All you need to know about Satellite Internet

What is the News?

Jio Platforms has launched a joint venture(JV) with European satellite-based broadband service company SES to enter the satellite internet space.

What is Satellite Internet?

Satellite Internet is the technology that beams the internet down from a satellite that’s orbiting the earth. Jio, Bharti Airtel OneWeb and Starlink want to send thousands of these satellites to orbit.

Jio will use geostationary (GEO) and medium earth orbit (MEO) satellites, while Starlink and OneWeb use low earth orbit (LEO) satellites. 

What is the difference between GEO, MEO and LEO satellites?

LEO satellites are cheaper to make and deploy, but require a satellite constellation working in sync to offer coverage on earth. 

On the other hand, GEO and MEO Satellites are larger, deployed in higher orbits and cost more. These satellites cover a larger area and require fewer ground stations, which makes them ideal for targeted coverage.

What are the advantages of satellite internet?

Militaries across the world have depended on satellite communications for a long time. The reason telecom firms want to explore satellite internet is that there are areas where fibre connections just can’t reach. Hence, satellite networks are being used to bring connectivity to such areas, which include hills and remote islands. 

Are there any disadvantages with satellite internet?

The satellite internet has the following limitations, 

High latency: Latency is all about internet speed, while bandwidth determines how many devices can connect to a network at the same time. 

Low bandwidths: Experts say current satellite connections will bring only about 1-2 MB bandwidth.

Troubleshooting can also be a problem because it needs specialized knowledge.

Source: This post is based on the article “All you need to know about Satellite Internet” published in Livemint on 17th Feb 2022.