October 30, 2024
Although both the global navigation satellite system (GNSS) and satellite communication rely on satellites, they are distinct technologies that have separate capabilities. GNSS utilizes the relative position of satellites coupled with communication to a receiver mounted on an object or device to calculate the object’s location.
Relying on GNSS systems such as GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, Beidou and QZSS, enables the location of IoT devices to be calculated accurately anywhere in the world. This is essential for locating objects from ride-sharing vehicles such as e-scooters to shipping containers on the high seas, or high value assets such as mining equipment in jungles.
In contrast, satellite connectivity provides the wireless communication capability used to link people and devices anywhere on the surface of Earth. Satellite connectivity is routinely used in locations that are not covered by cellular connections or fibre or copper fixed line infrastructure. Satellites launched into space cover areas of the globe as the planet rotates with constellations of satellites being established to provide continuous coverage of the Earth’s surface.
The cost of launching multiple geo-stationary equatorial orbit (GEO) satellites into space to create complete coverage via constellations is enormous and has resulted in high usage costs that have limited adoption of satellite communication. Traditionally, GEO satellite connections has been used in maritime applications and sparsely populated remote areas to connect people and machines. However, the higher costs of satellite services have resulted in them only being used to support high value use cases.
Newer low earth orbit (LEO) and medium earth orbit (MEO) satellites have reduced the launch costs, making satellite technology more accessible. At the same time, increasing adoption is lowering the cost of satellite components and devices, opening up new markets. GEO satellites offer lower latency than these newcomers, but LEO is well able to support high-speed internet services in rural and isolated areas.
All three satellite technologies are being utilized to create non-terrestrial networks (NTNs) which are wireless communications systems that operate above the planet’s surface – although not necessarily outside of its orbit – combining satellites and high-altitude platforms to provide cellular coverage in remote areas. In these scenarios, satellite communication technology is being used to connect mobile devices to both terrestrial and satellite networks.
A larger number of satellite communication providers emerging has seen costs decrease. Satellite is becoming a more popular option, especially in support of IoT devices and in situations where devices move from populated areas that are covered by cellular networks to remote areas that lack cellular support.
The ability to use cellular where available and satellite when there is no cellular connectivity is an increasingly popular feature being embedded into IoT devices. Companies, including Quectel, offer multimode modules that combine satellite and cellular capabilities often with option of adding GNSS for positioning. This allows the low cost of cellular to be used when possible while the higher cost of satellite is only used when necessary and no lower cost alternatives exist. Further value can be derived by the addition of precise positioning capability via GNSS.
John Canali, IoT Principal Analyst at technology market research company Omdia, has pointed out that enterprises now realize they no longer have to make an either/or choice between terrestrial and non-terrestrial connectivity and can access both technologies from the same device. Huge benefits are achieved from the resilience that combined offerings provide. Omdia has reported that satellite IoT revenues are set to exceed US$1.5 billion by 2030 as growth and new constellation launches continue to accelerate.
The momentum is growing, and Berg Insight has reported that it expects the global satellite IoT subscriber base to reach 26.7 million units in 2028. The firm anticipates the global satellite IoT subscriber base growing at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 39.2% between 2023 and 2028, highlighting the wider appeal of satellite today.
In fact, with only approximately 10% of Earth’s surface covered by terrestrial connectivity, it may be time to flip the script. Instead of asking whether your use case can afford satellite connectivity, consider whether it can afford not to incorporate a satellite communication option?
This article was writen by Article writen by Mark Winton
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