You've probably heard of Elon Musk's satellite internet. This project of the American entrepreneur and his company SpaceX is called by some analysts a "killer" of cellular communications. But is satellite communication really that good?
With the rapid popularization of the satellite Internet, more and more people will ask themselves the question "how does the usual mobile (cellular) communication differ from the satellite one?". Here are some features of both types of communication networks.
What is a satellite connection?
Satellite connection is a communication between different earth stations where satellites are used for retransmission, explains Milen Ganev, a partner in the Bulgarian software company E-CARD, which is in the top 50 of Europe. As early as 1945, Arthur Clarke proposed the creation of a global communication system through a network of satellites. The satellites are non-regenerative (receive a signal from one earth station, convert it to another frequency, amplify it and transmit it to another earth station) and regenerative (modulate the signal again, correcting transmission errors, but with increased signal delay).
What is the difference between mobile and satellite communication?
Cellular operators cover more and more territories. But due to the terrain, base stations cannot be installed in remote areas: first, they are difficult to install, second, they are just as difficult to maintain, and third, they will not bring any benefits to companies, Milen Ganev explained.
In such cases, satellite communication is very useful - the signal from the ground goes to the satellite, and it returns it to its destination. This type of communication is suitable for people who travel often - their satellite phone will not leave them uncovered.
The only serious disadvantage of satellite communication is that it is expensive at the moment, but in some countries the subscription fee is not much different from the price of mobile communication. It costs the first users $ 99 a month and almost $ 500 one-time for the equipment.
Inconveniences of the satellite internet
If you use satellite internet stationary, you will encounter the inconvenience of installing the equipment: the diameter of the satellite dish is very large and a receiver and a string of wires are added to it. In general, the mobile internet router is easier to install. In addition, satellite phones are still bulky - alas, no one has done anything about it, commented Milen Ganev from E-CARD. Satellite internet is a great alternative to mobile communications, but for rural and hard-to-reach areas. There is hope that one day this type of communication will replace cellular, but it will not happen soon.
Impact on the environment
If the cellular communication we are used to does not leave a carbon footprint and does not harm the environment, then the situation with satellite internet is different - sooner or later the life of the satellite will end, it will be turned off and become a piece of space junk. When deactivated, the satellite leaves orbit, but often the "remains" of the satellite fall down to Earth at random.