Every RVer interested in maintaining a reliable Internet connection while on the road should thoughtfully consider the best RV Internet options for their needs. While public Wi-Fi hotspots are the most cost-effective option, they are far from reliable. Furthermore, satellite Internet service providers are popular, but they are not suitable for every RVer’s needs. For all the benefits of satellite Internet, it has a few major downsides. High latency is probably the biggest issue many satellite Internet users face.
In computing, latency is defined as the delay between a request for data and the data’s actual transfer from the sender to the receiver. When it comes to Internet signals, latency is often magnified by the distance between a user and the equipment that their provider uses to broadcast the signal. Satellite Internet providers bounce signals off satellites in orbit around the Earth and broadcast them to users on the ground. For this reason, many satellite Internet users experience amplified latency, which may not be worthwhile for RVers who plan on playing online multiplayer games or attending work meetings in highly remote locations.
Compared to satellite Internet’s methods for providing Internet signals, the distance between cell towers and RVs seems infinitesimally smaller. Travelers can find cell towers almost anywhere in rural America because they are essential for communication. Mobile Internet providers like UbiFi have taken advantage of cell towers’ placement to provide unlimited 4G rural Internet with high speeds and low latencies. For example, UbiFi lists its typical latency as less than 75ms, which is ideal for high-performance online games. The shorter distance allows UbiFi and other mobile Internet providers to provide the low-latency rural Internet service many RVers are looking for.
