What is satellite internet?
Satellite internet is wireless internet beamed down from satellites orbiting the earth. It’s a lot different from land-based internet services like Fibre, LTE, Microwave and ADSL. Since it’s the only internet service that’s available nationwide, satellite internet is often the only way to get online for many rural homes and businesses in South Africa. Satellite is also one of the most reliable connectivity services and as such is used as a primary or redundant service in serviced and un-serviced areas.
How does satellite internet work?
Satellite internet works by using radio waves to communicate with satellites orbiting the earth. Data is sent and retrieved through a communication network that starts with your device and travels through your modem and satellite dish, out to a satellite in space, then back to earth to ground stations known as network operations centres (NOC). And then, data travels back through this network—out to space and then back to your satellite dish on earth—to deliver data on your device.
Satellite internet uses a five-part relay system:
- Internet-ready device
- Modem
- Satellite dish
- Satellite in space
- Network Operating Centre
Let's take a closer look at these 5 parts:
Internet-ready device
An internet-ready device is any device that can access the internet through the proper service. This includes your computer, tablet, smartphone, smart TV, gaming consoles, and any other internet-enabled equipment.
Modern satellite internet packages are easily capable of supporting high-demand use-cases such as video and music streaming services, as well as video conferencing.
When you use the internet on one of these devices, it sends and receives data through your modem.
Modem
A modem translates data so it can move between your internet-ready device and the satellite dish. You can connect some devices, like a computer, smart TV, or gaming console, directly to your modem using an ethernet cable.
Satellite dish
The next step in the relay is your home or business satellite dish.
To get connected to a satellite internet service, customers require a satellite customer premise equipment (CPE), which is similar to a DStv dish unit.
This dish must be precisely positioned to beam signals to the provider’s satellite in orbit and receive information back. A certified technician from your provider will take care of placement for you.
Satellite in space
Roughly 36 000 kilometres above the earth's surface, satellites used in traditional satellite internet service hover over the equator. They rotate with the planet, so the signal relay stays consistent. This is called a geostationary or geosynchronous orbit. This allows for two-way data communication between your dish and the Network operations centre.
Network Operations Centre (NOC)
Whenever you request information from the internet, whether you’re clicking on a link, streaming a show or opening Facebook, the data from that request is uploaded through the above relay. The satellite then beams that request to the Network operations centre.
Using a much larger satellite dish than the one you have at your home or business, the NOC receives your request. The NOC then taps into the internet backbone, gathers the information you requested, and sends it back through the relay to you.
This entire process, including beaming information 36,000 kilometres into space and back twice, happens in fractions of a second.
Which satellite service provider is the best in South Africa?
We at DSL Telecom can highly recommend YahClick from Vox which is a cutting-edge, Ka-band satellite service provisioned through high-throughput satellite that delivers rapid broadband connectivity to remote homes and businesses with limited or no internet access. Ideal for farms and organisations such as schools, mines and financial institutions in rural communities. For people living in rural areas, satellite internet is a good option because most of the time, it's their only option.
YahClick's satellite service is wide-reaching and available throughout South Africa, except for small areas in the Northern Cape and North West Province. Plus, the package pricing is fair, starting at R999 per month for an internet-only service and R1220.36 per month for an internet and voice service.
For temporary installations, like festivals and conferences, there is also the option to rent a transportable self-searching satellite unit (YahClick Go).