Mobile coverage solutions for not-spots in rural zones of Latin America

Abstract

Access to broadband communications in different parts of the world has become a priority for some governments and regulatory authorities around the world in recent years. Building new digital roads and pursuing a connected society includes looking for easier access to the Internet. In general, not all the areas where people congregate are fully covered, especially in rural zones, thus restricting the access to data communications and therefore bringing inequality. In rural areas, there are multiple challenges to deliver reliable communication, such as a suitable roll-out of IoT structures and introducing the ubiquitous network model in the countryside. Accordingly, the use of three platforms to deliver broadband services to such remote and low-income areas were studied: Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), Altitude Platforms (APS), and Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites. On the other hand, the use of terrestrial networks— such as optical fiber centered—seems suitable but non-affordable because of the rural orography’s high complexity. The analysis of terrestrials deployments is out of the proposal scope. Hence UAVs were considered a noteworthy solution to be assessed in the experimental stage—by using the algorithm performed through electronic processors—since its efficient maneuverability can encompass the rural coverage issues of not-spots. To support the primary aim of analyzing the viability of deploying alternative BSs based on UAVs, the obtained results indicated that there are manifold shortcomings in the stated model due to the limitations on the accuracy of the used devices besides the bounded number collected information. Nevertheless, this approach can become an outstanding opportunity to develop the AGC research by considering higher-level simulations and even trustworthy LTE deployments to spur a fully connected countryside in Latin America and the entire world.