The Federal Communications Commission says it is taking “important” steps to foster the growth of next-generation data services enabled by the transition of digital television to the ATSC 3.0 standard. That standard expands the potential ancillary and supplemental uses of broadcast spectrum for new and innovative services, such as autonomous vehicles, smart agriculture, or telemedicine, […]

Low Earth Orbiting (LEO) satellites are being positioned as a solution to bridge the US digital divide, as they will be able to reach remote parts of the country, promising fibre-like data speeds. A new report, LEO Satellite Broadband Expectations Need to Come Back to Earth, from co-operative bank CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange division, identifies significant […]

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 […]

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 […]

SES currently has two core deployments of satellites: It has a fleet of powerful geostationary satellites that just about serves the whole planet. It also has 20 O3b (‘the Other 3 Billion’) satellites in Medium Earth Orbit, with seven new ‘super-power’ O3b satellites on order from Boeing, with deployment starting in 2021. The O3b fleet […]