4 ms·

High latency satellite internet already exists (re: HughesNet)

by umvi 8y ago

avmich 8y ago
I'm genuinely curious, can you have it without your landlord (if you rent) approval and also install the ground transciever without HughesNet technicians? Sometimes they refuse to install in particular locations on the grounds of perceived landlords disapproval (?)
- casefields 8y ago
  Yes you can. More here: https://www.fcc.gov/media/over-air-reception-devices-rule https://www.fcc.gov/media/over-air-reception-devices-rule
- oh_sigh 8y ago
  Not a lawyer but there is definitely a law in the US which prevents landlords from not allowing tenants to install satellites for television. I'd imagine that the same law might cover generally any consumer telecommunications equipment
unityByFreedom 8y ago
Interesting, I see reports of latency of 60ms on average [1]. Starlink claims it will offer as low as 25ms [2] Is 35ms a significant value proposition, considering 5G is on the horizon? > As of March 2019, HughesNet's average download speed is 11.04 Mbps. Throughout their coverage area, the average latency on HughesNet Internet speed tests is 61.87ms. For context, wired terrestrial Internet connections usually output latency results in the 5–70ms range. [1] [1] https://broadbandnow.com/HughesNet-speed-test https://broadbandnow.com/HughesNet-speed-test [2] https://www.zdnet.com/article/spacexs-starlink-takes-a-big-step-forward-in-delivering-internet-from-the-sky/ https://www.zdnet.com/article/spacexs-starlink-takes-a-big-s...
- umvi 8y ago
  That doesn't seem right. Napkin math: GEO Satellite is 22,236 miles above sea level[1]. Speed of light is 186,282 miles per second[2]. Therefore the absolute fastest information could travel on a GEO network is 22236/186282 = 119 milliseconds (one way at the speed of light), which is 238 ms round trip. In reality there are going to be internal and network latencies so I would expect something more like ~300-500ms RTT. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geosynchronous_orbit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geosynchronous_orbit [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_of_light https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_of_light
  - shaklee3 8y ago
    That's right. Geo will typically be around 600ms. The speed metric is incorrect/misleading as well. Both Hughes and ViaSat offer multiple speed plans that are vastly different. You can't simply take an average, or your speed isn't representative of what the service could do. Of course, satellite internet will pack a lot of users in there to fill up the satellite. I don't be naive about that, SpaceX will do the exact same thing.
    - studentrob 8y ago
      > You can't simply take an average, or your speed isn't representative of what the service could do. Why not? We're just comparing current satellite broadband offerings' known latency to what Starlink could potentially offer.
      - shaklee3 8y ago
        If your cable service offers 10, 25, 50, and 100Mbps plans, how is an average speed at all meaningful? It's just representative of how many people sign up per plan.
        studentrob 8y ago
        An existing offering does 60ms average, meaning its best case is better. Starlink would offer 25ms best-case scenario.

High latency satellite internet already exists (re: HughesNet)

by umvi 8y ago

High latency satellite internet already exists (re: HughesNet)

I'm genuinely curious, can you have it without your landlord (if you rent) approval and also install the ground transciever without HughesNet technicians? Sometimes they refuse to install in particular locations on the grounds of perceived landlords disapproval (?)

casefields 8y ago
Yes you can. More here: https://www.fcc.gov/media/over-air-reception-devices-rule https://www.fcc.gov/media/over-air-reception-devices-rule
oh_sigh 8y ago
Not a lawyer but there is definitely a law in the US which prevents landlords from not allowing tenants to install satellites for television. I'd imagine that the same law might cover generally any consumer telecommunications equipment

unityByFreedom 8y ago

Interesting, I see reports of latency of 60ms on average [1]. Starlink claims it will offer as low as 25ms [2] Is 35ms a significant value proposition, considering 5G is on the horizon? > As of March 2019, HughesNet's average download speed is 11.04 Mbps. Throughout their coverage area, the average latency on HughesNet Internet speed tests is 61.87ms. For context, wired terrestrial Internet connections usually output latency results in the 5–70ms range. [1] [1] https://broadbandnow.com/HughesNet-speed-test https://broadbandnow.com/HughesNet-speed-test [2] https://www.zdnet.com/article/spacexs-starlink-takes-a-big-step-forward-in-delivering-internet-from-the-sky/ https://www.zdnet.com/article/spacexs-starlink-takes-a-big-s...

umvi 8y ago
That doesn't seem right. Napkin math: GEO Satellite is 22,236 miles above sea level[1]. Speed of light is 186,282 miles per second[2]. Therefore the absolute fastest information could travel on a GEO network is 22236/186282 = 119 milliseconds (one way at the speed of light), which is 238 ms round trip. In reality there are going to be internal and network latencies so I would expect something more like ~300-500ms RTT. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geosynchronous_orbit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geosynchronous_orbit [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_of_light https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_of_light
- shaklee3 8y ago
  That's right. Geo will typically be around 600ms. The speed metric is incorrect/misleading as well. Both Hughes and ViaSat offer multiple speed plans that are vastly different. You can't simply take an average, or your speed isn't representative of what the service could do. Of course, satellite internet will pack a lot of users in there to fill up the satellite. I don't be naive about that, SpaceX will do the exact same thing.
  - studentrob 8y ago
    > You can't simply take an average, or your speed isn't representative of what the service could do. Why not? We're just comparing current satellite broadband offerings' known latency to what Starlink could potentially offer.
    - shaklee3 8y ago
      If your cable service offers 10, 25, 50, and 100Mbps plans, how is an average speed at all meaningful? It's just representative of how many people sign up per plan.
      - studentrob 8y ago
        An existing offering does 60ms average, meaning its best case is better. Starlink would offer 25ms best-case scenario.