Global Multi-Orbit Satellite Provider

Avanti has expanded its reach by becoming a global multi-orbit satellite provider of fully integrated connectivity services and solutions.

In a rapidly changing industry, multi-orbit satellite connectivity has taken centre stage. While this has given customers more choice and flexibility, it has also driven complexity. Avanti’s multi-orbit strategy allows us to respond to the diverse needs of our customers, while continuing to deliver high-performance solutions globally.

Avanti can now offer its customers a GEO, LEO or hybrid network solution.

Avanti’s Multi-Orbit Offering

Avanti partnered with Q-KON to deliver seamless connectivity from Eutelsat OneWeb in South Africa. This partnership means Avanti can now offer LEO and GEO services to enterprise customers in need of more choice.

Avanti signed a strategic collaboration agreement with Telesat to incorporate Telesat’s Lightspeed™ LEO services into its network to provide high-quality broadband connectivity worldwide.

Listen to Toby Robinson, Chief of Strategy and Business Development at Avanti, elaborate on the new strategy:

Multi-Orbit Satellite Constellations

Most constellations consist of Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) satellites. GEO satellites move in sync with Earth’s rotation, allowing them to appear stationary. Positioned at an altitude of 35,786 kilometres, GEO satellites cover vast areas, requiring only three equally spaced satellites to offer almost global coverage. These satellites typically have a lifespan of approximately 15 years. On the other hand, Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellations are formed by hundreds of satellites orbiting the Earth. With over 600 individual LEO satellites and numerous ground stations worldwide, LEO satellites are smaller, lighter, more cost-effective to launch, and easier to replace.

Middle Earth Orbit (MEO) constellations are, as the name indicates it, in between GEO and LEO. The altitude can vary from 5,000 to 20,000 km. LEO and GEO satellite networks are complementary, not competitive. Each can provide connectivity, with some degrees of difference in coverage and latency. Combined, they increase the capacity, reliability, and speed of connectivity bringing airlines, and passengers, truly global coverage in-flight.

GEO

Orbit 36,000KM
Satellite required 3
Antenna speed Stationary
Capacity per satellite Up to 1Tbps
Latency > 500ms
Satellite life 15 years
Advantages
  • Fewer satellites needed to cover large geographic areas.
  • Proven, mature ground system technology
  • Ideal for broadband and enterprise applications, comms on the move covering
Disadvantages
  • Not ideal for latency-sensitive applications (ie gaming)

MEO

Orbit 5,000 – 10,000KM
Satellite required 6-20
Antenna speed 1-hour slow tracking
Capacity per satellite 100 Gbps
Latency 100 – 200ms
Satellite life 5 to 8 years
Advantages
  • Can be used for maritime, airborne operations, offshore platforms, mining, trunking
Disadvantages
  • Needs inclined plane orbits to cover high and low latitudes

LEO

Orbit 500 – 1200 KM
Satellite required Hundreds
Antenna speed 10-minute fast tracking
Capacity per satellite 5 to 20 Gbps
Latency 25 – 100ms
Satellite life 5 years
Advantages
  • Used for mass-consumer and business broadband internet.
  • Best for latency critical applications, such as gaming.
Disadvantages
  • Small area covered, therefor needs many satellites to cover the same area one GEO beam

Why Transition To A Multi Orbit Strategy?

A multi-orbit network of GEO, MEO and LEO satellites, allows to provide a flexible range of solutions that vary in coverage, throughput, and latency to best support the customer’s specific applications.

How To Choose The Best Option?

The growing number of orbits and connectivity options, while having the potential to deliver more choices and flexibility, risks confusing the customer and slowing down project delivery.

We are here to help you match the right application to the right orbit through our customer-centric multi-orbit approach. Get in touch with our team and we can help you get the best solution for your needs.