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

What is Satellite Internet?

• The technology beams the internet down from a satellite that’s orbiting the Earth.
• Jio, Bharti Airtel Ltd’s OneWeb, and billionaire Elon Musk’s Starlink want to send thousands of these satellites to orbit.
• OneWeb plans to launch 648 satellites, while Musk’s Starlink has permits to launch over 4,000 of them.
• So far, OneWeb has launched over 400 satellites, while Starlink has launched over 2,000 satellites.
• It’s worth noting that Starlink plans to launch 42,000 satellites in the coming decade. Jio’s journey has only just begun.

Which satellites will Indian JV use?

• The JV will use geostationary (GEO) and medium earth orbit (MEO) satellites, while Starlink and OneWeb use low earth orbit (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 therefore cost more.
• These satellites cover a larger area and require fewer ground stations, which makes them ideal for targeted coverage area.
• LEOs move faster and can hence provide global coverage.

What are the advantages of satellite internet?

• The reason telecom firms want to explore satellite internet is because there are areas where fibre connections just can’t reach.
• Satellite networks are used to bring connectivity in such areas, which include hills and remote islands.
• Consumer applications are new, but satellite networks have been used for ages in military applications.

Are there any disadvantages?

• The applications and the power of satellite internet are often exaggerated.
• In reality, these networks have limitations, the biggest being high latency and low bandwidths.
• Latency is all about internet speed, while bandwidth determines how many devices can connect on a network at the same time.
• Experts say current satellite connections will bring 1-2 MB bandwidth, which just about qualifies as broadband under India’s broadband policy.
• Trouble-shooting can be a problem because it needs specialized knowledge.

Who can use satellite internet?

• Militaries across the world have depended on satellite communications for a long time.
• However, many military experts, too, consider this form to be unreliable and too expensive to be made the sole communication medium.
• In remote areas, satellite internet can still allow businesses to open up local branches and provide digital services.
• In theory, a bank could set up more ATMs in remote regions if it has access to satellite internet.

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