SATCOM: Creating End-to-End Efficiency for IP Trunking and IP Backbone Networks for 5G

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4 years ago

January 28, 2022

Chike Onwuegbuchi

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By Andrew Aroh

Efficiency and more throughput are at the core of emerging technologies for IP at the core of emerging technologies for IP Trunking and IP Backbone networks and applications to drive 5G.
The latest technology is based on DVB-S2 and S2 Extensions standards and combines a set of innovative technologies in order to fully optimize the Trunking and Backbone Links. These technologies are:
Adaptive coding and modulation (ACM)
Cross-layer Optimization
Bandwidth cancellation
Clean Channel Technology
Automated Uplink Power Control (AUPC)
Wideband in GBs

The Dedicated technologies enhance the data throughput up to record breaking speeds in a large set of IP point-to-point or point or point-to-Multipoint networks.

Adaptive Coding and Modulation (ACM)
The tranking business is a highly competitive market with continuous pressure on pricing and profitability.
The implementation of ACM translates directly into new business opportunities for ISPs, satellite service Operators and Satellite Operators.
ACM increases the customer base within the same bandwidth. At the same time it introduces ways to reduce OPEX costs and increase the profitability of one’s business. Resulting in a quick Return-on Investment.
ACM combines DVB-S2 and S2 Extensions with different technologies to get as much data through the same satellite bandwidth as possible.
ACM will auto-adaptively set modulation parameters to the optimal point and overcomes distortion, noise and variation in the satellite link.
Through ACM the data rates between uplink and remote sites (for both point-to-point and point-to-mattip networks) can be doubled in the same bandwidth without the need to acquire extra satellite capacity. As such a quick Return-on-Investment can be achieved in a matter of months.
Optimal Service Availability through ACM
Communication lines over satellite need to be available at all time to exchange critical information and to keep customer satisfaction at a high level.
However, fading conditions could seriously disturb the satellite transmission and lead to temporary link losses.
Fading conditions could be due to different circumstances:
The choice of satellite/frequency and (Geo, Leo, Meo/C-,X-,Ku-,Ka-,V-band)
Environmental Conditions (rain, dust, etc.)
Interference (between two adjacent Satellites)
Due to the auto-adaptive technology incorporated inside ACM, these fading conditions will no longer interrupt the transmission between the hub and remote nor result in the loss of data.
In fading conditions, ACM will switch to a more robust modulation and provide optimal availability.

As soon as fading conditions are over, ACM technology automatically switches back to maximum efficiency,

