China Star Network, will it become the biggest competitor of operators?

In early August, my country successfully launched the first batch of 18 satellites of the Qianfan Polar Orbit 01 Group (also known as the G60 constellation) into the predetermined orbit using the Long March 6A carrier rocket at the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, marking the official start of the construction of the Qianfan constellation.

As we all know, China plans to build two large low-orbit constellations, namely the Qianfan constellation and the Star Network constellation.

Among them, the Qianfan constellation is supported by the Shanghai Municipal Government, manufactured by Shanghai Gesi Aerospace Technology Co., Ltd., and provided by Shanghai Yuanxin Satellite Technology Co., Ltd.

The Star Network constellation is coordinated by China Satellite Network Group Co., Ltd., and the total number of satellites planned to be deployed exceeds 12,000. It aims to carry out space-based broadband Internet business.

Now, the domestic satellite Internet (Chinese version of Starlink) is about to set sail, who will be the leader?

In April 2021, China Satellite Network Group Co., Ltd. (China Star Network) was established in Xiong'an. It is the only important state-owned backbone enterprise approved by the central government to engage in satellite Internet design, construction and operation.

Simply put, China Star Network is the only legitimate Chinese satellite Internet operator.

Will China Star Network become the biggest competitor of operators?

First of all, my opinion is that it will not.

The reason is simple. China Star Network aims to build a satellite communication network covering the world, which is different from the service scope and methods of traditional ground communication operators.

China Star Network focuses on building satellite Internet, especially low earth orbit (LEO) satellite network, aiming to provide broadband Internet services worldwide. This service is particularly suitable for remote areas, at sea, in the air and other places where ground infrastructure is difficult to reach, meeting the needs of specific markets.

Traditional ground communication operators such as China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom mainly rely on ground base stations and fiber optic networks to provide mobile communication and fixed broadband services. Their services cover cities, suburbs and densely populated areas, and provide stable and high-speed communication services in these areas.

Satellite communication and ground communication each have their own advantages. Satellite communication can provide wide-area coverage, which is suitable for disaster recovery, military communication, remote monitoring and other fields; while ground communication provides high-capacity, low-latency connections in densely populated areas. The two are complementary in technology and can be used in combination to provide more comprehensive and reliable communication services.

Therefore, in the short and medium term, the relationship between China Star Network and ground operators such as China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom is more complementary than competitive.

For example, China Mobile and China Star Network have jointly established a joint venture company, China Space Information Group Co., Ltd., to integrate resources and promote the development of space-time information data, technology and related services, especially in accelerating satellite-ground integrated communication technology. Through this cooperation, China Mobile and China Star Network will be able to leverage their respective expertise and advantages to provide users with a wider range of communication solutions, especially in the fields of satellite communications and Internet services.

However, in the medium term, as technology advances and market demand changes, China Star Network may compete with ground operators in certain market segments, especially in providing high-bandwidth, low-latency global communication services. For example, in providing enterprise-level services, Internet of Things (IOT) solutions, and providing broadband services to rural and remote areas.

In the long term, with the development of 5G and 6G technologies and the increasing demand for seamless global connectivity, the integration of satellite communications and ground communications will become a trend. In the future, we may see more integrated communication systems, in which satellite networks complement and extend ground networks to form a seamless global communication network.

Some people may ask, will satellite Internet completely replace terrestrial Internet in the future?

I can only say that this possibility is very low, because there are significant differences between the two in terms of technical characteristics, application scenarios, economy and user experience.

Based on the above, China Star Network will not become the biggest competitor of operators, and it is likely to be a fight between three or four brothers in the future.

Article source: White Rhino Communications