Context: Recently, Reliance Jio introduces 'JioSpaceFiber', India's first satellite-based gigabit broadband service to extend high-speed internet access to remote regions in India for nationwide coverage.

• Currently, there are over 5,000 Starlink satellites in LEO, with SpaceX currently planning to deploy another 7,000. The total number could later be expanded to 42,000. 

• OneWeb, in comparison, only plans to have about 630 satellites in orbit. Project Kuiper, which falls under Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin, plans to have over 3,000 satellites in orbit.

Connecting the Unconnected

• To showcase the extensive reach of JioSpaceFiber, the Mukesh Ambani-backed telecom giant successfully connected four distant and diverse locations: Gir in Gujarat, Korba in Chattisgarh, Nabarangpur in Odisha, and ONGC in Jorhat, Assam. By enabling this connectivity, Jio aims to bring millions of homes and businesses in India online, many of which are experiencing broadband internet for the first time.

A Vision for Digital Inclusion

• JioSpaceFiber aspires to provide every Indian with the opportunity to fully participate in a booming digital society. The service offers gigabit-level access to a wide array of governmental, educational, health, and entertainment services online.

• In an effort to enhance the availability of Jio True5G, even in far-flung areas, the satellite network is set to add mobile backhaul capacity. Jio has entered into a collaboration with SES, a global satellite operator, to tap into the latest medium earth orbit (MEO) satellite technology. 

• This partnership provides Jio with access to SES’s O3b and O3b mPOWER satellites, positioning the company uniquely in offering reliable and scalable broadband at competitive rates across India.

About Satellite internet technology

• Satellite Internet works similarly to satellite TV. It begins with an internet service provider sending satellites into space to orbit around the earth.

• That ISP then relies on a signal routed through one of those satellites in low- or high-Earth orbit and a receiver dish that picks up that signal.

• The receiver is typically placed on your home or business in a spot with as much unobstructed access to the sky as possible.

• You'll connect a modem to that dish to translate the incoming signal into a workable internet connection.

• The more common method of delivering high-speed satellite internet usually involves constellations of low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites.

• LEO satellites orbit at a height of between 250 and 2,000 kilometres above the planet. The satellite that orbits the Earth communicates using radio waves.

Advantages

• The most ideal internet access is for users who live in rural areas or live far away from cities or cable or phone offices.

• It uses satellite dish for the two-way communication and does not need telephone cables or lines.

• Compared to other internet options, there are fewer or negligible network outages in case of satellite internet.

Benefits of Satellite Internet

• Easy availability: It has the potential to reach the remotest parts of the country. It can be accessed from any part of the world even in difficult geographical terrains. With about 37% of the global population still without the internet, there is a need to make the internet available and accessible. 

• Better Reliability: Chances of terrestrial internet networks failing are more than satellite internet. 

• Higher Speed: It is faster than traditional network internet. On average, It is 10 to 35 times faster than the conventional internet. This leads to more efficiency.

• Lower costs: Since it does not require laying fiber networks or putting up towers, it is relatively cheaper. 

• Lower Environmental damage: Laying optical fibers requires digging up soil, laying the groundwork, and constructing towers. It does not require this and hence is less invasive for the environment.

• Faster deployment: Satellite antennas can be easily installed and deployment takes very less time compared to traditional internet networks. 

• Security: It is safer and more secure due to better encryption technology. 

Challenges

• High Latency: In the case of SI, data is first sent to space which is then sent to the internet service provider and back again to the device which causes high latency. Satellite internet data travels a long way as satellites are positioned 22,000 miles above the earth. As the distance required to be covered for data increases, the latency also increases. 

• Susceptible to bad weather: The signal path of satellite internet is affected by the weather condition. Storms, rains, and high-speed wind may lead to poor signal and the internet may not reach the Earth. 

• Initial installation is expensive: Designing, building, and launching satellites in space is an expensive process. Thus, the cost is relatively higher compared to traditional internet.

• Prone to obstruction: Even minor obstructions can block its signals. Trees and buildings can block satellite signals.

• Space Debris: It can increase space debris or space junk. These are defunct human-made objects in space in the Earth’s orbit that no longer serve a useful purpose. This can lead to Kessler syndrome which is a self-sustaining cascading collision of space debris that can lead to Earth’s orbit becoming unusable. 

Road Ahead

• Satellite Internet offers exciting opportunities in providing internet connectivity in remotely accessible areas. As the digital economic footprint expands, it can help plug the digital gap and ensure inclusive development. There are some challenges that limit the effectiveness of space internet services. However, with the advancement of technologies, these challenges can be addressed. Further, it can bridge the digital divide, help rural areas get access to telemedicine and distance learning, and help India develop at a faster pace.