International Telecommunication Union

Workshop on Satellites in IP and MultimediaGeneva, 9-11 December 2002

Satellite Communication Satellite Communication for Dummiesfor DummiesReinhard.Scholl@itu.int

Deputy to the DirectorTelecommunication Standards Bureau

www.itu.int/ITU-T

2Workshop on Satellites in IP and Multimedia - Geneva, 9-11 December 2002

Contents

o The Marketo The Standardso The Workshop

3Workshop on Satellites in IP and Multimedia - Geneva, 9-11 December 2002

Satellite Physics

o Geostationary satellites (36,000 km)• Stay over a fixed point on the ground• Advantage:

• “simple”• Disadvantage:

• ½ sec for signal-round trip• because satellite far away, signal is

weak when it hits earth

o LEO (low-earth-orbit) satellites• Advantage: shorter delays• Disadvantage: complex

1. The Market

2. The Standards

3. The Workshop

4Workshop on Satellites in IP and Multimedia - Geneva, 9-11 December 2002

Today’s Satellite Communication Services

1. Voice Trunking2. Mobile telephony3. Broadband Internet4. Digital television

1. The Market

2. The Standards

3. The Workshop

5Workshop on Satellites in IP and Multimedia - Geneva, 9-11 December 2002

Historical Perspectiveo The old days:

• Communications satellite research & deployment: early ’60s

• Main instrument for transoceanic communications

• Monopolistic marketso Recent developments:

• Liberalization of satellite industry• Privatization of treaty organizations• Competition with other transport media:

• Fiber for voice/datao A single strand can carry more data than all existing

satellites combined (acc. to Telegeography)• Cable for TV-broadcasting

1. The Market

2. The Standards

3. The Workshop

6Workshop on Satellites in IP and Multimedia - Geneva, 9-11 December 2002

LEOs’ Roller Coaster Ride

o Early ’90s: LEOs reach for the stars• mobile telephony:

• Iridium, Globalstar, ICO

• “Internet-in-the-sky”:• Teledesic

o End of ’90s: LEOs fall back to earth• Bankruptcies (Ch 11)

o Beginning 2000s: LEOs to relaunchmore modestly

1. The Market

2. The Standards

3. The Workshop

7Workshop on Satellites in IP and Multimedia - Geneva, 9-11 December 2002

Risks of Satellite Industry

o Long wait between design and profitability:

• Many satellites make money only after 10 years in orbit

• Need to build entire network before signing up the first customer

o Manufacturers must lock down technology > 3 years before launch

o Betting on a market up to 15 years in the future

1. The Market

2. The Standards

3. The Workshop

8Workshop on Satellites in IP and Multimedia - Geneva, 9-11 December 2002

World Satellite Services Revenue

1. The Market

2. The Standards

3. The Workshop

10.6

5.2

15.6

5.7

18.3

6.1

22.5

7.2

31.5

7.7

39.2

44.4

7.87.27.2

1996 1996 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002

in billion $

Subscription/retail services revenues

Transponder leasing revenues

(Source: Satellite Industry Association)

est.

9Workshop on Satellites in IP and Multimedia - Geneva, 9-11 December 2002

Where to Go?

o Need for:• differentiating products & services • new markets• competitive pricing

o Provision of services to end-users• Broadband bi-directional data

(Internet) access• Sharing of resources to reduce costs ?!• Customized interfaces / APIs ?!

1. The Market

2. The Standards

3. The Workshop

10Workshop on Satellites in IP and Multimedia - Geneva, 9-11 December 2002

What is Being Done in ITU-T?

o High-level coordination activities:• ICG-SAT: coordination between and

within ITU-T and ITU-R activities

o Mid- and low-level coordination:• Mediacom2004 (ITU-T SG 16)• IP Project (ITU-T SG 13)

o Exploring opportunities for synergy with ITU-D

o Important: specifications to take satellites into account

1. The Market

2. The Standards

3. The Workshop

11Workshop on Satellites in IP and Multimedia - Geneva, 9-11 December 2002

Possible Standardization Topics

o Common service definition approacho Common service interfaceso Defined user premises equipment

and interfaceso Resources for seamless

interconnection across networks

1. The Market

2. The Standards

3. The Workshop

12Workshop on Satellites in IP and Multimedia - Geneva, 9-11 December 2002

Workshop Objectives

o Examine business cases for satellite services o Identify standards to be developed which

help satellite industry to make moneyo Increase awareness of ITU-T and ITU-R

related studieso Coordinate with other SDOs and forumso Enhance studies on the possibility of use of

satellites for bridging digital divide

1. The Market

2. The Standards

3. The Workshop

13Workshop on Satellites in IP and Multimedia - Geneva, 9-11 December 2002

Thank you to the Steering Committee …

o Paolo Amadesio Vladimir Androuchkoo Fabio Bigio Simao Camposo Greg Joneso Sastri Kotao Chae-Sub Leeo Yves Montfort

1. The Market

2. The Standards

3. The Workshop

o Brian Mooreo Mark Neiberto Tolga Orso Pierre-Andre Probsto Reinhard Schollo Georges Sebeko David Weinreich

… + thank you to numerous ITU staff