Satellite Internet and mobile Internet have become popular as rural Internet service providers because they can reach highly remote areas with high-quality Internet service. Since rural residents do not have access to fiber optic Internet and most of the other high-performance broadband Internet services, these two options may be their best bet for getting high-speed Internet for rural areas.
If you live in rural America and are interested in one of these two services, you may be wondering how to make a decision between the two. To understand which of these services is a better fit for you, you should consider your needs and their capabilities.
Both are capable of reaching highly remote locations, but satellite Internet tends to have a farther reach because it uses satellites in orbit around the planet to transmit Internet signals to users. However, this impressive feat also causes one of satellite Internet’s biggest weaknesses. Even the best satellite Internet service providers suffer from high levels of latency because Internet signals from satellites have to travel large distances, resulting in delays between the transmission and reception of signals.
In contrast, mobile Internet providers like UbiFi provide Internet service with higher speeds and lower latency than satellite Internet providers. This is because UbiFi and its fellow mobile Internet companies use cell towers strewn throughout rural America to provide Internet signals instead of satellites miles above the Earth’s surface. While this results in better service, the downside is that you have to be in UbiFi or your other chosen mobile Internet provider’s coverage area to experience the best service.
Once you have considered the pros and cons, you can make an informed decision based on your needs, budget, and geographical location.