How can satellite broadband make a difference to rural education?

 

With lockdowns and social distancing norms implemented, educational institutes were among the first to shut down and transition to virtual platforms. However, it also brought forth and magnified what is referred to as the “homework gap”. The lack of internet infrastructure in the underserved areas has led to students experiencing massive difficulty in completing academic tasks and being left behind compared to their urban counterparts.

Rural satellite broadband provides the much-required connectivity option for such students, allowing them to study at the same pace as the rest of the world. Satellite internet provides unique educational opportunities where terrestrial options are unrealistic or not sufficient.

Benefits of satellite broadband for rural education



·       Ubiquity

Since there is minimal ground infrastructure set up required, satellite internet is capable of providing global coverage equally. In areas where setting up the terrestrial infrastructure is next to impossible or cost-prohibitive, satellites provide broad area coverage, making them the ideal internet providers for schools in remote and rural areas that would otherwise be isolated facilities.

·       Quick and immediate access

Deploying satellite broadband is extremely quick and simple. Satellite networks are active from the moment they are deployed and only the user terminal requires setting up to enable Wi-Fi access in a community. Moreover, the system installation and activation only take a couple of hours, making it extremely easy for students to get immediate access to high-speed internet.

·       Reliability

Unlike terrestrial networks, satellite internet networks are not vulnerable to natural and manmade disasters. So, even in a pandemic or severe rain, students get uninterrupted connectivity at times of crisis. As a portable and immediately available solution, satellite internet can be a reliable and predictable source of “always-on” service that will not be disturbed irrespective of the geographical location.

·       Cost-effectiveness

Unlike popular belief, satellite networks are surprisingly cost-effective to set up and can be rapidly deployed anywhere in the world. With global availability and reliable service, it is becoming a credible competitor when it comes to delivering high-speed and reliable internet connectivity to the unserved and underserved areas. With the advent of low earth orbit (LEO) satellites and possible subsidies, it is expected that the internet prices for satellite connectivity may go even lower.

·       Improved education quality

With the best satellite broadband at their disposal, both students and teachers can avail a high-quality classroom experience. Teachers can not only stream video lessons for their students, but they can also get access to advanced resources, lesson plans, online training materials, etc., that will help them address the requirements of their students better. At the same time, students get access to advanced research projects and can access global online libraries from remote locations, providing equal opportunities for advanced studies.

Even with financial viability, terrestrial internet infrastructure can take years to set up, which is a year too many to wait for students. Satellite broadband helps students connect to online educational resources and get closer to realizing their dreams.

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