Internet for the whole planet: what global satellite providers will change

2019 passed the first large-scale tests of systems that could revolutionize our understanding of Internet access. If we are now attached to mobile operators or wireline providers, we will soon be able to access from space anywhere in the world thanks to global satellite Internet operators. Of course, if their projects prove viability in practice.

Фото: Depositphotos

According to Present Tense, American entrepreneur Elon Musk recently boasted the first tweet sent via Starlink’s global Internet access network:

Photo: twitter.com/elonmusk

Later it became known that the US Air Force will become the first Starlink customer. In tests in the 2018 year, C-12 transport planes connected to the network at 610 Mbps speed, they told SpaceX, the space company behind Starlink.

Musk's project is not unique. The closest competitor is the British OneWeb (in Russia the FSB opposed the project; OneWeb claims that its work in Russia was not prohibited and the company itself withdrew the application in order to finalize it in accordance with the new requirements of the laws of the Russian Federation). Slightly more distant competitors are the American Project Kuiper from Amazon or the Russian Sphere, which should replace the canceled Ether project in terms of Internet access. Facebook also announced developments in this area.

Satellite network

The idea of ​​the Internet from orbit is not new and is now available in many countries. In the 2000's, in the post-Soviet space, one-way satellite Internet was distributed (only for receiving data), which required a separate, albeit slow, transmission channel, for example, from a mobile operator.

Later, two-way satellite kits appeared available to mass users, which do not require any additional channels: they work for both reception and transmission. In Russia, for example, such services are offered by satellite television operators (NTV Plus, Tricolor) and other companies.

The satellite Internet using this technology is useful mainly only where it is impossible to get on the Internet differently or too slowly. In other places, he can not seriously compete with cable or mobile Internet.

Satellite providers using this technology require the installation of expensive and bulky equipment (usually the antenna diameter is 75 cm), and most importantly, such access is doomed by the laws of physics to large signal delay (ping): tens and hundreds of times more than conventional fixed providers . This means that there may be problems with video calls, in online games and other applications that are sensitive to signal lag.

It will not be possible to eliminate them, because everything depends on the distance and speed of propagation of radio waves: a signal from a satellite in a geostationary orbit (this is 35 km above sea level) to the user needs to overcome more than 786 km round trip (along the route user -> satellite -> ground center-> satellite-> user), and this is without taking into account the delays of the terrestrial provider, the loading of satellites and terrestrial channels. As a result, ping of satellite Internet can walk in a wide range, for example, from 140 to 000 ms. For cable operators, this figure usually does not exceed 500 ms.

Satellite coverage areas are also limited, and if you want mobility, such Internet will not only be super expensive, but also surprisingly slow: about a thousand times slower than 3G. Mobile mobile satellite Internet is provided by emergency satellite communication systems ("satellite phones" work through them), which were not originally designed for high data transfer rates.

On the subject: Ilon Mask promises to launch free Internet all over the world: in Russia they will fine him

Solve the problem of

Existing solutions have many problems. But the new global systems promise to defeat all restrictions through the use of thousands and thousands of low-cost satellites in low orbits: 500 – 1500 km. Due to this, both delays should decrease, and the cost-complexity of the equipment. This may be of interest not only to mass individual subscribers, but also, for example, to shipbuilders, as well as to airlines: providing the Internet on board will become easier and faster.

So far, the closest to the start of commercial operation are Starlink and OneWeb projects. Both companies have already launched test satellites (60 for Starlink and 6 for OneWeb) in low orbits and claim that they are ready to move to mass launches.

Starlink plans to use more than 11 thousands of satellites in the first two stages. This is a lot: now in different orbits the UN of the entire 5293 object is officially registered. According to the estimates of the American Society of Concerned Scientists, only 2062 operating satellites are in orbit of the Earth (data for March 2019).

Фото: Depositphotos

Starlink and OneWeb

Representatives of Starlink, the SpaceX project launched in 2015, say they are ready to begin mass deployment: it remains to launch 4365 satellites for the first phase of the project and 7518 for the second. They will be located at an altitude of 550 – 1325 km. Each of the satellites weighs about 227 kg, is equipped with a set of radio modules and a krypton engine.

It will take years to launch thousands of satellites (2027 is the preliminary deadline set by the US communications regulator, FCC). But according to Starlink representatives, they will be ready to provide services to customers in the US as early as 2020. Musk said that for the basic coverage of the country you will need 400 satellites, for medium quality - 800. In total, next year the company intends to launch 24 launches - if each rocket, as before, carries 60 satellites, this means the launch of 1440 objects into orbit.

In October of 2019, it became known that SpaceX submitted an application to the International Telecommunication Union for the allocation of frequencies for 30 000 satellites at altitudes of 328-580 km.

Such a huge number of objects will not remain in space forever: after completion of work, after five to six years, the satellites will go out of orbit and completely burn out in the atmosphere, according to the company.

Starlink's closest competitor is OneWeb, headquartered in London. She started in 2014 year under the name WorldVu. So far, her plans are more modest: the company intends to launch 650 satellites into orbit of 1200 km. So far, less than a hundredth part of them has been launched.

OneWeb has already begun producing satellite modems. They are designed for speeds up to 400 Mbit / s (reception) and 30 Mbit / s (transmission). Based on the results of tests of the first satellites, the company spoke about speeds above 400 Mbps and a delay of only 40 ms, which is comparable to current cable and mobile Internet access.

The first OneWeb customers will be telecommunications companies: British Talia and Italian Intermatica. Investors include the Airbus Group, Qualcomm and the Virgin Group.

On the subject: Elon Musk created a device for connecting the brain with a computer: how it works. PHOTO, VIDEO

In the unknown

In the most painful areas - real terms and prices - so far there is little clarity. Although Starlink promises to get started on 2020 and OneWeb on 2021, it's hard to see how realistic this is.

Successful testing of small groups of satellites does not at all mean high-quality work of a mass constellation; moreover, none of the companies has yet begun to launch them in large quantities. OneWeb plans to begin mass launches in December 2019 on Russian Soyuz satellites: 35–40 satellites per month. The next launch of SpaceX's Starlink satellites was scheduled for October 17, but was postponed.

The real pace of satellite production is not known either: at the end of July, OneWeb opened a factory in the United States, which should produce two satellites a day at the peak. But when this task will be carried out - not specified.

The timing of the global provision of services is also in question: SpaceX is going to negotiate with each country separately, and OneWeb is already doing this, but not always successfully.

Russia may not be the only example of a country blocking the spread of global satellite providers. Questions arise about what will happen in these countries with the equipment of Starlink/OneWeb and other systems. Commercial Internet access on their territory will be impossible, but it is not yet known how bans on satellite “modems” illegally imported from other countries will be implemented. Satellite signals can be jammed, but it will be practically impossible to do this throughout the entire territory of a large country.

There is even less clarity with prices. Both SpaceX and OneWeb promise to make satellite Internet “affordable,” but neither company has yet announced the possible cost of subscriber terminals or tariff plans.

OneWeb founder Greg Weiler said in January that the company was aiming to reach $200-$300 for a set of satellite equipment. Millions of Americans are paying $80 a month for “crap” internet, SpaceX CEO Gwynne Shotwell said recently. She did not specify at what price her company would offer Internet connections.

Existing satellite solutions in the United States are offered at approximately $ 50-60 per month for the basic package.

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