Getting Started on satellite communications

Introducing satellite communication: what’s needed to get connected, what it can offer, and how to obtain the services you require.

Internet via Satellite for Beginners

Satellite communications are the very foundation of the ongoing digital revolution. Relaying internet data via satellite involves transmitting signals from an antenna to a satellite and from the satellite to an earth station and then on to the public internet. Downloading data is simply the reverse.

For ships, leveraging IP (Internet Protocol) connectivity for data-driven gain is already radically improving business and operational interactions, while the capacity to offer seamless and reliable on board internet access means that crew and passengers alike, can stay in touch with friends and family when hundreds of miles from shore.

Internet via satellite

How it works

Securing internet via satellite in remote areas requires four different constallations: An antenna installed or deployed on a ship, vehicle or airplane, a satellite, a land eath station and the terrestrial network.
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Comparing Satellite Orbits (LEO, MEO, GEO)

There are three types of satellite orbit; Low Earth Orbit (LEO), Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) and Geostationary (GEO). The latter is used by diverse types of satellite, from weather and surveillance, to telecommunications, including VSAT for maritime and land users.

New services based on LEO and MEO constellations, with potentially hundreds of small satellites orbiting the planet in cross-linked networks are currently in development, offering the advantage of lower latency than GEO while bringing significant new capacity for end-users.

Looking forward, these new services could bring more choice to end-users. Additionally, hybrid solutions combining services from satellites in different orbits will offer extreme redundancy, helping to provide an even more reliable platform for digitalisation.

Satellite orbits

What is LEO/MEO?

LEO and MEO satellites – Low Earth Orbit and Medium Earth Orbit respectively – both come under the mantle of non-geostationary-orbit (NGSO) satellites. LEO satellites orbit at an altitude below 2,000km/1,243 miles above mean sea level, while MEO satellites orbit in the region between LEO and GEO (geostationary) satellites – 2,000-35,800km/1,243-22,245 miles.
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Satellite orbits

What is GEO?

Geostationary (GEO) and high-earth satellites orbit at an altitude of approximately 35,800km/22,245 miles above mean sea level. Satellites in geosynchronous orbit take one sidereal day to complete a single orbit, in synchrony with the Earth’s rotation.
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Comparing Satellite Internet Bands

Maritime satellite internet services operate in L-band, C-band, Ku-band, Ka-band, S-band and X-band frequencies. Cobham SATCOM’s comprehensive, field-proven product portfolio includes an exhaustive range of terminals and antennas designed to address the requirements of all end users.

What is L-band?

The L-band frequency spectrum (1-2GHz) for satellite transmissions is prized in the maritime community for its ability to penetrate rain, fog and storm conditions.

What is S-band?

The S-band (2-4GHz) frequency is predominantly used for satellite communication and radar. S-band is of key importance to the shipping, aviation and space industries. Providers of S-band networks include Inmarsat, which launched its S-band satellite in June 2017.

What is C-band?

The C-band frequency spectrum (4-8GHz) for satellite transmissions is particularly valued in the maritime sector for its resistance to rain fade.

What is X-band?

The X-band frequency range (9-12GHz) has been allocated solely for naval, military and governmental use. Cobham SATCOM’s Sea Tel X-band VSAT antennas are specifically designed for optimal performance in naval and military operations.

What is Ku-band?

The Ku-band frequency spectrum (12-18GHz) for satellite communication is commonly used for maritime VSAT applications.

What is Ka-band?

The Ka-band frequency spectrum (26.5-40GHz) for satellite communication is the basis for a new generation of services on High Throughput Satellites.

What is Dual Band?

Dual-band systems operate on two frequency bands – eg, C/Ku band, Ku/Ka band. For maritime users, marine-stabilised antenna systems such as Cobham SATCOM’s Sea Tel 9711 IMA offer flexibility and stable connectivity on more than one VSAT band.

What is Triband?

Tri-band systems can operate on three frequency bands. Cobham SATCOM launched its state-of-the-art Sea Tel 9711 IMA Triband system in March 2018.

Satellite Internet Providers Overview

The sheer quantity and variety of satellite internet providers means that end-users are spoiled for choice when it comes to determining which services to go with. Service providers can offer different features, specialisms and pricing plans across the entire spectrum of satellite networks: this allows customers to remain flexible and prioritise accordingly in implementing the most relevant and competitively-priced plan.

Whether clients within the maritime industry are looking for regional or true global coverage, Cobham SATCOM’s product portfolio contains all the single-band and multi-band solutions needed to maximise value from all satellite networks and service providers.

What to look for when selecting a satellite airtime service?

There are many things to keep in mind when choosing the right airtime service provider for your VSAT system. Being aware of your preferences and needs will make it easier to make the right decision. Below are some of the most useful elements to keep in mind.

SatCom Equipment Overview

Cobham SATCOM’s satellite antenna and associated equipment portfolio offers unmatched reliability and future-proofed hardware, with a diverse portfolio of SAILOR and Sea Tel terminals and antennas to suit vessels ranging from yachts and fishing vessels to merchant ships, naval fleets and supertankers.

While enjoying a well-deserved reputation for incredible reliability and high performance for a strong link to the satellite in any conditions, Cobham SATCOM also ensures that service provider partners and end-users get the entire package, from global delivery and support, to simple installation and low-lifecycle costs.

While today, SAILOR and Sea Tel parabolic, stabilised maritime antennas dominate the technology-race, the satcom antenna landscape is also changing, with new technology in development. How flat panel technology will perform at sea is yet to be fully understood, but at Cobham SATCOM, we are approaching the future of maritime satellite communication with a far-sighted confidence.