category: Cable, Deals & Packages, Internet, Service Providers, Technology | No Comments
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For example, you can now receive internet signals through the use of satellites. While the technology was lacking in the past, in recent years, providers have really stepped up in their offerings, making it a viable option today.
So is satellite internet a good choice for you? Where can you get it? Plus, which internet service providers (ISPs) are good to use?
Read on, as we'll give you all the important information you need to know to decide whether or not satellite internet is optimal for your situation.
As we've pointed out above, satellite internet is where you get connected online by the signals sent from a satellite in space. Because a satellite in orbit can cover a wide area on earth, this is why the coverage for this type of internet is practically 100% of the United States.
This makes satellite internet a great choice for people who live in urban areas, as they'll have limited internet choices. For instance, the average internet user usually goes for either cable or DSL internet. This is because not only are these options high-speed, but they're also affordable and most of the country has coverage.
However, there are a select few places that don't receive either type of internet. In that case, satellite internet can be a lifesaver, especially if you need to work digitally from home.
So how does dish internet work?
Well, first of all, there's the satellite orbiting over the earth. Each provider will have their own specific satellite.
When you subscribe to an ISP, they'll give you a modem and install a satellite dish on top of your house. Whenever you connect on your computer, it'll request a signal through the modem, which then goes through the satellite dish. The satellite dish then sends the request up to the orbiting satellite.
Once the satellite gets the request, it then sends its own signal to the provider. The provider projects their service to the satellite, which then sends it back to your satellite dish. The signal then travels through the dish into your modem, and then your computer.
It may sound like a whole complicated process, but in reality, everything happens so fast that you don't even have to think twice about getting connected.
In general, satellite internet is reliable. However, because it depends on a relay of signals through multiple channels, it should be quite reasonable to expect that service may not always be fast or smooth.
Also, because the internet signal is being transmitted through the air, there's a higher chance that the signal will run into interference with something while on the way to and from your computer. As a result, you might experience periods of time where you'll get stutters in your connection.
As far as speeds go, you can get up to 100 Mbps in download speeds. However, latency is a different story; while you might get fast speeds, the latency may be so bad that for hardcore gamers, it's impossible to get a decent session in.
Nowadays, many ISPs don't have data caps, which means you can surf online for as much as you want. This allows you to download as many files as you want, as well as stream videos without worry.
However, some ISPs do still have data caps. When it comes to satellite internet providers, this is definitely the case.
So even if you find a plan that offers high speeds, do note that you still have to be very careful when you're connected. If you aren't mindful, you may end up hitting your data cap early on in the month.
If you do reach the maximum amount of data allowed, two things will happen. For one, your internet speed will slow down dramatically. Secondly, you'll have to pay extra for the additional data you use.
In some cases, you'll be able to purchase extra data and/or use the internet during off-peak hours that don't count toward your data cap. You'll have to check with your ISP to see exactly what they offer.
If you're lucky enough to have other options available where you live, you might be wondering how satellite is like compared to cable internet.
With cable internet, you'll get online by internet signals sent through coaxial cables. These are the same ones used for cable TV, so if you're able to receive cable TV where you are, then you'll most likely be able to get cable internet.
The signal is sent through a modem, which is connected to your computer. If you want to have wireless internet in your house, you'll also have to get a router that broadcasts the signal.
In general, cable internet will give you faster and more reliable speeds. It also typically has cheaper prices. However, if cable lines haven't been laid in your city, then you won't be able to get this service. This pretty much leaves you with only satellite internet as an option.
You now know how satellite internet compares to cable internet. But how does it fare when compared to other types of high-speed internet?
Take a look below to see how satellite internet stacks up to cable, DSL, fixed wireless, and fiber optic internet.
As we've mentioned above, the average internet user usually goes for either cable or DSL internet. DSL stands for "digital subscriber line" and doesn't use coaxial cables. Instead, it uses telephone wires.
If you're a long-time internet user, you might remember the days of dial-up internet. Not only was it very slow, but it also took up your telephone line. This meant you had to sign on and off often, or else you'd tie up the phone line for the entire duration of you being online.
DSL gets rid of this annoying problem. While it does still use telephone wires to connect, it does so with unused lines. As a result, you can conveniently surf online and use your landline to make calls simultaneously.
