GSAT19 was launched on GSLV MKIII payload by ISRO. GSAT19 is being termed as the ‘Game Changer’ Satellite by ISRO. What makes GSAT-19 A Game Changer Satellite? We spoke exclusively to the Director of Space Application Center [SAC] to find out more details.
- How will it help us get rid of call drops
- How will it help us get better internet connectivity
- How it will help India connect the remotest part
- Know all about GSAT-19
Q. You talked about the satellite that it’s a game changer. In what way is it a game changer?
Ans- Today you have a mobile there. Cells are there. If the cell is big then the number of the population becomes big… but the central antenna, which is transmitting, has the same capability. So if the cell is big then per capita data rate is less. That’s the reason why we have call drops. Cells, which were built 15 years ago with a certain population density. They are not able to sustain coz population has increased, the number of users has increased and per capita, data rate has reduced. And since an operator cannot manage that, he stops your calls. Imagine that if I focus on a narrow area then per capita data rate increases. And it is exactly like the cellular architecture, but all the central antenna of the cells is shifted to satellite. GSAT-11 will be launched in the beginning of next year. Prior to those lots of ground, technologies have to experiment… it’s a KA band now. The future is in KA band…but the user is comfortable with KU Band. We put user terminals in KU band and the half in KA bands. Covering the 60% of India, covering almost all major minor cities.
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GSAT-20, which will be flying at the end of next year. It will be KA cross KA. We have to graduate the user from transponder to selective data rate requirement. All the KA band electronics will be developed in India.
Visual experience will improve. We will have more data rates for DTH that will improve the visual quality of HD channels.
Q. Will you also include the Internet in that?
Yes! For the Internet, we have to go through a via media. Because for the Internet you have to transmit also. In that regard, what we have proposed is that we will have a central receiving station with a large antenna. So that it can support a very large bandwidth. It will distribute the signal horizontally through Wi-Fi. Because today all these smart cities are coming up with Wi-Fi. Through wifi, you can connect even a remote village through Wi-Fi.One may argue that why not lay out fiber cable. But that is for big cities. If you have to connect a remote village of Jharkhand then you need wifi. In future, the cost will come down, as everything will be made in India. It will become backbone coz it is high data rate capable [GSAT-19] at a much cheaper cost using satellite.
