The global market for broadband internet services in physically isolated rural and remote communities is estimated to be in excess of 100 million households,148 of which over 18,000149 are in Canada. To reach this large potential market share, key technology and telecommunications industry leaders have begun examining new opportunities to provide broadband internet connectivity via satellites.
Background
Communications satellites that provide internet services can be deployed in one of three orbit ranges above the earth’s surface, as measured from the equator, and in one of three satellite spectrum bands C(4-8 GHz)-, Ku(12-18 GHz)- and Ka(26.5-40 GHz)-band150 (Figure 15).
Broadband services via satellite can be categorized into two main groups: through a direct-to-home model and through a community aggregator model. In fixed or static satellite services the satellite stays in the same position relative to the earth station(s) and/or antenna(s) that are linked to that satellite.151
The community aggregator access model is not currently employed in Alberta. This is partly due to the impact of the Government of Alberta’s Final Mile Rural Connectivity Initiative (FMRCI), which included the 2013 Central Alberta Satellite Initiative. This initiative focused on direct-to-home broadband internet and made funding available to contribute to one-time satellite installation fees via Xplornet.152
Figure 15. A Comparison of frequency bands and their corresponding characteristics
Figure 16. The figure shows how static and non-static satellite services are used to provide telecommunications services to end-users:
1) through a direct-to-home model, in which satellite access is provided directly to end-users, and
2) through a community aggregator model, in which satellite transport provides a link between a satellite and an earth station,
and local access is subsequently provided to end-users.
References
148. CRTC. Transcript Hearing, May 9, 2016, line 15417. Accessed 18 May, 2016.
149. CRTC. Transcript Hearing, May 9, 2016, line 15298. Accessed 18 May, 2016.
150. CRTC. Satellite Inquiry Report (2014). Accessed 18 May 2016.
151. CRTC. Satellite Inquiry Report (2014). Accessed 18 May 2016.
152. Service Alberta. Final Mile Rural Connectivity Initiative ( n.d.). Accessed 18 May 2016.
153. Skyware Technologies. Ka vs Ku - An Unbiased Review. Accessed May 31, 2016.