Satellite internet takes off in China, offering new horizons for connectivity

BEIJING -- In the remote and rugged Yulong Naxi Autonomous County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, the deployment of ground base stations was once a difficult task. Local power grid staff often struggled with unstable signals, sluggish internet speeds and poor connectivity. But those issues are things of the past.

Power inspectors can now easily transmit real-time videos, instructions and other data to a monitoring center located 500 km away, a technological advancement that comes from satellite internet.

Not only in the deep mountains but also out at sea and up in the air, people can now savor the joy of web surfing on satellite internet. The industry has been booming in China, frequently capturing national headlines with its progress, from establishing the first high-orbit satellite internet to launching the first medium-Earth-orbit communication satellite. In May, the space-based technology service was introduced and tested in Thailand, showcasing its global potential.

Satellite internet is a type of internet connection that involves satellites in space playing the role of the base station on the ground. Each satellite can serve as a mobile base station, providing users worldwide with convenient internet access services.

The initial use of satellite communication was primarily for transoceanic TV broadcasting and long-distance telephone calls. However, we have now entered the era of satellite internet, where personal broadband access takes center stage, according to He Shanbao, a researcher at Beijing Information Science and Technology University.

The current coverage of mobile internet only reaches a small portion of the Earth's surface. Access to the internet in deserts, oceans and jungles has to rely on satellite connections. Moreover, during natural disasters when ground base stations are damaged, satellite communications become particularly crucial, said Yin Haoqiong, a senior researcher from China Satellite Communications Co., Ltd.

Satellite internet has been constantly expanding its application scenarios. Yin's company, together with airline companies, has launched a service that allows passengers to connect to in-flight wi-fi using their mobile phones or other devices and enjoy streaming videos, browsing the web and watching sports events in real time at speeds comparable to 4G.

Geespace, a technology enterprise under the Chinese automaker Geely, has initiated the development of vehicle satellite internet services. With the help of the technology, users can make satellite calls, and send and receive messages, through the vehicle system when there is no ground network. Additionally, in the case of a vehicle collision, the vehicle can utilize satellite communication links for emergency alarms, as well as reporting its status.

In February this year, telecom giant China Mobile released a white paper highlighting the gradual integration of satellite internet across various industries. On the one hand, the industry will drive technological advancements in emergency rescue, oceanic navigation and aviation airborne operations. On the other hand, it will create new application scenarios, including unmanned maritime and industrial operations.

To bring satellite internet into the mass consumer market, the direct connection between mobile phones and satellites is essential. In 2023, China Telecom pioneered launching a direct satellite service for mobile phones. Domestic smartphone brands like Huawei, Honor and OPPO also released new phone models with satellite calling features.

China's satellite internet has also expanded its reach to the overseas market. In June, the Chinese private company GalaxySpace and Thailand's Mahanakorn University of Technology organized a seminar in Bangkok, where they showcased a real-time demonstration of satellite internet applications. At the event, elderly individuals at a care center located 160 km away engaged in a live video call via satellite internet with participants at the seminar. This display highlighted the strong support capabilities of satellite internet in telemedicine scenarios.

The Chinese government has been a staunch supporter of the satellite internet industry since 2020, integrating it into the national development infrastructure. Regions like Beijing and Shanghai have rolled out policies to nurture this burgeoning sector.

In 2019, Elon Musk and SpaceX spearheaded the creation of high-speed satellite internet services. Numerous Chinese private enterprises, including satellite and rocket manufacturers, have actively invested in the industry since then. The market size of China's satellite internet is projected to reach 44.7 billion yuan (about 6.3 billion U.S. dollars) by 2025, according to estimates from industry insiders.

Liu Tun, a senior analyst at an institute under the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, said that the involvement of the private sector "will not only boost economic growth but also contribute to enhancing the country's capabilities for independent innovation in the industry."