By: Ari Banerjee, Senior Vice President, Strategy, Netcracker Technology
The communications industry is working towards ubiquitous connectivity, and recent advances in satellite technology are making it easier to bridge the gap.
Satellite technology has played a vital role in global communications for decades. Starting with TV broadcasts and basic phone calls and evolving to broadband internet and mobile backhaul, geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) satellites and medium Earth orbit satellites (MEO) have been filling the connectivity gaps in hard-to-reach areas not connected by traditional telecom networks. However, due to the distance these satellites cover from Earth, latency has become an issue, preventing their widespread use in real-time communications.
Low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites are much closer to Earth—ranging from 300m to 1,500km—resulting in much lower latency than GEO satellites. LEO satellites can also be linked together to increase capacity. The downside of LEO technology has been the cost, limiting their use in commercial networks. With recent technological advances like software-defined control and AI, as well as lower cost launches, LEO satellites offer an exciting and affordable option to bridging the digital divide, filling mobile coverage gaps and equipping diverse industries with high-quality and mission-critical communications anywhere in the world. This is specifically pertinent when considering the increasing impacts of natural disasters, such as flooding caused by hurricanes, which can leave people isolated and unable to communicate. Using satellite communication to reach these areas could allow for aid to reach them more quickly.
However, the demands of highly dynamic LEO satellite networks place requirements on network and service operations that go above and beyond what any modern telco or satellite provider has been equipped to handle. In addition, given the on-demand nature of LEO satellite connections due to their low latency and finite capacity, operators need an efficient and scalable way to transact with customers and partners. Key issues include:
- Highly Dynamic Operations: Building a real-time view of the service topology is extremely complicated given the many moving parts in a satellite network.
- Multi-Domain Services: New operational systems are needed to model, manage and orchestrate services across space and Earth.
- Complex Diverse Global Customer Base: Different business models and better engagement models will be needed to address the specific needs of customers in different countries and adhere to the specific requirements of those countries including language, currency, taxation schemes and data privacy.
Another emerging technological innovation telcos need to consider is the ability to connect satellites directly to regular mobile, as well as IoT, devices using direct-to-device (D2D) technology. In place of dedicated satellite phones, ordinary smartphones can seamlessly switch from 4G/5G mobile networks to satellite to maintain connectivity and fill coverage gaps. In the IoT market, this presents opportunities to keep remote sensors and tracking devices connected at all times for use in agriculture, transportation and environmental monitoring, among others, enabling operators to offer ubiquitous connectivity to consumers and a variety of industries.
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Telcos and Satellite Operators Embrace the New Era of Communications
In order to take advantage of the communication potential introduced by LEO satellites, both telcos and satellite operators need to adapt to these new requirements. By ensuring their systems are able to handle the interconnection between satellites and telco networks, both parties can play a significant role in closing the connectivity gap.
Telcos can extend their coverage by placing 5G RAN in areas that are difficult to serve and using satellite for backhaul, employing a multi-orbit strategy. Fixed satellite access can address the consumer and business market in areas that are not economical for 5G, D2D or fiber.
To serve these telco markets, satellite communication providers need a new way to manage, optimize and monetize their business as they prepare to offer new types of services, expand into new markets and differentiate themselves in what is becoming a highly competitive market. Satellite operators require:
- The ability to deliver and guarantee the highest service quality at any time, helping them address mission-critical services in highly demanding verticals and the governmental market.
- Ways to engage with their customers and partners in a more digital and API-centric way, making it easier for customers to purchase or modify services and get the support they need.
- A method to easily create any type of service offer and support any customer type in any country in the world. Satellite operators need to be able to quickly adapt to changes in the market and take advantage of new innovations.
To meet these requirements, Netcracker has developed the industry’s first blueprint for multi-orbit satellite IT, incorporating new innovations to help satellite providers always guarantee the highest service quality.
The Netcracker Digital Satellite Solution encompasses significant innovations in real-time operations and sophisticated BSS applications and is deeply embedded with AI to help satellite operators extract the maximum value from their significant investments. With our solution, operators can deliver and guarantee the best service quality at any time, provide premium digital engagement for their customers, and expand their business with any type of customer and service offering, in any country.
Utilizing its Digital Satellite Solution, Netcracker is helping satellite operators to expand their communication offerings through deeper integration with telco domains, maximizing their value in this growing market and delivering differentiating communication experiences.
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