DSL can be more reliable than cable internet because of their singular connection. Cable internet uses a coaxial cable connection that's shared with others, so speeds can drop if you're online during peak hours. With DSL, that won't happen, since you're connected through a single telephone line,
Fiber optic internet is the cream of the crop. It uses the latest in technology to bring you such fast speeds, it can be up to 100 times faster than DSL or cable.
With this type of internet, it uses fiber optic cables instead of copper ones to relay internet signals. This means light passes through these fiber options, giving you smooth and outstandingly fast speeds.
But because this technology is so new, you won't find it in many places. Mainly, you'll get service in bigger American cities.
Otherwise, you'll have to wait for an ISP to bring this service to your area. It takes a huge investment to do, so you'll probably see the bigger names arrive first.
Fixed wireless internet can possibly be an option if you're in an urban location. This is because all you need is to receive the internet signals.
Fired wireless internet works through the broadcast of radiowaves from a base station. To get these radiowaves, you'll need to install a receiver from the ISP. Once the receiver is in, it'll start communicating with the nearest base station to get you connected.
With this type of internet, you don't need a router or modem. Instead, you just turn on your device, search for the network, and hop online. While this can be very convenient, it does come with its caveats.
Extreme weather conditions can affect the signal strength, which means service can cut out at inopportune times. Other things (like trees) can also interfere with the signal. Fixed wireless internet is also usually more expensive than other internet options.
While there are many satellite internet providers out there, certainly none come close to the services offered by HughesNet and ViaSat. These are the 2 biggest names in the industry, which means they offer the most bang for your buck.
Read on to find out more about both companies to see which one's right for you.
As expected, HughesNet covers all 50 states in the US. They serve over 308 million Americans, with a coverage of 33,131 zip codes in the nation.
The biggest states they cover include California, Texas, and New York. As far as top areas served goes, HughesNet covers Los Angeles, Houston, San Antonio, Brooklyn, Chicago, New York, and Miami.
HughesNet's top speed isn't too impressive; it's 25 Mbps for downloads and 3 Mbps for uploads. However, if you aren't doing anything too digitally intensive, and it's just you and/or another person in the household, then 25 Mbps should be sufficient.
Data caps start at 20 GB per month and go all the way up to 50 GB per month. You'll get an additional 50 GB per month to use between 2:00 am and 8:00 am.
Depending on the plan you subscribe to, expect to pay anywhere between $70 to $150 per month. Setup costs $100 and you'll also have to pay $10 per month for equipment rental in the first 6 months; this goes up to $15 afterward.
ViaSat Internet is formerly known as Exede. They also have coverage in all 50 states and serve around 308 million customers.
Like with HughesNet, ViaSat's greatest coverage is in California, Texas, and New York. The major cities they serve are also Los Angeles, Houston, San Antonio, Brooklyn, Chicago, New York, and Miami.
However, their top speed is much higher than HughesNet's. You'll get up to 100 Mbps for downloads, although this will be in select areas.
For their packages, you can select either 12 or 25 Mbps for downloads and 3 Mbps for uploads. Prices range from $50 to $150 per month.
What's great is although most of their packages have data caps (ranging from 12 to 50 GB per month), they do offer a package that has no data cap. After you've used 100 GB, then the speed may slow down a little.
For the other plans, you can either buy more Priority Data after you've hit the cap or just connect at much slower speeds. Do note that you can use the internet from 3:00 am until 6:00 am without it counting toward your data cap.
When it comes to HughesNet vs ViaSat, they're pretty similar, as far as speeds and prices go.
However, if you want "unlimited" data, ViaSat wins in that aspect, as they have the Unlimited Silver 25 plan. On the other hand, if you want more off-peak hours to use your internet, HughesNet wins for this category, as their off-peak hours are 6 hours, as opposed to just 3 hours with ViaSat.
In the end, you'll have to weigh up the pros and cons yourself to see which one works better for your personal situation.
As you can see, satellite internet can be a wonderful option if you live in the outskirts of town and barely get any reception for other types of internet. Considering satellite internet pretty much has coverage all over the United States, you won't ever find yourself disconnected from the internet.
