Satellite Broadband for Remote Areas, Boats, and Islands (And Problems)

Finding a reliable internet service provider is difficult when you live in a rural town because many non-urban parts don't have the necessary infrastructure for a reliable traditional internet signal. And it's borderline impossible for even more remote places, such as in the open sea or on an island.

But how good is satellite internet for remote areas, boats, and islands? That's what we'll discuss in this post, so let's get started!

Satellite Broadband for Remote and Far-Away Places: At a Glance

Satellite broadband is a promising solution for communities in rural areas, on boats, or island inhabitants that have long suffered from unreliable terrestrial internet. And despite its limitations, it's still relatively fast and even more affordable than trying to maintain a reliable connection through other means in a remote area.

Satellite Broadband for Rural Communities

Rural communities can often get by with decent internet if they're located near population centres where they can get a good signal, thanks to the infrastructure from nearby cities.

However, for most rural towns outside that category, especially on the extreme parts of North Island and many more in South Island, traditional internet infrastructure is sparse, and a satellite connection is the best way to ensure a smooth connection.

Internet Access Challenges in Rural Areas

New Zealand's diverse landscape includes mountains, forests, massive coastlines, and remote farms. Many of these places are difficult to build a cellphone tower in, especially in enough numbers to establish reliable internet in the vicinity. And when you consider the sparse populations in these areas, it becomes even more financially nonviable for providers.

How Satellite Internet Can Bridge the Urban-Rural Digital Divide

By providing rural communities with reliable data plans, the people living there will gain nearly equal access to the internet as residents of urban and suburban areas, empowering them to seek equal online opportunities when it comes to studying or working remotely.

It'll also allow businesses to flourish without needing to move to an area with better internet where they can access essential internet resources.

Real-World Examples of Successful Implementations

One of the most famous examples of how satellite broadband can benefit remote regions in New Zealand is the Chatham Islands—a small archipelago about 800 km east of South Island. Despite having only about 800 people, the islands are well-connected to the internet and even have their own provider.

Other successful implementations happened in the rugged terrain of the West Coast Region, Stewart Island, and the Far North District.

Satellite Broadband for Boats and Other Maritime Applications

Satellite broadband can also provide a seamless connection to the internet on a boat, ship, or other watercraft.

Although boat internet has been around for a while, it relies on staying close to a cell tower. Meaning that if you stray a bit further into the sea, your onboard Wi-Fi will go out.

The Difficulties of Providing an Internet Connection to Boats and Ships

When a boat moves, you can't fully rely on public Wi-Fi or cellular data. No matter how many signal boosters your vessel has, they can't do miracles when you're on remote outer banks or amid rough waves miles from shore.

But even if you could, the cost to maintain boat internet would be too high, especially for longer trips.

How Marine Satellite Internet Can Change Maritime Communications

Satellite broadband lets you stay connected no matter where you are or how fast you're moving. And although satellite data costs more than traditional internet in cities, like Ethernet cable, it's much more affordable than trying to maintain a terrestrial connection on a boat or ship.

This can allow passengers uninterrupted internet surfing, text messages, phone calls, Zoom calls, and more, all while the vessel is moving.

Satellite Internet for Islands

Islands are among the most under-served places in New Zealand (and the wider world) regarding internet infrastructure, and they're very difficult to connect to the web. Although wireless internet and a Wi-Fi extender can help, satellite internet is a more viable option because it offers equal coverage regardless of geographical isolation.

The Unique Challenges of Connecting Islands to the Internet

It's difficult to include islands within an internet infrastructure since underwater cables are costly to build and maintain, and even then, they're more vulnerable than land wires.

Many islands are also naturally more susceptible to natural disasters than others, especially the Pacific Islands, which can disrupt terrestrial internet signals more frequently.

Lastly, islands often have relatively small populations that fail to attract enough attention or investment from internet service providers.

Satellite Broadband Can Make Island Communities More Connected Than Ever

Satellite broadband can be installed and deployed on an island just as quickly as in a big city. And once it's done, it'll work just as quickly, granting equal internet access to island communities and enabling them to bridge the digital divide.

It's also unaffected by physical disruptions, making it more resilient against the natural disasters that could happen on islands.

Limitations and Problems of Satellite Broadband

While installing a satellite dish or broadband global area network (BGAN) system can give remote communities a chance to connect to the internet seamlessly, it still falls behind when compared to traditional internet services, particularly because of these limitations:

Latency Issues

Satellite internet infamously suffers from high latency (ping), thanks to the massive distance between satellites in space and receivers on Earth.

Bandwidth and Data Caps

Satellite broadband plans often have a limit on how much data you can use since modern satellite links have fairly limited bandwidth capacities. And if you exceed your data cap, you may be imposed with throttled speeds or added costs.

Cost Considerations

Satellite broadband is considerably more expensive to install than more traditional internet forms. However, in some situations, such as on cruise ships going on long voyages, it can be the cheapest option.

Susceptibility to Weather

Weather conditions can impact the signal strength of satellite broadband, especially in extreme circumstances like heavy rain, snow, and thunderstorms.

Conclusion

Communities in remote areas have long suffered from unreliable internet, creating a digital divide between them and residents of big cities. And as technology has evolved in urban and suburban regions, this divide has unfortunately increased.

But with satellite internet, these communities can finally connect to the internet without worrying about reliability and performance issues. Because even though the speed and latency of satellite falls behind other modern protocols like 5G and ultra-fast broadband, it's still more than enough to provide an equal opportunity for isolated communities.