Speaking with Capacity Media, Mike Hicks, principal solutions analyst at Cisco ThousandEyes, explains how the technology is evolving beyond its traditional role and reshaping network strategies in the UK, EU and beyond.
“Rural and remote areas have long been the primary focus for satellite broadband,” says Hicks, “but its commercial footprint is expanding.”
According to Hicks, sectors such as transportation, construction, and energy are already embracing satellite broadband to support operations in areas where traditional infrastructure is lacking.
“Satellite solutions are becoming increasingly integral to sectors such as transportation, maritime, aviation, and connected vehicles, where traditional networks prove inadequate,” he explains.
Satellite’s versatility is also proving attractive to industries operating temporary sites or critical infrastructure in isolated areas. “Industries like construction and energy are turning to satellite broadband to support operations at temporary sites or to connect critical infrastructure in hard-to-wire locations,” says Hicks.
Moreover, satellite connectivity is now being deployed as a redundancy layer in enterprise networks. “Many organisations are incorporating satellite broadband into their business continuity strategies, using it as a backup to enhance the resilience of essential operations such as point-of-sale systems and remote tasks,” he adds.
When asked which industries stand to gain the most, Hicks highlights sectors with mobile or remote assets. “Shipping, airlines, and logistics benefit significantly from reliable connectivity in regions where traditional networks are unavailable. The energy and utilities sectors, particularly those operating in remote or offshore environments, can also realise substantial advantages,” he says.
Emergency services are another key beneficiary. “Organisations involved in emergency response and disaster recovery are able to leverage satellite internet to maintain critical communications when conventional infrastructure is disrupted.”
But as demand grows, are providers able to meet enterprise-level expectations for performance and reliability?
“Satellite internet has traditionally been associated with high latency and inconsistent performance,” Hicks acknowledges. “But the emergence of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) networks is beginning to shift this perception.”
He notes that providers are starting to introduce more robust Service Level Agreements (SLAs), addressing key metrics such as uptime, jitter, and latency. However, challenges remain. “Weather conditions, particularly heavy rainfall and snow, common across the UK and Northern Europe, can impact satellite connectivity through signal attenuation,” he cautions. “Most SLAs include weather-related exclusions.”
Advancements in monitoring tools are helping to offset these risks. “Essential tools such as active path monitoring and proactive network management are driving these improvements,” Hicks says.
LEO satellite constellations are also reshaping the economics and application scope of satellite broadband.
“LEO satellites represent a step forward from traditional GEO satellites,” he explains. “Their lower orbit results in significantly reduced latency, bringing satellite broadband performance closer to terrestrial broadband and enabling new applications such as video conferencing and VoIP.”
While seamless satellite handoffs and capacity remain engineering challenges, Hicks is optimistic. “The economics and overall user experience of satellite broadband are improving rapidly.”
Looking ahead, Hicks believes satellite will become a staple of enterprise connectivity. “Satellite internet has a crucial role to play in enhancing connectivity, operating as a hybrid or backup solution within a resilient, multi-path strategy,” he concludes.
“In some industries and remote locations, it will serve as the primary means of connectivity. For most, it will complement existing terrestrial networks, extending reach and resilience in ways fibre and 5G simply can’t.”
RELATED STORIES
Cisco unveils quantum chip to power the future of distributed computing
UK gov taps Eutelsat-OneWeb for global secure satellite connectivity
SES completes $3.1bn acquisition of Intelsat: What it means for Starlink, Viasat & the industry