Since the dawn of in-flight connectivity, network congestion has been a serious concern in the aviation community. Historically, geosynchronous satellites and ATG networks have struggled to combat significant congestion, especially when in busy, concentrated areas like major airports. Each of these different systems of connectivity has been plagued with their own problems that have been extremely difficult to overcome.

Lately, however, the game has been completely changed by the introduction of LEO satellites such as Starlink and Galileo “OneWeb.” While this advancement has rapidly changed the state of IFC, there are still many people voicing their concerns that this, too, could fall victim to the old issues that afflicted connectivity before. With the presence of LEO technology, however, the old arguments around network congestion simply don’t apply anymore.

It is certainly understandable to be skeptical of new technology, especially after experiencing issues with past technologies that, at first, seemed promising. Gogo’s ATG network is a good example of this. While the network started strong, and seemed to offer a solution to network congestion, it quickly became overwhelmed. The plain fact of the matter is, there are certain innate differences to LEO satellites that will prevent this from occurring. One major difference between LEO and GEO satellites is the LEO satellites ability to move.

A big reason for GEO satellite based congestion stemmed from its fixed position relative to the Earth. Because its spot beam is resigned to a single location, flying over high traffic locations has frequently caused network congestion for business jets. Terrestrial-based networks have faced the same issues for similar reasons. It is not unlike using your cell phone at a crowded concert or sports event. With too many people trying to connect to one single tower, network congestion is inevitable. This is yet another problem that LEO technology has an answer for. Because LEO satellites are not fixed, it is much easier for them to avoid congestion. Even if they face network congestion, the sheer number of them allows them to offload congestion from one satellite to another. The static GEO satellites simply do not have this capability. Additionally, both the GEO satellites and the bespoke aviation ATG network are extremely difficult to upgrade due to cost. This is yet another problem that LEO technology has an answer for.

The benefit to LEO satellites is that they are inherently replaceable. With a lifespan of roughly 5 years, their business model requires them to replace the satellite once it is decommissioned, often multiple at a time. This allows LEO companies to always allow for as many satellites as they need. Additionally, it gives them the opportunity to fix potential issues by incorporating newer elements of technology. In this way, LEO satellites are able to constantly innovate and consistently stay ahead of network congestion, as problems will always be addressed promptly.

Another problem that traditional satellite systems have faced is the limited number of users they can support. ATG networks, for instance, were initially designed with a specific user pool in mind, mostly for aviation-specific use. This meant that when this small capacity was reached and eventually surpassed, the network became heavily saturated, with essentially no room to grow or modify. Again, this issue just simply does not apply to LEO technology. LEO satellites like Starlink were designed to have mass-market appeal. They were not specifically intended solely for aviation, which means they have the capacity to support tens if not hundreds of millions of users. The demand for aviation connectivity, in comparison, is not even a drop in the bucket to what they can support. This essentially nullifies network congestion for business aviation.

While skepticism for this new technology may be historically founded, comparing LEO technology to some of the problems faced by its predecessors is like comparing apples to oranges. LEO satellites are operating on an entirely new architecture, which allows for them to easily surpass many of the connectivity problems that aviation has faced for the past several decades. There is no denying that the future of satellite connectivity has arrived. With adaptations and improvements essentially built into the LEO business model, aviation connectivity will likely never be plagued by network congestion again.