Satellites....enabling the full vision of 5G
Rajesh Mehrotra
Director, Founder and Principal Consultant,
`Redbooks Consulting Pvt. Ltd.’
- a radiocommunication/satellite Advisory
THE DIGITAL DIALOGUE - 5G opportunities with Satellite Broadband - 17th November, 2020
How is the satellite industry
gearing up to complement 5G ?
THE DIGITAL DIALOGUE - 5G opportunities with Satellite Broadband - 17th November, 2020
Clear trend towards integration/convergence between satellite & terrestrial, fixed &mobile
Next gen. N-GSO space constellations to:
- provide global broadband delivery
- serve as backhaul platforms for 5G networks
THE DIGITAL DIALOGUE - 5G opportunities with Satellite Broadband - 17th November, 2020
Main WRC-19 decisions for Satellite broadband
o Regulatory framework for N-GSO satellites to operate in Q/V bands
o Earth Stations in Motion (ESIM) in the Ka Band (28 GHz & 18 GHz)
o New 1 GHz allocation of spectrum for FSS for feeder links in the51.4‐52.4 GHz band
o N-GSO BIU and milestones based rules for commercial systems
THE DIGITAL DIALOGUE - 5G opportunities with Satellite Broadband - 17th November, 2020
Satellite orbits designed to focus capacity over latitudes of highest demand
Telesat LEO - Fibre-quality broadband for commercial applications78 Polar and 220 inclined satellites≈4 GHz global Ka-band spectrum for gateway and user linksOptical Inter-Satellite Links, On-board processing, Global network of Landing Stations
Earth stations in motion using Ka-band non-GSO technology-Telesat has already demonstrated that connectivity using an aeronautical non-GSO ESIM is possible (and it performs amazingly!)
THE DIGITAL DIALOGUE - 5G opportunities with Satellite Broadband - 17th November, 2020
Project Kuiper of Amazon is a global satellite broadband network using:
- 3236 satellites at 630km / 610 km / 590 km altitudes- at 52 / 42 / 33 degree inclinations- Ka-band (DL: 17.7-20.2 GHz, UL: 27.5-30.0 GHz)- Steerable phased array customer antennas with- dynamic spot beams- Steerable parabolic gateway antennas
Starlink by SpaceX - On 15 October 2019, the USA submitted filings to the ITU/BR for
30,000 additional Starlink satellites to supplement the 12,000 Starlink satellites already approved by the FCC
OneWeb by UK, Airtel and Hughes- for global broadband communications, use of Ku-band & Ka-band spectrum,
Latency < 50 milliseconds, 650 low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites at 1,200kmSES
O3b MEO and O3b mPOWER by SES - 20 MEO HTS satellites with an
additional 7 under procurement
THE DIGITAL DIALOGUE - 5G opportunities with Satellite Broadband - 17th November, 2020
Latency
For GSO networks, latency is not the only metric / thing that is important
Traffic is not latency sensitive except gaming and maybe tele-health
Latency sensitive traffic can be moved to N-GSOs
N-GSO constellations - the inter satellite links (ISL) are optical, GSO satellites use radio ISL
New trends in GSO networks:
1. Software Defined Satellites (SDS) – In Q, V, Ku and Ka bands - for fulfilling short term commitments and needs, improve dynamic service area offerings as per mobility segment demands, plug and play approach
2. Mission Extension Vehicles (MEV) – for extension of satellite life by refueling the satellite propellant that has run out
THE DIGITAL DIALOGUE - 5G opportunities with Satellite Broadband - 17th November, 2020
Can we auction satellite spectrum like terrestrial mobile?
- Transmissions from satellites not confined to national political boundaries therefore frequency usage has to be as per ITU’s Radio Regulations
- Satellites are internationally coordinated and the use of satellite spectrum has international dimensions.
- Access to frequency assignments and orbital position is obtained through bilateral / multilateral coordination and cooperation as a result of coordination, notification leading to intl. recognition (Art.8,9 &11)
- `Resolves 1’ of Resolution 2 states, “that the registration with the Radiocommunication Bureau of frequency assignments for space radiocommunication services and their use does not provide any permanent priority for any individual country or groups of countries and do not create an obstacle to the establishment of space systems by other countries.”
Can we auction satellite spectrum like terrestrial mobile?
- Resolution 4 of RR on `Period of validity of frequency assignments to space stations shall not be considered perpetual.”
- UN Treaty on Outer Space recognizes that satellite orbital positions are not within an individual country’s territorial jurisdiction
Countries should therefore not see the ITU as a wholesaler of spectrum rights granted in perpetuity which countries can then market at retail to satellite operators
WRC-23 Satellite-related Studies
• Agenda Item 1.16, ESIMS: Studies to develop measures to facilitate N-GSO FSS earth stations in motion (ESIMS) in the Ka band
• Agenda Item 1.17, Satellite-to-satellite links: Study issues include technical considerations related to space-to-space links for global GSO and NGSO networks
Take-aways
IMT consolidating into satellite spectrum and satellite integrating into 5G:
This `synergy’ could:
- provide seamless connectivity everywhere- enable the full vision of 5G
N-GSOs / LEOs / MEOs supporting GSOs could:
- augment capacity- lead towards lower costs / bit- improve latency
Thank you
Rajesh Mehrotra
THE DIGITAL DIALOGUE - 5G opportunities with Satellite Broadband - 17th November, 2020
