The Eutelsat OneWeb Group is now officially a Multi-orbit satellite network operator, and truly the first of its kind. Eutelsat OneWeb has now launched the OneWeb Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite service in Africa following hot on the heels of the much-discussed Starlink LEO service, that was implemented in 2023. In addition, Intelsat has signed a US$500M deal with Eutelsat OneWeb to use OneWeb LEO capacity to expand its Multi-orbit strategy, and Telesat has secured full funding for the Lightspeed LEO satellite constellation.
In the context of these technology innovations, industry alignments and constellation developments, what do Multi-orbit services mean for Africa? How could these services impact the Africa connectivity landscape, and will Multi-orbit satellite services deliver significant value in Africa? We consider these dynamics and provide an on-the-ground perspective.
Introduction
Multi-orbit satellite services refer to the class of satellite technology that integrates Geostationary Orbit (GEO), Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite services into one consolidated service. It is based on the premise that a Multi-orbit service bundle can deliver the best of both worlds by combining the advantages of both LEO and GEO services into a single end-user product offering.
Strictly speaking, these Multi-orbit end-user services are based on a single user terminal that has the technical capability to seamlessly connect to both LEO and GEO networks. This kind of Multi-orbit user terminal will then connect to either the LEO or the GEO network in real-time, based on the specific user content. For example, a Netflix movie session can be streamed very effectively on GEO, while a real-time cloud enterprise application should be connected on LEO.
Current and future constellation dynamics
In considering potential Multi-orbit solution strategies, we should firstly assess the principal capabilities of LEO and GEO constellations. Data speeds, network capacity, network coverage and data latency are some of the key parameters that differentiate GEO and LEO constellations. Currently, LEO networks offer much higher data rates, greater network capacity, full regional coverage and lower latency than GEO networks, so all things considered, it can be stated that LEO is more advantageous than GEO services.
We should also be careful to review current GEO constellations as these networks were defined at least five to ten years ago, with correspondingly less demanding design specifications. It is anticipated that the new generation of software-defined satellite GEO networks will deliver major improvements, and be able to match the data rates and network capacity offered by LEO networks.
If we consider LEO and GEO constellations based on criteria that are inherent of the constellation and which cannot be changed by design, the scenario could unfold as follows:
Image Credit: Twoobii and Q-KON
The current reality in Africa
In the meantime, while industry developments in LEO and GEO are very promising, and the details surrounding precisely how true Multi-orbit solutions will be developed remain unclear, we can comment on the current reality as experienced in Africa.
One perspective to keep in mind is that global aviation and maritime market requirements are growing exponentially, and that to a large extent, this growth very much dictates the global development of both LEO and GEO services. On all levels, next-generation LEO and GEO platforms, plus Multi-orbit scenarios, are all focused on meeting the massive demand generated by international air and sea travel and transportation.
In Africa, we have only a fraction of these markets, and the digital divide is unlikely to be resolved through solutions developed to serve the aero and maritime markets. A more feasible scenario involves finding a roadmap showing how best to leverage all possible technologies in servicing the unconnected or under-connected.
To define a possible roadmap for the application of GEO and LEO services in an African context, we have considered the currently available services and calculated the total costs of ownership (TCOs) over a 24-month period for different user demand models.
Currently, the user terminal equipment cost for LEO services is in the order of US$5000 per terminal which is significantly more expensive than GEO services at around US$450 per terminal. While the effective data cost per GB rate of LEO services is US$1.70, this is much lower than the equivalent cost for GEO services, at US$3.10.
Applying these per GB cost parameters to different usage packages and calculating the total cost of ownership over 24-month terms, we can readily model how GEO and LEO could be mapped for the African marketplace.
The rule of thumb outcome of this cost model is that GEO services will be better suited to high-quantity, low-volume applications with per site demand of less than 100GB – such as point-of-sale (POS) and ATM services. In contrast, low-quantity, high-demand services of more than 200GB per site are better served by LEO services such as enterprise fibre back-up services or broadband services for lodges. The usage per site per month between 100GB and 200GB have inconclusive metrics and additional use case criteria will be needed in order to determine the most suitable technology option for each case.
This outcome perfectly maps onto product strategies such as Q-KON’s Twoobii Smart Satellite Solutions portfolio which can now leverage the best of both worlds to meet customer demands.
Graph indicating the total cost of ownership between GEO and LEO over a 2-year period:
Image Credit: Twoobii and Q-KON
Conclusion
While Multi-orbit satellite solutions that seamlessly integrate LEO and GEO services are being promoted by the industry in general, solutions that use either GEO or LEO rather than both, are more realistic options in the short and medium terms.
For Africa, the use cases that justify the deployment of such seamless Multi-orbit GEO and LEO solutions are limited in number, simply because of the limited demand for aviation and maritime services. While it may be limited in scale, these needs do effectively leverage both GEO and LEO services, and the growth of the satellite connectivity industry has consistently shown that the need to meet the demands of specific applications will always drive growth in solutions delivery.
Servicing Africa is therefore a case of ‘GEO-or-LEO’ as opposed to ‘GEO-and-LEO’; either way, Africa represents an unsaturated market for solutions that both meet demand and can be delivered within the right business model. Use cases such as Q-KON’s Twoobii Smart Satellite Solutions are well positioned for continuous growth, especially when underwritten by a collaborative business model.
