Close Menu
TechCentralTechCentral

    Subscribe to the newsletter

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube LinkedIn
    WhatsApp Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn YouTube
    TechCentralTechCentral
    • News

      Price hike for .za domains

      9 July 2025

      The satellite broadband operators taking on Starlink

      9 July 2025

      China’s Temu ups ante with South African warehouse launch

      9 July 2025

      What Steve Jobs feared is now the tech industry’s reality

      9 July 2025

      Cape Town fintech Stitch in another blockbuster acquisition

      9 July 2025
    • World

      Cupertino vs Brussels: Apple challenges Big Tech crackdown

      7 July 2025

      Grammarly acquires e-mail start-up Superhuman

      1 July 2025

      Apple considers ditching its own AI in Siri overhaul

      1 July 2025

      Jony Ive’s first AI gadget could be … a pen

      30 June 2025

      Bumper orders for Xiaomi’s YU7 SUV heighten threat to Tesla

      27 June 2025
    • In-depth

      Siemens is battling Big Tech for AI supremacy in factories

      24 June 2025

      The algorithm will sing now: why musicians should be worried about AI

      20 June 2025

      Meta bets $72-billion on AI – and investors love it

      17 June 2025

      MultiChoice may unbundle SuperSport from DStv

      12 June 2025

      Grok promised bias-free chat. Then came the edits

      2 June 2025
    • TCS

      TCS | Connecting Saffas – Renier Lombard on The Lekker Network

      7 July 2025

      TechCentral Nexus S0E4: Takealot’s big Post Office jobs plan

      4 July 2025

      TCS | Tech, townships and tenacity: Spar’s plan to win with Spar2U

      3 July 2025

      TCS+ | First Distribution on the latest and greatest cloud technologies

      27 June 2025

      TCS+ | First Distribution on data governance in hybrid cloud environments

      27 June 2025
    • Opinion

      In defence of equity alternatives for BEE

      30 June 2025

      E-commerce in ICT distribution: enabler or disruptor?

      30 June 2025

      South Africa pioneered drone laws a decade ago – now it must catch up

      17 June 2025

      AI and the future of ICT distribution

      16 June 2025

      Singapore soared – why can’t we? Lessons South Africa refuses to learn

      13 June 2025
    • Company Hubs
      • Africa Data Centres
      • AfriGIS
      • Altron Digital Business
      • Altron Document Solutions
      • Altron Group
      • Arctic Wolf
      • AvertITD
      • Braintree
      • CallMiner
      • CambriLearn
      • CYBER1 Solutions
      • Digicloud Africa
      • Digimune
      • Domains.co.za
      • ESET
      • Euphoria Telecom
      • Incredible Business
      • iONLINE
      • Iris Network Systems
      • LSD Open
      • NEC XON
      • Network Platforms
      • Next DLP
      • Ovations
      • Paracon
      • Paratus
      • Q-KON
      • SevenC
      • SkyWire
      • Solid8 Technologies
      • Telit Cinterion
      • Tenable
      • Vertiv
      • Videri Digital
      • Wipro
      • Workday
    • Sections
      • AI and machine learning
      • Banking
      • Broadcasting and Media
      • Cloud services
      • Contact centres and CX
      • Cryptocurrencies
      • Education and skills
      • Electronics and hardware
      • Energy and sustainability
      • Enterprise software
      • Fintech
      • Information security
      • Internet and connectivity
      • Internet of Things
      • Investment
      • IT services
      • Lifestyle
      • Motoring
      • Public sector
      • Retail and e-commerce
      • Science
      • SMEs and start-ups
      • Social media
      • Talent and leadership
      • Telecoms
    • Events
    • Advertise
    TechCentralTechCentral
    Home » In-depth » Race is on to bring the Internet to everyone

    Race is on to bring the Internet to everyone

    By Editor19 June 2015
    Twitter LinkedIn Facebook WhatsApp Email Telegram Copy Link
    News Alerts
    WhatsApp
    world-640
    Airbus will design and build up to 900 satellites for the privately owned OneWeb

    The race is on to get billions of people connected to the Internet via a global network of satellites. Europe’s Airbus announced this week that it is to design and build up to 900 satellites for the privately owned OneWeb, which includes Richard Branson as a board member.

    A statement from OneWeb said the plan was to begin launches in 2018 to bring “affordable Internet access for everyone” by providing approximately 10Tbit/s of low-latency, high-speed broadband.

    That estimate of 10Tbit/s may be misleading, though. The broadband access rates experienced by customers are more likely to be in the range of 2Mbit/s to 50Mbit/s.

    It is an ambitious move and follows reports that the entrepreneur Elon Musk’s company SpaceX is seeking US government approval of a network of 4 000 satellites to provide similar Internet access.

    What makes OneWeb and SpaceX’s ventures interesting is their plan to connect people anywhere on the planet, similar to Google’s plan revealed last year.

