It is easy to wonder why with such great options like satellite and fiber, anyone would choose a wired internet connection or WiFi. While satellite is a good option for some, it isn’t the best choice for others and definitely has its downfalls. Satellite internet is exactly what it sounds like: an internet connection through the use of satellites orbiting Earth’s atmosphere. People located in rural areas that lack internet infrastructure benefit from satellite internet because it can actually reach the community they live in. This kind of connection is not recommended for people who have access to fiber, DSL, and cable as they are much higher quality options than satellite.

Since it is much easier and less costly to make and launch satellites for internet service, the overall hope that comes with this technology is to be able to supply an internet connection to the 40% of the world’s population that cannot receive access. There are geographical limitations to these satellite services even though they’re much more widely accessible than other connections. Unfortunately, in heavily wooded areas or places deep within canyons, satellite internet is not available for use. Some other disadvantages of satellite are it is much more expensive than all three other types of internet, has high latency, and comes with limits on data.

Fiber internet is also another popular internet service type that is popping up in more areas every day. The use of fiber optic cables to transmit data has been happening since the 80s when fiber optic cables were laid across the ground of the ocean, putting a connection between the United States and European countries. This kind of connection, just like cable and DSL, requires infrastructure, and if the proper infrastructure is not available in your area, you won’t be able to access it. Cable internet uses pre-existing cable and telephone lines in order to transmit a signal. DSL utilizes cell towers to create an access point that allows users to connect to the internet.

DSL might be the most popular option for internet access as it uses WiFi transmitted through modems and routers coming from towers. Cable is also popular due to the fact that it can help reduce lag time when it comes to internet gaming and can speed up downloading, among other things. People who have been using DSL and cable for some time might be hesitant to switch to a new type of connection. This is understandable, as you never want to give something up if the new thing isn’t going to be as good. When it comes to satellite, this may be true, but fiber internet is usually the best kind of internet you can get.

Fiber is fast. That is the main appeal of this type of connection, but there are plenty of other factors that make it even more alluring. Physical connections like cable and DSL require the infrastructure used to be operating at all times for a connection to be held. With fiber, the only way a connection will fail is if the cables are no longer intact. As long as the cables stay connected, a signal will always be held.

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