Satellite Internet Portable Devices vs Unlimited LTE Advanced
If you are a person who is constantly on the go, whether you are a contractor making bids on rural jobs or a minimalist digital nomad living in a van as you make your way across the country, you need a reliable and portable internet connection.
The internet has come a long way since the days of dial up when you had to police every phone in your home to make sure no one picked up the receiver. Today, the internet is ubiquitous, it’s available everywhere, and it’s moving through the air around us at all times.
As technology becomes increasingly wireless, portable internet connections are becoming more commonplace for a wide variety of uses. However, not all portable internet connections offer the same level of quality and simplicity.
In this article we will be taking a closer look at some of the more common uses of portable internet services. We will also make a side-by-side comparison between two of the most popular options for portable internet connection: satellite internet portable and LTE internet portable.
What Are Portable Internet Devices Used For?
There are many cases in which using a portable internet connection is the most practical and ideal solution for having internet on the go. In the past, if someone needed to get on the internet while they were out and about, they would often be confined to coffee shops and parking lots of big chain stores.
But these connections certainly came with some disadvantages, such as slower speeds on congested networks, lack of privacy, and the inconvenience of having to go to wherever the public wifi happened to be.
Today, there are better portable internet solutions that can now play in the same arena as a hard-wired home connection. While these solutions are still unable to rival the connectivity of hard-wired fiber optic internet, they are still suitable for most common internet uses, such as communication and streaming content.
Here are a few examples of some common uses for portable internet devices:
Remote Work
In this case, when we say remote work we don’t mean working from home. Rather, we mean people who work in remote areas. There are many remote workers who benefit from using a portable internet device to connect to the tools they need to get their jobs done. These can include people who work in the oil field, truckers, contractors, engineers, mechanics, farmers, fishermen, and the list goes on.
Travel
Portable internet connections are great for people who are traveling as well. Whether you are a parent who wants to play a movie for the kids on a long drive or a hiker who wants to stay connected with friends and family while on the trail, having a portable internet connection allows you to connect all of your devices without bogging down your cell phone’s mobile hotspot.
Outdoor Events
Portable internet connections are great for outdoor events such as weddings and picnics because they allow you to connect your devices while freeing up your phone. You can use devices like laptops or tablets to keep your playlist going or put on a slideshow while you capture the moments you want to remember on your phone.
Rural Homes
Portable internet devices are also perfect for people who live in rural areas. Having a hard-wired connection installed in your country home can be costly, and in some cases it may not be possible. A portable internet connection will keep you online almost anywhere, and the best part is that you can take it with you!
What’s the Best Portable Internet Connection?
There are essentially two categories of portable internet devices that are commonly used today: satellite internet portable and LTE internet portable. Let’s break down each of these options and compare their features side by side.
Cost
Satellite: Simply put, satellite internet portable devices are expensive. These kinds of devices can run into the hundreds or even thousands of dollars, and they are often large and unattractive. Since satellite internet portable devices require more advanced technology to send and receive signals from space, this results in a more complex appliance with a higher price tag.
In addition to their costly set up, satellite internet portable devices typically come with a lengthy contract as well. This contract is designed to keep you locked in to a high monthly payment, and it can also include unexpected fees that are hidden in the fine print.
If you decide that your satellite internet portable plan isn’t for you, you can always cancel your contract – for a fee. Furthermore, if you do decide to cancel your plan, you are then left with an expensive device that will be hard to get rid of.
LTE: On the other hand, LTE portable internet devices are much more affordable and usually cost somewhere around one hundred dollars. Keep in mind, there are some additional set up fees that you’ll need to pay when you first get your portable LTE device. But all in, you will still only be paying a fraction of what you would pay for a satellite internet portable device – not even including the set up fees and monthly cost!
LTE internet portable devices work on the same networks as mobile phones, which means the technology they employ is extremely common, and the infrastructure that powers them is available almost anywhere.
What this means is that the devices themselves are affordable, and so are the monthly plans that come with them. Additionally, LTE internet portable device plans come in around half of what it costs to keep your satellite internet portable device online, and you can cancel any time!
With an LTE internet portable device, there are no lengthy contracts and no hidden fees. You can pay month to month and cancel whenever you want, and your monthly payment will always be the same.
Coverage
Satellite: When it comes to coverage, satellite internet portable devices have a larger service area because the connection comes from space. This means that a satellite internet connection can be established virtually anywhere on the ground that is visible from the telecom satellite as it orbits the earth.
However, there is an important factor that we need to consider when talking about “coverage.” Satellite internet portable devices are greatly affected by atmospheric conditions, and they can often be unreliable in areas where there is frequent precipitation, humidity, or other atmospheric events that could affect the transmission between the portable device and the satellite.
