In recent years, organizations have increasingly come across the need to select between Satellite vs Fiber optic Internet. They are two very different options but with certain decisive advantages and disadvantages to opting for one or the other depending on the needs.

And what makes them different? Why choose one or the other? We are going to see all this below to clear up doubts and discover which Internet is better.

Differences between satellite Internet and fiber optic

To see the differences between satellite Internet and fiber optics, we first have to know what each is.

Fiber optic Internet

The fiber optic Internet connection is the main one offered by telephone and internet operators throughout the country. Its operation is based on the sending of pulses of light through a fiber optic cable that, in general, tends to be quite delicate (especially the one that circulates inside homes).

It is the fastest option available today when it comes to talking about internet connections, in fact, you can already see rates that reach and even exceed 1,000 Mbps of broadband both up and down. That, in satellite internet, is directly unthinkable unless you pay a fortune.

What is this about? The material from which the cable that carries all the information is made. Optical fiber is a dielectric material that facilitates the movement of light impulses. The speed of light is greater than that of the electrical signal, and this is precisely what makes it offer such fast connections compared to the old copper installations.

It is spreading to all cities and towns in the country and this, among other things, is allowing more and more homes to have a high-speed internet connection in exchange for lower prices. Your problem? That you can't get everywhere, as you need to have telephone facilities and hook up to nearby fiber optic cabling.

Satellite Internet

When you have to do an internet installation in a rural environment, for example, the answer to the question of whether to choose satellite or fiber optic internet is simple: satellite, always.

In this case, the Internet connection is made thanks to the signal that is received from a satellite through an antenna. In this way, we already have one of the main and most important differences between satellite internet and fiber optics. By satellite, there are no location problems connecting.

In addition to the fact that the installation is very different since here you have to place a receiving antenna that goes to a signal transformer connected in turn to a router, the speeds are also different.

Speed ​​is another big difference between satellite internet and fiber optics. While it is true that the satellite connection can offer faster speeds than the old ADSL connections, it cannot match the speed provided by fiber optics. It gains ground, but it is not at the same level.

It is also true that the ping, the response speed of the connection, is usually high because there is a greater delay due to the satellite signal and the distance at which it is located. Likewise, the options of operators in this sense are less varied and generally more expensive.

This already begins to answer the question of what is better, satellite internet or fiber optics, but we are going to delve more into this below.

What is better satellite Internet or fiber optic?

Having seen all this, now it is time to answer the big question: which internet is better, fiber optic or satellite? We have already seen each option and gone over each difference between satellite internet and relevant fiber optics.

However, the answer may surprise you. In the end, the best option is the one that best suits your needs. At the level of speed, there is a clear winner, but at the level of range and places to connect from, there is another winning option.

In case you need an Internet connection in a fixed place, and generally urban, the option is clear: you have to opt for fiber optics. So you can enjoy a much more stable and faster connection. In addition, the prices are usually quite good when contracting any fiber rate.

If, on the other hand, you need to connect to the Internet from different parts or in a rural environment, the most recommended option is Internet via satellite. In fact, it's the only one that's really going to work with almost 100% reliability. It may be slower than fiber, but you won't have coverage problems.

As we said before, it is very difficult to give a single answer, there is no clear winner between satellite Internet vs. fiber optics. If your decision depends on speed, fiber is the way; If you depend on coverage and availability, even in the most isolated places, satellite is your option.

At Voiped Telecom, we can personally advise you on the best connection for your company. Get in touch with us without any commitment.

Dec 07, 2022