VSAT

[Nicholas Chaya]

Good day

i do work for a small firm in Harare and i we are on dial up connection. We are in the process of upgrading to Broadband packages, of which our management here opted for Satellite Internet. i did a small research and noted (from organisation on VSAT) that when the sky is approx. 3/8 to 100% total cloud cover they is partial( lower download or upload speeds) or complete loss of transmission. Am not a computer wiz but at my organisation was assigned to handle  IT related problems . Does it mean that their system is outdated or old.

Please assist us we would like to make a decision on this development before we purchase.

Yours faithfully

Nicholas

[mudmanc4]

Welcome to testmt.net Nicholas Chaya  and congratz on the position you have acquired.

  I myself do not have a satellite connection, but the general consensus is weather can, and does have an adverse effect on data transmission.

I'm sure there will be more input on this subject, so check back to this thread frequently. 

[FrankZ0509]

Hi there, Nicholas,

I would not advise your firm to acquire a satellite connection as long as there is coverage of DSL or broadband (wireless or not).

VSAT costs a lot, normally has below average latency, and is very weather-dependent.

First of all, you have to consider the speed. If you are aiming for 4+GBPS connection with VSAT, I would advise you to look at other possibilities such as high-speed E3/T1 connections, fiber optics, or private DSL lines. VSAT (as far as I know) only carries bandwidth of somewhere below 1GBPS.

Corporate business firms such as media and telecommunications offices use wired T1 connections. VSAT is very costly, and when there are storms, you will experience VERY LONG downtimes.

I have worked for a couple of firms that used VSAT, and both were tolerable. Yes, they work smooth and fast, yes, they can cover even the remotest areas, and yes, they are powerful: but the bottomline is -- unless there is no DSL/Broadband, or unless you are in a very remote area, do not use VSAT.

Side note: Where T1 connections would normally require high-speed server racks (takes up a room at the most); VSAT requires a big 14-foot satellite dish to be installed on your company's rooftop, and a huge transceiver deck, a cabinet, and a server rack.

Hope it helps,

~Francis