Breaking Barriers: Satellite Internet

“Unleashing the Power of Starlink/Satellite Internet in Remote Areas, Developing Nations and Around the World!”

By Josh Mathew on Sep 6, 2023

Who here remembers the late 1990s' dot-com bubble? Companies like Global Crossing and WorldCom poured a staggering $30 billion into the ground, constructing a mind-boggling 90 million miles of fiber-optic cable. By 2001, a mere 5 percent of this expansive fiber-optic infrastructure found utilization. Zooming ahead to the present day, as we gaze back, we owe the excess capacity and the dependable fiber-optic infrastructure already in place a debt of gratitude for catapulting Web 2.0 giants like Google, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Vonage, Netflix, YouTube, and others into existence.

This leads us to a pressing query: Just how pivotal will Satellite Internet technology be in the forthcoming decades? What anticipations can one formulate?

Global and Rural Area High-Speed Internet Coverage

Many rural and remote areas currently have limited access to high-speed internet infrastructure. Starlink's satellite constellation can offer broadband-level speeds to these areas, enabling residents to access online education, telehealth services, e-commerce, and other online resources without geographical constraints. Currently, in terms of both broadband affordability and fixed subscription, African and Latin America & Caribbean regions significantly lag. With the expansion of satellite internet technology, these regions should see significant development and economic growth in the near future.

Source: Number of fixed broadband subscriptions worldwide 2005-2022, by region Published by Petroc Taylor.

Disaster Recovery and Remote Operations

In areas affected by natural disasters or where terrestrial infrastructure is damaged, Satellite Internet technology, such as from Starlink could provide a rapid and reliable means of communication for emergency response and recovery efforts. It could also support remote operations in industries like energy, mining, and agriculture.

An instance showcasing this capability occurred when Ukraine's communications infrastructure and platforms were severely impacted during the initial phase of Russian Special Operations in the region. Starlink stepped in to provide satellite internet access and capacity to the affected areas. When considered from a neutral standpoint, this action can be seen as a potential tool that could be of assistance in critical humanitarian situations.

Edge Computing and Emerging Technologies

As the global internet landscape evolves, Satellite Internet could support emerging technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT), Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), and autonomous vehicles. These innovations demand a steadfast and top-notch connectivity solution. Furthermore, they require robust management of edge computing capabilities, ensuring reliable data transfers and data management.

If the Tesla team genuinely considers robotaxis and autonomous vehicle deployment as mission-critical, they obviously recognize that achieving this goal would be utterly impossible, not to mention reliable, without a foundation of high-speed and dependable network connectivity and infrastructure. Hence, why I believe Starlink came to be.

“I think that’s the single best piece of advice: constantly think about how you could be doing things better and questioning yourself.” “If you get up in the morning and think the future is going to be better, it is a bright day. Otherwise, it’s not.” - Elon Musk

Critical Business, Manufacturing and Operations?

The need for redundancy and network reliability is paramount for critical businesses, manufacturing facilities, and infrastructure operations. This imperative is not only recognized by insurance underwriters but also emphasized by government agency affiliates. The rationale behind this emphasis lies in the potential consequences of network failures, which can have severe economic, safety, and even national security implications.

For critical businesses, including those in sectors such as healthcare, finance, and energy, maintaining uninterrupted operations is essential. Any disruption in their network connectivity can result in financial losses, data breaches, or, in the case of healthcare, compromised patient care.

I foresee Satellite Internet technology being the backbone for all these industries.

Aerospace and Aviation Connectivity

Satellite Internet could enhance communication and data transfer for aircraft and spacecraft, enabling better connectivity for passengers, crew, and onboard systems.

This could play a crucial role in the deployment of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles in densely populated urban areas to reduce traffic congestion and manage flow of people into and out of cities.

Maritime and Transportation Connectivity

Ships, cargo vessels, and other transportation modes could benefit from continuous connectivity provided by Satellite Internet, improving navigation, communication, and operational efficiency.

If my predictions are accurate, I expect the next generation or evolution of companies to be built on Satellite Internet technologies and AI compute capabilities.

Here are my [4] predictions in no particular order:

1. Satellite phones will be common especially in developing countries with limited telecommunication infrastructure. I can see Apple, Google, LG or Samsung partner with Starlink to provide clients with a complete package that includes a phone and a phone plan. This would lead to mass market adoption.
2. Autonomous transportation will become a reality. I believe prior to even getting L4 (mind off) cars on the road, we will likely have autonomous container ships or maritime autonomous surface ships (MASS) and autonomous farming machines that are remotely supervised at the control centers with data and communication transferring through satellite internet infrastructure.
3. Rapid scientific breakthroughs as remote research stations, observatories, and exploration missions will benefit from reliable and high-speed internet access, facilitating data collection, communication, and collaboration.
4. With low latency internet access and edge computing capabilities, I envision a wide variety of robotic applications being integrated into consumer, commercial manufacturing and industrial applications.