Australian Gov’t led working group hails LEOsat potential in digital inclusion, USO delivery and resilience

A working group of federal government agencies and satellite companies has recommended that LEOsat technology be embraced to boost digital inclusion, supply universal services and improve telecommunications resilience.

The first chair’s report of the Low Earth Orbit Satellite Working

Group is to be released later today, making six recommendations for government.

The report, written by former department deputy secretary Richard Windeyer, recommends that government:

| Explore the role of LEOsats to narrow the First Nations digital gap, and identify how best to remove barriers to providing prepaid satellite services to consumers;

| Consider how new and emerging technology may be able to deliver a modern Universal Service Obligation, and | Monitor developments with direct to handset LEOsat services, and consider their role in the continuity of service during disasters.

The working group will also continue to meet through 2024, under new deputy secretary James Chisholm.

Communications minister Michelle Rowland said that the government was committed to leveraging the latest technologies and would consider the recommendations. She said: “I thank the working group for the constructive manner in which they approached these important discussions, particularly in relation to closing the First Nations digital inclusion gap. The government will continue to work with industry and consumer groups to ensure the regulatory framework delivers the best outcomes for Australians.”

In the report, Windeyer writes: “LEOsat constellations are distinct from satellites in other orbits in that they are significantly closer to the Earth, allowing for lower latency transmissions and less signal propagation loss. These factors have allowed consumers to access broadband services which are more comparable on many key metrics to services supplied over ϐibre optic and other ϐixed networks.

Owing to the global nature of most LEOsat constellations, coverage can be ubiquitous.”  He also observes: “There is signiϐicant innovation occurring in the ϐield of LEOsats.

Rapid developments in the market are bringing choice and a step change in broadband capability to businesses and households in regional and rural Australia. In addition, the capability for satellites to connect directly to mobile handsets (direct-to-device or D2D capability) is developing.”

“Developments in mobile standards, such as 3GPP releases 17 and 18, supporting non-terrestrial mobile networks also have positive implications for regional, rural and remote communications in Australia. Devices are already available in Australia supporting basic messaging services but further enhancement of LEO-enabled networks is likely to support greater capabilities, such as voice, data and video, in coming years.”

Regarding First Nations communities, the report recommends a trial of LEOsat broadband connectivity, including non-LEO satellite solutions that may include aggregating demand and providing connectivity through subsidised gateways such as WiFi hotspots or 4G and 5G private networks. The report emphasises that close consultation with First Nations communities would be required and that consideration be given to the power requirements of antenna, given potential rain fade factors.

The report also sees a need for prepaid delivery models, pointing out that disadvantaged Australians, particularly in First Nations communities, often rely on WiFi hotspots such as those hosted by local councils and pre-paid mobile phone plans for connectivity, rather than fixed residential connections or post-paid mobile phone plans that are more typical in the general population. “Barriers to offering pre-paid services should be identiϐied and recommendations provided to the” Department, the report said.

In terms of USO, the group noted there may be some trade-offs associated with using LEOsats to provide universal service to regional, rural, and remote Australians due to the different technological beneϐits and limitations, but there was scope that overall service could be improved.

The report recommends “as the government considers a modern universal service framework, consideration should be given to the future role of LEOsats. The inclusion of LEOsats should only follow extensive testing of their suitability.”

D2D SEEN AS TRANSFORMATIONAL: The group was also bullish about the potential of direct-to-mobile device communications, describing its coverage impacts as “transformational.”

It says “the LEOsat D2D capability is growing quickly, with a commercial deal aready established in the Australian market. Current regulatory settings appear to capture the most likely LEOsat service delivery setups and the usual telecommunications regulatory settings around competition and access apply to LEOsats. There are some edge scenarios that should be examined closely. Developments in the market should be monitored to ensure that regulatory and policy settings continue to be fit for purpose and enable this market to develop.”

The report also sees related benefits in resilience, noting that “LEOsats clearly have a role in assisting in emergency situations, and the Government should consider this capability in this space. LEOsats are also becoming increasingly relevant to the emergency calling space, with Apple for example providing an emergency SOS service through its concierge triaged service. The government should consider whether regulatory settings are fit for purpose to encourage greater use of LEOsats for emergency communication purposes.”

The working group includes representatives from the Department, Australian Communications and Media Authority and Australian Space Agency, as well as the First Nations Digital Inclusion Advisory Group.

Industry was represented by Amazon Project Kuiper, Commpete, Communications, Alliance, Echostar Global, Fleet Space, Inmarsat, Intelsat, IPSTAR, Lynk Global, Myriota, NBN Co, Omnispace, OneWeb, Optus, Pivotel, SES/O3b, Speedcast, Starlink, Telesat, Telstra, TPG, Viasat and Vocus.

Grahame Lynch, Commsday

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