Is Earthlink Satellite Internet?
Is Earthlink Satellite Internet?
Among the oldest and most reputable ISPs in the United States of America, Earthlink is somewhat well-known. Founded in 1994, Earthlink catered to dial-up Internet users—common during the advent of consumer Internet. These days, the firm provides DSL, fiber optic, and fixed wireless broadband among other kinds of Internet connection. Earthlink does not yet provide satellite internet, nevertheless.
What is Satellite Internet?
Satellite internet service is not like cable or DSL connections that operate in the same areas of the continent. Unlike phone lines, cable lines, or fiber optic cables, satellite internet employs satellites in space to offer an internet connection. A dish placed at the customer’s premise focuses on an ISP satellite situated in space above the Earth. Internet signals come from the satellite to the dish to give internet connectivity in areas that may not have physical structures such as towers.
Some key things to know about satellite internet.
- The speed can be slightly lower than cable and fiber optic due to technological barriers based on distance and physics. Satellite internet speed is usually between 25Mbps to 100Mbps.
- The latency may be somewhat elevated (around 600ms) as signals have to go to and from the satellites that are orbiting. This can lead to lag for activities like online gaming.
- This is due to data limits that are put in place to avoid congestion. Caps range between 10GB and 50GB per month commonly.
- Satellite is good in the countryside where there are no obstructions but the speed may be slow because of rain.
Major Satellite Internet Providers
Some of the major players in the satellite internet market in 2022 include.
- Viasat: With around 672,000 users, Viasat is among the biggest satellite internet providers available nationwide right now. Offer choices for bundles with 12Mbps to 100Mbps speed range.
- HughesNet: Established in 1979, HughesNet is a satellite internet service provider with over 1. 3 million users nationwide. They cover 25Mbps to 50Mbps.
- Starlink: October 2020 saw the debut of SpaceX's broadband service Starlink. Its low-earth orbit satellites count in thousands. Currently in beta, it offers 50Mbps to 200Mbps download speeds.
Does Earthlink offer satellite internet?
To answer the question, Earthlink does not offer satellite internet services at the moment. They deal with other internet delivery technologies that are a little more conventional such as DSL, cable, fiber optic, and fixed wireless.
According to Earthlink, one of its objectives is to offer fiber optic internet services to unserved and unserved areas. This means there is an effort to extend the provision of high-speed internet services outside the major cities that already have the physical infrastructure in place.
Yet, fiber optic networks have to be extended, and this process requires a lot of money and people’s efforts. Fiber optic internet may take another several years or even decades to extend its connection to very isolated dwellers. Wireline technology helps to overcome this access gap with availability almost anywhere in the continental US today through satellite technology.
However, although having a large national base, Earthlink has not ventured into satellite-delivered internet services. For rural users who do not have access to cable or DSL, internet via satellite from other providers is probably the best available right now. Despite this satellite technology advances with next-generation satellites such as SpaceX Starlink with low earth orbit constellation.
This would suggest that if Earthlink were to decide to enter the satellite internet market in the future due to the increasing demand for such services, customers would run to Earthlink because of their (reputation and historical background). However, as of 2022, those who want satellite internet will have to turn to such services as HughesNet or Viasat with their primary focus on satellite services.
Summary
Earthlink is among the Internet service providers that began with dial-up Internet services before moving to traditional broadband Internet. However, they have not yet expanded to include satellite internet services. Despite their ongoing growth in local markets with fiber optic networks, satellite internet is required to connect rural users with no infrastructure. So, if someone is to search “is Earthlink satellite internet”, the answer, at the moment, is no. Customers in rural areas who want to enjoy satellite speeds today will have to sign up with other large providers that are committed to satellite services other than Earthlink. Nonetheless, Earthlink’s future diversification into satellites is still possible as technology continues to grow.
