Updating the Ground Communications Environment

for Broadband Satellite Communications

Bruce R. Elbert

President, Application Technology Strategy, Inc.

As the facilitator of broadband and mobile applications, modern ground equipment has moved to center stage in the satellite industry. Innovations like broadband Ka band VSATs, highly-transportable Ku band terminals, improved error-correcting modems and compression systems, and advanced multiple-access processors are tools for development of networks that compete with their terrestrial counterparts. As we discussed in our last article in this publication, satellites are moving toward greater sophistication as well. Technology developers recognize the value of the Internet, which has become the central theme in many segments of our industry. Looking the other way, Microsoft, Cisco and other leaders in the Internet domain now consider satellite transmission a valued part.

Looking commercially, market segments for ground equipment fall into the following broad categories: (a) Service providers, (b) Consumers, (c) Government agencies, and (d) Businesses. These represent unique marketing and sales challenges. The Consumer equipment segment is very crowded at this juncture because of large volumes of production from sales in the DTH market. Products for Satellite Digital Audio Radio Service are likewise in excess of millions. Getting into this market requires a thorough understanding of consumer tastes and the ability to sell the product for next to nothing.

On the other hand, consumer VSAT sales have not been impressive. Perhaps when WildBlue and Telesat Anik F2 hit the market late this year or early next, we will see more high-performance but low cost transmit/receive terminals. That leaves the Business and Government sectors to be exploited by new kinds of ground equipment and solutions.

Greater adoption of satellite ground equipment and network technology in these potentially lucrative sectors will result from solutions that deliver value for money and meet total cost of ownership targets. Government and business buyers, typically telecommunications and IT managers, understand full well the economics of conventional optical fiber and Internet-based services. The good news is that satellite ground solutions can excel in areas that exploit the point-to-multipoint feature and broad coverage possibilities. Selling these solutions demands understanding of the whole equation of cost/benefit for government and business.

I take equipment suppliers to task to provide government and business buyers with more complete solutions. Ground equipment hardware and, along with it, software, cannot be viewed simply in terms of components and piece parts. Rather, sellers of equipment need to address the following aspects of their offerings:

1. Architecture. Ground equipment is the business end of the application, which in turn is depends on an appropriate network architecture. Starting with the fundamentals of either a star or mesh topology, the solution set needs to consider the full range of application needs. These include providing the necessary data rate or bandwidth to user locations spread across a region of variable dimension. Whether in reach of a single GEO satellite or requiring multiple satellites, the architecture must provide connectivity on an effective and consistent basis. One key issue is what standard or standards will be followed. Currently, the Internet Protocol (IP) is dominant, but close behind is Asynchronous Transfer Mode and MPEG. While important, good architecture is necessary but not sufficient for success in business or government sectors. Other factors include support for the business (e.g., operations support systems and business support systems), integration with land-based networks, and concurrence with user ability and expectations.

2. Radio Frequency Performance. The era of the Big Ugly Dish (BUD) is behind us and users don’t want big antennas hanging on their buildings, vehicles and other platforms. Small antenna dimensions bring with them a demand for adequate satellite power – the network developer must under the basic principle of accurate link budgets. Another factor that comes into play is the required uplink transmit-power from the SSPA.

3. Reliability Enhancement. Ground equipment used in satellite communications is usually of high quality and reliability. This is demanded by the fact that service people are often few and far between, making the end user a bit more self sufficient. Often overlooked is the quality of commercial power that the equipment depends on to close the link and interface with the application. Inexpensive commercial UPS often don’t meet the grade for survivability with difficult climatic and power transient conditions. Ground equipment at remote sites is often single-string, meaning there is not backup. Of course, we drive cars thousands of kilometers without failures – why shouldn’t we expect the same reliability of our user terminals? Often the solution is to provide some kind of simple user diagnostic coupled with qualified technical assistance from a human being at the help desk.

4. Mobility. The War on Terror has changed the world with regard to telecommunications in general and the use of satellites in particular. Results so far point to the need to deploy wideband links to many locations spread across a wide footprint. Once landing on the ground, operators of satellite links must be up and running in less than one hour – this is a whole new ballgame in our industry. American and European equipment suppliers have designed transportable and mobile terminal systems that address some of this need. But, the bar keeps moving higher as the War changes form. Government and likely business users of satellite links what speed and simplicity. No longer can we depend on having a qualified engineer or technician to set up and maintain ground equipment. By making the equipment light and easy to use, sellers of ground equipment give government and business users more of what they need in this ever-changing post-9/11 environment.

We have covered the new age of satellite ground equipment in terms of four markets and four aspects. Suppliers of equipment that find commonality across these will move ahead of their competition as they offer better solutions to government and business customers.

as published in SatMagazine.com, May, 2004.