Satellites to bring broadband to UK’s remotest parts
UK Space Agency teams with DSIT and the European Space Agency on three ambitious projects to help close the UK’s digital divide
Backed by up to £3.5m of government money, an ambitious new initiative aims to test innovative hybrid connectivity solutions in some of the hardest to reach parts of the UK.
House on remote island of Papa Stour, Shetland Islands; photo courtesy of DSIT/Oneweb/Keep Busy Productions
While significant progress has been made over the past couple of years to provide superfast and gigabit-capable broadband across the country through the Project Gigabit programme, some remote and rural locations continue to miss out. Such places often have sparse populations and difficult terrain, making it costly and impractical to install traditional infrastructure. Satellite-based technology offers the only practical solution.
Now the UK Space Agency has partnered with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and the telecommunications research programme of the European Space Agency (ESA) to meet the challenge head on.
With the support of government funding, the new initiative hopes to select partners for three different projects that focus on delivering future satellite services. One project will provide portable gigabit-capable internet speeds, using terminals designed to be mounted on vehicles. The aim is to improve connectivity for users such as local authorities, farmers, the emergency services and those working in the events and hospitality sector.
The other two projects are based on remote, rural islands in Shetland and Northern Ireland, where innovative hybrid networks will be tested. If successful, the technology could be used to support further locations unable to connect to traditional networks.
Overall, the aim is to showcase the potential of integrating different satellite technologies to deliver gigabit-capable speeds at affordable prices. The proposed Nomadic Multi-orbit User Terminal Demonstrator will be portable – in that it can be mounted on a standard vehicle – as well as adaptable. Using signals from satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) and geostationary orbit (GEO), it will provide robust, flexible and high-speed communications.
Meanwhile, the Rathlin Island Service Demonstrator project will be based on Northern Ireland’s most northern pint. Rathlin, which is seven miles of the mainland, has a resident population of 141 (according to the 2021 Census) but receives some 40,000 visitors each year. The new initiative offers £2m to partners to help improve connectivity, which will be of benefit to residents, local businesses and tourists.
To date, people of Rathlin have had to rely on mainland mobile signals and ad hoc broadband solutions. It has not proved practical to lay a dedicated submarine cable for communications. The project aims to combine LEO and GEO satellite terminals with wireless/mobile technologies to provide a comprehensive solution, which may even include 5G/6G. The partners are also conscious that such solutions must be designed to minimise environmental damage.
Lastly, funding of £1m is being put forward to improve connectivity on Papa Stour, one of the Shetland Islands. This is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest and its seas are a Special Area of Conservation due to the diverse wildlife. Yet efforts to support the sustainability of the island have been hampered by lack of available housing and infrastructure, including broadband and mobile. The new project is expected to test a hybrid satellite-wireless solution using LEO and GEO terminals to boost connectivity. It is hoped that the project will also demonstrate how an integrated satellite-wireless solution can be managed on a ‘whole community’ basis, without needing many on-site personnel to sustain it.
Sir Chris Bryant MP, Minister of State at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, says: ‘Digital infrastructure is essential for our modern way of life. But for too long, many businesses and communities have felt left behind. This is why we must do whatever it takes to ensure we harness technological innovation to enrich people’s lives and tackle exclusion, rather than entrench existing inequalities. These pilots, for instance, will help shape the next generation of connectivity, using a combination of satellite technology and mobile networks to test innovative new services that could be a real game-changer for remote and rural communities.’
Fleur Anderson MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Northern Ireland Office, adds: ‘It’s fantastic that residents and people visiting Rathlin Island will be able to benefit from enhanced digital connectivity thanks to this funding. Reliable connectivity is a necessity which can open up opportunities and transform services, and this initiative will have a positive impact on business and the entire community.’
Robert Hill, Northern Ireland Space Cluster Manager, says: ‘The commitment from the UK Space Agency and its partners, DSIT and the European Space Agency to improve connectivity of remote areas both locally and in Scotland via satellite communication solutions is to be greatly welcomed. With many people still working from home, the education system increasingly utilising online methods to communicate with and provide learning materials to students, and the farming community embracing technological advances, this move will help to put those living in such areas on a more equal footing with the rest of the population. I look forward to watching these projects move forward and the undoubted benefits they will bring to both individuals and organisations across many sectors.’
Michael Cecil, Chair of the Rathlin Development & Community Association, adds: ‘We welcome this new initiative from DSIT and the European and UK Space Agencies and the possibilities it can bring for improved broadband and Wi-Fi service on the island. Rathlin’s East Lighthouse was the location from which Marconi’s team made the first commercial radio broadcast and it is exciting to think this initiative may again put Rathlin at the forefront of piloting developments that can benefit not only the island community but many beyond our shores.’
Ian Murray MP, Secretary of State for Scotland, says: ‘We know connectivity is one of the biggest challenges faced by Scotland’s island communities and I am pleased the UK Government, through the UK Space Agency, is working to address this and improve people’s lives. This project on Papa Stour, which will test a hybrid satellite-wireless solution for the residents, is a vital research project which could be used as a blueprint in the future for our many island and other very hard to reach communities in Scotland.’
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