Cable Internet and DSL get most of the buzz, but there are other ways to join the broadband revolution, including satellite Internet. Unmask the common misconceptions.

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  1. If you can't get Cable Internet or DSL, then you're stuck with a slow dial-up.
    Coverage of cable Internet and DSL is increasing rapidly, but there are still many areas where neither is available, particularly rural areas. In these cases, satellite Internet may be an option. Satellites can "broadcast" the Internet directly to homes using the same kind of small-dish antennas used for TVs.

    You can get satellite Internet where ever you have an unobstructed view of the satellite (located in the southern sky from the United States). Although satellite Internet is generally slower than cable Internet or DSL, it's still much faster than dial-up.

  2. Certain areas prohibit satellite dish antennas.
    Although some places in the United States banned or otherwise restricted external antennas, Federal law (Section 207 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996) now prohibits undue restrictions on direct broadcast satellite antennas. For more information, see the Fact Sheet posted on the FCC website.

  3. Satellite Internet still requires a modem connection.
    First-generation satellite Internet used the satellite only for downstream transmission (from the Internet to you); you still needed a dial-up modem connection for upstream transmission (from you to the Internet). Although this was workable, it added both cost and complexity. Second-generation satellite Internet systems eliminate the need for the modem by using the satellite for upstream transmission. Such systems have recently become available from StarBand and DirecPC (Satellite Return).

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