Satellite communication (satcom) services will soon be available in India. Eutelsat OneWeb is expected to be the first major player in the segment with Jio Satellite Communications Limited and Starlink joining in the future. The space economy of India is expected to reach about $13 billion (EY-IsPA report) by 2025. At this stage, it is important for us to understand the use cases of the satcom services. Firstly, it is worth recalling that the satellite players will be able to get spectrum in an administrative manner from the government (without needing to bid for airwaves in the spectrum auction). This was a major decision that the Telecom Bill 2023 brought and made satcom players investing in India extremely happy.
Anyway, let's jump on to see what are the top use cases of satellite communications in India.
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Top Satcom Use Cases in India
Bridging Digital Divide - The telecom operators in India can't reach every corner of the country. Not that they don't want to, but they just can't roll out fiber and invest into networks in every area due to many limitations such as geographical issues, low rate of returns, and more. This can create a digital divide for people living in rural areas or remote regions. But since satellite signals don't have any geographical constraints, they can reach these far flung areas without any hassle and bridge the digital divide that exists today.
It will also help businesses in operating remotely in different regions of the nation to run more cost efficient operations.
Fueling the Growth of IoT - The demand for a more developed IoT (Internet of Things) ecosystem is the need of the hour, and while 5G can enable IoT devices to connect seamlessly, satcom can do it in a better way at large scale. Satellite signals can connect several IoT devices on the go and help enterprises in tracking their assets, generate analytics, and automate processes.
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Mining - Satcom can enable mining companies to get more intelligent data through the IoT devices in the area. These IoT devices can benefit from the ubiquitous coverage that satcom networks enable. It is not just mining, but another important use case that satcom networks can enable is handling construction sites remotely.
Retail - Connectivity in large malls and airports can be hampered due to congested mobile networks. Satcom networks can act as an alternative option for people to consume the internet and enhance their overall experience of roaming in large buildings such as malls and airports. Satcom can also help the telecom operators by helping them with the backhaul to create additional capacity for their networks.
Connecting Hopitals and Schools - Schools and hospitals can be connected through the satellite networks. More such institutions such as colleges and universities can benefit from the availability of satellite networks. Basically, it will help institutions where connectivity is a crucial need to learn and pass on information through a reliable network.
But this is not all. Things such as remote banking, tracking vehicles (cargos), maritime connectivity, and more can be enabled by satcom networks.
