Why Satellite Communication?
Satellite Basics has described what a communications satellite is, how it works, how to create a satellite network, and who is in the industry, but the most important question still remains. Why use a satellite network?
That decision is answered differently in the two critical communications environments due to a location’s existing telephony and telecommunications infrastructure.
Satellite communications can complement existing terrestrial infrastructure, providing competitive advantages such as:
- Ubiquitous availability.
- Terrestrial-free network.
- Reliability.
- Multi-cast content distribution.
- Security & privacy.
Satellite communications provides advanced communications infrastructure to regions that do not have adequate terrestrial infrastructure through:
- Superior economics.
- Rapid deployment & installation.
- Flexibility & expandability.
Ubiquitous Availability
Satellite communications is the only telephony and broadband wide-area network technology that is available everywhere. All that's needed is a clear view of the sky. For multi-national and multi-regional enterprises, that means uniform service levels for all locations. Managing the communication network is also simpler and less expensive, since there is one point of contact for all locations, versus multiple local service providers and problematic demarcations between them.
Terrestrial-Free Network
Satellite networks are independent of terrestrial disruptions, making them an excellent solution for communication backups for terrestrial networks. They are also useful for disaster recovery and quick-deploy solutions, enabling communication services to be quickly restored.
Reliability
Satellite networks have far fewer potential points of failure than terrestrial solutions, and built-in redundancy at almost every level, satellite networks provide unmatched reliability. Typical satellite networks can assure 99.95% availability to all sites, regardless of location.
Terrestrial networks have multiple potential points of failure. To add to the challenge, terrestrial network providers may not be able to fix outages without third-party carriers or work crews. Both telephony and modern broadband networks are challenged to provide this level of nationwide reliability.
Multi-Cast Content Distribution
Satellite's inherent strengths as a broadcast medium makes VSAT networks ideal for the distribution of bandwidth-intensive information — data, video or audio — to large numbers of remote locations.
A terrestrial network requires sending separate and identical messages to all recipients, consuming valuable bandwidth and server resources. Satellite multicast technology eliminates duplicate transmissions and maximizes the efficiency of existing servers and networks, freeing valuable bandwidth. There’s no extra overhead at the hub or in the satellite. The only added cost for each recipient is the VSAT. That translates to significant cost savings.
Security And Privacy
VSAT networks are more secure and private than alternative terrestrial technologies, making them the technology of choice for governmental agencies, military and enterprises that require high levels of security. IP traffic across the internet crosses many computers, providing multiple points of access to private traffic. Satellite communications does not travel across third party terrestrial computers, minimizing chances of unapproved access. Traffic can be encrypted using the most advanced algorithms to ensure that data will not be compromised.
Superior Economics
Satellite networks are much less costly to deploy, maintain and operate in many cases than terrestrial network technologies. Terrestrial networks require heavy infrastructure, whether they are telephony networks (based on copper wiring, fiber optic cables, radio or microwave towers), or broadband data networks (such as Frame Relay, DSL, ISDN and cable). In remote areas, building such networks is often prohibitively expensive. VSATs are not only significantly less expensive to deploy, VSATs built for low power consumption can run without electrical power infrastructure, using simple solar panels.
Rapid Deployment & Installation
Satellite networks can be rolled out to hundreds or thousands of locations in a fraction of the time required for a comparable terrestrial network. VSAT installation requires only a single vendor, so multi-vendor coordination is not needed. An installation can usually be completed in a matter of hours, no matter where the site is located, meaning complete network deployment can be accomplished in a matter of weeks, rather than months.
Satellite network installation and deployment are quick and simple.
Flexibility & Expandability
VSAT technology has an unmatched ability to support a wide range of devices and applications. Single platforms can provide voice, fax, data and video communications. Data networks can support advanced functions including IP multicasting.
VSATs are software upgradeable, adding new capabilities usually does not require a technician at the remote locations. The modular design of VSAT systems also allows for maximum scalability and fast upgrades — with an ease and simplicity not possible with terrestrial networks.
