The Best Portable Satellite Terminals in 2022

What do we mean by portable? Portable and mobile are often used interchangeably in the satellite internet broadband context, and the water gets muddied even further when you bring satellite phones into the equation. For Ground Control, we define these three groups of products as follows:

• Portable: can be carried and deployed by a single person; delivers satellite broadband. Most terminals are capable of voice calls, too.
• Mobile: the device does not need to be pointed and can be used while in-motion – fixed to a car, truck or train, for example, or for rapid fixed deployment (while maritime and aviation applications can also be described as mobile, they have their own categories).
• Handheld: satellite phones. These are chiefly designed for voice rather than data, although some will deliver a small amount of data for tracking or short text messages.

 
Now that’s cleared up, let’s look at the best devices for your portable satellite internet needs. The key comparison points you should be looking at are:

Broadband speeds

While these portable devices cannot boast the sorts of speeds you can expect from a fibre broadband connection, they are typically used when there are no other terrestrial connections available. There’s a wide range of upload and download speeds available. If you’re not sure what speeds you’ll need, here’s a quick guide:

Devices	Broadband Speed	Good For
MCD-4800 Explorer 510 Hughes 9202M	Up to 464 Kbps download 448 Kbps upload shared	Phone services | Email | Instant messaging | Internet browsing | Live video broadcasting | Large file transfers | Video conferencing
Explorer 710 Hughes 9211	650 Kbps download streaming 650 Kbps upload streaming	Faster file transfers | Video streaming connectivity | Class 1 terminals
MCD-MissionLINK	Up to 700 Kbps download 352 Kbps upload	Faster file transfers | Multiple Iridium voice channels available
Toughsat Flyaway	20 Mbps download 7 Mbps upload	Live event broadcasting | Video streaming (Netflix and Youtube work well at this speed) | Multiple users | Speeds depend on size of individual networks and transmitter power

 

Battery life

Self-explanatory, really; for how long will your device keep providing you with a WiFi hotspot before it needs recharging? All of the times listed below assume that the device is in active use; they have substantially longer standby times.

Devices	Battery Life
Explorer 510 Explorer 710	3.5 hours
Hughes 9211	4 hours
MCD-4800	5 hours
Hughes 9202M	5.5 hours
MCD-MissionLINK	6 hours
Toughsat Flyaway	Mains powered

 

Ingress Protection (IP) rating

If you’re going to be using your device outside, it’ll need some degree of ingress protection, and all of these devices are pretty robust. The Toughsat Flyaway is designed to be used outside in extreme environments, but the satellite router is designed for use indoors or in a protective IP rated enclosure.

Devices	IP Rating	Definition
Hughes 9202M Hughes 9211	IP55	Not completely protected from dust ingress but will still function; will function if a water jet is pointed at it
Explorer 510 Explorer 710 MCD-MissionLINK	IP66	Completely protected from dust ingress; will function if a powerful water jet is pointed at it
MCD-4800	IP67	Completely protected from dust ingress; can be immersed in water up to 1m for up to 30 minutes

 

Satellite connectivity

If you’re not familiar with how satellite orbits affect communication, it’s worth reading our blog post on the topic. The short version is that if you choose a geostationary orbit (GEO), you need to remember that the device usually needs to be pointed at the satellite (after which you’ll have a very robust connection), and that the device won’t work in the polar regions. A device connecting with satellites in low earth orbit (LEO) will work anywhere in the world, and doesn’t require pointing.

Devices	Satellite Airtime Provider	GEO or LEO
MCD-4800* Explorer 510 Explorer 710 Hughes 9202M Hughes 9211	Inmarsat	Geostationary
MCD-MissionLINK	Iridium	Low Earth Orbit
Toughsat Flyaway*	Ku Band VSAT Networks	Geostationary

*These devices auto-point to the satellite

 

Price range

Remember that you’ll need to pay both for the device and for the airtime, so these estimates are a guide only.

Devices	Price Range
Explorer 510	<$2,500
Hughes 9202M	$2,500 – $4,000
Hughes 9211 Explorer 710	$4,000 – $6,000
MCD-MissionLINK MCD-4800	$12,000 – $14,000
Toughsat Flyaway	$16,000 – $20,000

 

So, it’s not a very satisfying answer, but with such a wide range of options and functionality, the best portable satellite device is the one that best meets your needs. If you need any help, that’s what we’re here for, so please get in touch.