Terminology » D2D satellite Communication : Benefits, Challenges and Use cases

D2D satellite Communication : Benefits, Challenges and Use cases

d2d satellite communication

D2D Satellite Communication refers to communication paradigm where end user devices directly communicate with each other via satellite links, without relying on traditional ground based infrastructure such as cellular base stations or gateways.

What is D2D Satellite Communication

In traditional satellite communication, user terminals send data to a satellite, which then forwards it to a ground station or another user terminal through a central network core. Hence it requires multiple hops for one device to communicate with the other device. Device can be smartphones, IoT devices or terminals.

In D2D satellite communication, especially in LEO based 5G/NTN networks, the satellite acts as a relay, directly enabling point to point communication between two user devices. Following are the ways one device communicate with the other in D2D satellite communication.

  • Satellite based relay (i.e. satellite connects both devices)
  • Peer to peer via inter satellite links (ISLs) and routing
  • Hybrid (e.g., one device is on terrestrial 5G, the other via satellite)

Use Cases

  • Off grid communications in wilderness, oceans, and remote industry
  • First responders in disaster hit zones
  • Military and tactical field communication
  • Drone to drone or UAV to ground communication
  • Direct IoT to IoT or M2M interactions

Benefits of D2D Satellite Communication

Following are some of the advantages of D2D satellite Communication.

  1. It offers communication between devices where no cellular or terrestrial network exists.
  2. Useful in natural disasters when ground networks are down or unavailable.
  3. Reduces load on terrestrial Base Stations by supporting direct satellite connectivity.
  4. Offers global connectivity by covering oceans, deserts and polar regions.
  5. Offers low latency P2P communication using LEO satellites.
  6. Allows large scale deployment of sensors/devices with direct backhaul connectivity.

Disadvantages of D2D Satellite Communication

Following are some of the challenges of D2D satellite Communication.

  1. Power consumption is higher as devices need more power to transmit to satellites, especially LEO, GEO etc.
  2. Requires directional or electronically steerable antennas in mobile devices. This increases cost.
  3. Tracking fast moving satellites and performing handovers is complex.
  4. High speed movement of satellites causes frequency shifts.
  5. P2P links are more vulnerable without centralized authentication.
  6. Adding satellite modems to small IoT devices can increase size and cost of the end device.

Conclusion

D2D satellite communication is promising frontier in the evolution of ubiquitous wireless connectivity which enables direct interactions between devices via satellite links. It’s crucial for applications in isolated environments, disaster recovery and military/IoT applications, but faces challenges related to power, antenna complexity, cost and mobility support.