Page 76 - SAMENA Trends - February-March 2021

SATELLITE UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Starlink Expected in Lebanon by 2022

The awaited satellite internet constellation, Starlink, is expected high accessibility for remote areas, low latency, and impressive
to have active coverage in Lebanon next year. According to its speeds (300 Mbps download speed), can make the high fees more
official website, Starlink is targeting coverage in Lebanon in 2022. bearable for some.
Pre-orders are available with a fully-refundable deposit of $99.
It’s worth noting that the deposit payment does not guarantee
that the Starlink Kit and service will be available. Instead, it
serves to establish priority for the payer in his or her region for
purchasing the Starlink Kit when available in the future. Starlink
has already launched its beta service and made it available to a
limited number of users in parts of the United States and Canada.
SpaceX, the company that’s constructing the constellation, has
launched more than 1,000 satellites into space in over 2 dozen
missions. The company, owned by American business magnate
Elon Musk, aims to deploy thousands more. The full Starlink Kit,
which includes a small mountable dish antenna, a Wi-Fi router,
and power supply, costs $499. The service also requires a monthly
$99 subscription. Although Starlink is more expensive than
most traditional internet services today, its ease of installation,

Tuvalu Boosts Satellite Capacity

Tuvalu Telecommunications Corporation connectivity. Under a four-year upgrade on Tuvalu, ensuring that the necessary
(TTC) is expanding its national and plan, TTC is extending 4G mobile coverage infrastructure is constantly available
international telecoms capacity under a to outer islands using ABS satellite to support the needs of our population.
contract with satellite services provider links. Tomalu Talu, Acting COO of TTC, An increase in satellite bandwidth is
ABS. Satellite technology is utilized commented: ‘Through the expansion considered important at this point in time
in Tuvalu not only for international plans with ABS, we are able to continue because it will help meet the rapid demand
communications but also for inter-island the support of critical communications growth of ICT in the present Tuvalu market.’

Globe Looking at Satellite Broadband for Remote Areas

“The CurvaNet satellite constellation will reliable power source,” Globe said. Globe
be able to deliver affordable broadband and Curvalux have been working on this
internet to even the most remote areas end-to-end solution for the past year and
beyond the reach of any telecom towers, a half. “This technology enriches Globe’s
infrastructure or electricity with the use internet solutions portfolio, allowing us
of its proprietary low-cost, solar powered to cover as many households as possible,
customer terminal,” Globe said. Globe and helps provide low cost internet in
said it was also tapping Curvalux’s hard-to-reach areas which are currently
broadband wireless technology for its deprived of connectivity,” Darius Delgado,
Telco giant Globe Telecom is looking ongoing network upgrade. It said the Globe’s head of broadband business,
at satellite internet services to cover American company’s patented “phased said in a statement. “Our partnership with
remote areas in the country. Globe said array multibeam broadband system” Curvalux will allow faster deployment of
in a statement it was working with US- provided better coverage, was more cost high-speed broadband to our customers
based Curvalux, the company behind the efficient and can run on solar panels and ranging from 50 to 120 Mbps [megabits
CurvaNet satellite constellation project. batteries. “This dramatically reduces per second] average download speeds,” he
CurvaNet will have 240 low earth orbit operational costs and enables deployment added. Globe will initially deploy Curvalux’s
satellites providing high-speed and of the system to remote areas that were solutions in 39 areas in the country and up
affordable broadband around the world. previously unserved due to the lack of a to 315 more areas within the year.

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