Ka and C band Satellites Add to 4G Broadband Networks

Fast Internet is increasingly becoming an integral part of the daily life of the society. Before, enjoying high speed broadband connection at a blazing speed was only possible in areas served by wired communications providers or mobile phone companies. Everything changed with the launching of K and C band satellite technology. Now, more households and businesses can enjoy fast Internet connection even if they do not have a cable or wired phone service. Furthermore, satellite networks are also increasingly becoming integrated with modern wireless infrastructures, thus allowing Internet service providers to serve more regions.

Ka and C-band satellites, unlike cell towers, are capable of sending and processing radio wave signals to and from widely separated zones. Fiber optic connections and similar services do not always work toward investors' interests. Since fixed and wireless telecommunications companies can only operate their terrestrial networks in certain areas, large networks in small regions tend to have high redundancy . Needless to say, paying attention to small markets can be a financial disincentive, so the industry turn to leasing or retailing of bandwidth. This is more cost-effective than the expansion of terrestrial networks or cell towers.

By facilitating backhaul operations , teleports and satellites make wireless Internet possible in any place with satellite dish or VSAT. Satellite signals have longer ranges so they can send more data. Signals sent by satellite dishes travel 22,000 miles above the ground to reach geostationary satellites. They are commonly known by such term because of their permanent location in the orbit relative to Earth. Geostationary satellites also travel at higher altitude compared to other types of satellites. The advantageous position of geostationary satellites is the reason why they have a large coverage.

Teleports and hub stations operate gigantic satellite dishes called VSATS. They are equipped with transceivers which perform the critical functions needed for satellite signals to be processed by client devices and Internet networks. The distance of teleports from client devices does not matter because of the long-range signals of satellites.

Therefore, telecommunications companies are eager to use satellite networks to expand heir coverage, especially in rural areas. As a matter of fact, a single satellite is capable of providing wireless broadband to air travellers on an international flight. Thanks to satellite Internet, rural customers do not have to wait to get covered by terrestrial network in order to enjoy 4G broadband connection.

It has been proven throughout the years that mobile backhauling via Ka, Ku and C-band satellites greatly increased the quality and speed of both fixed and mobile Internet services of ISPs and telcos. The industry witnessed the alliance among companies in the satellite and telecommunications sectors to take advantage of the intercontinental coverage of Ka, Ku and C band satellites.

Take the case of Norsat International Inc. which recently merged with WiMax provider Bluemoon 4G Ltd. The alliance has improved the Irish ISP’s competitive stance in developing markets. Another satellite carrier which has reaped the benefits of having a hybrid network is Globalstar, which won an FCC approval to deploy WiMax as part of its backhaul component.

Satellite Industry News

by Fred
New Eutelsat birds to meet growing demand
Eutelsat Communications has said that its two recent launch successes, Atlantic Bird 7 and W3C, will provide new capacity to support growth in fast developing markets.
From www.broadbandtvnews.com/2011/11/04/new-eutelsat-birds-to-meet-growing-demand/

RDA Microelectronics Introduces CMMB Mobile TV Chip for TD-SCDMA
RDA announced the introduction of its RDA5891 CMMB Mobile TV SoC for TD-SCDMA handsets and smartphones which works on China's 3G standard.
From: marketwatch.com/story/rda-microelectronics-introduces-cmmb-mobile-tv-chip-for-td-scdma-2011-11-17

Helitech 2011: Blue Sky Network Offers Helo Tracking Solutions
At Helitech 2011, Blue Sky Network (BSN) exhibited a renewed line of tracking devices that can help flight dispatchers to know, in real-time, where their fleet’s helicopters are.
From: ainonline.com/?q=aviation-news/aviation-international-news/2011-11-01/helitech-2011-blue-sky-network-offers-helo-tracking-solutions


AfriCom deepens insight on global telecom brands on Africa
Number of mobile subscriptions in Africa is estimated to reach one billion in 2016, from 616 million at September this year, based on Informa Telecoms & Media report.
From: businessdayonline.com/NG/index.php/media-business/29700-africom-deepens-insight-on-global-telecom-brands-on-africa

Psion/Blackroc GNSS device delivers centimetre accuracy
The Procyon range, which adds a 2.1-megapixel camera and a GNSS module to the basic Psion Workabout 3 handheld, starts with the W100, whose GPS receiver's standard 15m accuracy is boosted to 1-2m using SBAS (Satellite-Based Augmentation System).
Source: zdnet.co.uk/blogs/product-central-10000033/psionblackroc-gnss-device-delivers-centimetre-accuracy-10024719/

Sandigan selects Stratos to deploy FleetBroadband service
Sandigan Ship Services has selected Stratos Global to deploy the Inmarsat FleetBroadband satellite communications service on Sandigan's fleet of commercial vessels. F
From: telecompaper.com/news/sandigan-selects-stratos-to-deploy-fleetbroadband-service

Technology and Ka Band Industry Today

A French Ka band communications satellite covering Europe and the Indian Ocean was launched on top of a Chinese Long March rocket Friday.


Some say broadband access should be enshrined as a basic human right, and carriers , operators and other technology developers are working on ways to reduce the cost and increase the speed of broadband acce in rural areas. By Sam Baird


Adrian Ballintine, the chief executive officer of Ka band provider Newsat , has been inducted to the Board of Directors for the World Teleport Association (WTA).


Hughes Network Systems, LLC (Hughes), the global leader in ka band solutions and services, joined the three panel sessions at the SATCON 2011 Conference and Exhibition.
Source: Marketwatch.com




Gilat introduced its new high speed Ka band VSAT terminals for the consumer market. 