Moreover, Service Priorities (e.g video, data, voice) and Quality-of-service policies can be auto-adapted on-the-fly depending on the bandwidth availability through cross-layer optimization technology.
Network Traffic Optimization
Network congestion reduces the customer experience and the overall throughput over the communications link
In order to Enhance Speed and Save on bandwidth, Service Providers can easily add Network Optimization to their Trunking Links.
Network Optimization Consists of the Latest TCP/IP Acceleration and Compression Technologies which increases the efficiency of the satellite link on top of technologies such as ACM.
Network Optimization is available as option in the Hubs or can added as separate equipment or software.
Network Optimization technology offers up to 35% bandwidth reduction for typical applications such as file download, web surfing and content streaming.
The reduction of traffic in both Volume and Number of packets is up to 20% in the forward and up to 90% in the return.
Network Optimization technology improves customer Experience and results in important bandwidth gains.
Bandwidth Cancellation:
Uses Bandwidth Canceller
Return traffic uses the same bandwidth as the forward traffic
Implements Superior Cancellation Performance
Bandwidth gain up to 33%
Flexible network scenarios are used (SCPC, MCPC)
Best efficiency with ACM
Automated Equalink
Performs Pre-distortion to compensate for the effects of imperfections in the filters and amplifiers of the satellite
Supports Linear & Non-Linear Links
Supports Saturated Transponders
Supports 16/32/64 APSK
Bandwidth Gain up to 10% (or 2GB)
Clean Channel Technology:
As a result of drive for standards, key players in the satellite industry have called for a new satellite transmission standard (S2 Extensions) to expand the existing DVB-S2 standard, specifically for professional satellite links.
Open Standards such as DVB-S2 and S2 Extensions allow for:
Interoperability and avoid vendor lock-in
Increase in the profitability of the industry by creating an economy of scale and reducing the cost of sitcom equipment
Today S2 Extensions already provide gains up to 37% compared to DVB-S2 through implementation of clean Channel Technology. These gains exceed the results by proprietary systems in the market
Clean Channel Technology involves 7 improvements in S2 Extensions:
Smaller Roll-offs
Advanced Filtering of Satellite Carriers
Increased Granularity in MODCODs
64APSK support
Linear and Non-linear MODCODs
Better implementation of MODCODs
Wideband Support (up to mbaud)
Clean Channel Technology can be offered as a software field upgrade so that customers can immediately field upgrade so that customers can immediately benefit up to 15% gain compared to DVB-S2 through implementing a lower Roll-off factor (5/10/15%) and an advanced filtering technology.
Best-of-Trade-Equipment
Emerging Hubs and Modems support medium and high rate data communication based on the DVB-S2 and S2 Extensions
Each Equipment embeds the latest innovative technologies to fully optimize IP Trunking and IP backbone networks over Integrated Satellite/Wireless/Fiber Solutions for 5G.
No extra or new ground infrastructure (antenna or amplifier) needs to be acquired to enable higher efficiencies.
Next to hubs and moderns, peripheral equipment such as redundancy Switches and Frequency Converters provide the Trunking and Backbone networks with extra stability and
Hubs and Moderns are installed on each side of the link.
Networks in Point-to-Point, Point-to-Multipoint (star) or Multipoint-to-point configuration are supported through Single-channel-per-Carrier (MCPC) technologies.
Within the same Carrier different Services such as data, video, voice, voIP, Wifi, WiMAX, GPRS, 3G/4G can be aggregate using MAP.
Through the multi-service hub, Service providers with their respective customers are connected with a common forward carrier.
The return technology can be SCPC or MF-TDMA depending on the return rate, the size of the remote or the network configuration.
By aggregating the data traffic in a common forward carrier and combing equipment in a single hub, important CAPEX and OPEX savings can be made.
Extra bandwidth gains are achieved by implementing ACM, clean channel Technology and Cross-Layer-Optimization technologies on top of the Multi-Service network.
The Multi-service network also allows the service provider to provider IP access service provider to provide IP access service on a direct way or an indirect way (Backhaul, Trunking) to the end user.
The hub provides internal and interface (RF, IP power Supply)
The internal redundancy is conceived as two fully redundant chains.
When there is a failure an automatic switch over to the other chain is performed.
Even during service windows there is limited downtime since upgrades can be performed on one of the chains with the other chain active in a previous version.
A failure in the RF path is resolved by switching to the alternative RF interface.
Multiservice Access Platform (MAP) is a scalable, integrated system that can provide a wide range of voice, video and data services in a single chassis.
A MAP can be located at the customer premises, in the local Loop/ Last mile or at the carrier’s point of presence (POP).
Efficient Carrier Grade Gateway and Consumer Terminal Concept
A typical Broadband solution is based on the Sat3play platform
The platform provides the means to establish an “always-on” two-way IP Connectivity.
The basic IP connectivity between Hub and Modem is extended with Quality-of-Service (QoS) in forward and return allowing the deployment of different services.
QoS is the capability to provide better service to selected network traffic over various technologies such as Ethernet, frame relay, ATM or IP.
The gateway contains management functionalities to monitor, configure and control all worldwide remotes.
The Gateway provides all necessary infrastructures to receive and transmit IP data from and to the terminals.
The Gateway has redundancy on all layers (user, control, management) equipment; RF signal and mains supply inputs.
Gateways are points of entrance and exist from a communication network.
Viewed as a physical entity, a gateway is that node that translates between two otherwise incompatible networks or network segments.
Gateway performs code and protocol conversion to facilitate traffic between data highways of differing architecture.
A GATEKEEPER is a device that manages an IP network, supporting all gateways, and a gatekeeper e.g low average-to-peak ratios in the traffic Profile. This results in high broadband user experience.
Unique Design:
The design of the compact modem and the lightweight low power outdoor equipment; the cost and “Look and Feel” of the terminal is in line with the consumer market requirements
Lowest Consumer Acquisition Cost:
With the lowest terminal cost on the market and a unique Do-it-yourself installation, the total customer acquisition cost is not a deterrent factor for capturing new subscribers.
Self-Installation at Zero:
Value Added Logistics
Terminal Customization
New Business Models, Retail outlet Channels and e-commerce
Zero CAPEX Internet Service Providers Satellite System
The require satellite system is Operated as Single-Service-Provider Platform AND Multi-Service-Provider Platform
On a multi-Service-Provider Platform, new ISPs can start with a Zero CAPEX and the ability to rollout services immediately
Different Service Providers Share the same HARDWARE and CAPACITY while they are capable of managing their own Customer base and Service Configuration.
Unlimited Scalability: the total number of users in the Satellite system scales without System limitation. The addition of capacity in order to accommodate more users or offer better QoS comes with an almost linear increase of investment result.

On the other hand, satellite capacity represents the largest cost element in the total cost of Ownership (CTO). Efficient usage of satellite capacity is therefore mandatory.

