Effort Launched to Provide Low-Cost Satellite-Based Internet Access

Most people in the United States have several ways to connect to the Internet—cable modem, DSL, 3G wireless or even Wi-Fi at Starbucks. However, elsewhere in the world and even in some rural areas in this country, the only option is an expensive satellite modem connection with limited bandwidth and high latency. These "Other Three Billion" (O3B) people without low cost and high speed connectivity are the ones being targeted by O3B Networks' constellation of 16 medium earth orbit satellites.

A recent announcement by O3B Networks said the network's 2,300 transponder equivalents will deliver low-latency Internet back haul at speeds approaching 10 Gbps. O3B is targeting Internet service providers (ISPs) in markets where bandwidth is limited due to geographic, economic, or political barriers. Because the satellites will be placed 5,000 miles above the earth, latency is approximately one fifth that of geostationary satellite providers.

Google is one of the companies providing funding for the venture.

"O3B's model empowers local entrepreneurs and companies to deliver Internet and mobile services to those in currently under served or remote locations at speeds necessary to power rich Web-based applications" said Larry Alder, Google alternative access team product manager. "We believe in O3B's model and its goal of expanding the reach of the Internet to users who currently have limited and expensive connection options as it complements our mission of organizing the world's information and making it universally accessible and useful."

O3B Networks was founded by entrepreneur Greg Wyler, who envisions a better world once high speed Internet service is available globally.

"Access to the Internet backbone is still severely limited in emerging markets," said Wyler. "Only when emerging markets achieve affordable and ubiquitous access to the rest of the world will we observe locally generated content, widespread e-learning, telemedicine and many more enablers to social and economic growth which reflect the true value of the Internet. O3B Networks will bring multi-gigabit Internet speeds directly to the emerging markets, whether landlocked in Africa or isolated by water in the Pacific Islands."

Doug Lung

Doug Lung is one of America's foremost authorities on broadcast RF technology. As vice president of Broadcast Technology for NBCUniversal Local, H. Douglas Lung leads NBC and Telemundo-owned stations’ RF and transmission affairs, including microwave, radars, satellite uplinks, and FCC technical filings. Beginning his career in 1976 at KSCI in Los Angeles, Lung has nearly 50 years of experience in broadcast television engineering. Beginning in 1985, he led the engineering department for what was to become the Telemundo network and station group, assisting in the design, construction and installation of the company’s broadcast and cable facilities. Other projects include work on the launch of Hawaii’s first UHF TV station, the rollout and testing of the ATSC mobile-handheld standard, and software development related to the incentive auction TV spectrum repack.
A longtime columnist for TV Technology, Doug is also a regular contributor to IEEE Broadcast Technology. He is the recipient of the 2023 NAB Television Engineering Award. He also received a Tech Leadership Award from TV Tech publisher Future plc in 2021 and is a member of the IEEE Broadcast Technology Society and the Society of Broadcast Engineers.