Nine out of 10 airplanes with an Internet connection use Gogo LLC, which transmits signals from cellular towers to antennas that can be installed on a plane overnight. Bu the company is now facing growing competition from ka band carriers. 


Reference: http://online.wsj.com/ 






Guidelines for alerting mobile phone users before they surpassed monthly limits on voice or data service usages  announced by the US Federal Communications Commission.


 Technology is a great leveler as it helps narrow the gaps between people, it is evident from the fact that expanding telecommunications infrastructures has brought Mizoram closer to the rest of India. 
Source: http://www.newstrackindia.com/newsdetails/246895


Queensland students will be required to secure a "licence" to take mobile phones to school if a state government-commissioned proposed anti cyber-bullying policy is approved. 
Read more:  http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/mobile-phone-licence-mooted-for-qld-kids-20111021-1mc06.html


NINE drivers were caught using mobile phones in north east Fife, UK during a crackdown operation by local police authority. 
From: http://www.fifetoday.co.uk/news/local-headlines/dunfermline-and-west-fife/crackdown_on_drivers_using_mobile_phones_1_1921581


Google has piled into the potential auction of rival Yahoo, allying with private equity investors to consider a joint bid for the ailing search engine competitor. 


Read more: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/google-looks-at-bid-for-troubled-rival-yahoo-2375158.html

Satellite Internet, Telecommunications and Technology Updates 10/21/2011

The “air-battle” in satellite broadband wars just got its latest warrior, the ViaSat-1 (VS1) satellite. 


The decision by Shaw Communications to defer its plan to set up a mobile phone business cost the company up to $83.7 million in its latest quarter, sources confirmed Thursday.

SiriusXM released official statements earlier this week announcing the release of 2.0. I, but many analysts are wondering how the product would be launched and what it would feature.


Hughes is set to accomplish the rollout of network upgrades for HughesNet subscribers which began in the summer of 2010, thereby boosting browsing and download speed for improved online customer experience. 


RIM have enjoyed tremendous success in the corporate world throughout the years with their famous Blackberry gadgets, but the balance seems to be shifting with the new iPhone 4S  becoming the handset of choice among professionals. Read more at  at cmvlive.com/technology/gadgets/the-iphone-4s-gains-popularity-in-the-corporate-sector


Mobile and fixed Internet services are converging via Wi-Fi which operates on unlicensed spectrum and small circles, perhaps 200 feet in radius. More at wsj.com.
New wireless internet access points were launched in five more New York City parks last Thursday by New York City Department of Parks and Recreation in cooperation with AT&T. Read full report:
http://www.nyunews.com/news/2011/10/18/18wireless/
Social media could be causing changes on people's brains as well as their social life, research indicates. Read more www.bbc.co.uk

Internet portals draw more online Australians than any other online media, reaching more than 96% of Australians online in September, a new report showed. Follow this story on http://www.bandt.com.au/news/web-portals-reach-more-aussies-than-social-network

Marshall University student are asking business executives on the west side of Charleston if they are willing to move their business to Facebook or Twitter. Read more http://www.statejournal.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=110589

Satellite VoIP - Wireless Telephony Anywhere

Australian satellite communications services are evolving rapidly. The advent of satellite VoIP makes Internet telephony even more reliable and accessible. People who live in remote areas and those who travel to inaccessible places can enjoy a wide VoIP coverage with satellite Internet.

Thanks to the development in IP networking, transmitting calls via the Internet has become possible. As VoIP becomes more integrated with satellite services, satellite VoIP providers have expanded their products to better serve both the business and consumer markets.

Considerations in Choosing a Satellite VoIP System

One-way propagation delay for VoIP is estimated at 280 msec. This is due to positioning at Geo Stationary orbit and the speed of light. To date, several overseas calls are transmitted via satellite VoIP, especially via small long distance carriers.

Jitter quantifies how network delays affect the packets sent to the receiving end. Excessive jitter results into choppy lines. Jitter is measured based on the inter-arrival time of the packet stream. The satisfactory inter-arrival time at the receiver should be the same as the inter-packet gaps from the transmitter, while the standard deviation should be low. Jitter buffers (packet buffers which hold the incoming packets for a certain period of time) reduce network fluctuations and facilitate smooth packet flow to the receiving end.

Packet corruption can be prevented by keeping a low bit error rate. This will ensure high-quality voice. This is a critical consideration in choosing a satellite VoIP provider. Since the traffic flow in UDP/IP, it cannot be resent unlike in the case of TCP/IP.

The amount of bandwidth required per call is affected by the encoding standard, payload size and header compression. For example, the bandwidth is estimated at 16Kbps with a G.729(b) standard, payload of 40 bytes, and no header compression.

Satellite VoIP has been proven to be better and more reliable than other VoIP systems. There are not much hardware requirements other than the satellite Internet system. VoIP software is also easy to configure. Through satellite VoIP, business users can enjoy clear and continuous Internet telephony in areas not serviced by traditional broadband carriers.


Other Factors to Consider

Questions to ask when choosing a satellite VoIP provider:

• Are multiple lines per account possible?
• Is there a back-up phone system?
• Is conference call possible?
• What are the minimum hardware and software requirements?
• Is call rerouting possible?
• What are the coverage restrictions?
• Is the service compatible with mobile communications devices and other VoIP hardware?
• How large are the VSAT networks of the satellite carrier?