How fast is satellite internet?

For years, satellite internet got a bad rap. It was thought of as slow and expensive. Yes, it’s true that satellite internet costs more. But costs keep coming down as service levels go up. Anyway, that’s a topic for another article. This one’s about speed.

The answer is, “it depends.”

There are a bunch of options for satellite internet, depending on where you are and what your needs are. There are several different national providers and each one has different plans. Luckily, the folks at Signal Connect can help you with all of them.

Home-based satellite internet

For the most part, you can get 25Mbps from a home-based system. I’m talking about folks who just don’t have other options for internet. If you live on a ranch or in another rural setting, you just may not have a choice for internet. Even cell signals only reach about 1.5 miles from the cell tower, and that may not be enough to get internet to you where you need it.

Satellite internet systems for rural areas tend to top out at 25Mbps. That may not seem like a lot when other providers promise you a lot more. But, it’s fast enough to stream HD video on 2-3 devices at once, stream 4K video on one device, and it’s fast enough for as much online shopping as you can do on multiple devices.

Internet service providers often claim really high speeds that they can’t back up. Those speeds only happen in the middle of the night when no one else is using it. That’s not the case with satellite internet. Generally the speed you pay for and the speed you get are a lot more similar.

Marine/offshore satellite internet

Offshore satellite internet is a little bit different. It takes special equipment, of course. Self-aiming dishes take the worry out of staying connected. However, the plans you can get are a little different from those you get on shore.

In general, you can get speeds up to 6Mbps from marine satellite internet. That may seem a little slow, and I hear you. But it’s enough for one person to stream HD at a time. It’s enough for half a dozen people to do their online shopping. That’s not bad for being 50 miles off shore in choppy waters, don’t you think?

How can you know what’s available for you?

Your research is only going to take you so far. You’re going to want an expert in your corner. That’s why you need the team at Signal Connect. No one has more experience with marine satellite technologies. When you connect up with us, you’ll get a technician who knows how to speak your language. It all starts with a call to 888-233-7563. We’ll get the ball rolling. You’ll get someone on the other line who can explain all the options and help you choose the one that’s right for you. All this consultation comes at no charge, of course, and once you’re connected with one of our experts, you can call them back whenever you like. Try us out! If it’s after East Coast business hours or you’d just rather be contacted via e-mail, fill out the form below.

About the Author

Stuart Sweet
Stuart Sweet is the editor-in-chief of The Solid Signal Blog and a "master plumber" at Signal Group, LLC. He is the author of over 10,000 articles and longform tutorials including many posted here. Reach him by clicking on "Contact the Editor" at the bottom of this page.