Ookla Gets Down & Dirty with D2D
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
The emergence of direct-to-device satellite communications has set off a wave of investments, partnerships, new service announcements, and spectrum grabs in spite of the bandwidth limitations of the technology. Advocates are talking about near universal wireless coverage with the prospect, in the future, of broadband speeds.
Wireless metrics maven Ookla has been watching developments closely, publishing a report earlier this year detailing global progress toward widespread D2D availability. At SmallSat Europe this week a panel took on the topic of automotive D2D, still just a gleam on the horizon. The panelists noted the imminent arrival of automotive grade D2D but tap-danced around the actual applications - such as emergency response. This left some wondering about customer interest in or even awareness of the value proposition's suitability for cars.
That being said, Ookla's data clearly shows a seemingly contradictory sat-cell story unfolding on smartphones around the world. The company paints a picture of limited actual usage and constrained bandwidth even as the market coverage ramps rapidly.
Market-by-market Ookla shows smartphone satellite connectivity usage well below 1% of total smartphone use, where the technology is available. It shouldn't come as a surprise given that cellular coverage overall is well north of 95%, according to Ookla. The data does suggest, though, that D2D's greatest success and adoption is likely to be from enterprise users, not consumers - despite surveys showing consumer interest and willingness to pay are high.
For connected cars, some observers suggest that satellite connectivity will be an essential contributor to automated driving. The association between automated driving and connectivity, though, is tenuous. Most robotaxi operators around the world are relying on completely self-contained systems without any mission critical reliance on connectivity - with the possible exception of teleoperations to recover from system failures.
Interestingly, semi-automated driving systems, such as Super Cruise from General Motors or BlueCruise from Ford Motor Company, do require connectivity. In essence, these so-called Level 2 (eyes on road, hands off steering wheel) solutions rely on connectivity for situational awareness, shifting some processing functions off-board.
What the automotive industry is missing vis-a-vis D2D is a "killer app." Consumers more readily grasp the importance of SOS functionality in pedestrian scenarios vs. automatic crash notification capabilities in a car.
Safety alerting may alter this thinking among both consumers and car makers. The European Data for Road Safety project may help set the stage for widespread D2D implementation in cars - but the onset of automotive D2D won't begin in earnest until 2027.
Meanwhile, Ookla's D2D assessment shows Starlink and Apple (partnered with Globalstar) as the early leaders in D2D deployment. Ookla cites Global mobile Suppliers Association data indicating Starlink in the lead with 59 carrier partnerships, followed by AST SpaceMobile with 28.
Ookla says "there are 61 countries and territories that are planning, evaluating, testing, or have already launched satellite-to-smartphone partnerships." And China is mounting its own D2D activities ultimately targeting broadband capabilities, per Ookla.
Ookla notes that carriers may leverage D2D usage to target network expansions or might come to rely on D2D tech to fill coverage gaps. The Ookla report also reveals the limitations of satellite connectivity in-motion and indoors.
Meanwhile, the service providers are lining up and launching including: first mover Apple with Globalstar, Amazon Leo via its pending Globalstar acquisition, Viasat and AST SpaceMobile, SES in partnership with Lynk Global and Omnispace, and Skylo. It will take time for essential D2D automotive applications to emerge. In the meantime, D2D will continue to see rapid uptake on consumer smartphones, while D2D (and non-terrestrial-network/NTN) for IoT proliferates widely, driving revenue growth.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Roger Lanctot is president of the Mobile Satellite Users Association and CEO and Founder of StrategiaNow Consulting. Roger draws on 30+ years’ experience in the technology industry as an analyst, journalist and consultant. Roger is a graduate of Dartmouth College. His 190,000 followers on LinkedIn reflects the influence of his insights and perspectives on automotive and transportation technology, policy, and strategy.
Comments