Frequently Asked Questions

This technology is not new, people have been watching satellite TV for decades, but there have been some recent advances to make satellite technology more suitable for connecting you to the internet.  

Unlike TV, internet over satellite requires a two-way connection. Users of satellite broadband both send and receive information to and from the satellite. Changes to how the data is packaged and the infrastructure both in space and on the ground, mean that you can now get much faster speeds; up to 100 Mbps over satellite broadband. That’s faster than many wired connections! 

Satellite broadband provides a way of connecting to the internet without the need for a traditional wired connection. Instead of connecting to the internet via cables that run from an exchange into your house, satellite broadband allows you to connect to the internet using a satellite dish installed on your house, that transmits and receives information to and from our satellite in space. 

There are a few basic requirements for installing satellite broadband. The system requires a satellite dish to be installed on your house, so it is important your building material can support this dish. For example, we can’t install on wooden structures. If your house is made of anything other than brick, block or concrete, you will need to give our satellite installation specialists a call before signing up to discuss installation options.  

If your house is rented, you will need written approval from your landlord before signing up. Similarly, you will need approval from the relevant authority to install the dish on a listed building or in a conservation area. 

It’s helpful to consider whether you have or used to have a satellite TV dish on your house. If yes, we can be confident that you can have a Brdy dish on your house and it will be installed in a similar area. So long as you have a view of the southern sky not obstructed by trees, buildings or other objects, you will be able to receive satellite broadband. 

You need a view of the southern Sky because that is where our satellites are. We use geostationary satellites, meaning they orbit the earth 22,000 miles above the equator and move at the same speed as the earth’s rotation. This means they appear stationary from earth. Because they are along the equator, they are to the south of us here in Europe. 

In the business we call this ‘line of sight’. You need line of sight to the satellite so that the information can be beamed to your satellite dish without interference. Tall buildings, trees and mountains can all cause issues with line of sight. Our satellite specialists will advise on the best location for your dish, but you can also have a look using Viasat tech tools app to zoom in on your house and see where the satellite needs to be pointing. You can then see if there are any buildings or tall trees that will be in the way using your smart phone. This is available in Apple Store or Google Play Store

We offer plans of varying speeds, you can check the specific plans available to you on the web site, or through Customer Services. The speed will vary according to your location, and if you find your chosen plan is not delivering a speed to meet your requirements, do let us know and we can talk through the options.  

All Brdy data plans are unlimited, which means we won’t cut you off after you have used all your ‘priority data’. However, your average speeds will decline once you have used up your priority data.  

This drop in speed can affect what you are able to do online, so it’s important you understand how much data you need each month. We recommend you purchase a package that provides enough priority data for the majority of your needs. 

These are averages, meaning speeds can drop to lower levels depending on how many other users are on the network at the same time as you. Just like other wired internet connections your speed may be slower when lots of other people are using the network at the same time. 

At peak hours speeds can drop down into single figures for a time. 

Latency affects all types of internet connection. It is the time taken from when you request data to when you receive it. If you are using superfast fibre networks the latency will be so short you won’t notice it. With satellite broadband, latency is longer. This is because the signal has to go up into space and then back down again.   

What that means is that web pages might take a little longer to load at first, or a streaming service like Netflix might take longer to start. Certain apps on your phone in particular banking apps might seem a little slower starting up.  However, this doesn’t mean the internet service is ‘slow’, it just reflects how the internet is delivered to your home via our satellite in space so once you are browsing or streaming there is no difference. 

The average latency in satellite communications is around 600 milliseconds. You shouldn’t notice this when browsing, streaming video or listening to music. But it is noticeable when you need fast two-way communications. For example, you may well experience a lag when video conferencing on a tool such as Teams or Zoom. This lag will be too great for some types of online games. For more information about latency, click here. 

If you are an avid gamer, especially if you play fast-paced, multiplayer games like Fortnight or Call of Duty, you’ll notice the higher latency. Your character might not move when you move the controller and you’ll be beaten by players with lower latency as even if you push the button first, there will be a short lag on your side. That’s why we don’t recommend satellite broadband for gaming. 

Congestion can occur when lots of people are using the service all at the same time. The word congestion helps us to understand it as the congestion you face on the road is like the congestion you can face getting online. When lots of people try to access the service at the same time, average speeds decline, just like when lots of drivers are trying to drive along the same stretch of road. 

As with other broadband services, average speeds will decline during periods of congestion. Congestion is most likely during peak times. This is 5pm-11pm as well as at weekends and during the school holidays.  

The honest answer is yes, it can have a negative effect on the signal. For that to happen the weather would need to be extreme. 

Nowadays, satellite internet offers download speeds of up to 100 Mbps with our best packages.  

Brdy offers up to 10 Mbps when uploading. These speeds vary depending on the package you choose. All our packages let you use the Internet for anything you want: online browsing, sending emails, social media, streaming music and videos, etc. 

Speeds may vary and depend on various factors. If a large number of people are using the network, your browsing speed may be affected.  

If you notice that you need more priority speed Internet every month, you can switch to a higher subscription package by contacting your Brdy customer service team. 

All our plans come with unlimited standard data. That means you cannot run out of data. Each plan has a set amount of priority data, an allowance where your speeds will be maximised against other users on the network. To experience the fastest speeds, it’s important you choose a plan with enough data allowance to cover your needs. Both packages benefit from our free night-time data so you can schedule major downloads and software updates overnight.  

Using satellite internet will not stop you connecting to a VPN, but there are some things to check. First, you need to find out if your VPN is an IPSec type of VPN or not. If it is, this may require a static IP address, which can be added as an option, to any of our plans.  

You should also note that with certain VPN connections, information is encrypted, and so we can’t apply packet acceleration technology. This is a technology we use to help data efficiently travel the distance between your system and our satellite. If your VPN encrypts information, you might experience performance problems, or the system may not be able to run. If you’re unsure what type of VPN you have or what encryption is used, just give us a call and we can advise on whether the connection might be suitable or not. 

We are sure that you will be happy with the service, but if not, you have the right to withdraw from the service up to 14 days after your package has been installed and activated under the terms of the Brdy 14 day cooling off period. 

If you have opted for our standard ’30 day contract’ if you wish to cancel your service at any time you can do this by providing 30 days notice to us. 

If you have chosen a 12 month contract, this means an 11-month commitment, plus pro rata of activation month. After this period, the subscription is renewed monthly, which makes it easy for you to end the contract if your situation changes.