This chapter describes the technologies, market structure, and regulatory issues of Very Small Aperture Terminals (VSATs). These networks if interconnected to other networks such as the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) or the Internet can provide backbone and long-haul network connectivity, especially for telecom and Internet service providers. They can provide alternative communication channels when the terrestrial networks are destroyed and become inoperable. Additionally, they are widely used in the banking, finance, and insurance sectors for interconnecting Automated Teller...

This chapter describes the technologies, market structure, and regulatory issues of Very Small Aperture Terminals (VSATs). These networks if interconnected to other networks such as the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) or the Internet can provide backbone and long-haul network connectivity, especially for telecom and Internet service providers. They can provide alternative communication channels when the terrestrial networks are destroyed and become inoperable. Additionally, they are widely used in the banking, finance, and insurance sectors for interconnecting Automated Teller Machines to the banking servers, network connectivity to lottery operators, enterprise connectivity, distance education, and government's Community Service Centre scheme. The scope of VSAT service is to provide data connectivity between various sites scattered within the territorial boundary of India via the Indian National Satellite system using VSAT. There is a case for VSAT-PSTN interconnectivity for providing cheaper long-distance voice service, especially in the remote and rural areas of the country.