Connect wherever you are with satellite internet
Big internet isn’t just for the big cities. Whether you live in a remote area, a small town, or an internet desert, you deserve an internet connection you can count on. With EarthLink Satellite Internet, you’ll get the most reliable connection, faster speeds than DSL, and customer service that won’t let you down.
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Internet service that’s out of this world
The world’s been a lot bigger ever since the internet came along. Not only can you connect with people around the world, but you can also learn, work, and play from your home with a reliable internet connection.
If you live in a rural or less-populated area, you might think spotty internet service or slow speeds are just part of the deal of small-town living. Maybe that was the case 20 years ago, but times have changed and so has the internet.
EarthLink Satellite Internet is one of your best – and maybe your most reliable – internet service choices. Popular internet options such as cable, fiber, and even fixed wireless internet may not be available in your neck of the woods. But our satellite internet option, powered by Viasat, can connect you with the rest of the world – especially if you live in hard-to-reach places.
Here's the dish on satellite internet
We know getting a reliable internet connection has been an uphill battle for you. Some internet service providers may have even described your home as “unserviceable” – meaning they can’t offer you any form of internet. But a satellite internet plan can put you back on the map.
Thanks to its wide availability, satellite internet has been the choice for rural home internet for years. Satellite internet speed is faster and more widely available than DSL, which connects to the internet via phone lines and is notoriously slow and unreliable.
Satellite internet works off a satellite dish installed on or near your home, which receives and sends a signal from a satellite orbiting the Earth. With an unobstructed view of the sky, you’ll be ready to get back to surfing the web. Keep in mind: this can also make your connection susceptible to the weather in your area.
It’s not uncommon to lose internet connection or experience slower speeds during thunderstorms, rain or heavy overcast. More than likely, you’ll need to wait out storms and strong winds till you can get back online. This technology requires professional installation, so startup costs should be expected. Most contracts with satellite internet will require longer contracts than other wired and cable internet options.
How Does Satellite Internet Work?
While most wired internet services such as fiber and cable run off cables buried in the ground, satellite internet functions thanks to signals in the air from your home to a satellite dish in the Earth’s atmosphere to a satellite internet provider.
Ever wonder how the internet works? Whenever you visit a web page, the information on your screen isn’t coming from your own computer — it’s being stored on a server in another location. Thanks to a handy dandy internet connection, you’re able to access that information.
Instead of receiving and sending signals via cables in the ground to access that webpage, your device sends the request through your dish at home, to the satellite dish in the sky, to the provider’s hub dish. The hub dish then sends the signal to the server on the ground through a wired connection. Then the entire sequence reverses until the data finally displays on your computer screen. This whole process takes less than a second.
The biggest myths of satellite internet
Myth 1: I have to move to get fast, reliable internet.
Believe it or not, you don't have to live in a major city or populated suburb to get a decent internet connection anymore. Sure, those areas might have better access to faster forms of internet such as fiber and wired internet. But with satellite internet, you can get connected at speeds up to 100 Mbps.
Myth 2: If I don't have cell service at my home, I can't get internet.
Living in rural and remote areas means you've probably experienced spotty cell service. "You’re breaking up," might be a common phrase you've heard. This means internet services like fixed wireless internet, which operate based on cell phone tower signals, might not be the best choice for you. While fixed wireless internet is a great rural alternative, if you already struggle with cell service, satellite internet is a better option for you.
Myth 3: I can get by using a mobile hotspot.
Mobile hotspots are great for traveling or a backup for when your internet service is down, but it's not a reliable solution for performing regular tasks on the web. Not only are hotspots not recommended for long-term use, but they typically come with hefty fees from your mobile carrier. Your current phone and plan might not even come with a mobile hotspot. Satellite internet, on the other hand, is reliable for everyday use and tasks such as surfing, checking email, working, and connecting with others online.
Myth 4: Satellite internet is too expensive.
It's true, home satellite internet requires equipment and professional installation, which means startup costs can be more expensive than other forms of internet. But did you know that equipment can be leased or purchased? That's right, you have an option to lease or buy your satellite internet equipment, which offers you (and your wallet), more flexibility.
Our internet experts can quickly bust any myths and answer questions about satellite internet. Call to see if satellite is right for you.
Frequently Asked Question
Who has the best satellite internet?
Not only do we think EarthLink has the top satellite internet service, but we also believe we have the most reliable satellite internet service. EarthLink is the largest provider of rural internet in the continental United States, serviceable to 96% of the 48 states. That means, more likely than not, we’re available in your remote area where other internet service providers aren’t.
If you’re looking for a long-standing, trusted satellite internet service provider with award-winning customer service, EarthLink is here for you.
How fast is satellite internet? Does EarthLink offer the best satellite internet speeds?
With EarthLink Satellite Internet, you’ll receive speeds up to 100 Mbps, a significant jump from DSL and comparable to many cable internet plans. It’s enough speed to power you through all your connection needs. At 100 Mbps, you can use up to 5 smart devices at a time.
While satellite internet speeds can be fast, you’ll need to take the lag, or ping, time into consideration. Because the data you’re sending and receiving must be routed through three dishes (from the dish where the internet signal originates to the dish in the Earth’s atmosphere to the dish at your home) the lag time is higher than with wired internet, or even wireless home internet. Generally, it’s only about a half-second delay, which is primarily noticeable in fast-paced, online multiplayer games.
How much does it cost to get satellite internet?
While satellite internet does come with some initial startup costs, many internet services nowadays do. For instance, even fiber, the fastest internet service available on the market, requires professional installation and equipment.
Luckily, the price of EarthLink Satellite Internet helps balance out those initial startup costs. Not only that, but with EarthLink you can choose to either lease your equipment or buy it outright, giving you more flexibility with your budget. Once your dish is installed, you won’t be required to pay for updated equipment in the future, so you can run off the same technology for years without any additional cost.
Does satellite internet have data caps?
Sure, unlimited data is great when you have fiber internet, but most satellite internet plans include data limits. Remember cell phone plans in the early 2000s? There was a limit to how much data you could use. Similarly, satellite data plans require a limit to how much you can use each month.
Every time you use the internet, download files, stream, post a picture to social media, etc., you’re using data. Activities such as gaming and streaming are the biggest contributors to data usage and are not recommended for satellite internet or other internet services with data caps.
It’s important to keep in mind how much data you’re using each month to ensure you’re staying within the limits in your plan, so you won’t incur hefty fees. At EarthLink, you can select a data plan that works for your budget and internet habits, ranging from 15 GB to 300 GB per month. You’ll be able to easily check your data usage with the EarthLink app, so you’re never surprised.
Is satellite internet a good option for me?
It’s good to explore your options on which is the best internet for you. The quickest way to find out which internet you should choose is to find out what’s serviceable in your area. Satellite internet might not be the best option for you if fiber is available at your home.
Luckily, EarthLink can help you check what’s available in your neck of the woods. Simply type in your address in the bar at the top of the screen, and we’ll let you know which plans are available at your location. Our Internet Experts would be happy to go over your options with you, hear what you use the internet for the most, and help you determine which plan is right for your location, internet habits, and budget.
If EarthLink isn’t servicing in your community, we’ll still help you find internet providers in your area that will get you connected.
Ready to get back in the loop with satellite internet?
With EarthLink, we're all about getting you connected to what matters most – no matter where you call home. Call our internet experts today and let's get you synced up with the rest of the world again.
