What's Happening?
Telstra has paused the migration of its remote small cell mobile base stations to low earth orbit (LEO) satellite backhaul, citing a lack of sufficient satellites in its provider Eutelsat OneWeb's constellation. This decision was confirmed by a Telstra spokesperson
following comments from Telstra's chief executive, Vicki Brady, during a recent presentation. The rollout, which had begun to improve data performance at remote sites, has been halted due to issues impacting voice services and the need for more satellites to be operational. Telstra operates approximately 200 small cell mobile base stations in remote areas, and the pause affects the transition from geostationary to LEO satellite backhaul. The number of outages with significant community impact has increased since the transition began, with issues particularly affecting emergency triple zero calls.
Why It's Important?
The halt in Telstra's LEO satellite rollout highlights significant challenges in providing reliable telecommunications services in remote areas. The increased outages and impact on emergency services underscore the critical need for robust infrastructure to support essential communications. This situation affects not only Telstra's service delivery but also raises broader concerns about the reliability of satellite-based communication systems in remote regions. The pause may lead to delays in improving data services and could impact Telstra's reputation and customer satisfaction. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of having a sufficient number of operational satellites to ensure consistent service delivery, particularly for emergency communications.
What's Next?
Telstra is expected to resume the rollout once Eutelsat OneWeb can provide more operational satellites. In the meantime, Telstra may need to explore alternative solutions to mitigate the impact on voice services and emergency call reliability. The situation may prompt discussions at upcoming telecommunications policy events, where stakeholders could address the challenges and potential solutions for improving remote telecommunications infrastructure. The Australian Telecommunications Association and other industry groups may also engage in dialogue to advocate for policy changes or investments to enhance satellite communication capabilities.
