Cable vs Satellite Internet: Which Will Be The Victor?

The broadband wars continue to prevail with several contenders spearheading toward being the sole victor. You must have heard of how fiber-optic outweighs the rest, in terms of speed and performance, but there are instances when fiber broadband dwindles away as well.

So, what about the close-knit neighborhoods and hamlets where fiber-optic falls flat to reach? The denizens have satellite broadband to resort to. Therefore, if we are talking about internet options for rural areas, there are fixed-line based internet services available, out of which cable broadband is relatively popular than DSL internet.

With two broadband options (cable & satellite) aligned side-by-side, we chose to jot down this brief comparison report for those seeking the ideal connection type.

Satellite Internet

Availability-wise, satellite internet outperforms the rest. There’s barely an internet service provider that confers nationwide broadband internet but HughesNet, a satellite ISP, does so. Subscribers get a fixed-speed rate of 25 Mbps, no matter what plan-tier they choose.

But nationwide availability comes with its cons, as well. On a stormy or windy day, the signals emitted from a satellite orbit are easily hindered. In turn, the signal strength is weakened. The two more visible cons are lower data caps and higher latency levels. Wireless connectivity for online gaming isn’t widely recommended either. Without direct wired connectivity, it becomes taxing to control high ping and latency levels.

Therefore, satellite broadband is the go-to option for those who aren’t serviced by cable broadband in their relevant regions.

Cable Internet

Cable broadband is a concoction of high-speed internet, widespread availability, and affordable pricing plans. Subscribers can choose to bundle up internet, cable TV and phone service plans into a single bundle. As for internet providers, Spectrum cable Cleveland services 44 U.S. states and bestows cable connectivity to a whopping 102.7 million people. Other varied internet providers include Cox and Xfinity by Comcast.

How fast can cable broadband get? To your surprise, cable providers also grant up to 2 Gbps speeds in select areas nationwide. Now that’s not a meager figure. That only brings cable internet on par with fiber-optic with its near-gig speeds. So, if high-speeds are the concern and you have the option of both cable and satellite internet, the wiser decision is to opt for cable.

Data Caps

Data caps can be daunting. It’s quite common for internet providers to cap internet speeds for every monthly plan you subscribe to. But for satellite internet, the data cap limit is relatively lower than both cable and fiber broadband.

Just take the example of HughesNet and how the provider with a fixed internet speed rate of 25 Mbps caps a data limit ascending 50 GB/mo. But that’s not the case with some existing notable cable providers. Even after you exceed your cable internet data limit, the internet speed quality isn’t toned down.

Spectrum is one cable provider that follows the policy of inducing zero data caps, no matter what speed tier you choose. But the common data cap limit for cable broadband escalates to 1,000 GB. It’s sufficient enough for hardcore gamers, habitual streamers, and even standard browser surfers.

Pros & Cons – Consolidate Summary

Satellite

• Widespread availability
• Internet speeds faster than DSL
• High latency and unstable ping issues
• A low data cap limit
• Long-term contracts
• Expensive equipment costs

Cable

• Quick and easy installation
• More affordable
• High data cap rates
• Internet bundles with cable TV and home phone service
• Short-term contracts
• Low city-wide availability

To Conclude

Both internet types come with their own set of pros. But satellite internet is deemed as the prime preference for rural areas, while cable broadband is the best pick for both metros and suburbs alike. With cable, you aren’t limited to long-term contracts but satellite providers limit you to contracts that span for two years or so. If you have your internet needs streamlined already, you know which broadband type is the right one for you.