Satellite Networks

LEO satellite operator Iridium Communications announced on Thursday it has signed a partnership deal with Syniverse to support the rollout of Iridium’s planned direct-to-device (D2D) satellite service that will offer non-terrestrial network (NTN) services for terrestrial mobile operators.

Global satellite player Intelsat announced on Wednesday it has broadened its managed-services collaboration with Solomon Telekom Company Limited (STCL) to deliver improved cellular backhaul connectivity in the Solomon Islands, particularly in remote areas.

UAE-based satellite firm Space42 said on Monday that its high altitude platform stations (HAPS) subsidiary Mira Aerospace has opened a HAPS manufacturing facility in Abu Dhabi, making it the first such facility in the MENA region.

It’s been another busy week for satcoms, with Agility Beyond Space (ABS), a global satellite operator, and SpaceBridge, a provider of satellite network equipment solutions, targeting managed services in EMEA, while satellite communications service Starlink is reportedly pursuing a Wi-Fi deal with the Emirates airline.

Saudi Arabia-based Arabsat and Canada-based satellite operator Telesat announced on Wednesday they have signed a term sheet under which Arabsat will lease multi-gigabit capacity from Telesat’s planned Lightspeed LEO satellite constellation.

LEO satellite player Rivada Space Networks revealed on Tuesday it has signed an MoU with satellite solutions and services provider Q-KON to add Rivada to its Twoobii LEO Smart Satellite Services portfolio.

Eutelsat Group announced on Tuesday it’s extending its partnership with UAE-based VSAT service provider InterSAT Communication Services to enhance fixed data services over Central and Eastern Africa, with a possible LEO satellite component to be added later.

The Indian government has reportedly granted conditional approval for SpaceX’s Starlink to begin offering satellite internet services in the country, according to a report by CNBC-TV18.

UAE-based satellite firm Space42 announced on Wednesday that its mobile satellite services (MSS) subsidiary Thuraya is collaborating with Danish software company Gatehouse Satcom to demonstrate the commercial viability of Thuraya’s upcoming direct-to-device (D2D) satellite IoT service.

India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has reportedly issued a list of additional security requirements that GMPCS licence holders offering satellite broadband services will have to fulfil.

Airtel Africa announced on Monday it has signed a deal with SpaceX to bring Starlink’s LEO satellite internet services to customers in all 14 African countries where Airtel operates – at least once Starlink has licences to operate in them.

It now seems that the Democratic Republic of Congo has granted a licence to satellite communications company Starlink – despite an earlier ban, which finally appears to have been rescinded.

Global satellite operator Intelsat announced on Thursday it is expanding its partnership with Hispasat’s teleport operator and satellite services provider Axess Networks to provide satellite communications services throughout the Americas.

Amazon's Project Kuiper broadband internet constellation is up and running – at last. The first 27 satellites were finally launched into space from Florida on Monday after bad weather meant an initial launch attempt on 9 April was abandoned.

Aspiring LEO satellite player Rivada Space Networks announced on Monday it has signed new deals enabling it to launch its "Outernet" services in Costa Rica and the Czech Republic.

SpaceX’s LEO satellite unit Starlink is one step closer to launching services in Bangladesh after the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) reportedly approved its application for a satellite internet licence.

4iG Group, a leading ICT company in Hungary and the Western Balkans, has announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Azerbaijan's state space agency Azercosmos.

Satellite operator Viasat says it has completed another demo of its direct-to-device (D2D) technology in Brazil – this one using consumer smartphones – following last month’s D2D demo for connected cars.

Globalsat Brasil, a Brazilian affiliate of satellite telecommunications company Globalsat Group, says it is leading the modernisation of communications for the locomotives of logistics company VLI Logística, in partnership with Viasat.

Malaysia’s Altel Group and Chinese LEO satellite firm Zhejiang Geespace Technology reportedly formed a joint venture on Friday to create regional industrial communications solitions leveraging satellite and 4G. 

LEO satellite operator Starlink appears to have had a pretty good week or two in Africa, with licence awards in Lesotho, Guinea-Bissau and Somalia making headlines. But it isn’t quite as simple as that.

Zimbabwe mobile operator NetOne has reportedly struck a deal with direct-to-device (D2D) LEO satellite operator AST SpaceMobile to expand the reach of its 5G services once the satellite network is available in Africa. 

Oman’s Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) says that Sultan Haitham bin Tarik has issued a decree approving a Category 1 telecoms license to Omani Space Communications Technologies (OmanSat) to provide fixed communications services.

Orange Jordan announced on Wednesday it has become the first telco in the country to offer satellite broadband services for consumers and enterprises via the Eutelsat Konnect satellite.

Brazil’s telecoms regulator, Anatel, has granted approval for SpaceX to operate an additional 7,500 Starlink satellites in the country’s airspace.

Global satellite operator SES announced on Tuesday it has landed a deal to provide inflight connectivity (IFC) services to Uzbekistan Airways, whilst also expanding an existing IFC deal with Thai Airways, which in turn launched a separate IFC service with Intelsat.

Amazon’s Project Kuiper has announced it will finally launch its first batch of LEO satellites next week, almost one year behind schedule, with more launches already booked and commercial services expected to kick off later this year.

Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia's new premium international airline, has selected satellite communications company Viasat to provide full, fast, free in-flight connectivity for all Riyadh Air loyalty members on initial Boeing 787 Dreamliner factory-installed deliveries.

Satellite services provider Q-KON has reportedly brought South African telecoms player Vox onboard as a reseller of its Twoobii Super Smart Satellite Solutions for enterprise customers powered by Eutelsat OneWeb’s LEO satellite network.

Vietnam has reportedly given SpaceX regulatory clearance to establish at least one ground station in the country for its upcoming Starlink pilot offering, which would not only optimise traffic but also enable the government to police it.

Oman’s telecoms regulator has approved Starlink to provide broadband internet services across the country using its low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation.

Satellite-direct-to-device (D2D) provider, Lynk Global has had a busy week with the announcement of successful tests of its service in Turkey followed by further positive news – this time in South Africa.