Satellite

Where technology, policy and commerce converge

Worldwide spending on telecommunications and pay TV services will reach $1,544 billion in 2024, representing an increase of 2.4% year-on-year, according to the Worldwide Semiannual Telecom Services Tracker published by International Data Corporation (IDC).

In a groundbreaking step for rail connectivity, The Clarus Networks Group is now offering Starlink for trains. Starlink provides high-speed, low-latency internet access, tackling connectivity challenges that have long hindered rail operations and passenger experience in remote areas. 

Ceredigion County Council is proud to be part of the groundbreaking Rural Connectivity Accelerator (RCA) project, funded by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).

ESA is continuing its commitment to strengthening international cooperation by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the area of 5G/6G communications with the Satcom Forum of South Korea, a group of 41 leading Korean companies including LG, Intellian and KT SAT.

Eutelsat Group has announced the launch and deployment of 20 satellites into low Earth orbit (LEO), bolstering the OneWeb constellation.

The satellites, which were built by Airbus US Space & Defense, hitched a ride on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 which lifted off last week from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

• India Mobile Congress 2024 (IMC24) has opened its doors in New Delhi 
• Airtel’s Sunil Bharti Mittal joins rivals Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea to press the government for an auction of satellite broadband spectrum 
• They want a level playing field between satellite providers

The GSMA is teaming up with the Mobile Satellite Services Association (MSSA) to work on connecting terrestrial and space-based networks, which they say will create ‘a new era of ubiquitous global connectivity.’

• The two companies announce a bold plan to build “seamless 5G connections” between mobile and satellite networks to provide connectivity worldwide
• Development of new 3GPP 5G standards for non-terrestrial networks lays the foundation for the “ubiquitous network”
• SoftBank and Intelsat a

Telesat Lightspeed program will create and sustain thousands of high-quality Canadian jobs and deliver billions of dollars of investment in the Canadian economy

• Operator claims a US direct-to-cell first in partnership with Starlink
• Beta testing of the wireless emergency alert messaging service is still to be carried out and there is no timeframe for commercial launch
• T-Mobile says satellite-to-smartphone tech paves way to providing critical

Connected Britain took place at ExCeL London from the 11th to the 12th of September. The comprehensive two-day programme brought together 7,500 industry experts, innovators, and policymakers to shape the future of connectivity.

• UK wireless tech company Filtronic is benefitting from its strategic partnership with Elon Musk’s SpaceX
• The British vendor has a five-year deal to supply amplifiers to SpaceX for its Starlink low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites
• SpaceX has already placed initial purchase orders for

Paris, 9 August 2024 - Eutelsat Group has entered into exclusivity and signed a put option agreement with the EQT Infrastructure VI fund (“EQT”) with respect to its passive ground infrastructure assets.

Adtran, in partnership with Iridium Communications Inc. (NASDAQ: IRDM), today announced the European and Asia-Pacific launch of its synchronization solutions featuring Iridium® Satellite Time and Location (STL) technology, a significant step in countering growing threats to Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS).

Shipment to Cape Canaveral planned for the first week of August with a 7-day launch window in September

The Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) market is entering a new mass adoption phase. During 2H 2024, the iOS release 18, and Android 15 are set to introduce satellite messaging as a core feature, enabling millions of devices worldwide to tap into satellite connectivity.

The goal of the project is to deliver an in-orbit laboratory, gaining knowledge on End-to-End-Connectivity and the inclusion of satellites in terrestrial mobile networks. It is expected that the result will bring valuable information for the 6G standardization.

Amazon is talking up a new facility that will help it speed up the manufacture and ultimately launch of LEO satellites, but it has also quietly tweaked its timelines, meaning Project Kuiper will get off the ground a little later than planned.

A massive geomagnetic storm hit Earth on May 10-11, prompting the FCC to investigate its effects on telecom networks. Now, satellite companies, including SpaceX and Iridium, are detailing their experiences.

GSMA Intelligence begins tracking NTN developments as satellite and telecom converge