Satellite Networks

Asian satellite and space tech company Thaicom has announced the signing of a partnership agreement between Space Tech Innovation Limited (STI), a subsidiary of Thaicom, and Eutelsat Asia, a subsidiary of satellite operator Eutelsat.

Multiple recent announcements in the satcoms sector underline its continuing growth and relevance but also research and innovation that could change the way satellite communications services are delivered in the coming years.

Heralding what the company calls the start of a new era of connectivity, Hughes Network Systems’ JUPITER 3 ultra-high-density satellite has successfully launched on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida.

Elon Musk’s satellite broadband provider Starlink announced it switched on operations in Malawi, as the company continues its coverage expansion.

Satellite communications company AST SpaceMobile opened an R&D facility to build space technology in India, as it identified the South Asian market for growth in mobile broadband connectivity.

Saudi Arabia’s Aramco, one of the world's largest integrated energy and chemicals companies, and OQ Technology, described as the world’s first satellite 5G IoT operator that provides global cellular Internet of Things (IoT) and machine to machine (M2M) communication solutions through satellites, have announced the signing of a new MoU.

Malaysia approved Elon Musk’s satellite company Starlink to operate in the country and connect remote locations.

Satellite networking technology, solutions and services company Gilat Satellite Networks has announced that it has won an award worth millions of dollars in orders for a project in Mexico involving cellular backhaul over satellite.

SpaceX’s Starlink has been licensed to provide low earth orbit satellite broadband in Mongolia.

Following last week’s news that satellite operators Intelsat and SES have ended talks about a possible merger, there’s been evidence from both companies that it’s still business as usual with Intelsat highlighting a significant Indonesian deal and SES announcing a collaboration related to space situational awareness services.

Lynk Global has partnered with Palau’s largest operator PNCC to provide satellite-direct-to-mobile phone services to the island nation using Lynk’s “cell-towers-in-space”.

Satellite company SES ceased merger talks with rival Intelsat, it confirmed in a statement today (June 22). 

Winity, which became a new Brazilian national mobile operator in 2021, and satellite operator Hughes have announced a pilot project involving prepaid mobile internet in remote areas.

Spacecraft manufacturer, launcher, and satellite communications company SpaceX has launched a new Indonesian communications satellite as part of an ambitious project called SATRIA.

State-owned service provider Angola Telecom has this week announced the launch of a new service called Conecta Angola, whose aim is to reach the most remote areas of the country where, previously, none of the country’s mobile operators had been active.

Startup Hello Space, described as Turkey's first commercial ‘pocketqube’ satellite venture, has launched what it describes as the world’s tiniest satellite – with the help of SpaceX.

The Zambian government revealed Elon Musk’s satellite connectivity firm Starlink has been awarded an operating license. 

The Costa Rican government granted Elon Musk’s satellite connectivity company Starlink an operations licence after a six-month wait, expanding the provider’s footprint in Latin America.

Satellite technology company Avanti Communications says it has completed the second phase of its project to build a new HYLAS 4 satellite gateway station and set it up in Dakar, Senegal.

Starlink continues to boost its presence in Latin America, launching connectivity in Panama and confirming that it has received an operating licence in Guatemala.

Hispasat, a provider of broadband and connectivity services, has reached an agreement with Comitas e-Health, a provider of telemedicine and tele-diagnostic solutions, to market a satellite telemedicine solution in remote areas of Latin America.

A new distribution partnership agreement for high-speed, low-latency broadband connectivity across Africa has been announced.

Axess Networks, a global provider of satellite communications solutions, has announced plans to connect more than 700 new 4G nodes via satellite as part of the CFE TEIT programme, a national development plan in Mexico. TEIT stands for TElecomunicaciones e Internet para Todos or Telecommunications and Internet for All.

Hispasat has secured the infrastructure deals required for its Amazonas Nexus satellite to begin operations.

Philippines-based NOW Corporation, which has investments in telecoms, media, and technology, and low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite communications company OneWeb have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to bring high-speed, low-latency broadband connectivity to the Philippines.

A new partnership aims to offer advanced satellite data and monitoring that, the partners say, will transform disaster response and environmental monitoring in Southeast Asia.

GTT (Guyana Telephone and Telegraph) is partnering with domestic satellite firm Wansat to deliver satellite connectivity to Guyana’s rural regions.

Latin America and Africa could be among the beneficiaries of plans recently announced  by Gilat and Intelsat to strengthen their strategic partnership.

Hondutel, the national fixed line provider of Honduras, has signed a new agreement with Starlink to deliver satellite connectivity to remote areas of the country.

Global communications company Viasat has confirmed that the scheduled launch date for the ViaSat-3 Americas satellite is 18 April this year. The ViaSat-3 satellite will launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida.

There’s been another piece of positive news for the still relatively nascent satellite-direct-to-standard-phone market with a contract in Ghana for Lynk Global.

Malaysian satellite solutions provider MEASAT has secured a contract with Intra Oil Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of Perdana Petroleum, a company that provides offshore marine support services for the upstream oil and gas industry.

Thuraya, the mobile satellite services subsidiary of the UAE’s flagship satellite solutions provider Yahsat, has concluded Heads of Terms for an investment agreement with Astrocast, a leading low Earth orbit (LEO) and Internet of Things (IoT) network operator.