Understanding Bandwidth

Satellite Internet subscriptions are typically available in what is called "graduated bandwidth". If this term makes your head spin, don't worry. The concept is quite simple and understanding it can ensure that you get, and use, exactly what you pay for and no more.

Bandwidth is a means of measuring the speed of an Internet connection. In the past, dial-up connections were measured in speeds such as 33Kbps, which is mathematical shorthand for 33,000 bytes per second. Today's home connections are measured in speeds sometimes as high as 10Mbps, 10,000,000 bytes per second, nearly an order of magnitude higher. Broadband is generally considered to be a speed of 128Kbps or higher.

If you're a casual Internet surfer, using the service mainly for low-bandwidth applications such as email and light surfing, you'll likely find the lower bandwidth options entirely serviceable for your needs. Satellite's flexibility in this regard is great for the light Internet user: One still gets great speed but isn't required to overpay for very high bandwidth levels, as is typically the case with cable Internet.

For those who are really on the cutting edge, such as gamers and those who like watching movies on line, higher bandwidths are advisable. If you're not sure how much you use, you can simply start out low and increase your subscription level until you reach the amount of bandwidth that suits your needs. Satellite Internet is available at very high speeds, so most users will find themselves somewhere in the middle range of bandwidth levels. All but the most demanding users, or those who have many computers in their home, will be able to get more than adequate service without "maxing out" their bandwidth options.

Upload and download speeds function at different rates. This is because home subscriptions are different from the types of subscriptions purchased by businesses which oftentimes have their own servers. Most home users will never have a need for a great amount of upload speed. Even online games are designed to demand more download bandwidth than upload bandwidth, so don't assume that you need very high upload capacity to start. Unless you operate a server from your home, this shouldn't be an issue.

With satellite Internet, your upload and download needs may be accommodated by different modems. To eliminate latency issues, many satellite providers use a phone line modem for outgoing requests. Because outgoing requests are generally very small in terms of data, this does not have a negative effect on the overall speed of the connection. Whenever you visit a page or save a file, you're downloading, not uploading, and will be doing so at the speed for which you subscribed.

Take some time to analyze your Internet usage and to figure out how much bandwidth you're likely to need. This choice in levels of service is one of the great benefits of satellite broadband and it makes sense for consumers to take advantage of it. Your provider can likely provide assistance in this endeavor.

By: Emily Hayes

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As America's leading satellite internet service provider, Hughes Net delivers broadband speeds up to 50x faster than dial-up. Service is available anywhere in the contiguous U.S., and with lease options and free standard installation, getting started with Hughes Net internet is easy and affordable.