Telecom
Current and New Dimensions for SATCOM Network Services Driving IoT & IoE for 5G
By Andrew Aroh
- Today Access to the Satellite resources is as simple as pointing the dish and transmitting/receiving: This is because Satellite Coverage is Ubiquitous, the bandwidth is instantly available and it can be directed /redirected without any last mile issues.
- Satellite communications enhances economic, educational and health standards more than any other form of technology. In turn, higher economic and social standards are attracting foreign investment, which creates employment opportunities which leads to increased exports, which yields stronger hard currency earnings.
- Increasingly, there is a recognition by regulators, operators and service providers that new job opportunities, foreign investment, and digital economic strength are counted among the many advantages of permitting the provision of effective broadband communications.
- In SATCOM digital realization, we are looking at payload with high-speed and low power characteristics, whilst having radiation hardness.
- The frequency spectrum for broadband (Ka-band/V-band) has higher power and therefore will be used for high-bandwidth interactive services such as high-speed internet, video conferencing and multimedia applications.
- Note that NGN is expected to integrate wired/cabled and wireless networks into an all-IP network. Based on the above, a rejoinder to WRC-19 has shown that the following characteristics are vital for essential communications operation of NGNs:
- Coverage
- Capacity/throughput
- Flexibility/scalability
- Interoperability
- Access & control
- Quality-of-service
- Protection/Security
- The required increases in spectrum will provide the following:
- Continuous connection
- Greater capacity
- More data
- More users
- Faster speed
- Faster response time (latency) for connections.
- 5G is accompanied with development of Architectures leveraging Network Function virtualization (NFV) and software defined networking (SDN) both at the core and edge of the network providing:
- Increased computing power
- Scalability
- Reduced operating cost
- Business models to enable differentiation
- 5G will push the boundaries of throughput and capacity further beyond that of 4G to enable newer types of applications and services in the domain of:
- Health
- Transport
- Entertainment
- Machine-to-machine communications
- Security etc.
- 5G is virtually instantaneous opening up a new world of connected applications/devices (IoTs) leading to a huge shift towards a landscape dominated by WIRELESS CONNECTIVITY
- ITU SATELLITE CORE DESIGN PRINCIPLES (Development philosophy) which drives innovation in ICT:
- Make it simple, efficient, scalable, work anyplace, anytime no matter what the connectivity requirements
- The Technology is developed to a universal set of requirements (outlined below) to enable service providers to meet any customer need no matter the application, bandwidth, or satellite network topology:
- Everything is integrated
- Efficiency rules
- Scalability pays
- Flexibility matters
- Intuitive management prevails
- How do you prorate a new ICT device/product:
- Allows customers to generate new revenues
- Enhance Network performance
- Reduce Operating Cost
- Can operate with multiple carriers of different bandwidths.
- A new dimension in efficient satellite network solution:
- Features:
- Multi-frequency TDMA (MF-TDMA)
- Full mesh, star or hybrid (virtual network)
- Bandwidth on demand through DAMA
- Based on IP suite for internet
- Delivers cost-effective VoIP, Data, Video, DVB/DVB-S/DNB-S2/Extension
- From 105Mbps to 50Mbps or more to the Gbps range
- Multimedia
- True Broadband Triple-play:
- The emerging true broadband services are a combination of:
- Voice (making calls)
- Data (social media; email, browsing)
- Video (news, sports, entertainment, TV and broadcast; training, movies.)
- Most of these streaming and file-transfer based services have converged towards IP. Through a multiservice platform the different service over IP can be combined either in the Hub or the remote into a single carrier for efficient transfer at optimal service availability over a combination of fiber + terrestrial wireless + space wireless using ochestrantion.
- For true broadband (broadband 2.0) experience over satellite, the satellite MODEMs and terminals in the network implement the most efficient technologies:
- Adaptive code modulation (ACM) in the forward link.
- Adaptive return technologies using automatic in-route-selection (AIS)
- Embedded IP traffic enhancement software (aka cross-layer-optimization) through
- TCP acceleration
- Pre-fetching
- Compression/decompression
- The emerging true broadband services are a combination of:
- SEAMLESS INTEGRATION TO CREATE TRANSPARENT LAN SERVICES (TLS)
- With convergance in ICT we need integrated BROADBAND ACCESS & NETWORK PLANNING which provides high-speed data service that allows for the inter connection of different LANs across an extended campus, metropolitan area or nation network.
