Satellite internet might be your preferred choice if you also bundle your services with television, or it might be the only option if you live in a remote area. Before you choose a provider, there are several considerations to make the most out of your experience.

Have A Backup Plan

In remote areas where dial-up internet is still an option, satellite internet can provide you with a high-speed choice when cable, DSL, and fiber optics are not available. However, a well-known problem with satellite internet is the possibility for it to be affected by weather. It is important to have a backup plan during bad weather, especially if you rely on your internet for more than entertainment. The best backup plan you can have is purchasing a data plan through a mobile provider. For a more cost-effective option, choose a pre-paid mobile plan where you are not tied to monthly payments and can simply rollover any unused data so it does not expire. When you are able to "bank" unused mobile data, you can easily add data as your budget allows and so will be less concerned with simply using data unnecessarily to prevent it from expiring.

Go With Unlimited Service

If it is within your budget and your service provider has the option, it is generally better to go with unlimited satellite internet. This can help you avoid paying fees for going over your data limit, which can easily result in unexpectedly high charges. Make sure you read the fine print, even if you select an unlimited data plan. Just because your plan is unlimited does not mean there are not changes to your service once you reach a certain threshold. For example, your usage may be "throttled" once you exceed a certain amount of data. This means you will encounter slower upload and download speeds after reaching the specified threshold. Although you will continue to have access to data, you will likely run into problems with anything that requires higher speeds, such as gaming, steaming, or uploading video content.

Another limitation that might occur once you reach your threshold is data deprioritization. This will cause slower speeds when there is high amounts of activity on the network. Naturally, many people using the same network at the same time will cause slower speeds, but deprioritization is different because the internet service provider will purposefully limit certain accounts that have gone over the threshold until the network becomes less congested. Although throttling and deprioritization sound the same, they are not. If your internet is throttled once you exceed a certain data threshold, it will remain slow until your next billing cycle. When your internet usage is deprioritized, you will experience intermittent slowing of your internet during peak usage times, with people who have not reached their data threshold taking priority during this time.

Know Your Usage

If unlimited satellite internet is not within your budget or is not available, you will need to have a good idea about your usage before you select a plan. Remember, if you sign any service agreement, you may not be able to change your plan without paying termination charges, so choose wisely. Typically, if you previously had another form of internet, you may be able to see the amount of data you typically use to get a general idea of what fits your household. Although this is helpful, you will need to allocate extra data for other activities that you may have avoided with slower internet.

Naturally, as your internet speeds increase, you will likely do more online without thinking about it, such as watching more videos than normal. If you have data limits, it is also important to get into a habit of shutting off devices when they are not in use. When you are not actively using your computer or a mobile device, turn off the WiFi just to be sure the device is not using precious data unnecessarily. Changing certain settings on your computer or mobile device so it does not update automatically can also prevent wasting data and going over your limit.

Satellite internet can be an invaluable resource for people who would otherwise not have access to high-speed data. Before you sign any contract, make sure the option you choose meets your needs and do what you can to avoid wasting data. Contact satellite internet providers in your area to learn more.

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