Telecom companies Jio and Airtel have signed agreements with Elon Musk’s company SpaceX to provide satellite-based internet in our country. In this context, let us take a look at what satellite-based internet is. In the current digital era, there is a digital gap between rural and urban areas. Providing quality internet to remote areas is not possible with current traditional protocols. The only solution to this is satellite-based internet! Because it doesn’t require towers or cables. Now we can get this satellite internet by slightly modifying the mobile phone we are using.
Benefits:
Internet access will be made available to remote tribal areas where internet services are not available. This will be very useful for those who travel frequently to get business-related information, for rural people to get all kinds of government services, and for those who need high-speed internet. Uninterrupted internet access can be achieved even in challenging environments and emergencies, unaffected by terrestrial physical barriers that can cause disruptions due to natural disasters, construction work, and technical issues. It helps promote economic development, education, and communication. Satellite internet is also useful in the maritime and aviation industries, which require constant connectivity.
What is satellite internet?
It is a type of internet connection that relies on satellites orbiting the Earth. Service providers send internet signals to the satellites. These signals reach the users through a dish. But it is not as easy as we think. It requires high-tech satellites. A geostationary satellite, located 22,300 miles above the equator, must transmit and receive data from a location on Earth called a Network Operations Center (NOC) with the help of appropriate equipment.
Role of Satellites:
Satellite Internet service is typically provided to individual users by geostationary satellites. These provide relatively high data rates. Newer satellites use the ‘Ku’ band to achieve lower data rates of up to 506 megabits per second. By placing a satellite in a fixed orbit visible from Earth at a specific point in space, the satellite completes one orbit around the Earth in exactly 24 hours. The information sent by the satellite must travel four times at the speed of light, about 1,86,000 miles per second. This means it must travel from the computer to the satellite, from the satellite to the NOC or Internet, from there to the satellite, and finally from the satellite to the computer. The time it takes to complete this entire journey is called latency. It is about half a second.
Is it fast?
Satellite internet speeds may not be as fast as traditional broadband or fiber optic connections, but they cover a larger area of the earth, making internet accessible to users in rural and remote areas.
Challenges Limitations:
One of the main drawbacks of satellite internet is latency. This refers to the delay in transmitting data signals between a user device and a satellite in space. This results in slower connection speeds compared to terrestrial networks. This particularly affects activities that require real-time communication, such as online gaming or video conferencing. It requires an initial investment in equipment, cost of service plans, satellite dish equipment, installation fees, monthly subscription and expenses. This is very expensive in our developing country with limited financial resources.
Bandwidth limitations, latency issues, weather interference, signal interruptions, installation complexity, equipment requirements, data limitations, speed variations, security issues, and privacy risks are the main challenges for satellite internet. These obstacles hinder smooth connectivity. Signals have to travel long distances between the Earth and the satellites. This causes noticeable delays, especially with geostationary earth orbit (GEO) satellites.
Bandwidth limitations affect the capacity and speed of an internet connection. Rain, snow, and other weather conditions can disrupt signal transmission. This can cause signal loss or reduce data rates. Satellite internet is most effective in areas with a clear line of sight to the satellites. This can be challenging in densely populated urban areas or areas with difficult terrain. Launching thousands of satellites for the internet in this manner raises concerns about space debris and the possibility of collisions. Satellites are vulnerable to jamming, hacking, and other cyberattacks that can disrupt internet communications.
The increasing number of satellite deployments is intensifying competition for limited radio frequency spectrum. The high cost of developing and deploying satellite internet infrastructure indirectly affects the user experience. This creates operational bottlenecks. To overcome these, innovative solutions and regulatory framework technological advancements are needed to effectively bridge the digital divide to improve satellite internet access. To avoid latency and improve internet speed reliability, internet providers are offering users smaller, more compact devices. These only require a modem, wireless router and network cable. Let’s hope that governments will work to provide them at lower prices in the future.
