Satellite Internet vs. Cable Internet

Satellite internet is a wireless internet service that transfers information over a network of satellites in Earth’s orbit instead of a wired underground network (like cable and fiber) or cell towers (like mobile wireless).

Satellite internet works by converting digital data into radio waves and bouncing those signals between your home satellite dish and your satellite internet provider’s network in Earth’s orbit, which converts it to electrical impulses and sends them into your Wi-Fi modem.

Satellite internet service has slightly more lag than other internet types, and you may need to watch your data use to keep your speeds up or your overage fees down. But as for the quality and speed of the service, satellite internet is an increasingly reliable high-speed internet option.

Just like other providers, satellite providers continually develop their technology and currently offer internet speeds as fast as 100 Mbps in select areas, with unlimited data, no overage fees, and bandwidth for multiple users.

Satellite internet is an especially good option for those living in rural areas because it brings modern speeds and functionality, such as Wi-Fi, to areas where dial-up and very slow DSL may be the only other options for internet access.

Cable internet is a home internet service that uses underground wired networks, made of both copper and fiberglass strands, to stream your Netflix shows and send your emails, photos, and videos to the right places.

Cable TV and internet networks run from the provider’s central station to neighborhood “nodes,” and from these nodes to individual homes.

In cities and towns where cable is already available, technicians just extend a line from the node to your home to install service. Easy.

But to set up service in a new town, cable providers have to invest millions in building a new central station and laying the main line to key neighborhoods in the area. If the provider can’t make that money back in subscriptions, they won’t build there.

If you live in a sparsely populated area, you may not be able to get cable internet service. To find out for sure, search online for “cable internet in [city, state]” and call the providers that come up in the results.

If you can’t get a cable connection—or just don’t feel like doing the search yourself—call DISH. As authorized partners of Viasat and Frontier internet, DISH specialists can search select internet offers in your area and place orders right on the same phone call.