February 22nd saw SpaceX successfully send a rocket into orbit carrying two small ‘test’ satellites for a proposed 4,425 initial satellite constellation. The project, backed by Elon Musk, is designed to bring broadband access to billions of unserved or under-served users around the world in his ‘Starlink’ service. Musk talks of populating the constellation with […]
Gilat Satellite Networks,, a specialist leader in satellite networking technology, solutions and services, announces that Hispasat selected Gilat’s platform for a multi-million dollar project to provide broadband commercial services in Mexico using Hispasat’s Ka HTS capacity of the Amazonas-5 Satellite. Gilat’s SkyEdge II-c was selected to commercialise the full capacity of Hispasat’s Amazonas-5 Ka beams […]
Eutelsat’s CEO Rodolphe Belmer says he wants his Paris-based company to join with the proposed Intelsat and SES (and Intel) scheme to use C-band capacity to help promote the roll-out of 5G in the US. Belmer, in his dialogue with market analysts February 16th, said: “There has been a spontaneous and sort of unilateral step […]
UnicomAirNet has signed a multi-year agreement with Eutelsat Asia, an affiliate of Eutelsat Communications to address the fast-growing in-flight connectivity (IFC) market in the Asia Pacific region. UnicomAirNet was established in 2017 by China Unicom’s broadband network unit and Hangmei, ChineseWi-Fi service and content provider for railways and buses, to provide IFC services to Chinese […]
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has proposed that the agency approve an application by SpaceX to provide broadband services using satellite technologies in the United States and on a global basis. “To bridge America’s digital divide, we’ll have to use innovative technologies,” explained Pai. “SpaceX’s application—along with those of other satellite companies seeking licences or access […]
Gogo, a global provider of broadband connectivity products and services for aviation, has announced that it has more than 200 aircraft equipped with its 2Ku inflight connectivity technology which are now utilising the increased capacity delivered by SES-15. These aircraft came online in SES-15’s first operational month and are the first to benefit from the […]
Following on from last week’s Falcon Heavy launch, SpaceX is making final preparations for the launch on February 17th for the first pair of prototype satellites for Elon Musk’s giant “Starlink” constellation of broadband satellites. These first two, dubbed Microsat 2a and 2b, will be orbited on a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force […]
Karim Michel Sabbagh, currently president & CEO at satellite operator SES, and Padraig McCarthy CFO, are stepping down. Steve Collar, who is currently CEO of SES Networks, has been appointed as the next President & CEO of SES, becoming CEO Designate with immediate effect. Andrew Browne, who was until recently CFO of O3b Networks and […]
Satellite coverage over North America is dominated by Intelsat and SES, and last October Intelsat proposed a joint initiative with chip-maker Intel to permit some C-band satellite frequencies to be used in built-up metropolitan areas to help boost 5G’s roll-out and deployment. SES was initially cool on the idea, but has now thrown its hat […]
Hispasat and Internet provider Eurona are set to launch a package of satellite broadband services in Spain on K-band through satellites Hispasat 36 W-1 and 30 W-6 which cover Europe and the north of Africa. The services will target isolated areas with no optic fibre coverage and offer speeds of up to 30Mbps with a […]