Satellite D2C (Direct to Cell)

Managed Satellite Access — Closing The Coverage Gap

Low earth orbit (LEO) satellites are revolutionizing data access for the planet. Direct to cell mode D2C – now gives the capability from standard mobile devices to communicate with LEO satellites. This is being used more by communication service providers to offer coverage and data plans to geographically remote regions. In direct to cell communication like this the access bandwidth is the core resource to manage and package for end users.

Specialized antennas can improve the access bandwidth available but with the LTE handsets today, speed of access varies between 4-17 Mbps depending on network. As a reminder, LEO satellites operate at a distance of ~600KM and are different from geo stationary satellites at 35k KM.

The service’s speed and accessibility come with costs and usage limits, necessitating a seamless offering that complements existing land-based RAN while carefully evaluating pricing and user accessibility. Data traffic will be managed through consumption tiers, with provisions for emergency access in cases where users exceed their quota. Since the service is purchased wholesale from LEO satellite providers—such as Starlink or Amazon’s Kuiper — data plans may include limits on usage, uplink speed, or both.

The core of the commercial relationships rests on device compatibility, packaging of data plans and cost of network. The business is based on reselling data access. Understanding and managing backhaul and user activity is also key, in effect managing data access as the mobile device apps are both chatty and can be heavy in usage. For example limits may want to be set on app updates (app size can be 15-30 MB) or HD video streaming (1.5 GB for every hour consumed).

The principle is that the resource is finite and more expensive than normal land based radio. Defining choices for different services to be made available to new consumers, in effect data packaging, is the core to driving adoption. But also the CSP has to be mindful of connectivity costs / satellite backhaul.

Enea’s data traffic management software is perfectly equipped to handle flexible data access policies on the back end. By integrating tools and interfaces for mobile, mobile broadband, and traffic management, it provides the ideal solution for this task. Our core strength lies in being embedded in the data path, enabling the classification of user and device flows while ensuring reliable throughput management.