Independent voices have come out in support of the C-Band Alliance’s (CBA) proposals to make available 180 MHz of satellite spectrum to help 5G’s roll-out in the US. WAY Media, a major Tennessee-based national religious broadcaster which reaches 25 million radio regular listeners (and 1 million weekly), and currently depends on usage of the 3.7-4.2 […]
Spacecom’s much-needed Amos-17 satellite will not be launched before June, according to reports. There had been suggestions that Amos-17 might launch in late May on a Falcon 9 rocket from SpaceX, but the satellite doesn’t yet appear in the formal SpaceX launch manifest. The Boeing-built satellite is badly needed by the financially stressed Spacecom operation […]
Hughes Network Systems, a global player in broadband satellite networks and services, has announced that Xplornet Communications, Canada’s leading rural broadband provider, has agreed to a lifetime capacity agreement on the next-generation JUPITER 3 Ultra High Density Satellite (UHDS), designated EchoStar XXIV. In a contract valued at more than $250 million over 15 years, the […]
SpaceX says it is looking to raise an additional $500 million in funding. According to a regulatory filing, Elon Musk’s Space Exploration Technologies is the vehicle, and the target for the cash is the company’s ‘Starlink’ internet by satellite project. Musk raised a similar sum a few months ago, and the fresh cash-raising suggests that […]
In-flight entertainment and connectivity operator Gogo is raising $900 million in new Senior Notes in order to pay off its 2022-due Senior Notes borrowing. Gogo, in releasing its preliminary Q1 revenue guidance, said that a combination of better-than-expected Commercial Aviation revenues, and lower than expected overall operating and satellite communication costs contributed to its much […]
A leading satellite analyst, in a comprehensive report, has said the potential financial benefits likely to flow from a ‘market-based approach’ to selling 180 MHz of C-band spectrum over the US are “far from priced in” to the 4 satellite operators involved. The quartet are Intelsat and SES (with some 90 per cent of the […]
Singapore-based Kacific Broadband Satellite has signed a significant contract with the island nation of Tonga. The deal covers satellite capacity with Tonga’s outlying islands, and reflects the nation’s need for secure back-up in the event of problems similar to a major fibre cable outage which lasted 12 days in January. The Tonga-Fiji cable, measuring some […]
FCC Commissioner Michael O’Rielly has again been expressing his enthusiasm over the adoption of key satellite frequencies in order to help the roll-out of 5G services over the US. Speaking at the ‘Wireless Connect 2019” event in Washington, O’Rielly was supportive of the reallocation of C-band frequencies. “While placing 3.5 GHz [C-band] into the hands […]
SpaceX’s giant ‘Falcon Heavy’ mega-rocket launch, initially scheduled for April 7th will not now happen until April 9th. The launch is already being described as one of the most important in the life of SpaceX, as it is the first commercial cargo being carried on the massive 27-engined rocket. The rocket made its debut flight more […]
Amazon has reportedly filed a request with the ITU to launch and place into Low Earth orbit (LEO) a mega-constellation of 3236 satellites. In doing so Amazon will be competing with the already established fleet of 20 SES/O3b satellites, plus other planned services from SpaceX, OneWeb, Telesat, Leosat and others. Amazon’s founder Jeff Bezos is […]