- Using VLANs Gigobit range LAN interface (such as 11011000Mbps Ethernet), TLS provides a much simpler solution to the customer for connection of disperate sites than other forms of WAN, such as frame relay or ATM.
- We need products and solutions that enable:
- Information exchange
- Accelerate information flow
- Ensure information delivery
- To make data communications systems:
- Faster
- More reliable
- More interoperable
- Standards-Based Satellite & Terrestrial RF Network Gateway Applications include:
- IP-over-Satellite Links
- IP over tactical/terrestrial wireless links
- IP over wired/cabled terrestrial links
- End-to-end communications over wireless links, with mobile nodes implementing space communications protocol standards by extending TCP/IP to maximize throughput and link utilization in the lossy, high-latency, asymmetric bandwidth environment typical of space and tactical/terrestrial RF communications links.
- Seamless integration with existing IP and Satellite/wireless RF network infrastructure transparent to most network functions.
- Support for BGP routing protocol for integration with existing IP network infrastructure and migration to IPV6.
INTERNET OF THINGS:
- The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to machine-to-machine communications.
- The IoT continues to grow as devices proliferate.
- Cisco estimates that 50 billion devices will be connected to the internet by 2020 and those connections will communicate data to analyze, plan, manage and make intelligent decisions autonomously.
- Connected IoT device like UAS sensors will keep soldiers and commanders connected to data needed to respond to the ever-changing battle field.
- When combined with collaboration and analytics, IoT data becomes part of a broader IoE (Internet of Everything) environment that promises to create a real-time information advantage.
- As the multitude of CONNECTED SENSORS and DEVICES grows while at the same time video surveillance and applications leverage the internet, the importance of physical and network security becomes even more critical.
THE INTERNET OF EVERYTHING
- The internet of everything (IoE) is a catalyst to take IoT to the next level by combining people, processes and technology with connected devices, sensors and other machines. This integration of IoT with human communications collaboration and analytical elements enables real-time decision advantages.
- The opportunity with IoE comes from its ability to link components via intelligent, programmable network.
- IoT is a critical part of this evolution, in which physical objects like vehicles, weapons and unmanned vehicles are connected to secure networks to create information dominance.
- The IoE is serving as a catalyst to change the landscape of the IT industry while transforming how to leverage network-based solutions.
- For defense, IoE holds the power to connect the battlefield with the digital world in ways that promise to fundamentally change military operations.
- An integrated architecture for IoE creates interconnected physical and virtual environments that combine IoT devices with secure virtualization, mobility, unified communications and other advanced technologies.
- The proliferation of unstructured imager and video data from a variety of sensors is creating new:
- Capture
- Storage
- Computing
- Exploitation opportunities
- To accommodate an influx of new devices without sacrificing security, they must be managed as part of an integrated architecture for IoE.
- The framework should leverage commercial product to avoid unnecessary government-modified devices that are more expensive to field manage and support.
- Security measures will be critical for protecting data on classified networks.
- Architecture suited to support IoE will include:
- Compute
- Storage
- Virtualization assets in the data center
- Secure network fabric for connectivity
- Voice and video-enabled secure mobile infrastructure
- Battlefield sensors
- Virtualization combined with advanced security from the network to application levels are essential to allowing high secure access to sensitive and classified information on multiple networks while lowering the risk of vulnerabilities.
- When properly designed and deployed, IoE will help to realize the vision of net-centric warfare while proving technology advantage for our connected war fighters.
- INTERNET OF EVERYTHING COULD TRANSFORM THE BATTLEFIELD: EVERYTHING CONNECTED.
- Today’s military is adapting to asymmetrical warfare and an evolving real-time threat matrix that require new approaches to military operations.
- In the midst of a technological shift from the fixed location work models of the PC era to the mobile, social, virtual and collaborative models of today, information advantage has become more important than overwhelming force.
- To address those needs the military is taking a leap forward by adopting new technologies and incorporating them into existing environment – all without sacrificing security and the ability to manage complex systems.
- The integration of military technology also unification of computing, storage and networks with sensors, devices and collaborative application.
