By augmenting 5G mobile networks with next-generation satellite capabilities, satellite operators have an opportunity to become a major player in the emerging 5G ecosystem, says data and analytics company GlobalData. Sluggish speeds, high latency and lower reliability compared to traditional fiber and digital subscriber line (DSL) options have restricted satellite’s role to being a provider […]

‘EarthNow’ is a proposed constellation of specialised satellites capable of providing “live and unfettered” continuous footage of almost anywhere on Earth. Investors in the project include Bill Gates, Japan’s media giant SoftBank, Airbus Industries and Greg Wyler, CEO at OneWeb (in which SoftBank and Airbus have stakes). The company was formed in 2017 having been […]

Would-be broadband-by-satellite operator OneWeb has suffered a refusal by Russia for permission to beam its signals over Russia. It is quite possible that OneWeb, backed by Japanese media giant SoftBank, has fallen foul of the current trade war between the US and Russia. Russia’s federal telecoms regulator Roskomnadzor has rejected OneWeb’s application, citing as its […]

Panasonic Avionics and Turkish Airlines says they are making a major commitment for inflight entertainment and connectivity (IFEC) solutions to be installed on 50 wide-bodied Turkish Airlines aircraft and with options for a further 10 aircraft to be equipped. Panasonic’s X-Series IFEC system includes inflight Wi-Fi, mobile phone use, and global live television, and will […]

Just a few days after seeing its latest satellite launched into orbit, and only a few weeks following an announcement over financial restructuring, Avanti Communications says it may not be able to meet its debt obligations. London-based Avanti, which supplies satellite capacity over Europe, the Mid-East and Africa, told shareholders on April 9th that unless […]

The surprising announcement that Eutelsat will launch its own consumer-focused ‘broadband’ high-speed satellite, and as a result not proceed with a planned joint-venture with ViaSat, dramatically changes the competitive landscape over Europe. The winner might well be consumers who will shortly gain access to two rival systems offering similar extremely high-speed capacity, and likely to […]

Eutelsat is ordering up a new broadband satellite from Thales Alenia which is replacing a planned joint-venture with California-based ViaSat. Konnect VHTS (Very High Throughput Satellite) is the new craft. Eutelsat, in a statement said: “The investment in Konnect VHTS replaces the project of a joint investment with ViaSat in a ViaSat 3 satellite for […]

A report from Northern Sky Research (NSR) pointedly asks where is the flow of business that was expected in terms of ‘connected vehicles’. Specifically addressing its study to the prospects for valuable flat-plate antennas, the devices needed to connect up vehicles to satellite-delivered services, it admits that business is “elusive, and still many years away […]