The LEO Landscape Is Changing. What Does That Mean for Your Connectivity Strategy?
Low Earth orbit satellite connectivity is expanding. For organizations that depend on communications in the field, the opportunity is to build a network that can make use of more than one available path.
A few years ago, the question was whether low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite could support demanding operations. Today, organizations are asking a more useful question: how should LEO fit alongside cellular, terrestrial and other satellite connections?
Starlink and Eutelsat OneWeb are already serving customers. Amazon Leo is expanding its constellation and plans a wider service rollout as coverage and capacity grow. Other networks are also in development. Availability, equipment and service options will continue to change.
LEO Is Becoming a Broader Connectivity Category
LEO is no longer a conversation about a single satellite network. Organizations can now evaluate different services for different locations and applications. As additional constellations develop, those choices may expand.
These differences matter. A service that fits a fixed remote facility may not be the best fit for a vehicle or a rapidly deployed command post.
More LEO Networks Create More Options
An agency connecting a mobile command unit could have different antenna, coverage and data needs than one connecting a remote facility. Equipment size, installation requirements, service terms and performance all matter.
Vehicles and Command Units
Antenna placement, movement, power and changing coverage conditions shape the deployment.
Facilities and Remote Sites
Site access, capacity, installation and the connection’s role in the broader network shape the deployment.
The value of a new constellation depends on how well it meets those operational needs. It also depends on whether the service can be integrated, monitored and supported as part of the customer’s communications system.
The Network Around the Satellite Still Matters
Even a strong satellite connection is one part of the path between a field team and the applications it needs. Cellular coverage, local equipment, power, network management and support all affect the result.
Using more than one path can give an organization additional ways to stay connected when conditions change. The right combination depends on where the system operates and what it must keep running.
Build Around the Operation with SuperGIG™
IP Access designs connectivity around operational requirements. Through SuperGIG™, customers can bring selected LEO services together with LTE/5G and other available connections in a managed network.
Depending on the deployment, that can include both Starlink and Eutelsat OneWeb. Our team helps evaluate equipment, integration, network management and ongoing support as part of the complete solution.
Explore SuperGIG™What Could New Constellations Mean for Customers?
Amazon LEO illustrates how quickly the LEO market is evolving. As new services become available, IP Access can evaluate their coverage, equipment, integration requirements and support model for customer applications.
A future constellation could become another layer in a SuperGIG™ deployment where the service is available and the technical and commercial requirements are met.
Start with What Needs to Stay Connected
Organizations planning today do not need to predict which constellation will be the best choice years from now. They can start by defining their current operational requirements:
- Applications: What must remain available in the field?
- Locations: Where do teams, vehicles and facilities need service?
- Existing paths: Which cellular, terrestrial and satellite connections are available?
- Operations: Who will monitor, maintain and support the system?
IP Access can design a managed solution for those requirements and assess new LEO options as they become viable.
Your Connectivity Plan Should Be Able to Evolve
Tell us where your teams operate and which applications need to stay connected. We’ll help evaluate the network paths that fit your requirements today and as new options become viable.