A Path to Global Connectivity : Daily Current Affairs

Relevance: GS-3: Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology, and issues relating to intellectual property rights.

Key Phrases: terrestrial 5G mobile networks, satellite networks (SatNets), Non-Terrestrial Networks, Starlink, OneWeb, Project Kuiper, Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP),

Why in News?

  • As terrestrial 5G mobile networks are being rolled out across countries, there is a renewed interest in integrating Non-Terrestrial Networks, the primary one being the low latency Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite networks (SatNets), as a complement to terrestrial networks.

What are Non-Terrestrial Networks?

  • NTN has become an umbrella term for any network that involves non-terrestrial flying objects. The NTN family includes satellite communication networks, high-altitude platform systems (HAPS), and air-to-ground networks.
  • HAPS are airborne platforms that can include airplanes, balloons, and airships.
  • Air-to-ground networks aim to provide in-flight connectivity for airplanes by utilizing ground stations which play a similar role as base stations (BSs) in terrestrial mobile networks.

What is LOW EARTH ORBIT?

  • An orbit with an altitude that lies towards the lower end of the range of possible orbits. This is around 1,200 miles (2,000 kilometers) or less. The majority of satellites are to be found in LEO, as is the International Space Station (ISS).
  • In order to remain in this orbit, a satellite has to travel at around 17,500 miles per hour (7.8 kilometers per second), at which speed it takes around 90 minutes to complete an orbit of the planet.

Present status of Low Earth Orbit SatNets:

  • Towards this, Starlink, operated by the Elon Musk-owned SpaceX, and OneWeb, promoted by Bharti Global, have launched about 2,500 and 648 LEO satellites respectively at an altitude of about 1,200 km to promote global broadband connectivity.
  • There are other players such as Reliance Jio in a joint venture with Luxembourg-based SES and Amazon’s Project Kuiper.

Utility of integrating LEO SatNets with terrestrial 5G networks:

  1. service continuity to provide a seamless transition between terrestrial networks and SatNets in case of public safety, disaster management, and emergencies;
  2. service ubiquity to provide 5G services in unserved and underserved areas of the world, thereby bridging the digital divide;
  3. service scalability that utilizes the unique capabilities of SatNets in multicasting and broadcasting similar content over a large geographical area. The LEO SatNets can provide service not only to stationary but also to in motion users.

What is 5G?

  • Fifth-generation wireless (5G) is the latest iteration of cellular technology, engineered to greatly increase the speed and responsiveness of wireless networks.
  • With 5G, data transmitted over wireless broadband connections can travel at multigigabit speeds, with potential peak speeds as high as 20 gigabits per second (Gbps) by some estimates.
  • These speeds exceed wireline network speeds and offer latency of below 5 milliseconds (ms) or lower, which is useful for applications that require real-time feedback.
  • 5G will enable a sharp increase in the amount of data transmitted over wireless systems due to more available bandwidth and advanced antenna technology.

Integration process

  • Satellites and terrestrial networks have always been considered two independent ecosystems, and their standardization efforts have proceeded independently of each other.
  • Given the above advantages, standard-setting organizations such as the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), comprising telcos and equipment manufacturers around the world, started integrating SatNets in the standardization process.
  • As an extension to terrestrial networks, satellites were first mentioned in a deployment scenario of 5G in 3GPP Release 14.
  • This was to provide 5G communication services for areas where terrestrial coverage was not available and also to support services that could be accessed more efficiently through satellite systems, such as broadcasting services and delay-tolerant services.
  • Interestingly, wireless communications through LEO satellites over long distances are proven to be 1.47 times faster than communication over the same distance through terrestrial optic fibre.
  • It is this advantage along with global coverage that provides a strong use case for LEO SatNets to complement terrestrial optic fibre networks.

Issues to be addressed

  • This would necessitate addressing issues around frequencies to be allocated for satellite broadband, the methodology of allocation, the relatively higher cost of consumer equipment, and the placement and interconnections of SatNets with terrestrial public landline/ mobile networks at the ground stations.
  • The other major challenge in LEO SatNets is the cost of the user terminal and access charges to the end users.
  • The standalone LEO SatNets have a distinct cost advantage only if the density is less than 0.1 person per square km compared to terrestrial broadband networks.
  • Hence it is to the advantage of LEO SatNet providers to integrate their networks with terrestrial 5G networks to improve the cost economies.

Steps taken by the government for integrating SatNets with terrestrial 5G networks:

  • National Digital Communications Policy 2018:
    • National Digital Communications Policy 2018, has indicated several areas including the development of an ecosystem for local manufacturing of satellite communication systems and promoting the participation of private players in the strengthening of satellite communication infrastructure in the country.
  • New Space India Limited (NSIL):
    • New Space India Limited (NSIL), a public sector enterprise, was established in 2019 under the administrative control of the Department of Space, to re-orient space activities from a ‘supply driven’ model to a ‘demand driven’ model, thereby ensuring optimum utilization of the space assets.
  • IN-SPACe:
    • The Department of Space also established in 2020 a new regulatory body named the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe).
    • IN-SPACe is intended to provide a level playing field for private companies to use Indian space infrastructure and to promote and guide the private industries in space activities through encouraging policies and a friendly regulatory environment.

Conclusion:

  • All these, along with the proposed revisions to the Satellite Communications Policy of the Government, will provide the required fillip to LEO SatNets to become an integral part of the communication infrastructure of the country.

Source: The Hindu

Mains Question:

Q. What are the benefits of integrating terrestrial 5G networks with LEO satellite networks? What measures has the government of India taken in this regard? Discuss.