Satellite Connectivity – Putting You Back on the Grid

South Africa is something of a bipolar country. We have bustling business hubs teeming with interconnected people, and then we have vast acreages of farmland and empty spaces sparsely populated by a couple of families and the odd goat. The one thing that these opposite lifestyles have in common is that they all need to be connected – and in many cases, satellite connectivity is the most viable option.

A healthy percentage of residential homes and businesses have access to a phone line and the internet, especially if they are within a more densely populated area. Once you leave the networked areas, getting connected can become an issue. It can take months for a service provider to lay a physical cable – if they do at all. Mobile communication may also be spotty (and costly), and this is therefore where satellite connectivity really shines.

The Advantages of Satellite Connectivity

Speed

It seems bizarre that sending and receiving data via outer space can be done more efficiently in many cases, than if you were to go through a local exchange. Yet it’s true – and very exciting! Most satellite connections can offer multi-megabit speeds, which rival traditional terrestrial options.

This makes it possible to run a fully functioning office from the middle of the dusty Kalahari, complete with the options of Internet access and clear telephone calls.

Coverage

Did you know that a single satellite in a geostationary orbit can cover an area the size of an entire country? In some cases, an entire continent! This is brilliant news for anyone who lives in the “dead zone”; on a farm, a national park, or way outside of a city. In many places there is just no service available due to the topography of the area, lack of access or sheer distance – even cell phone towers haven’t made it that far.

Satellites don’t really care where you are. With such extensive coverage available from the multiple pieces of tech orbiting above our heads, all we need to do is connect.

Cost

If you don’t have a telecoms infrastructure in your area, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to set one up yourself. Laying fibre is enormously costly, which is why it’s been selectively rolled out to business areas first, closely followed by wealthy residential areas. Connecting to satellite is a far (far!) cheaper option for a good, reliable connection. All you need is a dish which needs to be set up and pointed in the right direction, and you’re up and running.

If you’re setting up a remote facility or your business is relocating to an area with little or no telecoms, then you have the option of almost instant set up. Great news in the age of “hurry up and wait”!

Reliability

The fewer moving parts, the better, right? The ongoing issues with cable theft, lines down, strike action and poorly maintained tech are no longer your problem. That satellite above you isn’t going anywhere soon, and therefore your only concern is your satellite dish. Your list of “things that can go wrong” is limited to a single element, which makes for a reliable, always-up service. Music to anyone’s ears – but especially for remote business owners who rely heavily on their connection to the outside world to keep their operation moving forward.

If you have limited options to terrestrial connectivity, then look to the skies. Satellite connectivity is a great option for homes and businesses who either don’t have a viable terrestrial choice; ATMs, commercial and industrial telemetry applications all benefit from satellite.

It’s 99.95% uptime and a variety of cost models makes satellite connectivity a winner. With all these possibilities available, Huge Connect has chosen to partner with Q-KON; trusted professionals with 25 years’ experience and a strong presence in the field of satellite communications.

Do you need to get connected? Chat with someone at Huge today.