18 WEDNESDAY 14th NOVEMBER 2012 FEATURE | VIASAT
Innovative cellular satellite backhaul cuts costs by 30%
we can call anyone, check our email, send a quick text message, or browse the Inter- net for information. Unfortunately, that is really not the case. In remote villages and communities
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throughout Africa, and other locations around the globe, there are areas beyond the reach of traditional terrestrial and mobile ser- vices. Tese communities are so remote that it is not profitable to extend fiber or cellular networks to reach them. Yet it is arguable that these communities could benefit most by having access to services that can be provided by mobile networks, such as voice, Internet, mobile banking, and so much more.
CONNECTING VILLAGES BENEFITS EVERYONE Tese off-the-grid villages can range from a couple of hundred people up to several thousand and everything in between. Tese people have limited access to other com- munity services and information beyond their area due to the limited infrastructure. Extending mobile services to these areas can have a tremendous impact, not only for the village, but for the world in general. For the mobile operator, this creates many new opportunities:
• The ability to sell or promote products and resources beyond the immediate coverage area.
• Increased revenues due to expanded geographical coverage while fostering family connectivity.
• Opening up potential economic oppor- tunities in an area through additional training, trading opportunities, etc.
• Providing access to global banking and trading using USSD and SMS mobile applications.
• Bringing awareness to the needs of a community and expanding government services such as the Department of Home Affairs.
• Expanding education through e-learn- ing by increasing the curriculum and the number of schools in an area.
• Improving healthcare with easier access
n a world of 7 billion people, over 5 billion have mobile service, and that number is growing every day. It seems as though regardless of where we go,
to services and medical information. Increasing the economic potential of a
village and giving people access to bank- ing, education, and healthcare services has a significant impact on the standard of living for the community in general.
THE PROMISE OF PROFITABLE SERVICES UNFULFILLED Mobile network operators have been presented with options to profitably extending their networks into underserved communities, only to realize that it is not as profitable as they were led to believe. Base stations designed for macro
installations require significant infra- structure investment and are associated with high operating costs. For these macro base stations solar power is un- economical, resulting in high operational expenses supplying fuel to base station diesel generators. As a result, these small communities use only a fraction of the base station capacity, making them too expensive to operate.
Other backhaul alternatives, such as
extending traditional cellular networks with fiber, microwave, or SCPC VSAT backhaul, are also not profitable. Terefore, there is little incentive to expand to these commu- nities when potential profits are overshad- owed by the cost of the infrastructure.
VIASAT INTRODUCES A TRUE OPTION FOR PROFITABLY CONNECTING THE UNDERSERVED While traditionally scaled macro site infrastructure has not proved profitable in extending mobile services due to scalability limitations, recently developed technolo- gies have led to the development of a new mobile infrastructure option. Microcell site infrastructure, using solar
power and satellite connectivity, is a low-cost, sustainable replacement technology. Unlike higher-powered stations, these sites can operate using a small number of solar panels versus either diesel generator or large solar arrays required to power these sites. While satellite bandwidth might give you pause to envision a high cost, even this issue has been addressed by making the bandwidth usage as efficient as possible. Te costs of services over satellite are comparable to terrestrial services resulting in the lowest per-minute call costs translating into additional profits for network operators while providing essential services for remote communities. When comparing GSM/3G backhaul tech-
nologies, the SLQ-GSM platform developed by ViaSat is approximately 72% less costly than SCPC and approximately 48% less than the TDM/TDMA networks available today. We have assumed that all the sites are solar powered, but the use of diesel generators in the SCPC and TDM/TDMA networks only increases this difference. Here are some key reasons why the
SLQ-GSM microcell option is attractive for mobile operators: • Flexible business models with various financial options, including managed services to equipment sales, allowing the most cost-effective ownership based on operator requirements.
• Scalability based on the size of the com- munity to maximize use while minimizing costs.
• The network is optimized to align with the network operator’s needs.
• Services are immediately available once the equipment is installed.
• Compact equipment design allows installa- tion in a day or two with nominal training.
FLEXIBLE, COST-EFFECTIVE MICROCELLS ARE HERE ViaSat brings together a flexible, low-power microcell site, linked by satellite, efficiently delivering vital communication services to underserved communities. Tis advanced system is a true option for profitably con- necting the underserved.
AFRICACOM DAILY 2012 I
http://africa.comworldseries.com/
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