Page 104 - SAMENA Trends - July-August 2022

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Telefónica Integrates Terrestrial 5G and LEO Satellites for Extensive IoT

Reach

Telefónica is developing a portfolio of to provide 5G NB-IoT connectivity. The pricing it at a fraction of current satellite
5G narrowband internet of things (NB- constellations, orbiting at between 500km connectivity”. She said that the company
IoT) services for enterprise users that and 1,000km altitude, are compatible sees “a huge market demand” for the
enables widespread, reliable, continuous with 3GPP standards and allow for NB- service. “The revolution in [a] few months
connectivity, even in the most remote IoT devices to “connect seamlessly to is becoming a reality and I am very happy,
areas, by integrating its terrestrial mobile both existing terrestrial networks and since a connected world is a better world”,
infrastructure with the satellite coverage the new satellite network”, the company she concluded. The Barcelona-based
of a key partner. The Spanish telco explained in its statement. The service Sateliot touts itself as “the first satellite
has partnered with domestic satellite is being developed through the telecoms telecom operator for global continuous
telecommunications operator Sateliot to operator’s Telefónica Tech and Telefónica IoT connectivity merging satellite and
test a connectivity service that will integrate Global Solutions (TGS) divisions and is set terrestrial networks under 5G protocol”. It
Sateliot’s satellite network with Telefónica for pre-commercial pilots with customers recently raised €10m in a Series A funding
Tech’s current terrestrial NB-IoT networks later this year. “We are convinced that round backed by technology and consulting
for the delivery of IoT connectivity wherever these types of solutions will help us to company Indra, tower operator Cellnex
needed – even at sea. The service is set up consolidate our position as a benchmark in Telecom, and maritime data and satellite
to work with existing NB-IoT devices and IoT thanks to our Kite platform and other communication software GateHouse,
is expected to benefit enterprise users innovation projects based on virtualisation according to business intelligence provider
in sectors such as agriculture, shipping, and the deployment of the network in the Crunchbase. Sateliot claims to have its
livestock management and green (wind cloud”, said Carlos Carazo, technology and own LEO satellite constellation but has
and solar) energy that have operations technical operations director of IoT and not shared the number of satellites it
in remote areas. Telefónica’s goal is to big data at Telefónica Tech. Sateliot’s co- currently has in operation. According to
complement the value proposition of its founder and CEO Jaume Sanpera hailed a report by SpaceNews magazine from
Tech division with a global satellite service the satellite provider’s constellation for July 2020, it planned to build and operate
using low-earth orbit (LEO) constellations having “a unique cost-effective approach, up to 100 small satellites. Admittedly,
this number is dwarfed by other satellite
operators with which Telefónica has been
working, including OneWeb (for improving
data connectivity across Europe and Latin
America) and Telesat (for what is dubbed
as Brazil’s first 5G backhaul demonstration
over LEO satellite). OneWeb’s in-orbit
constellation stood at 428 satellites (66%
of total fleet planned) by April when it made
an agreement with New Space India Limited
to continue its satellite launch program,
while Telesat’s network comprises 188
LEO satellites, down from initial plans for
298 satellites in-orbit due to supply chain
issues.

Sky Brazil Launches FTTH Via FiBrasil Network

Pay-TV/TD-LTE operator Sky Brasil Servicos service – which is known as Sky Fibra – municipalities by 2024. Sky Brazil launched
(Sky Brazil) has launched a new fiber-to- has gone live in nine municipalities in Rio TD-LTE connectivity back in December
the-home (FTTH) fixed broadband service Grande do Sul and should be available 2011. However, the company served just
via neutral network provider FiBrasil, the in 60 cities by end-2022. FiBrasil’s FTTH 151,298 fixed broadband subscriptions
infrastructure company co-owned by networks currently pass 2.5 million homes as of 30 June 2022, down from a peak of
Telefonica and Canadian investment firm in 76 municipalities across 16 states. 365,695 in September 2018.
Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec The infrastructure is expected to be
(CDPQ). According to TeleTime, the available to 5.5 million households in 250

104 JULY-AUGUST 2022