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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