While satellite internet isn't as great as other types of broadband internet, plus it's more expensive in some cases, it still can be completely worth it when you're able to get online, no matter where you're located. So give satellite internet a look and choose the ISP that suits your need and budget.
Want to sign up satellite internet that's affordable? Then use our zip code searcher now. You'll get to browse through thousands of plans for the most cost-effective solutions.
If you're looking for a new internet service, you may be wondering how much CenturyLink internet costs. Read on to learn more about CenturyLink internet prices.
15 May, 2024 | Posted by:
Category: Deals & Packages, Internet, Service Providers, Technology | No Comments
90% of US adults use the internet. It's evident that the internet is a vital way in how we connect with one another, so it's important that you choose the best internet service providers (ISPs) to get online.
There are several you can choose to get things like cable and DSL internet. If you're looking into the latter, then we highly recommend CenturyLink internet.
In this article, we'll give you an overview of this company, including CenturyLink internet prices, as well as CenturyLink plans.
First off, before you consider CenturyLink, you should make sure they're available in your location.
The good news is, CenturyLink is the 3rd largest DSL provider in the US. This means they have widespread coverage in the nation.
You can get their DSL services in 39 states and their fiber optic services in all 50. You'll find the greatest coverage in Washington, Arizona, and Colorado.
The CenturyLink internet packages are very simple.
Here are the packages for DSL:
Here are the packages for fiber optic internet:
If there is fiber optic internet available in your area, we highly recommend you go for it, as all packages cost the same (with the exception of the last one, which is Fiber Gigabit). Regardless, any CenturyLink internet speed is pretty decent, even with DSL.
The CenturyLink internet data caps are the same across the board: 1,024 GB a month. This is a very generous data cap and in most households, you probably won't even get anywhere near the limit.
With the Fiber Gigabit plan, you pay a little extra. However, do you get lightning-fast speeds, as well as no data cap at all. This means you'll get smooth and hassle-free streaming with these services.
CenturyLink Price for Life is a promotion where you lock in the prices you're paying. All you have to do is stay at the same address and keep the same internet plan you're using.
In general, you'll get to keep the same prices "forever," so long as you don't make any changes to your customer account. If you're confident that you'll like the internet plan you're on, and that you won't move, this may be worth looking into.
Now you have a good idea of the CenturyLink internet prices and more. As a result, you have all the information you need to make a smart decision on whether or not CenturyLink is right for you.
If you happen to live somewhere where you can get either DSL or fiber optic internet services from this company, then it'll probably be worth it to try it out, especially since CenturyLink is one of the biggest ISPs in the country.
If you're ready to get CenturyLink internet, then start by using our zip code search tool now. We have thousands of plans to browse, which ensures that you get the best prices around!
Are you thinking about switching internet service? You may be wondering: is CenturyLink good? Read on as we take a look at the pros and cons of this service.
15 May, 2024 | Posted by:
Category: Deals & Packages, Internet, Service Providers, Technology, Tips | No Comments
Today, there are over 4.5 million internet users in the world. Having a way to reliably get online is pretty much a requirement of everyday life, so it's important you choose good internet service providers (ISPs).
For most households, they go for either cable or DSL internet. These are the most common types of internet in the nation. Not only do cable and DSL offer decent speeds, but also affordable prices for the most part.
If you're looking to get DSL, then you should consider CenturyLink. They're the 3rd largest provider of DSL in the US.
Is CenturyLink good though? In this article, we'll explore the pros and cons of CenturyLink internet.
Because CenturyLink is one of the biggest ISPs in the nation, you can count on them to have excellent coverage. They serve almost 50 million customers across all 50 states, with the greatest coverage in Arizona, Washington, and Colorado.
Of course, the exact coverage for your area will depend on what type of internet you want. It's best to double-check and compare to other ISPs that are available for you.
With their DSL service, you'll get download speeds of up to 20 Mbps. For just one person (or even 2) who uses the internet lightly for email and some video streaming, this should be decent enough.
Fiber optic internet is the best type of internet you can get. You can get download speeds of up to 1,000 Mbps, which is much faster than other types of internet, such as cable or DSL.
Not every ISP offers fiber optic internet, which means if you choose CenturyLink as yours, there's this added perk. Their fiber internet gets download speeds of up to 940 Mbps, which is their Fiber Gigabit package.
