VSATs

VSATs, or Very Small Aperture Terminals, are a breed of satellite system involving terrestrial dishes of very small diameter (aperture). Operating in the C–band and Ku–band, VSATs are digital and are designed primarily to support data communications on a point-to-multipoint basis for large private networks in applications such as retail inventory management and credit verification, and authorization. While some newer systems also support mesh networks and voice communications, they are unusual at this time. Bandwidth is in channel increments of 56/64 Kbps, generally up to an aggregate bandwidth of 1.544 Mbps. By far the largest concentration of users is in North America, claiming 68% of the market. According to Chuck Emmert of Telecom Applications Corp., Mobil Oil has an installed network of 5,000 sites and Shell Oil has a network of 3,000 sites