As one of the largest ISPs, Earthlink offers a wide range of internet solutions and services to its customers within the United States of America. It provides internet connection services through DSL, cable, and fiber optic services. However, one thing people would like to know more about is whether Earthlink's internet is satellite-based. In a nutshell, the answer to this question is negative – Earthlink does not offer satellite internet connectivity.
What is Satellite Internet?
Satellite internet can be defined as a system of sending information through space satellites that encircle the Earth. A dish put in the customer’s premises points upwards towards a satellite owned by the internet service provider. Internet access is provided through the signal that transmits from the satellite dish to the satellite and then back.
Satellite internet can go where cable and DSL cannot, some places have not yet had their infrastructure wired. Nevertheless, it commonly offers higher latency, limited data usage, and adverse weather conditions as compared to wired connections.
Why Selecting Earthlink Internet Instead of Satellite?
DSL, cable, and fiber Internet are the main service offerings of Earthlink and not satellite Internet. Here are some key reasons why Earthlink does not offer satellite internet.
1. Limited Availability
Satellite internet is only accessible to some of the rural and remote areas that are not covered by wired broadband connections. Earthlink on the other hand has its strategic objective of offering Internet connection to a large number of suburban and urban dwellers.
2. Slower Speeds
Satellite internet has characteristics of high latency and vulnerability to weather conditions since the signals need to go up and down to space. This decreases the maximum distance that a satellite can travel in comparison to fiber, cable, and DSL that are offered by Earthlink.
3. Data Caps
Almost every satellite internet service provider offers a fixed amount of monthly data usage which is pretty low. Unlike typical satellites, Earthlink’s wired connections don’t come with limiting data allowance restrictions.
4. Requires Satellite Dish Installation
The customers have to install the satellite internet and have to ensure that the satellite dish has an unobstructed view towards the south. The wired internet service that is offered by Earthlink does not call for equipment to be installed outside to establish a connection.
5. Lack of Other Services
Besides the internet connection, Earthlink also offers such services as home security, identity protection, and tech support. Satellite internet is solely concerned with the provision of internet connection only.
What Services Does Earthlink Offer In Regards To Internet Connection?
Instead of satellites, Earthlink stays grounded by offering the following types of internet services.
DSL Internet
Earthlink provides DSL Internet in numerous locations across the United States through its affiliations with local telephone communications organizations. These speeds for its DSL service can hit the range of 115Mbps download and 20Mbps upload.
Cable Internet
Earthlink also offers cable internet previously marketed as Windstream through its partnerships with cable service providers such as Spectrum and Xfinity. This offers download speeds as low as 50 Megabits per second.
Fiber Internet
For its high-speed internet known as fiber optic, Earthlink offers download speeds up to 1Gbps with fiber, mainly in the western states.
Dial-Up Internet
Although it was a visionary of the early Internet, Earthlink is still providing basic Internet access based on the analog modem connection in the USA for simple web surfing.
Why Choose Earthlink Internet?
I chose Earthlink as one of the options as it is one of the oldest internet providers based in the United States that provides wired internet connections. Deciding to go with Earthlink means steering clear of the shortcomings that come with satellites such as having limited data allowance, being vulnerable to the vagaries of weather, and the necessity of having to put up external antennas.
Speed, limitless DSL, cable, and fiber broadband services are already available for home connections in many states, yet Earthlink persists in offering strong Internet connections via well-established wired telephone networks instead of orbiting space probes.
Call (866) 240-0701 to get a new Earthlink connection now!
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