When using a satellite internet portable device, you could experience slower speeds or lose service altogether every time there is a storm or heavy cloud coverage.
LTE: As we mentioned earlier, LTE internet portable devices work on the same network as mobile phones. So anywhere you have cell phone service, you will also be able to use your LTE portable device.
If we put this in terms of overall coverage in the United States, there is about a 2% difference between satellite and LTE portable devices, but this difference will continue to diminish as more cell towers are constructed.
We must also mention that LTE internet portable devices are virtually unaffected by weather and atmospheric conditions. Because cell towers are on the ground and usually sit below the clouds, sending signals to and from these towers is a much more simple process than that of satellite internet portable devices.
To put this in perspective, there will likely be a cell tower within a few miles almost anywhere in the United States, whereas telecommunications satellites are usually placed about 22,000 miles above the earth’s equator.
If you are using a satellite internet portable device in North America, this means that the signal you are sending will need to travel about 90,000 miles before it comes back to you. Although this is an impressive feat that can be accomplished in a matter of milliseconds, it does make a big difference when it comes to using the internet.
For example, if you are streaming a movie or TV show or video chatting with a friend, satellite internet portable devices will tend to come with more latent load times. This usually makes for a less enjoyable experience when interacting with content and services over the internet in real time.
Conversely, using an LTE internet portable device tends to be much more reliable in terms of load times. It’s important to note that if you have several devices connected simultaneously to your portable LTE device, you may experience a slower connection than you would with a hardwired connection. But if you manage your devices wisely when using your LTE internet portable device, the difference in load times will be negligible when compared to a hardwired connection.
Data Caps
Satellite: Another important factor to take into account is data usage and data caps. We briefly mentioned hidden fees in satellite internet portable service contracts earlier, and data usage is one area where these will often come into play.
Many satellite internet portable providers will claim to offer unlimited data, but they often have statements in their contracts that can severely limit their “unlimited” usage claims. What typically happens in these situations is that once you use a certain amount of data, your connection speeds will be greatly reduced. This can make loading even the most simple web pages next to impossible. So although your data is “unlimited,” your access will be essentially nonexistent.
While data caps and throttling can be a factor in any internet service, satellite internet portable providers may also set a data limit, then charge you a significantly higher rate for all subsequent data usage once the data limit has been reached. If you are considering signing up for a satellite internet portable plan, it is important to speak with the provider and specifically ask how they define the terms and costs for data usage with their plan.
Other satellite internet portable providers will place hard caps on data usage, which is a more straightforward approach to setting data limits. With this type of plan, you will be completely cut off from using data once your data limit has been reached. This will leave you with the options of upgrading your plan to include more data or waiting for the next billing cycle to begin.
LTE: When you find the right LTE internet portable provider, your data will be truly unlimited. There are many carriers who pull the same punches as satellite internet portable providers, offering unlimited data with murky terms and hidden fees, but this isn’t always the case.
For an LTE internet portable provider like Unlimited LTE Advanced, unlimited data means unlimited data with no hidden fees. We understand that consumers want straightforward service with simple terms, no contract, and a low monthly payment, and that’s what we’ve built our business on.
It’s important to note that unlimited data won’t always mean unlimited internet at unlimited speeds. Above 800 GB per month, red flags may be raised by the carrier to keep one user from taking up the bandwidth of an area. The carrier will allow continued internet usage, but at much lower speeds. When using portable unlimited LTE internet, it’s important to avoid abusing the coverage to keep your internet speeds high!
Satellite or LTE?
When you look at these two types of services side by side, LTE internet portable devices surpass satellite internet portable devices in almost every way, including their cost, coverage, and data provisions.
However, because of the slightly greater coverage capabilities of satellite internet portable providers, this may be the only option available for some users.
If you are looking for reliable coverage on the go and in remote areas, portable LTE internet is the more practical and affordable solution for keeping you online.
Unlimited LTE Advanced
Unlimited LTE Advanced is the best solution for meeting your business and personal internet needs. With Unlimited LTE Advanced, you will enjoy fast speeds, extensive network coverage, and an affordable price that works for any budget.
We recognize what’s most important to consumers who are in need of portable internet for their homes and businesses, which is why we decided to roll all of these features into our unbeatable service for a flat monthly fee.
And because our service operates on the same network as all of the major mobile carriers, our service will only get better as the world becomes more connected.
If you are looking for an affordable and portable internet service with no contracts, no hidden fees, and great coverage, contact Unlimited LTE Advanced today!
