Finally, work has begun on launching satellite internet services in Bangladesh. BTRC has prepared draft policies on providing satellite internet services. How does satellite internet work, who can be its users, what will be the role of the government?
Satellite internet is the provision of wireless internet services through satellites placed in low-Earth orbit in space. Such satellite networks are located quite close to the surface of the earth. However, they are not always geostationary. Several hundred to several thousand such satellites are combined to create a satellite network, also known as a constellation.
How satellite internet works
There is a misconception about the service. That is, if you connect via satellite internet, you can bypass the domestic internet gateway and laws and regulations. In fact, that is not the case. Satellites are only a means of connection, the internet connection must be through the country's main gateway and its control will be in the hands of that country's regulatory agency.
The function of some satellites in the satellite constellation is to connect to the Internet gateway located on the surface through V-SAT and establish an Internet connection. The satellites use radio waves for wireless connection. The rest of the satellites connect to each other to create a mesh network. Then, users connect to the satellite network through their satellite receiver antenna and use Internet services.
Earlier, such a connection required a huge antenna, but the size of the current satellite receiver is very small.
Problems with Satellite Internet
The distance from the satellite to the surface is about 22,300 miles. As a result, when using the Internet via satellite, the signal only appears at the gateway after crossing a long distance. As a result, the latency or delay of satellite Internet is much higher than that of optical fiber connection. It can sometimes be up to 500 milliseconds.
The maintenance cost of satellite networks is also high. Therefore, even though satellite internet is high-speed, users are not enthusiastic about using satellite instead of fiber due to latency and cost.
Government's thoughts
Elon Musk's company Starlink is interested in providing internet services in Bangladesh. To that end, the telecommunications sector regulator BTRC is collecting opinions on a draft guideline prepared to finalize the policy for satellite-based internet services in Bangladesh. Recently, a Starlink team came to Dhaka and held a meeting with the Board of Investment. The company has been trying to provide services in Bangladesh for several years.
Several conditions must be met to obtain a license for satellite internet services in Bangladesh, the BTRC said. The main condition is to use a domestic International Internet Gateway or IIG. The clause has been included in the policy mainly to maintain government control over information flow and to ensure that there is a necessary surveillance and censorship system. In addition, the policy states that the government can also shut down satellite internet services in urgent national interests. However, it cannot be stopped without specific, legal and logical reasons. Apart from this, the government can also add some more restrictions to the final policy.
Who is Satellite Internet for
Satellite Internet is mainly designed for remote areas, where it is not possible to easily provide connection through fiber. Many users, however, are interested in satellite services even though they do not get quality internet service in the area. Outside of the individual level, the major customers of satellite Internet are Internet-dependent service providers. Considering that fiber Internet may be down for various reasons, organizations use satellite Internet at least as a backup connection.
Currently, the demand of such customers is being met through mobile networks. However, users hope that satellite Internet has higher speed and lower cost than 4G or 5G Internet. They especially consider bandwidth limitations as a major obstacle in using mobile Internet, which will not be the case with satellite connections.
Challenges of Satellite Internet
Currently, Starlink charges $120 per month for unlimited use. If you want, you can also buy a 50 GB pack for $50. It is not yet known how much the price will be if it is officially launched in Bangladesh. Currently, Starlink is providing services in Nigeria and some African countries for as low as $23 per month. Maybe it will be the same price in Bangladesh too. However, it cannot be compared to the price of fiber broadband internet. Along with Starlink, other service providers may also start business one day, but there is no chance of the price coming down much. Therefore, there is no reason to think that everyone will rush to buy Starlink after skipping broadband once Starlink is launched. It is natural that the price will be an even bigger challenge for users in remote areas.
The price of the receiver required for satellite internet is also not low. Starlink initially sold the receiver for $599, but it is currently available for $349. Many buyers will lose interest if they have to buy just the receiver for about 40 thousand taka.
Impact on domestic ISPs
Apart from losing some business customers, ISPs do not consider satellite internet as a major competitor. Apart from this, customers in remote areas who will take satellite services were already beyond the reach of ISPs. If for some reason the policy changes in the future or the cost of satellite services suddenly decreases, then the matter is different. For example, satellite and HDTV connections have changed the background of the country's dish business.
What will be required to use satellite technology
Starlink offers both fixed and roaming connections. However, those who want to use the internet on the go with the receiver will have to pay an additional fee. For a fixed connection, the receiver must be placed under the open sky. In that case, the receiver must be placed on the roof of the house or from the balcony facing the sky. Internet service may be disrupted if the sky is cloudy or during solar storms, which should be kept in mind. It will not work if the receiver antenna is placed inside the house or under the roof.
Starlink may be the first satellite service provider in the country, but they are not the last. Amazon's Project Kuiper may also appear in the country with the help of Starlink. Apart from this, there is a possibility of domestic entrepreneurs coming forward to provide satellite internet services. However, everything depends on the finalization of the policy and the launch of the first satellite-based ISP.