Establishing Rural Broadband Link Through Satellite Dishes

Those roof-mounted parabolic devices often seen in rural establishments and vacation houses are called satellite dishes. These devices establish a satellite broadband link by communicating with teleports and/or nodes in a  mesh network.The dish-like surface acts as the receiving antenna. It reflects radio waves into the feedhorn, which is the device found in the middle of the dish. The feedhorn facilitates the conversion of the radio waves into L-band to be processed by the satellite modem. The satellite modem is also responsible for converting electric signals into radio waves to be sent to the geosynchronous satellite. Satellite dishes are more  expensive than DSL and mobile modems. Although many satellite network providers also cater to household markets, the cost of initial set-up and professional installation fees are too prohibitive. However, satellite broadband still remains a good means for satellite backhaul operations in many regions. Ka band satellites are capable of delivering more affordable wireless link at good speed. The price of satellite broadband equipment is also getting lower as the demand for alternate backhaul and wireless connectivity increases worldwide. The quality and speed of satellite broadband vary depending on the networking technology and satellite carriers. Linkstar and iDirect are some of the most used satellite dish and modem technologies. These technologies are widely supported by various satellites communications companies.  When choosing the satellite dish or VSAT to use, the capacity, functionality and satellite broadband carrier should be considered to ensure that minimum speed and coverage requirements are met. Satellite networks operate in various topologies. Under mesh network topology, individual VSATs serve as a “node” which can relay and receive signals from other satellite terminals. Mesh networks minimize the use of central hubs when transmitting radio waves. Since each node can function as a backhaul and a hub, signal latency is minimized.On the other, a star topology mainly sends and receives signals from end-users via centralized hubs or teleports. Unlike the mesh network, the star topology only uses specified central hubs to establish uplink communications.Since establishing a satellite link requires continuous signal hopping from hubs to satellites and vice versa, signal latency can reach as much as 500 milliseconds. Radio band and transmitter power can also affect the performance of VSATs.VSAT is not the best wireless broadband solution, but it is highly regarded as the Internet of last resort. Industrial applications of VSATs support credit card transactions, real-time inventory management, supply chain analytics and critical offshore communications. The high precision antennas used in broadband VSATs have improved throughout the years. Satellite dishes are getting smaller but thoroughput and signal latency are improving, thus reducing the cost of ownership.Satellite broadband is a growing market. Rural areas are often too far from base stations or cell towers of mobile broadband carriers. With no existing terrestrial backhauls for sending and receiving signals, residents in these areas can turn to satellite services for their wireless broadband needs. A combination of star and mesh topologies can create a more reliable and closely linked satellite network.