South Africa, looking for 100% broadband penetration through satellites

The South African government’s goal of a broadband penetration rate of 100% across the country may become a reality but not on fibre optic and fixed wireless alone. According to the Department of Communications, satellite technology will play a crucial role in the national broadband project, as traditional terrestrial networks cannot cover remote regions and rural communities.

Norman Munzhelele, the General Manager of the department, said that satellite communications can be used to increase the present 30% nationwide coverage to 75%, although speeds will be limited using the said technology, and installation may be more costly.

Still, experts agree that satellite services are far more cost-effective as a broadband solution to huge tracts of rural regions. The CEO of Avanti Communications agree that telecom operators will find it uneconomical to lay down fibre networks in remote regions with few population compared to urban areas. Mobile operators in Africa, however, are still hurdling the challenge of remote connectivity that is integrated with national networks.

NBN on target to connect over 280,000 premises by mid-2013

The NBN Co has announced that it is on schedule to connect the 286,000 premises passed by the company, by June 30 of next year. At present, the company has hooked up over 25,000 premises to the national project, with 600 on fixed wireless, 17,000 on the interim satellite service, and 6400 connected to fibre. 

Jim Hassell, the head of NBN’s product development and sales, presented to the Senate Estimates committee yesterday the numbers. Out of the 17,000 on the satellite services, 9000 were former customers of the Australian Broadband Guarantee, while 8000 were said to be new customers. ABG initially offered internet on satellite to clients regardless of their location. The government initiative ended June 30 of last year after delivering broadband access to remote regions across the country. 

Senator Stephen Conroy who is also the broadband minister said that the NBN Co was already on track to hit the overall 785,000 target they announced earlier this year. For 2012, the company is planning to connect 54,300 premises. 

According to Hassell, customer take-up of the broadband services have differed from initial forecasts with over 44% opting for the 100/40 mbps. NBN Co had only expected 18% consumer take-up on the project’s highest speed offerings.

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Satellite broadband contributes to online education

Most people think satellites are only used in the broadcasting industry, aviation, and even military missions. But the advent of satellite broadband technology has made its effect even more widespread. Today, millions of people rely on the transmission of vessels orbiting the earth. 

Aside from making it possible to watch TV shows from other countries, satellite technology is also delivering online education in remote regions. Many communities, especially those in developing countries, are inaccessible by road, or are situated in areas where large-scale terrestrial communications network cannot be constructed.

In such situations, satellite broadband via VSAT has been the ideal solution. Now, the system can be conveniently deployed with minimal interference on the environment. Students in remote regions can stream educational videos via Internet, and teachers can finally access more information online. Internet by satellite enables computers to connect to a host of resources that are usually cut off because of the location.

Soon, satellite broadband will penetrate more remote regions, and improve the lives of people in communities often cut off from the rest of the world. With wireless communications technology improving, and with the rise of more powerful mobile devices, our connected world can enjoy easier transfer of information, as well as more powerful and convenient online education. 

How does VSAT work?

Check out this video on what and how VSAT works. We all know how VSAT technology is crucial for internet by satellite to work. In this video, we get an introduction to the system, and which customers VSAT's are ideal for. 
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Internet by satellite broadband for rural communities

Many parts of the world have no access to the internet. Even in developed nations, there are still regions which aren't serviced my mobile communications. Majority of these locations cut off from the web are in the rural regions. In remote areas, terrestrial infrastructure cannot easily be built. The geography of far-flung regions poses a challenge: building telephone lines or digging to embed fibre optic cables is not ideal in mountainous region, or vast arid lands; any infrastructure work may also mean degradation of forest areas or resource-rich lands. 

A VSAT System used in Australia's desert communites

In such situations, the most recommended solution would be satellite broadband. Satellite communications, despite the rise of fibre as we can see in NBN projects across the globe, is becoming the most viable alternative to bring the Internet in rural regions. A technology called VSAT has made the deployment of such systems possible, with little interference to a location's geography. Thus, communities found in remote regions like the deserts in Australia, or even the mountain ranges in Nepal, can rely on VSAT systems because little space is required.

The lack of public infrastructure in rural regions mean satellite broadband is often their only option left. The downside to the technology though would be cost and latency issues. Satellite communications technology isn't cheap, since the service you're paying for makes up for the millions of dollars needed to launch a rocket into space. And since the satellites orbit thousands of kilometers above the earth, signal transmitted via VSAT systems to communications ports both on the ground and in space may face delays. 

Luckily, many operators are looking into improving their technology. This would include the rise of more powerful Ka band satellites. Ka band satellite can carry more payloads, and deliver powerful coverage in vast regions. Many satellite broadband systems are already relying on the new spectrum, and soon enough, more operators will be offering the service at a cheaper cost. 

Do you want to learn more about satellite broadband? Check this out see and read about the Two-Types of Satellite Broadband Systems.