Non-terrestrial Services Emerge as a Key Element of Network Resiliency

Disaster strikes. Phone lines are down, electricity is off, and an isolated region of the country needs emergency assistance. How can messages for help get through?

Was that the situation in rural North Carolina after Hurricane Helene passed through? Yes. But it is also the lead paragraph of a 1986 article I wrote for the long-defunct High Technology Magazine about a new system proposed by FEMA to bounce VHF radio signals off of short-lived meteor trails.

Even back then, the need for non-terrestrial communications services was evident. Yet, today, only about 10% of enterprises use radio, satellite, or other alternative telecom options, according to the InformationWeek 2024 Cyber Resilience Strategy report released this month.

However, new demands on cybersecurity and network resiliency may finally bring more expansive adoption of non-terrestrial communications into the fold. Several factors are driving this shift, including the impact of recent natural disasters, the fragility of subsea cable networks, and the greater need for uninterrupted global connectivity for things like IoT. Also playing a role is the increased availability of new or soon-to-be-deployed satellite-based, non-terrestrial communications services.

How did we get here? A brief look at past non-terrestrial communication efforts.

Helene’s aftermath showed the flaw in traditional network resiliency planning. Basically, all infrastructure, wired and wireless, was wiped out in many regions. Almost 75% of cellular sites were out in North Carolina, and telephone poles carrying broadband cable services were washed away.

The system I wrote about in 1986 was designed for such a scenario. It used the same principles that allowed AM radio signals to reach people well beyond the line of sight. In the case of AM radio, VHF signals bounce off the ionosphere, allowing young kids (like me) who went to bed with portable radios to hear their favorite sports teams playing in other states.

The FEMA system of 1986 used the ionized trails of microscopic meteors burning up as they entered the Earth’s atmosphere to bounce signals back and forth from a base station to workers in the field. The signals could travel up to 2,000 kilometers and enabled a teletype-like system that could send and receive about 70 to 100 words a minute. These meteor-burst communications systems had an effective transmission rate of 2,400 bits per second. To put that into perspective, in those pre-Internet days that were dominated by dial-up bulletin board services (BBS), most BBS operators were supporting 300 and 1200 baud modems. And only a few were using 2,400 baud devices.

What’s wild is that the meteor-burst communications system was not even the most exotic approach the government explored for establishing emergency communications. Perhaps the most out-of-the-box attempt was Project West Ford, carried out in the early 1960s. The goal of the project was to put about half a billion needles in medium-earth orbit. The length of the needles was set so that they would reflect the 8 GHz signals. The project worked, allowing two-way transmission of the radio signals. However, it was quickly scrapped due to protests by radio astronomy scientists about its interference with their work and because communications satellites became more common.

Demand grows for non-traditional, non-terrestrial communications

Reliance on meteor-burst communications and needles orbiting the Earth shows just how far the government went to address the re-establishment of communications channels in disasters and other emergencies. These idiosyncratic systems were hardly for everyone. But that type of new thinking needs to be applied today to enterprise network resiliency planning.

With Helene, we got a glimpse of what’s available and a hint of what’s on the horizon. For example, FEMA, first responders, and the people impacted by the outages were able to communicate using a mix of technologies.

The use of StarLink services has been widely reported. Other things that are not so widely reported are the efforts of the organization Help.NGO working with Intelsat. The group deploys tech experts to locations that are hit by widescale outages and uses a variety of satellite technologies from companies like Intelsat. The technologies include VSATs, satellite phones, and ground antennas to transmit and receive (GATR) satellite terminals to restore communications.

To that end, during the early recovery efforts, Intelsat spokesperson Melissa Longo said in a prepared statement, "Intelsat and many of our partners are working to turn on emergency connectivity.”

For basic cellphone communications, a blend of temporary solutions was deployed. For example, in one region, a Compact Rapid Deployable cell tower and internet access point were set up. The system included mini cellphone towers and a power generator providing cellphone coverage for up to 2 miles and Wi-Fi services for up to 500 feet. And some telecom providers, like AT&T and Verizon, used SatCOLTS (Satellite Cell on Light Trucks) to provide connectivity until repairs were made.

Opening up access to new non-terrestrial services

Hurricane Helene should be the trigger for enterprises to look for non-terrestrial services to expand their connectivity options and improve network resiliency. Fortunately, a number of recent developments may help make more services available sooner.

This month, the Mobile Satellite Services Association (MSSA) announced a collaboration with the GSMA, the global organization representing mobile operators and the broader mobile service companies. Together, the organizations aim to focus on issues related to mobile satellite communications in support of connectivity for consumers and enterprises.

“By combining our strengths, we are laying the foundation for a future where satellite and terrestrial networks are fully integrated to provide unparalleled service and coverage,” said Alex Sinclair, Chief Technology Officer of GSMA, in a release.

In late September, the Federal Communications Commission voted to open up more spectrum to non-geostationary satellite (NGSO) operators to improve broadband speeds in the United States.

“This action promotes spectrum efficiency, fosters competition, and expands the ability of satellite operators to deploy advanced services, including high-speed internet access to unserved and underserved areas,” said the FCC in a news release.

That news complements a previous FCC action. In April, the commission created a new entity called the Space Bureau, which will focus on policy and licensing matters related to satellite and space-based communications and activities.

Also in September, SoftBank and Intelsat announced plans to blend terrestrial and non-terrestrial services to deliver a type of global roaming 5G service. The companies called the offering a ubiquitous network that would handle handoffs between satellite and terrestrial 5G cores.

A final word

Many times, unexpected and out-of-the-ordinary events jolt organizations in a way that they must go beyond the norm and look for new ways to address old issues. The widespread communications outages due to Helene seem to fit that category.

Traditional network resiliency plans did not work. Non-terrestrial services saved the day for establishing emergency connectivity to coordinate recovery efforts. Enterprises should take the lessons learned, apply them to their current network resiliency plans and strategies, and add some satellite offerings to their connectivity mix.