Johannesburg, 11 Aug 2022
The global satellite services industry is in a rapid development phase, with next-generation LEO, MEO and GEO services being launched for services planned later this year and early next year. Satellite network technologies have also evolved and the current smart satellite service provides elegant solutions for SD-WAN, CCTV and IOT applications.
Business today demands 100% uptime and a year-on-year reduction in operating costs. This places a lot of pressure on network architects and design engineers who have to continue to innovate and provide robust network solutions that ensure business continuity regardless of load-shedding, riots, flooding and normal network failures.
Satellite services are a well-known network option to provide high-reliability, always-on services. However, most architects still hold onto the old myths that satellite is expensive, slow and has a latency problem, thus delaying the use of satellite as an elegant solution. Recent developments in satellite technologies and innovative designs of smart satellite services such as Twoobii bust these myths while offering very attractive network architecture options.
What are smart satellite services?
Smart satellite services bring together the advantages of global high-throughput satellite constellations, leading satellite modem technologies and specialised network engineering to deliver bespoke advantages in business network applications.
These advantages typically include sophisticated quality-of-service options; 20Mbps or higher data rates; advanced network options such as layer-2-over-satellite, bespoke billing platforms and operated by specialised service providers. For example, smart satellite services can seamlessly implement a layer two backup option to a network of retail shops which is billed in an “APN-type” pay-per-use model and ensuring connectivity for voice, CCTV and ERP systems. This example will deliver 99.95% uptime to the business at less than 20% of the total network cost.
Today, Twoobii is the sole and leading smart satellite service in the African market, operating on the global Intelsat Flex network, with iDirect modem technology and operated by the highly experienced Q-KON Africa niche service provider.
Smart satellite services vs broadband services
The below infographic provides an overview of the functions and features of smart satellite services compared to standard broadband services. It serves as a quick guide to appreciate the benefits of the recent satellite technology innovations as well as the application thereof in a business networking context.
Summary
Innovation in satellite constellations, satellite modem technologies, billing models and network operations all combine to form the new generation of satellite services. Smart Satellite Services such as Twoobii, operated by the specialised Q-KON Africa team, enables network architects to create innovative solutions to improve reliability while reducing costs.
With advanced quality-of-service options, layer-2-over-satellite features and many other characteristics, architects now have very interesting options to ensure network uptime and reduce cost. Pay-per-use models and network “APN-billing” profiles make satellite a very attractive option to combat load-shedding, riots, floods and other network-induced failures.
Article supplied by:
Dr Dawie de Wet (Pr Eng MSc Eng) – Group CEO of Q-KON and Chief Engineer for Twoobii, a southern African supported satellite broadband service. With over 30 years’ experience in designing, engineering, developing and implementing wireless, microwave and satellite communication systems in Africa, De Wet continues to focus on developing telco solutions that meet the user requirements of emerging markets through class-leading technology.
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