The only downside is you can only find fiber optic internet in limited places. This is because it takes a hefty investment for ISPs to bring this technology to certain areas, which means they'll only do so in places that are worth it. As a result, you'll mainly find fiber optic internet in more urban areas.
As we've mentioned above, you'll get either DSL or fiber optic internet with CenturyLink. While this is only 2 internet options, they do have quite a few packages available.
For DSL, you have 2 choices: download speeds of up to 15 or 20 Mbps. For fiber optic internet, you can get download speeds of up to 80, 100, or 940 Mbps.
As you can see, there are a total of 5 CenturyLink internet packages to choose from, which means they'll have a plan that's perfect for any household.
Not only do you have quite a few internet packages to choose from, but CenturyLink internet prices are also very reasonable and affordable.
For the 2 DSL internet packages and the first 2 fiber optic plans, there's a uniform price of $49 per month. As you can see, it'd be wise to choose the fastest internet speeds possible in your area, as you'll pay the same amount for faster speeds.
For the Fiber Gigabit package, the price goes up to $65 per month. However, you're getting significantly faster internet speeds, plus you don't have a data cap (more on that in the next section).
Also, these prices are only available if you sign up for paperless billing. Otherwise, you may have to pay more for your internet subscription.
When you sign up for internet service, you can't just assume you automatically have as much data as you want. In many cases, the ISP may impose something called a data cap. CenturyLink is no exception.
With all CenturyLink plans (except Fiber Gigabit), there is a data cap of 1,024 GB per month. If you go over this, you may have to pay more. Plus, the speeds may be throttled so your internet is much slower.
While CenturyLink does have data caps, they're pretty much negligible.
To put things more into perspective, consider this: the average household only uses 190 GB of data per month. Even if you have a large family size and every person likes to heavily stream high-resolution videos, you probably won't even get to 500 GB in a month.
So even though CenturyLink has data caps, you most likely won't have to worry about reaching that limit.
If you plan on using phone and TV services, CenturyLink offers bundles so you can get some cost-savings. They have Prism TV, which is a digital TV platform.
Many ISPs offer just internet and/or phone services, so this makes CenturyLink a step above their competition in terms of savings and convenience.
So is CenturyLink good? Based on our list of pros and cons, we'd certainly recommend CenturyLink as a reliable and excellent ISP.
While there are data caps with this provider, they're set at such high numbers that you'd almost certainly never reach the limit. Besides, if you're able to get Fiber Gigabit in your area, then you won't have to worry about data caps at all.
With CenturyLink's simple packages and affordable internet prices, it's definitely a good idea to get this ISP for all your internet needs. There's hardly any cons at all!
Do you want to get CenturyLink internet for your home? Then start searching through thousands of plans today. KonectEaze is here to help you save!
If you have ever wondered which internet service providers are available in San Antonio Texas besides the major players like Spectrum, AT&T and Grande? Let us introduce you to Rise Broadband fixed wireless High Speed Internet. An excellent option for High Speed Internet Service
15 May, 2024 | Posted by: Pablo Mendoza
Category: Service Providers | No Comments
If you have ever wondered which internet service providers are available in San Antonio Texas besides the major players like Spectrum, AT&T and Grande? Let us introduce you to Rise Broadband fixed wireless High Speed Internet. An excellent option for High Speed Internet Service
Are you looking to switch internet providers? There are a huge number of internet service providers out there for customers in San Antonio. Whether you're in Downtown, Harlandale, Mission Del Lago, or elsewhere, choosing who to get your internet with is far from easy.
One solution that's rising in popularity is Rise Broadband. Rise Broadband in San Antonio covers the entire city and its surroundings including under-served areas like Von Ormy and Timberwood Park. It achieves this by giving users a fixed wireless solution that achieves fantastic speeds without paying a premium as you would with satellite internet service like HughesNet or Viasat.
This is crucial for customers: despite the wide range of internet service providers available in the city proper, rural Texans are underserved by traditional broadband companies.
Ready to find out whether Rise Broadband is right for you? Then keep reading.
How Rise Broadband in San Antonio Works
Rise Broadband is not like other ISPs. Unlike other companies like Spectrum and AT&T, you won't need to have a wired connection to your home.
