Internet is a necessity without any doubt. You cannot afford to live a moment without the internet except for sleeping. As soon as the day starts, our first task is to check notifications whether it be in the form of WhatsApp, Skype, mail, or social media.
As soon as the day proceeds, it is used in various ways from transferring funds to another bank account to sending reports to your client and streaming HD Netflix original series to gaming. Undoubtedly, the best way to keep yourself engaged in today’s era is to connect to the internet and start doing various things.
The internet has transitioned from dial-up to fiber optic. Few in between include cable internet, DSL, and satellite internet as well. All of them vary in speed and pricing. What most people ask about it is satellite internet faster than fiber optic. We will cover this topic in detail and let you know which one is faster. Without further ado, let’s get started.
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Fiber Optic VS Satellite Internet
The Internet is all about the transmission of signals. The faster it passes, the more the speed. If you compare different types of internet connections, you will find a huge difference in speeds. The reason is that the amount of data transfer and the time it takes usually defines the speed of the internet. If you were using satellite internet with high bandwidth, there would be some sort of delay.
The only benefit of using satellite internet is its flexibility of location. You don’t have to dig the ground to connect to the internet. In another case, 4G and 5g networks can be an easy solution to surf the internet.
Satellites are just 22,000 miles in the sky, which means there would be a delay in signals reaching from your system to the satellite and getting back
But when it comes to fiber, it is the best internet with faster speed. The reason is that the fiber optics cable is very thin and lightweight, which allows data transmission at faster rates. Even if the weather is wet outside, you will never find any disconnection or slower speed.
Coverage Areas
Fiber internet providers are available in limited areas. You might need to look for your area if you want to get a fiber connection. The reason is that fiber internet requires proper infrastructure to provide internet service. In other words, it requires a stale reception and transmission point.
However, when it comes to satellite internet, it is quite the opposite of fiber internet. The mobility factor in terms of satellite internet and coverage area is greater. The scenario is ideal for shipping lines and mobile types of operations. Moreover, satellite internet is available in rural areas mostly where the transmission lines and infrastructure is not properly developed. In terms of coverage area, satellite wins.
Reliability
The earthly nature of the services from fiber internet means they can be damaged due to abnormal conditions. For instance, cables can be damaged by environmental issues like earthquakes, rains, and floods. Satellite internet on the other hand covers a greater area of the globe, which creates built-in options to redirect traffic for persistent service, even when there is any kind of failure in satellite.
Cost
The cost of fiber internet is quite high as compared to satellite internet such as HughesNet Satellite Internet. However, the cost also depends on the area where you are living. In the case of a remote area, the cost of the internet would be much higher than in urban areas.
The cost of satellite internet on the other hand is dependent on location. It will be installation and equipment costs. It can be inferred that fiber internet is more expensive than satellite internet. You can experience greater speed when it comes to fiber internet as compared to satellite internet due to the rate and time of transmitting signals.
Here’s a list of some of the best satellite and fiber internet you can opt for. Check the speeds to get an idea.
| Provider | Speed | Type |
| Viasat | 12Mbps to 100Mbps | Satellite |
| HughesNet | 25Mbps | Satellite |
| AT&T Fiber | 300Mbps to 940Mbps | Fiber |
| Google Fiber | 1000Mbps to 2000 Mbps | Fiber |
| CenturyLink | 940Mbps | Fiber |
| Frontier | 50Mbps to 940Mbps | Fiber |
| Verizon Fios | 200Mbps to 940Mbps | Fiber |
Summing Up
When it comes to the availability of internet, satellite internet is available in greater areas than fiber internet. However, if you are living in a rural area, you can only rely on satellite internet as most of the fiber optics providers are not available in those areas. But in terms of speed, you cannot ignore the fact that fiber internet is much more reliable.
