What is it about?
Satellite Internet is today dominated by large firms, and this poses risks in centralizing control of Internet access by leaving it in the hands of a few players. We highlight the unique dynamics of satellite Internet that makes this field ripe for monopolies, and give insights about the technical hurdles that need to be addressed to make pathways for smaller and mid-size firms to add some competition to the field.
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Photo by Kevin Stadnyk on Unsplash
Why is it important?
Satellite Internet is the only option for users in remote/rural areas, or areas experiencing political instability or climate disasters, to get connected to the Internet. Ceding Internet access in these regions to a few players poses unique risks and stakeholders across academia should be invested in making the satellite Internet market more competitive.
Perspectives
I think this topic is very timely and relevant to the moment. As technologists we are quickly learning that our work, even as it seems far removed from socio-cultural dynamics, has the potential to drive crucial outcomes in society.
Veronica Muriga
Carnegie Mellon University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: A Road map for the Democratization of Space-Based Communications, November 2024, ACM (Association for Computing Machinery),
DOI: 10.1145/3696348.3696866.
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