LTE Fixed Wireless and Satellite Internet—What’s The Difference?

Xplore’s 4G LTE fixed wireless network consists of thousands of wireless towers built across the country, and that number keeps growing! Fixed wireless technology allows us to place a tower in an area nearby and, with the Xplore antenna on the side of your house, wirelessly link your home up with the nearest tower to access the Internet. Through that connection, the tower then distributes fixed wireless Internet to your home network with speeds of up to 100 Mbps. By installing an Internet router inside your house, you’ll even be able to access the Internet via Wi-Fi and through multiple devices at the same time to enjoy movie streaming, video chatting, conferencing, online gaming, surfing, and downloading large files from anywhere in your home.

While LTE Fixed Wireless connects you through Internet sources on the ground, next-generation satellite Internet service uses our constellation of satellites orbiting Earth. The main difference is that instead of communicating with a nearby tower, the satellite dish on your roof communicates with a satellite floating in space. Satellite technologies allow us to connect almost everyone to our network, even in the most remote rural areas. Just like any other technology, satellite Internet has evolved. Our next-generation satellites are light-years ahead of their predecessors, offering Internet speeds of up to 100 Mbps*. More rural Canadians can now get Xplore Internet service to stream their favourite shows, endlessly surf the web, or download music.

While both platforms can deliver the speed you need to do what you want online, there’s one key difference between the two platforms: while a fixed wireless tower is on the ground and can connect houses within a certain radius, satellite technology provides broad coverage in remote areas using equipment in orbit—very, very far away. It’s so far away that the speed of light starts to matter. We call this satellite latency. To understand how latency affects your Internet activities, give this Xplore Support article a read.

Deciding whether satellite or LTE is best for your household’s needs depends on a variety of factors, from your main online activities to your geographical location. You can use the Check Availability tool to see your Internet options OR get in touch with an Xplore customer service representative—at 1-866-316-6089 from anywhere in Canada—and we’ll help you determine what’s best for you based on your needs and where you live. We’ll then connect you to a local dealer who will professionally install your home Internet—no new equipment purchase required—and provide you with ongoing support. It’s that easy!

*In select areas.