Robin Mersh, CEO of open standards development organisation Broadband Forum, has congratulated the broadband industry on its response to Covid-19 and how it has risen to the challenge of the unprecedented spike in traffic it brought – but warned the pandemic has highlighted the urgent need for work to continue on automation and bridging the […]
Eutelsat has told the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that it will clear its required C-band spectrum over the US, and will order a new C-band satellite to provide replacement capacity for existing services. Eutelsat is required to clear its spectrum and have a satellite in orbit by 2023 in order to qualify for the FCC’s […]
Both Intelsat and FCC filed their C-band accelerated spectrum transition plans with the FCC on June 19th. The schemes outline how their clients will be moved in order to free up spectrum for the FCC’s 5G adoption. The plans show how some 3,500 cable head-ends and 13,500 Earth stations will have 60,000 blocking filters changed […]
Network technology provider Nokia has successfully completed a series of Over-the-Air (OTA) 5G NR (new radio) trials in C-band spectrum, in Dallas, Texas. The drive tests, which achieved stable peak throughput speeds of over 1 Gbps, confirmed that Nokia’s solution is ready for commercial deployment ahead of the US C-band spectrum auction in December. The […]
The C-band replacement satellite orders for US coverage are being confirmed. Intelsat has ordered up at least six satellites. Four are to come from Maxar Technologies and will be built at Maxar’s Palo Alto plant (the former Space Systems/Loral facility). Two others will be supplied by Northrop Grumman. There will also be an additional seventh […]
The US satellite industry is about to get a few billions-worth of order for new craft. The new satellites will provide the fresh bandwidth to replace the C-band frequencies being given up as a result of the FCC’s push for 5G adoption in the US. Maxar Technologies has already said it has received a “multi-satellite” […]
The auction on 26 GHz (25.1–27.5 GHz) spectrum arranged by Finland’s Transport and Communications Agency Traficom has concluded. The participants in the auction were Elisa Corporation, Telia Finland and DNA who submitted the winning bids for the construction of the 5G networks. The auction generated €21 million in revenue to the state. There were three […]
Intelsat might be in Chapter 11 bankruptcy restructuring, but trading continues. The satellite operator’s revenues were $458.8 million for Q1 (to March 31st) down 13 per cent, and after interest payments and other obligations, that turned into a net loss of $218.8 million for the quarter. The company reported significant downturns in Network Services (down […]
Eutelsat, not for the first time, has formally complained to the FCC over the Commission’s ruling that it would pay around $5 billion to both Intelsat and SES in ‘incentive payments’ for clearing certain C-band frequencies over the USA. In essence, Eutelsat is fearful that the payments – and the related reimbursements of actual costs […]
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has confirmed that the repurposing of C-band spectrum for 5G services will move forward on an accelerated timeline. In a public notice, the FCC’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau said it had secured commitments from all eligible satellite operators to meet an accelerated clearing timeline that will make way for faster 5G deployment […]