Instead, Rise's internet uses fixed wireless connections to give you the best speed possible for your household. Rise Broadband uses base stations that are connected to ultra-fast broadband. They'll fit an antenna to your house and as long as it has a line of sight to the base station, you can get speedy internet wherever you are, whether in 78209 or 78257.
Wireless internet like this is much faster than satellite internet for gaming and other speed-dependent tasks. Once the antenna has been connected to your home, you can run a cable into your house and attach a router so that all your devices can access the internet at the same time.
Depending on where you live, you can get speeds of up to 50 Mbps. This is fast enough to allow multiple HD Netflix streams on the same network and is also perfect for working from home.
While it may not match the speeds offered by cable companies like Spectrum or Xfinity, it's a fantastic solution for those in rural areas. In general, it will be faster than the internet offered by Viasat and other satellite internet companies.
Is There a Data Cap on Rise Broadband?
If you're considering using Rise Broadband in San Antonio, you might be wondering if there is a data cap in place for Rise Broadband's customers.
If you are on a month-to-month contract with Rise, you will get 150 GB of data per month at the lowest speeds and 250 GB of data per month at the highest speeds. If you're on a two-year contract, this increases to 250 GB and 350 GB per month, respectively.
If you're a hardcore gamer or love to binge Netflix, you should consider subscribing to one of Rise Broadband's high data plans. These give the user 500 GB of data per month regardless of speed.
The presence of a data cap is undeniably a problem for Rise Broadband's customers. While they can be useful in reducing network congestion, they can also be costly if you use too much data. Rise Broadband charge $3.50 per 10 GB of data that exceeds the limit.
This means that if you download a large game after you've used all of your data, you could be charged $35.
What Speed Will I Get?
The speed of your connection with Rise Broadband in San Antonio and its surrounding areas will depend on several factors. Having a clear line of sight to the tower is important and the further away from the tower you are, the slower your internet will be. Heavy rains can also cause a slump in your internet speed.
Rise is quite upfront about the coverage in different areas and we'd recommend finding out about the coverage in your area before committing to a contract.
How Much Does Installation Cost?
If you'd like to use Rise Broadband as your ISP, you will need to pay a one-time installation fee of $149.99. If you sign up for a two-year contract with the company, you can, at present, get a 50 percent discount.
Do Rise Broadband Offer Other Services?
If you're interested in getting a complete package deal, Rise Broadband can help you out. In addition to internet access, the company also gives its customers access to a phone service and TV. If you use multiple services from the company, you can save some extra cash.
Should I Use Rise Broadband?
The biggest question on your lips right now is probably whether you should use Rise Broadband in San Antonio or whether you should use another internet service provider. It's all about what you use the internet for and what other options are available to you.
If you're in central San Antonio and can use other ISPs that don't have such restrictive data caps and also offer better speeds, we'd recommend using one of these companies. These give you a little more peace of mind when streaming Netflix, gaming, and downloading files.
If, on the other hand, you're in a less well-covered area and have trouble getting cable broadband, then Rise Broadband is a fantastic option. They offer better speeds than satellite internet as well as lower costs. If you're willing to lower your Netflix video quality and be mindful of downloading large files, then they could be exactly what you are looking for.
For rural users, we would highly recommend using a fixed wireless ISP like Rise Broadband. If you're not a rural user, there's little point in considering them.
Do You Want to Learn More About ISPs Available In Your Area?
We've talked about Rise Broadband in San Antonio but there are likely other options available to you. If you'd like to get the best overview of different internet service providers that are available in your area, we'd recommend using our search tool to find the best ISPs in your area!
If you'd like to find out more about your options, why not give us a call on 888-376-0753?
A comprehensive review of Rise Broadband and their internet services throughout Illinois. Rise Broadband's plans, pricing and internet service coverage throughout Illinois.
14 May, 2024 | Posted by: Pablo Mendoza
Category: Reviews, Service Providers | No Comments
There's nothing quite like living in the greatest state in the nation, home of the Cubs and the White Sox, beautiful cornfields, and some of the most amazing diversity in the nation.
Despite its location in the Midwest, Illinois is far from a remote country. Some of the best internet providers in Illinois keep its residents connected to places across the globe
No wonder Illinois is the 21st most connected state in the country. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about broadband providers in Illinois.