- Security concerns surrounding IoE will be particularly important for military operators connecting to classified networks. Hence, network-aware intelligence and end-to-end physical security for video and all networked sensors must be at the heart of any military IoE solution.
- Today’s missions require ongoing, untethered interactions between soldiers, decision makers, subject matter experts and machines.
- Unification of sensors, video, voice, data collaboration and secure mobile computing is delivering next-generation battlefield capabilities.
- The potential exists to combine IoE technologies with big data analytics, trusted multilevel security capabilities, software-defined networks and virtualization – aware network infrastructure to deliver an integrated architecture for the battlefield.
- THE PROMISE AND CHALLENGE OF THE NEW CENTURY HIGH OVERHEADS.
- Advanced Satellite systems make vital contributions every day to:
- Science
- Connecting citizens and business for Internet of Things (IoT) as well as Internet of Everything (IoE).
- Gathering weather data for aviation, weather forecasting & climate change.
- Sending navigational signals for tracking, monitoring & control.
- Mapping earth, the planets and deep space & sea for information and security
- Defense
- Etc
- Advanced Satellite systems make vital contributions every day to:
- CURRENT AND NEW GENERATION SATELLITE NETWORKING TECHNOLOGY INCLUDES:
- Data networking constellations using LEOs & MEOs.
- New Generation Commercial Satellites with onboard processing (OBP) systems.
- New Military Satellites, such as SBIRS
- Next Generation Smaller Terminals
- CONCLUDING REMARKS: MAJOR TECHNICAL TRENDS COMMON TO COMMERCIAL AND MILITARY USERS:
- More powerful satellites are emerging
- More bps per Hertz
- Larger antennas onboard the Satellites
- More power are produced from the satellites
- Use of Ka-band, V-band and mmW increases bandwidth availability for mass market broadband
- Adaptive coding and Modulation to get even more bps per hertz (most of the time!)
- Standards are reducing the size and cost of earth station baseband equipment
- Continued move towards use of IP networking over satellite.
- More powerful satellites are emerging
- Andrew Aroh is President of SSPI Nigeria
Telecommunication companies have threatened to withdraw their Unstructured Supplementary Services Data (USSD), services from banks over what they called misinformation.
MTN Nigeria, Airtel, Globacom and 9Mobile- the telcos disclosed that the banks’ notice to their customers on the new billing system and airtime deductions for USSD services was misleading.
Also, Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) also denied that the directive was from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
USSD is done via shortcodes on mobile phones and allows bank customers to make transactions in places with limited or no internet service.
Recall that banks earlier this week claimed that NCC has directed them to begin charging them from their airtime rather than from customers’ accounts.
The notice from the banks read in part: “In line with the directive of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), please be informed that effective June 3, 2025, charges for USSD banking services will no longer be deducted from your bank account.
“Going forward, these charges will be deducted directly from your mobile airtime balance in accordance with the NCC’s End-User Billing (EUB) model.
“Under this new billing structure, each USSD session will attract a charge of ?6.98 per 120 seconds, which will be billed by your mobile network operator.
“You will receive a consent prompt at the start of each session, and airtime will only be deducted upon your confirmation and availability of the bank to fulfil this service.
“If you do not wish to continue using USSD banking under this new model, you may choose to discontinue use of the USSD channel.”
Reacting, ALTON, umbrella body of telecom operators in Nigeria, said the banks’ notice is a gross misinformation deliberately hatched to suit their selfish interests.
Hence they threatened to withdraw network support to the banks’ USSD services.
Engr Gbenga Adebayo, chairman of ALTON told Vanguard: ” I don’t understand why the banks are twisting agreements and distorting information just to favour their selfish interests. In the first place, the information wasn’t a directive from the NCC but a joint regulatory agreement between the NCC and the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN witnessed by the telcos and the banks. The agreement was that if the banks finally cleared all USSD debts owed to the telcos by June 2, 2025, they are free to migrate to the end-user billing method, so long as the model of migration is transparent and agreed upon by the telcos.
“The reason for that clause was because the telcos insisted that the process of migration is such that will not allow a customer to be billed twice; in other words, that a subscriber would not have his airtime deducted and also have his or her money deducted for same services from his or her bank account.
” As we speak, some of the banks have cleared their debts, but the majority are yet to do so. So, even if all the modalities of migrating to end-user billing have been perfectly carried out, the implementation cannot even begin because the banks are yet to clear the USSD debt owed to the telcos.
