Satellite Internet in the El Salvador

Satellite Internet Access Service

El Salvador is the smallest and most densely populated country in Central America. Its population of just over 6.4 million is squeezed into an area of just over 21,000 square kilometres and it lies between Guatemala and Honduras. El Salvador is prone to severe weather events and it is regularly hit by earthquakes, forest fires and landslides that are brought about by drought and heavy rain. The country is located on the ‘Ring of Fire’. This presents many challenges to the inhabitants and to the government as the weather events and tectonic activity have affected the economy which today is dominated by the service and industrial sectors. Agriculture was a principal part of the economy and El Salvador produced a great deal of coffee, but today the economy has diversified. Tourism is a growing sector and El Salvador has become a popular destination for surfers in particular.

The telecom market in El Salvador is one of the most liberalised in Central America after it was opened up to competition in 1998. The country has seen investment from foreign companies and lots of valuable work has been done. However, the frequency of natural disasters has created many challenges for the telecom sector. Hurricane Mitch in 1998 and the earthquakes of 2001 destroyed a significant amount of the telecoms infrastructure. Mobile telephony is widely used in El Salvador and has well overtaken the use of fixed lines. However, the telecom infrastructure is in need of development. LTE rollout is currently taking place. Broadband is available but is not widespread and in 2016, broadband penetration stood at 38.3%. Although the telecoms landscape in El Salvador is ripe for development due to the government’s liberal approach, there is still much work to be done in terms of connecting its people.

Satellite Internet Services in El Salvador

The use of satellite in El Salvador has great potential to provide the connectivity that is currently so sought after. Firstly, satellite is not affected by natural disasters. Satellite communication only requires a terminal, a power source and a clear line-of-sight with the satellite. Therefore, it provides an easy to install, scalable and, more importantly, a highly reliable means of IP service provision. BusinessCom Networks provides VSAT networks which can be deployed anywhere in El Salvador to provide instant connectivity in places that are difficult to access or are out of metropolitan areas. A simple VSAT broadband network can provide the voice and data services so desperately needed and opens up a huge amount of possibilities for the government to create more universal access and to communicate with their people, offering service such as e-health, e-education, e-government services and also information in the event of natural disasters. The possibilities are endless.

Satellite can also empower mobile operators to extend their reach into new areas, growing their subscriber bases using cellular backhaul services. BusinessCom enables operators to reach deeply into their home markets using VSAT where terrestrial infrastructure is limited, helping to fuel the growth in mobile voice and data access and create a more knowledge-based society.

At BusinessCom, we can provide the tools for the government, for businesses and for communities and individuals to enjoy the countless benefits of broadband connectivity creating access to communications and information across El Salvador. Speak to our knowledgeable team to find out more about how we can design, install and operate a network tailored to suit your specific needs.