To fully appreciate the diversity of internet options in Illinois, you first need to understand the diversity of the internet in general.
Broadband Internet service is used more than any other type of service in the United States. People prefer it because of its high access speeds. You can find broadband in five different forms: DSL, fiber-optic, cable, fixed wireless, and satellite.
If you're old enough to remember what dial-up internet is, know that it does not qualify as a broadband type of internet. Yes, dial-up is the cheapest form of internet, but you can barely function digitally with this type of connection. Thus, most people choose the broadband.
DSL stands for digital subscriber liner. The internet service provider will send signals through unused telephone wires in your home. So, this internet may look like it goes through a landline, but it does not.
The speed for DSL will vary depending on how far you are from a switching station.
Cable internet comes from a local cable TV provider, who pumps the signal through the cable hookup at your home. The speed with cable internet varies based on how many people are using the service at the same time. Geography can play a part as well since the more people you have on a system, the slower speed you will experience.
So at peak times of usage, you will experience slower internet.
Fiber-optic is one of the fastest internet connections available. It's one of the newest types of internet, so the jury is still out on it being the best. It requires service technicians to lay down fiber-optic cables, and this takes a while.
Typically, fiber-optic cable service price competes with DSL and cable, and it provides a faster connection. It's not widely available, however.
Both cable and fiber optic are costly to install, and it requires some major labor. Technicians have to drill holes in your wall, and they need to do things to your yard and the street to bring the cable in.
The satellite internet falls under the label of broadband as well. It is one of the latest but also slowest broadband services available.
With satellite, your wireless receiver in your home shoots a signal up to a satellite in the sky which then shoots a signal back to your provider. It's nice because you can truly get the internet anywhere in the United States, but it is much slower and less reliable than cable and fiber optics. So, for individuals in rural areas, it works well.
Installation costs more for satellite as well.
With fixed wireless, your receiver at home is sending a wireless signal. However, unlike satellite which shoots the signal up, fixed wireless like Rise Broadband internet sends the signal to another receiver within a line of sight a few miles away.
This means the weather does not affect the wireless signal, and it moves faster than it would through a cable or fiber optic.
As mentioned before, Illinois is connected. Each county has anywhere from 11 to 33 different service providers, making Illinois a highly wired state.
All total, there are 353 different internet providers in Illinois connected 727,000 people to the internet capable of 25 Mbps of download speed.
Approximately 866,000 people have access to just one wired provider, which gives them no option to switch companies. And then another 334,000 people have no wired internet providers available.
So wireless internet is the future of Illinois residents.
Of those who have internet, approximately 94 percent have access broadband of 25 Mbps. Approximately 93 percent have access to broadband of 100 Mbps, and 22 percent have access to 1 gigabit of broadband.
Plus, Illinois has received some nice federal funding to help them with internet service. Illinois's Broadband Initiative has brought in over 6.5 million dollars of federal grants since 2010. This has resulted in increased speed for Illinois residents overall. Since 2011, more people have received access to a wired connection of at least 10 Mbps.
Illinois thus has a variety of broadband internet providers. Though not all residents have the choice of providers, most do. They can pick from the following top providers:
Plus, Illinois internet providers offer optimal speed for residents. The fiber optic and cable plans offer speed of up to 1 Gbps. The DSL plans offer speeds of up to 300 Mbps, and the satellite providers offer speeds of up to 100 Mbps.
Illinois residents thus have a myriad of internet options in Illinois. They do not have to look far to find the best internet deals of the day.
The largest competition for the internet in Illinois lies among the cable providers of AT&T, Xfinity, WOW!, and RCN, but Rise Broadband is not far behind.
Major providers are boasting of some hefty speeds as well. Xfinity from Comcast claims 98.5 Mbps, while AT&T internet is saying they can give up to 67 Mbps. Everywhere Wireless says they have 63.7 Mbps, Frontier Communications 9.0 Mbps, and Rise 7.3 Mbps.
When you're looking for the best internet providers in Illinois, take a moment to slow down and look at your options. Your cost of the internet will vary by the type of internet you want and the speed that you need.
For all of your internet search needs, take some time to learn about us. We'd love to help you with your search.
