What is Fixed Wireless Internet?

With 97% of the United States landmass being rural and just under 20% of the population, internet availability for rural areas is increasingly important. Connecting the world through communications is more than just telephone and cable connections. And having “no service” can be a difference between life and death.

If communications and connections are so important, how does the internet get to the most rural areas? There are a few possible ways to supply the internet to these citizens. We suggest fixed wireless internet as one of the fastest and most reliable methods of delivery, which begs the question: what is fixed wireless internet?

What is Fixed Wireless Internet?

Because rural areas are separated by fields, water, mountains, trees, and other land features, running cable to every town in the United States is near impossible. In order to still provide internet to the people living in these rural areas, internet providers use broadcast towers to transmit and receive internet signals in the form of radio waves.

In order to transmit and receive radio waves, transmitters must be attached to stationary objects. These can be anything from poles and buildings to towers. As the transmitters are attached, they create a wireless network, which enables internet usage in rural areas.

A home or business owner in a rural area must attach a small dish or antenna to their property (usually the roof) in order for the modem to receive the signals. The modem then converts the signal into a web connection for your use.

There are pros and cons to every method of receiving internet. We will explore some below.

What is Fixed Wireless internet? The Pros:

Easy set up: Due to the lack of wires and cables, set up for fixed wireless internet is a snap.

Speed: Fixed wireless internet is just as fast, if not faster than broadband services with speeds up to 1000 Mbps.

No phone providers: Big providers like AT&T often like to “bundle” their services, and every time you call with an issue, you are offered some sort of “deal.” With fixed wireless internet, your service runs independently.

What is Fixed Wireless internet? The Cons:

Weather: The weather can greatly affect the wireless internet connection. Rain, fog, snow, and dense clouds can create an unstable connection.

Clear path: Fixed wireless internet needs to have a clear “line of sight” between your receiver and the wireless station. If there are obstructions such as hills or trees, the quality of your service can go down.

Is Fixed Wireless Internet the Same as Satellite Internet?

Although fixed wireless internet and satellite internet have many similarities, there are some distinct differences as well. As discussed earlier, fixed wireless internet consists of a wireless network attached to high locations.

Satellite internet is provided by even higher stations. In fact, satellite is brought to users through the use of 3 devices. One Is located in your building, one is located where the internet signal originates, and the third device is a satellite orbiting the earth. The weather has a significant effect on satellite internet service. This is because the signal travels through the atmosphere (more than once) to deliver internet service.

Another major difference between fixed wireless internet and satellite internet has to do with latency. Due to the distance, the signal must travel, satellite internet users must deal with high latency. This can be especially frustrating for gamers, streamers, or businesses using collaborative platforms.

Time to Give Fixed Wireless a Try

Are you ready to start using fixed wireless internet? Tierzero can not only bring you reliable fixed wireless internet service but is also there to answer any questions you may still have. Along with fixed wireless internet, we offer fiber as well as ethernet over copper.

Contact us today to see what the best fit is for you and your business.