Satellite Internet - reviews. Satellite Internet - providers. Tariffs

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

The level of Internet equipment in Russia is reaching high levels, but huge sections of our country still do not have access to the World Wide Web. There is not enough infrastructure, but satellite Internet can solve the problem of its deficiency. It has a number of advantages over "cable" and mobile communications, it is becoming more affordable, and the equipment that provides access to it only becomes cheaper and easier to install over the years.

What is satellite Internet

Today, access to the Internet is possible via satellite (satellite), the signal from which goes directly to the user's computer connected to the "dish". This access method, however, should not be identified with a wired connection to the provider, which itself takes data from the satellite - in this case, the main channel is rented, which has incomparably more powerful traffic than when using the "dish". Satellites are usually located in geostationary orbit (less often - in medium and low altitude).

Access to the World Wide Web from a "dish" is usually comparablein terms of its speed characteristics with broadband lines and significantly exceeds 3G and GPRS connection methods. What the last two types of satellite Internet connection have in common is the technology-driven limitation in the amount of traffic. However, with such tasks as reading letters, sending documents, working with online banking, the "plate" copes well. It is indispensable outside the city - where there is no connection from cellular operators or its quality is not enough. Modern equipment for communication with satellites is becoming more and more easy to use, the average user does not experience problems with how to connect satellite Internet on their own.

History of satellite Internet

The first experiments with Internet access via satellite began in the early 90s. Various technologies were offered to the market, but in the end, access to the World Wide Web was chosen through geostationary satellites - the same class that is used for telephone and television communications. Terrestrial communication equipment gradually became cheaper and smaller in size, satellite networks ceased to be an expensive prerogative of the state, business began to use them.

As a result, the term "VSAT" (Very Small Aperture Terminal) arose, denoting a compact and mobile signal receiving device. With the improvement and further reduction in the cost of technologies, VSAT modules became available not only to businesses, but also to ordinary users, and even "home" ones appeared.antennas - those same "dishes" on the windows, and satellite Internet, reviews of which began to be printed on the pages of the press about technologies.

Asymmetric access

Asymmetric access is one of the two main formats for using satellite Internet. It involves connecting to the World Wide Web through two channels that are different in speed and technology, and the “dish” can be only one of them. The second is usually a terrestrial connection (sometimes with a much lower data rate). The main advantage of asymmetric access is the price. As a rule, kits for accessing the Internet using this technology cost no more than $300, and traffic costs about 10 cents per 1 MB.

Incoming traffic, thanks to the satellite, is served at a very high speed. As a rule, from the same satellite, if you have configured equipment, you can also receive a television signal (some providers include both television and satellite Internet - Tricolor, for example) in the service package. The main drawback is the presence of a terrestrial channel, which simply may not be available. The outgoing speed depends on what type this connection will be. It may not be high enough for some tasks - sending large files, communicating via video calls.

Symmetrical access

There is also symmetrical ("two-way") satellite Internet. Reviews from users about it are the most positive. As part of it, the communication kit is equipped not onlyreceiving antenna, but also a device (subscriber station) capable of transmitting a signal to a satellite. It has all the same advantages as the asymmetric version, but it does not have the disadvantages associated with the second channel. True, the speed of outgoing traffic, as a rule, is lower than that of incoming traffic (the subscriber station is not always powerful enough), but it is enough to comfortably use the basic Internet services.

Among the more significant drawbacks is the very high price, several times higher than that of sets with asymmetric access. But there is also an indisputable advantage: you can access the Internet from virtually anywhere on the planet. Fans of round-the-world expeditions sometimes have no alternative but to connect satellite Internet with symmetrical access.

Satellite Internet Speed

As a rule, there are no standard speed indicators guaranteed by the satellite Internet provider - but the user has the right to expect "incoming" traffic at the level of 5-10 megabits / sec. One way or another, it all depends on the degree of congestion of the channel. At the same time, it is interesting that with a satellite connection, the download speed of different objects is “summed up”. For example, if a user simultaneously downloads 100 pictures, each of which has a volume of 1 MB, then he will spend the same amount of time as if he were downloading one "megabyte" picture. Unbelievable, but such is satellite Internet. Provider tariffs, by the way, do not take into account this feature and are always charged upon the fact of downloaded data. Howeverthis interesting property also depends on the capacity of the ground line, since the satellite will require a response from the computer for each of the received pictures: if this does not follow, then the image will not be transmitted. If the equipment supports two-way access, then the speed of satellite Internet on the outgoing channel, as a rule, is comparable to the indicated figures and can reach values of 8 megabits / sec.

Market overview in Russia

Experts note that asymmetric Internet access via satellite has not received proper distribution in Russia. There are a number of reasons for this: firstly, the providers lack the necessary technological infrastructure, secondly, the complexity of connecting devices, and thirdly, the underdevelopment of that same second communication channel across the country. At the same time, the market for two-way satellite access is growing very actively in Russia (although its figures, in comparison with those of the wired Internet, are still small).

There are forecasts that by the end of 2016 the number of Russian users will grow to 35 thousand people. In many ways, this trend is associated with cheaper equipment that requires satellite Internet. Feedback from consumers of this service allows many market experts to be optimistic about the development of the segment. Leading providers of this technology see owners of private homes in suburban communities as their main target audience.

How is "satellite" better than "cable"?

About the benefits of geographic coverage, we have alreadysaid. We only note that, according to a number of experts, in many Russian regions, including those located in the European part of the country, there are problems with competing solutions - 3G, fiber.

The most important advantage of satellite communications is the cheaper infrastructure that may be needed to distribute channel resources to other users. Satellite Internet is able to "diversify" access to the World Wide Web, and this property is indispensable, first of all, for businesses. Including those who work in cities: it often happens that the provider refuses to work, and the ability to receive or send the most important documents on time can be much more important than the cost of installing satellite equipment.

And the worse, respectively

Firstly, purely physically, the antenna only works when it "looks" at the satellite. If, say, the user's office or home is located on the wall opposite the "flight" of the satellite, then communication cannot be established. Secondly, when exchanging data with the participation of a satellite, there is usually a rather large “ping” (signal delay between sending and receiving). This property can bring discomfort, for example, when making audio and video calls, as well as when using entertainment services, for which many people go online: a network of game “polygons” for fans of multiplayer action games can, for example, freeze with a long response. Thirdly, the IP address of the user who "caught" the satellite does not always correspond to the country andthe city where the connection is established. This may prevent you from working with Internet services that require precise geolocation (for example, search engines, social networks). Fourthly, many experts speak unflatteringly about security - it is not always high when satellite Internet is used. Feedback from experts indicates potential vulnerabilities in terms of intercepting traffic from satellites.

Innovative look

Systems for accessing the World Wide Web via satellites, as mentioned above, are constantly getting cheaper and improved. Several years ago, Russian providers set themselves the task of creating satellite Internet, the tariffs for which would be comparable to those offered by "wire" operators. The government has allocated several billion rubles for these purposes. These funds were used to create projects of innovative communication satellites (in total, four of them are planned to be introduced). It is also assumed that the infrastructure on the ground, which will include a control center and several communication stations with satellites.

The project will be managed by the largest state-owned telecommunications companies. With the help of cheap satellite equipment, the government hopes to create a "people's Internet" accessible throughout Russia. The client audience of such a service is estimated at 2 million subscribers. People, according to experts, need satellite Internet, the prices of which will be below current market rates.