FROM THE INDUSTRY
while they are exciting, they come with limitations that highlight the continued relevance and necessity of proprietary solutions. Satellites are powered by photovoltaic solar panels, but the relatively modest size of these solar panels limits how much power they can derive from the sun. As it stands, there isn’t a path that sees satellites behave identically to terrestrial telephone masts; their power limitations mean they cannot handle as much throughput. NB-IoT and LTE are both cellular standards, and while the satellite industry is trying to accommodate them, they, coupled with the power constraints, place limitations on the amount of data that can be passed via a satellite connection. Anyone expecting parity with cellular should reset their expectations, at least for the foreseeable future. On the other hand, proprietary communication services like Iridium’s Certus 100 and Viasat’s IoT Nano, were specifically created for efficient communication with satellites. They move data in a way that is optimal for the satellites, and as such they can transmit more data in more flexible formats than standards-based services. D2D, as we’ve discussed, revolves around the promise of unmodified IoT devices; as a user, I expect to purchase a device that can work on both satellite and cellular networks without my having to change anything. Because cellular connectivity is by many orders of magnitude a larger market than satellite connectivity, naturally, the end goal is for satellite networks to adopt the cellular standards. But we anticipate proprietary satellite solutions co-existing for a very long time, perhaps in perpetuity, because of the greater flexibility and throughput they can deliver, albeit at a greater expense to the user. At Ground Control, we’re testing standards-based solutions alongside proprietary options, so that we can make tailored recommendations based on each use case. Whether it’s protecting wildlife from poachers in Zambia or supporting critical telemetry systems for major utility infrastructure like dams and pipelines, our approach delivers reliable, scalable connectivity across a wide range of applications - offering both affordability and virtually limitless potential.
suffer from connectivity black spots, intermittency or very high latency, leaving no spare spectrum to licence out to an SNO. This battle for spectrum presents a serious challenge to the newer satellite constellations. Working with established SNOs such as Iridium and Viasat, who have licensed spectrum and landing rights, is the fastest way to achieving global service and a high capability network, and is the route service provider Skylo has taken to deliver service. Driving D2D innovation The recent developments in direct-to- device satellite connectivity, such as Iridium’s NTN Direct service and Verizon’s partnerships with AST SpaceMobile and Skylo, highlight a broader industry trend: the integration of satellite and terrestrial networks to provide seamless, global connectivity. While Verizon initially focused on delivering D2D services via AST SpaceMobile using Verizon’s spare spectrum, the Skylo deal introduces a complementary solution. By utilising Skylo’s technology and agreements with existing satellite constellations (currently, Ligado and Viasat), Verizon can offer low-bandwidth services like emergency messaging and location sharing, without needing to free up more terrestrial spectrum. Moreover, Skylo’s services leverage the NB-IoT standard, whereas AST SpaceMobile’s service will leverage LTE; by having agreements with both companies, Verizon can offer its customers uninterrupted connectivity in remote areas, on many more compatible devices than if they chose one standard or the other. Iridium’s upcoming NTN Direct service, set for global rollout by late 2025, furthers this trend by enabling NB-IoT satellite connectivity through industry-standard chipsets. This development will allow IoT devices to communicate directly with satellites in Iridium’s Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation. While its acceptance into 3GPP for NB-IoT over non-terrestrial networks (NTN) is a major step toward enabling global satellite IoT connectivity, the technology is still in development. A golden bullet for IoT? These developments in D2D satellite connectivity certainly mark significant progress in global communication. But
What does the future hold?
As IoT explodes even further, the requirement to deliver global, easy to deploy, cost-effective connectivity grows in urgency. And while standards-based D2D technology holds great promise, the reality is that the technology is still evolving, and issues such as spectrum limitations and the scarcity of compatible devices remain unresolved. There’s a further challenge of finding sufficient endpoints to justify the launch costs. Current satellite IoT applications, which often demand guaranteed data delivery and low latency, are unlikely to fully transition to D2D technology due to data throughput, speed and reliability requirements that will not be satisfied outside of a proprietary solution.
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Volume 46 No.4 DECEMBER 2024
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