Can building T3 lines using satellite be cheaper than a carriers'?

Can building T3 lines using satellite be cheaper than a carriers'?

Is it possible to build your own T3 and is this done with satellite technology? How would this compare to T3s provided by standard carriers?

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T3 links translate to 44.7 Mbps links (or 44.7 Mbps of throughput) -- that's a pretty large link for a satellite to handle! Creating large capacity links using satellite technology is possible, but I'm really not sure if there's any satellite provider able to handle a T3 link, not to mention that the cost would most probably be enormous.

You should also be aware that satellite links have a much larger latency in comparison to wired links. In particular, the latency tends to jump from 700 ms to 1,400 ms depending on the provider. The latency is totally normal and is a result of the distance the signal needs to travel to and from the satellite. In many cases, such a large latency might make the whole solution unusable, especially if you plan to send voice over the link.

I'd highly suggest you take a good look at your requirements and do a bit of research on satellite links to help you decide if it can be a usable solution, according to your company needs.

Hope that helps!

This was first published in November 2008