Is Satellite High Speed Internet Access Better Than A Mobile 4G Stick For High Speed Internet Access?

For those living in a rural or undeveloped area, high speed internet has only been possible with satellite high speed internet access. Either that or settle for slow dial-up. There is still no cable internet or DSL in many areas. But now there is another option if you want to have high speed internet. You can get a mobile 4G wireless stick. But which option is better?

It might seem that a mobile plan using a 4G network has satellite internet clearly beat. After all, when you have a mobile internet plan it works whether you are at home or not. Since many mobile plans operate as a branch of large cell phone companies, you can connect practically anywhere your cell phone works.

One of those places is at home, but only if you can get a good cell phone connection there. This will depend on where the cell towers are located, so be sure to check that you get a good clear signal inside your home. No service means no mobile internet either. And 4G is only as good as the signal you can get. 

Since the mobile stick is primarily for mobile internet of course you will be able to connect at work, on the road, at the coffee shop and when you travel. This is really where mobile internet can’t be beat.

With high speed satellite internet access you have a much more limited range because it is dependent on a satellite signal. But you will be able to use your satellite service for multiple computers, both desktop and laptop, especially when you connect wirelessly.

This is not possible with the mobile stick. It's only good for one computer at a time.

When you sign up for mobile high speed internet access you will be faced with a lot of choices. There will be a wide variation of download speeds depending on whether you are getting a 3G or a 4G plan.

Download speeds are also dependent on where you are when you are using your stick. You may have signed up for a 4G plan but if your home is not located within range you won’t be getting 4G speed.

That’s because not every mobile internet provider has a 4G network yet. Also, 4G networks have not yet been put in place everywhere across the nation. This service is being built up quickly but currently it is mainly available in or near larger cities at the present time. You may find that your rural area may not have 4G capability just yet.

Even with that said, mobile internet does give you the capability to take your internet access with you. Satellite internet just cannot do that.

When looking at cost, both are more expensive than a DSL or cable internet plan. But when your choice is that or dial-up, it’s well worth the cost. You will also most likely be required to sign a service contract to lock you in for a period of time.

There will usually be an installation cost with your satellite service, although often service providers offer free installation as an incentive for signing up. There is no installation cost with the 4G mobile stick.

In terms of equipment, satellite requires a lot more than a mobile stick. With satellite you at least need the dish and modem. With a mobile stick you only need the stick.

It’s probably starting to sound like mobile internet is the way to go. But a satellite internet service has one very big advantage over a mobile internet plan. Compared to a mobile plan, satellite delivers far more for your money in the important area of downloading and uploading data.

Since mobile internet is relatively new, data plans are often limited. It’s great if you are using it for checking email and “googling” the odd site. But when you plan to use it for the bulk of your internet usage you may want to reconsider.

The amount of data you are paying to download for a month is often way less than what you can download in a week with a satellite plan. If you exceed this limit with mobile internet, you pay for it.

With a satellite internet service you don’t pay for going over your plan limit. You may be hit with slower speeds for a period of time based on the Fair Access Policy but it won’t cost more.

When you do need to upgrade software or maybe you want to download a video or a large file, you can do that. Satellite plans generally designate certain hours daily when unlimited downloading is allowed without eating into your usage limit. These hours as you might expect come in the middle of the night or early morning but at least they are available.

When you have a mobile internet plan, you pay for every bit of data you download. And this can add up in a hurry.

There is no doubt that mobile internet is only going to get better as the network expands and improvements are made. But for now you may want to stick to satellite high speed internet access for everyday at home use. And get a 4G mobile stick for out of home use.