The End-Customer is expectation for Satellite broadband offerings are:
Monthly rate on par with terrestrial broadband services
Volumes as needed
True broadband experience-Implementing FUP which assures that all broadband customers enjoy the same experience and have access to quick and reliable service at all time.

Andrew Aroh is President of SSPI Nigeria

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NCC Pledges Executive Support, Policy Incentives for Local Device Manufacturing

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11 hours ago

June 27, 2026

Ugo Onwuaso

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Nigerian government has opened a high-stakes window of opportunity for international tech investors, offering direct presidential intervention and sweeping economic waivers for hardware companies that anchor their manufacturing hubs in Nigeria by November 2026.

NCC Pledges Executive Support, Policy Incentives for Local Device Manufacturing

Chief Idris Ibikunle Olorunnimbe

Chief Idris Ibikunle Olorunnimbe, the Chairman of the Governing Board of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), made this groundbreaking declaration during his ministerial-level address at the Digital Africa Summit Roundtable in Shanghai.

Highlighting the government’s total dedication to backing these new factories, Olorunnimbe stated: “Whatever it takes to get the plant standing, we will pursue it together, because every factory that rises in Nigeria grows our economy, employs our young people, and brings the price of a phone closer to what an ordinary Nigerian can pay”.

The offer is designed to stimulate immediate foreign direct investment and create sustainable employment for Nigeria’s teeming youth population.

The economic logic underwriting this regulatory ultimatum is both practical and urgent. Currently, the Nigerian telecommunications ecosystem is highly vulnerable to external economic shocks, with foreign-exchange swings and import duties constantly pushing genuine, formal devices out of reach for average citizens.

By localising the supply chain, the NCC seeks to anchor device pricing to the local currency, stripping away the pricing volatility tied to the US Dollar.

Olorunnimbe candidly stated that the administration is ready to deploy massive executive support, viewing connectivity infrastructure as the central engine of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda, which treats “connectivity as productive infrastructure for the whole economy rather than a luxury for a few”.

This infrastructural push is designed to directly fuel the NCC’s highly praised initiative to transition Nigeria into an era of digital free education through the zero-rating of educational portals.

Drawing inspiration from classic free education philosophies, Olorunnimbe has previously stated that asking a child to buy data to look at a textbook is the modern equivalent of charging tuition at the gates of a public school.

To operationalise this vision, the proposed locally assembled smartphones, MiFi units, and home routers will come pre-configured with embedded access to these zero-rated educational platforms. This ensures that digital literacy tools are structurally hardwired into the technology from the factory floor.

Additionally, these indigenous devices will come pre-installed with core government application portals, simplifying access to digital identity verifications, public health services, and agricultural extensions. By embedding these essential state services directly onto affordable, locally produced hardware, the NCC is solving the double dilemma of device cost and data expenses simultaneously.

This holistic blueprint bridges the digital divide and accelerates financial inclusion, as verifiable identity frameworks, like the NIN and BVN, will allow citizens to seamlessly transition into credit-linked device-financing schemes. Olorunnimbe noted that by pairing “verifiable identity with credit history and secure device technology, then the phone itself becomes the on-ramp: to a credit record, and then to the wider financial system”.

The visionary posturing of Chief Olorunnimbe and the executive leadership of the NCC mark a paradigm shift in how government agencies foster industrial growth. Rather than relying solely on traditional, rigid enforcement against informal markets, the Commission is actively building a structured, credible marketplace via policy incentives and strategic executive support.

Through this aggressive, forward-looking roadmap, the NCC is firmly establishing Nigeria as the digital powerhouse of the African continent, demonstrating that true digital inclusion is achieved when national infrastructure serves human development.

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Telecom

Tinubu Signs New NIMC Act to Strengthen Digital Identity, Data Protection

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11 hours ago

June 27, 2026

Ugo Onwuaso

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President Bola Tinubu has assented to the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act, 2026, replacing the 2007 law with a new legal framework aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s digital identity system, data protection and electronic trust services.

Tinubu signs new NIMC Act to strengthen digital identity, data protection

The new Act is expected to enhance the country’s digital identity ecosystem by improving identity management, securing personal data and promoting interoperability across government and private sector platforms.

According to a statement, the legislation aligns Nigeria’s identity management framework with the provisions of the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA) and international best practices on privacy and data protection.

The Act introduces stronger safeguards for the collection, processing, storage and protection of citizens’ personal information.

It also designates the National Identity Management Commission as Nigeria’s root certification authority for the National Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI).

The designation empowers the commission to provide secure digital identity, authentication and electronic trust services across the country.