“Our position now is that if that is the way the banks want to treat the agreement, we may withdraw support for their USSD services. It is not a must-have. They can do without it. But, they should clear the debts as agreed,” he added.
MTN Nigeria has announced plans to embark on a massive capital expenditure (CAPEX) drive in 2025, committing nearly N900 billion to significantly enhance network service quality across Nigeria.
Dr. Karl Toriola, CEO, MTN Nigeria,
The substantial investment, more than double the combined CAPEX of approximately N440 billion spent in 2023 and 2024, underscored MTN’s aggressive strategy to address persistent service quality issues and meet growing customer and regulatory expectations.
Dr. Karl Toriola, CEO, MTN Nigeria, detailed this unprecedented financial commitment during a recent interview on Arise TV, emphasizing that improving service quality is the company’s paramount message for the year.
He highlighted a clear understanding and expectation from both the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and security agencies for improved network quality.
A primary focus of this increased CAPEX will be on putting additional capacity in a city like Lagos, particularly in Abuja, where you have a lot of buildings coming up, you need additional sites because there are coverage issues.
Beyond these critical urban centers, the investment aims to bolster network resilience and ensure power stability for its infrastructure nationwide.
This includes proactively addressing site outages by ensuring timely payment for operational necessities such as diesel for generators, a persistent challenge in the Nigerian operating environment.
Toriola outlined a comprehensive upgrade process, which involves placing orders formally, opening letters of credit, and then the equipment gets shipped in and installed.
He added that MTN will be acquiring new sites and laying fiber to the base station to create better stability” where necessary.
While the immediate CAPEX is geared towards improving existing service quality and capacity, this investment aligns with MTN’s broader goals of enhancing financial inclusion in underserved rural areas, suggesting a long-term vision for network expansion and service improvement that extends beyond metropolitan areas.
Subscribers can anticipate tangible improvements in service quality, with a significant improvement in quality of service expected by the end of the second quarter or early in the third quarter of 2025, according to Toriola.
“This year is all going to be about capital expenditure on an aggressive basis to fix quality of service issues (and) meet both the regulators’ and the public’s expectations,” he affirmed, reiterating MTN’s steadfast focus on customer experience through substantial capital investment.
Telecom regulators and industry leaders from across the Middle East and Africa gathered in Cairo last week to chart a data-driven future for the region.
In a region where digital transformation is accelerating at unprecedented speed, connectivity intelligence firm, Ookla and Egypt’s National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA) joined forces to organise the Telecommunications Regulatory Summit
Themed ‘Harnessing Data and Technology for Superior QoS’, the summit focused on how data, particularly crowdsourced insights, can transform regulatory strategies across the region.
The summit attracted stakeholders from over 30 countries, including delegates from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and World Broadband Association (WBBA), who engaged in high-level discussions on optimising network performance and accelerating digital inclusion.
Karim Yaici, lead industry analyst for the Middle East and Africa at Ookla, said the event set the tone for the growing value of data-driven decision-making.
“Access to and the use of crowdsourced data contribute to making more informed decisions, fostering transparency and ensuring that citizens in the MEA region benefit from high-quality, accessible and affordable connectivity,” he said.
The experts underlined that crowdsourced data is becoming a critical complement to traditional regulatory methods.
They agreed that it helps identify service gaps, prioritise infrastructure investments, and drive innovation.
With broadband speeds now closely tied to GDP growth and productivity, accurate performance data is seen as key to socio-economic advancement.
Dr. Hossam Abdel-Mawla, vice-president of technical affairs and quality of service at NTRA, stressed that the summit was pivotal in fostering regional collaboration.
“By actively sharing best practices and exploring innovative data-driven strategies, we are shaping a future where telecom regulations ensure digital inclusion and economic growth across the region,” he said.
In a key session, Ahmed Nabawy, director of client services at Ookla, presented findings on 5G performance in Egypt and Tunisia.
He demonstrated how Ookla’s unified data platform, powered by AI, enables operators to analyse 5G-capable device density and prioritise high-impact rollout areas.
The summit also explored the shift from conventional network quality metrics to more user-centric Quality of Experience models. These advanced analytics tools promise to enhance transparency, improve accountability, and ultimately deliver better connectivity experiences for all.
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