Page 46 - SAMENA Trends - March-April 2023

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SES’s Fourth and Fifth C-Band Satellites for the United States Successfully

Launched

SES announced that the SES-18 and SES- ground stations and sending hundreds of 135 degrees West. “This successful launch
19 satellites, designed and assembled by satellite earth station technicians across the marks one of the last remaining milestones
Northrop Grumman, were successfully country to install new filters on customers’ on our journey to clear a portion of the
launched by SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket from antennas. By providing contractual service C-band, and we are incredibly grateful to
Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in protections to customers who receive Northrop Grumman, SpaceX, and all of
Florida, United States. The two American- video services in the U.S., SES-18 and our partners who helped make this plan a
made satellites are the fourth and fifth – SES-19 will enable SES to safely clear reality,” said Steve Collar, CEO of SES. “We
and final – satellites to be launched as part C-band spectrum to help accomplish the are now on the home stretch in protecting
of SES’s C-band transition plan, following FCC’s ambitious goals for American 5G our customers’ broadcasts while freeing
the launch of SES-22 in June 2022 and the innovation. SES-18 is expected to begin crucial 5G spectrum and we look forward
tandem launch of SES-20 and SES-21 in operations in June 2023 at 103 degrees to successfully concluding our work
October 2022. These satellites are essential West replacing SES-3 C-band payload and well before the FCC’s December 2023
parts of SES’s plan to achieve the Federal SES-19 will be co-located with SES-22 at accelerated clearing deadline.”
Communications Commission’s (FCC)
program to clear C-band spectrum to enable
wireless operators to deploy 5G services
across the contiguous U.S. (CONUS) while
ensuring that SES’s existing customers
continue to enjoy uninterrupted TV, radio,
and critical data transmission services to
millions of Americans. Since 2020, SES,
along with other satellite operators, has
been clearing 300 MHz of C-band spectrum
and transitioning customer services to the
remaining allocated 200 MHz of spectrum
by launching new satellites, building new

SES, NTT Take Private 5G to the Skies

SES struck a multi-year agreement with Japan-based NTT to offering to enterprise customers. The arrangement will provide
deliver its edge and private 5G products to enterprise customers “expanded and reliable connectivity”, NTT stated, adding the
through satellite, a move designed to meet a surge in demand system is primarily intended for companies operating in regions
the pair claimed is proving beyond the reach of fixed terrestrial “where terrestrial networks are lacking”. NTT positions its Edge-
networks. In a joint press release, NTT stated it would use SES’ as-a-Service play as offering enterprises opportunities to increase
second-generation medium Earth orbit satellite communications efficiency and grow revenue through edge and IoT, alongside
system, dubbed o3b mPower, to deliver its Edge as a Service promoting the potential of private networks to propel industries
including energy, mining and manufacturing “that have otherwise
been limited by connectivity” to ramp digital transformation. The
duo’s satellite-based set-up will deliver coverage to more than
190 countries with public-private roaming, along with making
additional services available in application development, system
integration and managed services. Olivier Posty, country MD for
Luxembourg at NTT, pointed to the benefits of private 5G, saying as
customers continue to innovate, “network partners with the right
skills and expertise will be critical to success in today’s competitive
market”. Alejandro Cadenas, AVP of EMEA telco mobility research
at IDC, said the partnership was an “industry-first milestone” and
would also open opportunities in countries “where 5G spectrum
is not ready yet”. SES last week revealed it had entered talks with
satellite rival Inmarsat over a possible merger, which could create
a company valued at more than $10 billion.

46 MARCH-APRIL 2023