Page 64 - SAMENA Trends - March-April 2023

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Inmarsat and MediaTek Expedite the 5G Phone’s Route to Satellite

Comms specialist Inmarsat and chip maker 5G era, along the guidelines of 3GPP helping to set up simple, pain-free two-way
MediaTek have upped the ante in their joint standards, inventing new options by fine communications between satellites and
mission to connect the world’s phones, tuning the data connections needed for devices, whether they are to smart phones
IoTs and all things 5G to satellite services vertical markets such as the internet of or smart homes. “Our network holds real
so they can network over the air, land and Things (IoT). The latest progress report potential to support a revolution in direct-to-
sea. In this latest initiative the comms from the duo claims that Inmarsat’s L-band device, IoT and car connectivity and we are
collaborators have signed a Memorandum satellite network and MediaTek’s chipsets delighted to be partnering with MediaTek,
of Understanding (MoU) over joint are on trial with major network operators a recognized world-leading innovator in 5G
inventions and the commercial use of and device manufacturers for direct-to- NTN technology,” said Brainch, “jointly we
satellite-enabled devices. This follows on device, two-way satellite connectivity. can bring 5G satellite services to consumer
from three years of joint ventures where Ultimately they want to set up mobile and professional users across the world.”
they have conducted a succession of operators, smartphone makers and the MediaTek is the standard bearer for 3GPP
fruitful live, in-orbit trials of two-way broader IoT ecosystem to offer satellite NTN standards, according to JC Hsu,
communications. These have proved how services, including two-way text messaging, corporate vice president of MediaTek. “The
effective their combined technologies and emergency communications, device unique qualities of Inmarsat’s narrowband
space assets are in real-life applications, tracking and monitoring, without the need satellite network and the spectrum capacity
they claimed. According to MediaTek for pointing on most devices. Jat Brainch, will support a multitude of new devices and
the pair have expedited the convergence pictured above, the chief commercial and services,” said Hsu.
of cellular and satellite networks for the digital officer at Inmarsat said MediaTek is

Viasat Connects 5 Earth Stations to Microsoft Azure

The global Viasat Real-Time Earth (RTE) cost-effective ground network that enables solution is ideal for commercial satellite
ground service is now accessible through operators with geosynchronous orbit operators seeking high throughput, low
the Azure marketplace, providing high- (GEO), medium earth orbit (MEO) and latency connectivity with their spacecraft,
speed connectivity directly to the Azure low earth orbit (LEO) satellites using the coupled with the security and resiliency
cloud platform. Viasat is equipping five S-, X- and Ka-bands, to meet increasing of the cloud. "Viasat Real-Time Earth is
RTE sites with Azure. Viasat RTE provides data requirements. Satellite operators are enabling remote sensing satellite operators
Ground-Station-as-a-Service (GSaaS) able to schedule passes on RTE antenna who are pushing the envelope of high-
capabilities to connect commercial and systems and will soon be able to rely on rate downlinks," said John Williams, vice
government customers with their satellites secure end-to-end connectivity with Azure president Viasat Real-Time Earth. "Our
on a pay-per-use basis. It is a fully-managed, over the private Microsoft WAN. This strong relationship with Microsoft enables
those same customers, through increased
access to our ground service, Azure
Orbital, and a dependable, high-speed
terrestrial network, to reduce the time it
takes to downlink and deliver massive
amounts of data." "The new capabilities
Microsoft Azure Orbital brings together
with Viasat RTE are transformational for
ground stations and customers pushing
for rapid innovation like True Anomaly," said
Stephen Kitay, senior director, Azure Space
at Microsoft. "This collaboration plays a
role in increasing resiliency and reducing
latency with real-time streaming across the
space community."

64 MARCH-APRIL 2023