    Facebook’s Internet.org is another project that aims to make it easier for more people anywhere to connect to the Internet.

    Only about 40% of the world’s population currently has access to the Internet and annual growth has been slowing from 10,5% in 2013 to 8% in 2013 and 7,9% last year.

    Any further growth requires cost-effective access such as a global satellite network. With the mass production of micro-satellites, building such a pervasive broadband Internet powered by a constellation of satellites opens up many possibilities.
    It makes business sense for large Internet companies such as Facebook and Google to increase access in the developing world.

    Having benefited from the huge uptake of Internet connectivity among developed countries, these companies see an as-yet-untapped market opportunity among those who do not currently have Internet access.

    If other large technology companies hungry for users want to increase affordable Internet access, then governments should take advantage of these opportunities. Connecting the unconnected to the Internet has many positive advantages for the community.
    The Internet supports development by transforming a younger generation’s ability to acquire knowledge and skills and contribute productively to national growth. It can also help an ageing population to remain active and access cost-effective health care.

    Connectivity is transforming transport, manufacturing, logistics and environment management. All forms of government can achieve greater efficiency and cost-effectiveness through their citizens being online and connected.

    Access to digital connectivity is essential in the networked society and it is imperative that there is equitable and universal access throughout the world.

    The Alliance for Affordable Internet has long highlighted the need to increase access by making the Internet affordable to a greater percentage of the global population.

    Its latest Affordability Report says only 5% of the population of the world’s 49 most underdeveloped countries are online. But for the 2bn people living on less than US$2/day, basic broadband access can exceed 40% of their monthly income.

    The low income of many regions does not create the necessary demand to drive investment in affordable Internet access options. This leaves these communities in a vicious cycle, which is widening the gap between the connected and non-connected.

    A global satellite network may be one solution to providing such access.

    But how will it work?
    Delivering broadband over such a network faces significant challenges in design, deployment and operation of such a global infrastructure. It must also make sure it’s affordable for those from economically disadvantaged or remotely located regions.

    A large constellation of satellites requires agile and cost-effective backhaul technology to provide interconnections between the satellites to form an extension to the Internet. Backhaul refers to the links or network required between satellites and the Internet to provide customers with internet access.

    Elon Musk
    Elon Musk’s SpaceX is seeking US government approval of a network of satellites to provide Internet access to the world

    This can be achieved with laser beams or microwave beams operating at millimetre-wave frequencies. They will also require self-aligning systems to pin-point other satellites and maintain links despite fluctuations in their relative positions.

    Alternatively, the satellites could form the necessary backhaul by connecting to ground stations suitably connected close to major internet gateways. Either way, satellite networks also need ground stations and internet gateways, which adds to the cost and the complexity of deploying and managing the network.

    With a large constellation of satellites, we can expect a portion of satellites to be dysfunctional at times. The operators need to factor that into the operation and also account for potential impacts and risks of losing satellites. That is why the OneWeb/Airbus deal is for 900 satellites but a plan to launch only 700.

    The current cost of satellite-based broadband access may only be within the reach of those living in rural communities of developed countries and for emergency communications. The key question remains whether operators can reduce the cost further by leveraging these early markets to deliver affordable access to the remaining two billion people earning $2/day.

    The world needs connectivity and it is now needed in places where it has been nearly impossible. Micro-satellites could offer real potential that needs to be explored and may fuel a space race once more among the Internet companies.The Conversation

    • Thas Ampalavanapillai Nirmalathas is director of the Melbourne Networked Society Institute as well as professor of electrical and electronic engineering and co-founder/academic director of the Melbourne Accelerator Programme at the University of Melbourne
    • This article was originally published on The Conversation


    Facebook Internet.org OneWeb Richard Branson SpaceX
    Subscribe to TechCentral Subscribe to TechCentral
    Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram Email Copy Link
    Previous ArticleUS firm Novatel in R1,1bn play for DigiCore
    Next Article New SABC chair ‘rewarded for loyalty’

    Related Posts

    The satellite broadband operators taking on Starlink

    9 July 2025

    Without US subsidies, Musk would be back in South Africa – Trump

    1 July 2025

    Ramaphosa backs Malatsi’s BEE reforms for ICT sector

    26 June 2025
    Company News

    Webtonic cracks the talent code with AWS-powered TonicHub

    9 July 2025

    Wider than a Bok: LG’s new 100-inch QNED TV brings the big screen home

    9 July 2025

    Huawei South Africa Partners Forum 2025: joining hands for a digital, intelligent future

    8 July 2025
    Opinion

    In defence of equity alternatives for BEE

    30 June 2025

    E-commerce in ICT distribution: enabler or disruptor?

    30 June 2025

    South Africa pioneered drone laws a decade ago – now it must catch up

    17 June 2025

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    © 2009 - 2025 NewsCentral Media

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.