Tired of the slow Wi-Fi speeds offered by mainstream internet service providers?
Well, there are some “better” alternatives that homes can try that are up to four times faster than “regular” internet.
Satellite broadband is a promising alternative to getting internet at home, especially if you’re disappointed with mainstream providers.
“We expect it to become the preferred option for people living in rural areas in the coming years, as it does not rely on a network of cables running into each home,” USwitch explains.
“Just like satellite TV, it is transmitted from a communications satellite in space all the way to a satellite dish installed on your property.
“Then it connects to your Wi-Fi router just like regular broadband.”
Mainstream providers are looking to roll out full-fiber internet across the UK by the end of the decade, but many rural households still feel left out.
In some of these locations, full fiber can be difficult and expensive to install, Uswitch said, and in those locations “satellite broadband could be helpful.”
Satellite Internet allows homes to transmit Wi-Fi from low Earth orbit directly to a personal satellite dish.
Villagers, fed up with the slow speeds of traditional broadband providers, are already flocking to Mr. Musk’s satellite internet service.
“A small number of UK homes already use some form of satellite broadband, but new upgrades to this technology are set to make satellite internet a much faster and more reliable option than before.” USwitch added.
“Companies such as SpaceX and Eutelsat OneWeb, in particular, are leading the way with satellites capable of delivering internet speeds of up to 300Mbps.
“This is much faster than the average speed in the UK, which is currently 69Mbps.
“To put this into perspective, with satellite broadband you can download a two-hour HD movie in about four and a half minutes, compared to about 17 minutes at 69Mbps speed.”
There are many satellite internet providers, but only Starlink and OneWeb can offer speeds of 10Mbps or higher, according to Uswitch.
This is because Starlink and OneWeb technology are much newer and faster than previous satellite broadband providers.
star link
Starlink will be accessible in the UK from 2021, with coverage extending to most of Scotland except for the northernmost tip.
In mid-January, it was reported that BT planned to work with Elon Musk’s Starlink to tackle rural areas with poor broadband connectivity.
The telecommunications giant, which owns EE, is reportedly testing Starlink satellite connectivity equipment at Ipswitch’s Adastral Park research center.
Musk’s company operates a network of about 5,300 satellites and plans to add about 7,500 more by the end of 2027, a feat that has puzzled many scientists and astronomers. .
What does Starlink offer?
Hundreds of tests carried out by ThinkBroadband in Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland and England between March 2022 and August 2022 revealed:
- Average download speed: 106.1Mbps
- Average upload speed: 9.72Mbps
The maximum speed during this period reached 293Mbps download and 33Mbps upload, and the lowest recorded speed was 2.5Mbps download and 1.2Mbps upload.
Starlink offers a variety of packages for home, business, and on-the-go broadband.
There are also hardware rental services similar to Sky.
The best package for families costs £75 per month.
one web
OneWeb is a British subsidiary of French satellite operator Eutelsat, based in Paris.
The company emerged as the UK’s leading satellite broadband provider in the 2010s and has long been considered one of the UK’s ‘tech companies’.
However, after collapsing in early 2020, it had to resume operations as part of Eutelsat.
To date, it has launched approximately 634 satellites into low Earth orbit, providing internet access to 37 countries.
What does OneWeb offer?
OneWeb currently partners with other companies providing satellite broadband including BT, Brdy, Clarus Networks, AST and Airbus.
Each company offers its own price.
However, Brdy offers a satellite internet package for £29.90 per month.
- Average download speed: 25-150Mbps
- Average upload speed: 6Mbps
If you don’t like these, here is a list of other satellite internet companies to consider.
- freedomsat
- Lillia Link
- Viasat