What will 100Gbps broadband satellite technology mean?

If you like to travel or lead a dynamic lifestyle, but at the same time feel the need for constant, stable and, most importantly, fast access to the Internet, then you are the one who just needs HTS (High throughput satellite; high bandwidth satellite).



What is a high bandwidth satellite?

HTS is a class of communication satellites that exceed at least 2 times (and sometimes 20 times) the nominal bandwidth of a classic satellite in the same frequency band. "Packing" more bits in the same frequency spectrum significantly reduces the cost of transmitting one bit. The advanced technologies used on the ViaSat-1 and EchoStar XVII satellites (also known as Jupiter-1) are capable of providing a bandwidth of more than 100 Gb / s. In other words, this technology allows you to transfer data more than 100 times denser in comparison with a conventional Ku-band satellite. In fact, the 140 Gb / s ViaSat-1, launched in October 2011, had more features than all other commercial communications satellites over North America.
Such satellites will be able to provide a channel of 30-100 Gbit / s anywhere in the world.
So what are the opportunities for users, remote workers and enterprises in particular? What will be the cost?

Overcoming Stereotypes

Despite the technological hype, some still have the feeling that satellite services will not cope with their tasks. This opinion is mainly rooted in satellite TV users, who are used to the fact that the picture is badly damaged or disappears during the rains. To minimize the wobble of weather conditions on the signal level, companies apply certain measures.

Geo distribution

The satellite operator should take care of the availability of separate satellite uplinks located in geographically remote locations. Spacing diversity ensures that if one of the uplinks is drowned out by heavy rain, the other, at an acceptable distance, can take the load. This approach is absolutely not new, it has been used in the good old microwave radio for several decades.

Adaptive Coding Modulation (ACM)

Like spatial diversity, ACM is also not a new concept. ACM has been used for many years in other wireless applications, including microwave radio. More recently, technology has found its place in satellite communications. ACM adapts the modulation order used, and also uses a direct error correction code. All this affects the spectral efficiency, expressed in bits per second per Hertz. Corrections occur depending on noise or other disturbances on the line. Thus, the AFM maximizes throughput regardless of the conditions on the communication line, such as noise, attenuation due to rain, etc.

Consumer business opportunities

In order to fully appreciate the possibilities of the consumer business, let's look at the deployment of the first satellite consumer service - Direct-To-Home (DTH) satellite broadcasting services. These services, including Dish Network and DirecTV, were the first to be deployed in the consumer market in Japan, the UK and the USA.



At the very beginning of the journey, it was expected that DTH satellite transmission would be limited only to consumers of this service in places where there is no terrestrial analogue. A surprise was the phenomenal interest of urban and suburban customers. It turned out that satellite television was a suitable, competitive offer for consumers who were fed up with a cable company. This has led to competition between satellite television providers and cable companies, which continues to this day.

Returning to HTS, as in the case of the debut of digital television, there was an expectation that satellite broadband would be relevant as the only hope for people who were unable to connect terrestrial broadband services. But also, as with DTH, why bargain for little things if you can get more. Satellite and terrestrial providers will again fight for the hearts and minds of consumers around the world.

In general, competition is good. This creates enormous opportunities for the consumer, as both industries will improve and offer the most competitive prices and bandwidth for the consumer.

Business opportunities

Terrestrial providers predict the demise of the satellite industry in corporate communications almost every year, but despite this, the segment of satellite industry services has grown in the corporate market. One of the reasons is the availability of the satellite in any terrain, which is ideal, for example, for the Ibox, which can be placed on a train, etc.



Pros and cons

HTS is more powerful and packs more data into the carrier frequency than its C-band counterpart. HTS has a narrower beam and provides excellent VoIP quality. A smaller receiving “plate” (from 0.5 to 1.5 m) is required compared to a 2.5 - 4 m C-band plate.

Rain will have a stronger effect on the propagation of the high-frequency Ku-band signal (10.7-12.75 GHz) than on the classic C-band (3.4-5.25 GHz). Although the Ku group is improving, its coverage is not as significant as that of traditional satellites, and latency can be significant, which is especially noticeable in online games.

Coverage map of the Yamal 202 satellite using the C-band



And for comparison, the reception map of the Horizon-2 satellite operating in the Ku band



In Europe and the USA, the Ku band is usually used, while Russia and Asia use both bands.

Currently, more than half of satellite operators have ordered (or plan to order) HTS satellites. Psychics predict that 14 million users and 50% of terminals at enterprises will use satellite services with high bandwidth by 2020.
In part, this will come from economic considerations.

For example, some media companies are “prophesying” a rollback in the price of a satellite news channel from more than $ 100,000 to less than $ 20,000 — an 80% reduction in price. Another factor (more significant) is the desire of various market segments to have access to network services anywhere and anytime. In this context, satellite Internet has a significant advantage.

HTS offers many opportunities for a wide range of applications in places that were previously unavailable. Cellular operators are expanding their coverage area and relate to markets that were previously unattainable via satellite. This is a significant plus for consumers. However, it is still important to remember that, as with any service, the Ku band is not a panacea, and it is not suitable for all applications. This is just a tool in your arsenal, which you can choose if necessary.

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