The Act further authorises NIMC to facilitate secure and interoperable data exchange among Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), private organisations and other authorised entities.

It also provides for the deployment of the NIMC General Multipurpose Card as a unified identity credential for nationwide identity verification under the initiative tagged “One Card, Multiple Possibilities.”

The Federal Government said the implementation of the law would create a trusted, secure and interoperable digital identity ecosystem capable of improving access to services in both the public and private sectors.

It added that Nigerians, including those living in the diaspora, would benefit from easier access to identity services, stronger protection of personal data, enhanced cybersecurity and more secure digital transactions.

The government also said the law would provide a stronger foundation for digital governance, economic growth and long-term national development by enabling faster and more reliable identity verification and authentication processes.

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Telecom

Meta, FG Unveil New Safety Measures to Protect Nigerian Teens Online

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11 hours ago

June 27, 2026

Ugo Onwuaso

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Meta on Thursday convened the Nigeria Youth Safety Summit in Abuja, bringing together government officials, civil society organisations, parents, educators, content creators and youth leaders to strengthen collaboration on digital wellbeing and safer online experiences for young people.

L-R: Sylvia Musalagani, Head of Safety Policy, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), Meta; Ayodele Olawande, Honourable Minister of Youth Development; Sade Dada, Head of Public Policy, Anglophone West Africa, Meta; and Ahmed Yusuf Tanbuwal, Ag Director, Digital Literacy and Capacity Building Department, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), during the Nigeria Youth Safety Summit organised by Meta on Thursday, June 25, 2026, in Abuja.

The summit, held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel and co-hosted with the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, highlighted Meta’s investments in youth online safety through built-in protections, parental supervision tools and digital literacy resources aimed at helping teenagers navigate the digital space safely.

The event featured keynote presentations, panel discussions and a Parents Learn and Brunch session organised in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development.

Participants explored practical approaches to promoting safer online engagement while emphasising the importance of partnerships among government, technology companies, parents, schools and civil society in advancing digital wellbeing.

Speaking at the summit, Meta’s Head of Safety Policy for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), Sylvia Musalagani, said the company remained committed to providing teenagers with age-appropriate and safe online experiences.

“At Meta, our goal is to provide teens with safe, age-appropriate online experiences, and events like the Nigeria Youth Safety Summit reflect our commitment to promoting safer and more positive digital experiences for teens.

“With products such as Teen Accounts, Meta is putting the right protections in place so teens can explore their interests and express their creativity in a safe, age-appropriate space.

“We will continue to build the safety features and tools that families need to support young people online,” she said.

Musalagani explained that Teen Accounts represent a redesigned experience across Meta’s platforms specifically for teenagers.

She said the accounts are automatically enabled for all teenagers and include built-in safety features such as private accounts, the strictest messaging settings, restrictions on sensitive content, limited tagging and mentions to people they follow, daily time reminders after 60 minutes of use, and sleep mode between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.

According to her, teenagers under the age of 16 require parental approval before making any changes that would reduce the default safety settings.

The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, described child online safety as one of the ministry’s key priorities.

She said children require informed parental guidance to safely navigate the digital environment, stressing that online safety is a shared responsibility involving parents, technology companies and government.

“Child online safety is one of our central pillars and we are steadfast in our mandate to safeguard the Nigerian child from technology-enabled violence.

“Children cannot navigate the complexities of the online world without informed adults guiding them because safety begins with the parents.

“Safety is a shared tripartite responsibility between parents, technological industries and government.

“That is the fundamental premise of today’s summit, a hands-on walk through of parental supervision tools and Teen Accounts.

“We appreciate Meta for the collaboration and for creating a platform for these important conversations,” she said.

Meta also highlighted its parental supervision tools, which allow parents to receive notifications when teenagers report content, gain insights into who they communicate with, set daily usage limits, schedule breaks and monitor age-appropriate content interests.

The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, commended Meta for the initiative and noted its alignment with the ministry’s National Youth Data Protection and Awareness Training Programme.

“I want to thank Meta for this great achievement.

“At the ministry, one of the things we provide to all Nigerians is the skills to succeed in this digital world while making sure we protect them against emerging threats.

“We see a strong connection between the objectives of this summit and the goals of our National Youth Data Protection and Awareness Training Programme.

“We believe that keeping young people safe online is a shared responsibility.

“Government, technology companies, schools, parents, social organisations, community groups and young people themselves all have a role to play.

“We encourage Meta to make the tools, guides and learning materials from this initiative more widely available so that young people across Nigeria can continue to benefit from this laudable summit,” he said.

The summit concluded with discussions focused on strengthening partnerships, promoting digital literacy and advancing a shared vision for youth online safety across Nigeria.

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