By Kathleen Morris, satellite product manager at Vox.
Accounting for 71% of the worlds space business and providing increasingly capable services and connectivity, satellites are becoming more affordable and accessible. Over the past year, there has been a record number of satellites deployed in a growth segment that has been described by McKinsey as the US$1.8 trillion opportunity. Space, it seems, has finally become the new frontier.
Traditionally, GEO has not always been the best connectivity choice. Relied on primarily by companies that dont have easy access to alternative connectivity solutions, satellite broadband has been expensive while offering limited bandwidth and poor latency. Its impressive reach is as much a benefit as a limitation.
Partnerships are changing the shape of satellite broadband. This connectivity technology is evolving rapidly from a complex service with high costs to a solution for companies that are off-grid and require high availability and performance. Smart GEO technology satellite providers are handing companies exactly what they need the ability to create VPNs and MPLS networks, prioritise applications and access fast and reliable connectivity that meets their needs. If they want to slice and dice traffic, prioritise traffic, run SD-WAN, shave off latency and build high-performance and cost-effective connectivity regardless of their location, now they can.
The real conversation lies in the value this technology brings to the business on the ground. More importantly, it is built to meet the expectations of South African companies in rural areas. Local means thinking out of the box. Businesses want to know how this satellite connectivity will be maintained, what support theyll receive, what backups and failsafes are included. They need to know if the technology is scalable and can realistically deliver the quality of broadband connectivity they need to run their businesses.
