| It used to be that people located in rural and | | | | service that is faster than dial up and gives them |
| remote locations had no choice in how they | | | | all of the benefits of a DSL or cable connection. |
| accessed the Internet. They had to go with | | | | Rural Internet users can now surf the web and |
| dial-up because that was the only option available | | | | talk on the phone at the same time, download |
| to them. Cable companies and DSL providers did | | | | music and photos and watch streaming video at |
| not wire these areas and did not see them as a | | | | fast, reliable speeds. Gone are the days of |
| valuable investment. So rural Internet users had | | | | dropped signals and waiting forever for a |
| to rely on dial-up, which is notoriously slow and | | | | download to take place. Satellite Internet offers |
| unreliable, not to mention that it ties up a phone | | | | users the full advantages of a high-speed |
| line or requires an additional phone line if a user | | | | connection. Many people can get high speed |
| wants to use the Internet and have a phone line | | | | Internet from their satellite television provider, |
| free for conversations. | | | | who can make it part of their overall service |
| Well, rural and remote users do have an option | | | | package. This makes it convenient for users |
| now for high speed Internet service, one that is | | | | because they are dealing with one vendor, one bill |
| reliable, fast and possibly familiar - satellite | | | | and know the quality of service they will be |
| Internet. This has become a burgeoning niche | | | | getting. |
| business over the past few years, giving high | | | | There are also providers who exclusively offer |
| speed access to rural and remote users at a | | | | satellite Internet service. They are experts in the |
| competitive price with the same benefits of DSL | | | | field and know the rural and remote market well. |
| and cable. Rural Internet users may be somewhat | | | | More and more providers are going into business, |
| familiar with satellite dishes. For them, it was the | | | | and this is giving rural users a choice in providers. |
| only option to get premium television | | | | This choice has made satellite Internet more |
| programming, as cable did not service these | | | | competitive in terms of price and packages and is |
| areas. The satellite dish became a familiar site in | | | | giving the consumer more options. Just as people |
| rural and remote areas and it is becoming more | | | | who dwell in big cities or suburban areas have a |
| common for a smaller dish to be seen on many | | | | choice when it comes to their Internet provider, |
| homes in these areas. | | | | so do rural and remote users. This choice allows |
| Satellite Internet works through a satellite dish | | | | them to shop around for the best deal and the |
| mounted on the house or a nearby location. It | | | | best level of service that is appropriate for them. |
| comes with equipment similar to satellite television, | | | | As satellite Internet becomes more popular and |
| with a smaller, separate dish. This dish provides | | | | competitive, rural users are getting a good |
| the two-way communication that is necessary for | | | | economic advantage as well as a technological |
| sending and receiving data, emails, and files, | | | | advantage. Their options are likely to increase in |
| whereas the satellite TV dish is just a one-way | | | | the coming years, as providers continue to tap |
| receiving dish. Through a simple network of cabling | | | | into this underserved market and increase their |
| and a special modem, rural users get Internet | | | | offerings to rural and remote customers. |