Spectrum CrunchACMA RadComms13Sydney, 2-3 October 2013

David Ball, Chief Technology OfficerNewSat

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About NewSat

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Australia’s largest pure-play satellite communications company•Internet, voice, data and video•Coverage

• more than 75% of the globe• Australia, Asia, Middle East, Indian

Ocean (into Europe), and Pacific Ocean (into West Coast USA)

•Operations• Current: C-band and Ku-band• Future: Australia’s first commercial Ka-

band satellite, Jabiru-1, under construction and to be launched in 2015

NewSat owns and operates two Australian Teleports.

Adelaide Teleport (South Australia)•11 antennas ranging from 2.4 to 13 metres in size

•Up-linking to 8 geostationary satellites across C- and Ku-band

•Interconnected to terrestrial fibre networks and the Internet backbone

•Secure Global Access Point supporting certified classified networks to ensure the transmission of vital and sensitive information for government and enterprise clients

•24 x 7 x 365 on-site Network Operations Centre

NewSat’s Teleports

Perth Teleport (Western Australia)• 12 antennas ranging from 2.4 to 13 metres in size

• Up-linking to 9 geostationary satellites across C- and Ku-band

• Interconnected to terrestrial fibre networks and the Internet backbone

• 24 x 7 x 365 on-site Network Operations Centre

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• Commercial satellites are an essential component of global communications infrastructure

• Satellites carry the world’s media content around the globe

• Satellites deliver consumer services such as satellite television, satellite radio and broadband services

• Satellites offer instant communications through mobile and portable voice, data and video services, available globally

• Satellite networks link businesses among widely-dispersed locations

• Satellites provide connectivity and network restoration for disrupted terrestrial networks, as well as remote and rural telecommunications

Why satellites matter

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• Full geographic coverage from day 1

• Terrain independent

• Fast deployment – instant infrastructure

• Bypass terrestrial infrastructure

• Ideal for broadcast – “one to many”

• Ideal for remote users – “one to the middle of nowhere

• Perfect for thin-route applications – links are scalable as needs develop

• Support asymmetric data requirements

• Capacity can be easily reconfigured

Why satellites?

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C-Band(4-8GHz)

Ku-Band(12-18GHz)

Ka-Band(26-40GHz)

Uses•Full-time TV distribution

•Contribution feeds

•Backhaul and VSAT

Uses•Direct-to-home (DTH) television

•Satellite news gathering

•Fixed and broadcast services

•Backhaul and VSAT

•Enterprise communication networks

•Military applications

•Aeronautical & mobility applications

Uses•Fixed and broadcast services

•Backhaul and VSAT

•Enterprise communication networks

•Military applications

•High throughput satellite (HTS) applications

•Aeronautical & mobility applications

Satellite spectrum usage

C-Band and Ku-Band spectrum is in strong demand – new growth is now in Ka-Band

Higher power transmission

More focused beams

Some rain fade / signal attenuation issues

Spectrum saturated

Offers high capacity bandwidth at already occupied satellite positions

Greatest user flexibility

Smaller end-user antenna

Higher frequency

New spectrum available

Some rain fade / signal attenuation issues at the surface

Widely used

Broad footprint

Least rain fade

Reliable low bandwidth

Interference from terrestrial systems

Larger earth station antenna required

New Spectrum unavailable

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Most current satellites operate in C-band and Ku-band•Increased congestion in C- and Ku- band has resulted in an increase in Ka-band satellites being built and launched•Ka-band allows

• Available capacity• Flexible services• Cost-effective network deployments• Increased throughput compared to lower

frequency bands

Satellite Spectrum

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WRC-15 Agenda Item 1.1 is the latest manifestation of the wireless industry quest for spectrum•Insatiable appetite for spectrum to drive growth in terrestrial wireless broadband services•Wireless industry appears to have had a significant victory in predicating the debate on the assumption that satellite services must surrender spectrum

The only questions they ask are “how much?” and “where?”

Terrestrial wireless and spectrum

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Is there really a spectrum crunch?•Here in Australia, there was 700MHz band spectrum offered in the ACMA’s recent digital dividend auction and not all of this spectrum was acquired

Spectrum crunch?

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• An interesting result given the assumptions driving WRC-15 AI 1.1

• Is spectrum availability the most significant or, indeed, the only factor inhibiting future growth of terrestrial wireless broadband services?

• Has the growing ubiquity in WiFi networks been factored into estimating the wireless industry and their future demand for spectrum?

Beyond the assumptions

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• Has the willingness of end-user to pay for services at a price point, that will recover investment costs of terrestrial wireless networks, been factored into these estimates?

• With the continuing needs of incumbent users, have alternate, less spectrum hungry, technologies been considered in the national regulators’ review of how best to balance any increase in mobile broadband spectrum requirements?

Beyond the assumptions

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Industry forecast increase in spectrum demand•Fuel growth of terrestrial wireless broadband services •Based on the assumption that most, if not all, video content will be viewed on mobile devices•There does not appear to be a sustainable business case for delivering and viewing video content on mobile devices, using only terrestrial networks:

• Price sensitive end-users• Demonstrated by the fact that end-

users are increasingly using WiFi networks to access such content

Video content fueling demand

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The debate so far has failed to acknowledge the role that satellites can play in enabling reception of high quality content on mobile devices.•Without utilising 3G/LTE spectrum•Bypassing terrestrial networks entirely •Thereby off-loading spectrum hungry traffic

Role of satellites

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Australia’s position at WRC-15 on AI 1.1 should not be based on unverified assumptions•Frequencies currently utilised for satellite communications should be preserved•Satellites are, and will remain, a critical component of connectivity in Asia Pacific •Requirements for moving services to alternative frequencies, particularly infrastructure and equipment reinvestment, are not possible for a number of emerging markets and developing countries in Asia Pacific•Proven growth in mobile broadband services growth can, and should, be met with better utilisation of new technologies, such as WiFi and satellites, that are more capable of providing services at an appropriate end-user price point

Conclusions

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Melbourne, Australia Gold Coast, Australia Bangkok, Thailand

Perth, Australia Washington DC, USA Dubai, UAE

Adelaide, Australia Texas, USA Karachi, Pakistan

Sydney, Australia Singapore, Singapore Johannesburg, South Africa

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Thank you