Page 81 - SAMENA Trends - Oct-Nov 2023

SATELLITE UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Amazon Wants to Deliver Satellite-Based Broadband to India

Amazon is seeking regulatory approval competition with providers like OneWeb, Amazon sent its first test satellite into
from the Indian National Space Promotion Tata Grou’s Nelco, and Jio Satellite. The space. The launch will determine whether
and Authorization Center, or IN-SPACe, to e-commerce giant could also apply to the the company will begin mass producing the
launch its Project Kuiper satellite-based Department of Telecommunications for satellites for a 2024 launch. Amazon plans
broadband services in India, according a global mobile personal communication to send over 3,000 satellites into low-earth
to The Economic Times. “Project Kuiper by satellite services, or GMPCS, license. orbit to build out its broadband offerings.
will bring fast, affordable broadband to A GMPCS license allows a company to Project Kuiper, like SpaceX’s Starlink
unserved and underserved communities provide satellite communication services service, aims to offer high speed internet
around the world, including rural and remote in qualifying areas. Since the India Space from space. This means Amazon’s service
places in India,” an Amazon spokesperson Policy 2023 opened up the space sector could potentially average close to Starlink’s
confirmed to Cord Cutters News via to allow low- and medium-earth orbit 90.55 Mbps down and 9.33 Mpbs up with a
email. Satellite-based broadband services satellite operators to provide wireless latency of 43. Amazon is reportedly hoping
are seen as a way to augmented more broadband services, more private and to be a more affordable option at under
traditional internet offerings and provide foreign companies have expressed interest $100 a month.
coverage in hard to reach places. There’s a in the domain. “This is a long-term initiative
burgeoning space race going on between for Amazon, and we look forward to
Jeff Bezos’s Amazon and Blue Origin rocket working with the Indian government and
company and Elon Musk’s SpaceX, which local partners to connect customers and
already has a constellation of roughly communities across the country,” Amazon
5,000 satellites offering Starlink internet said in the email. Amazon has big plans for
services around the world. Amazon’s Project Kuiper. It’s expected to provide home
plans to bring satellite-based broadband internet services as well as connectivity
to India would also put the company in for businesses and hospitals. Last week,

Netherlands and Inmarsat Agree in Principle to Move Satellite Service to

Clear 3.5GHz 5G Band

operators KPN, VodafoneZiggo and Odido. entitled to 1×80MHz until its Greek site
The Netherlands’ national 5G 3.5GHz is operational. According to an Inmarsat
auction plans were derailed in June 2021 spokesperson quoted on 11 October, the
when Rotterdam District Court suspended satellite company had previously been
an amendment to the National Frequency wary of the risk of needing to move from
Plan via which the MEACP intended to free its planned Greek site within a few years,
up the 3.5GHz band for 5G from September but following discussions with the MEACP
2022, due to an appeal by Inmarsat. The and the Greek telecoms authorities it is
judge’s decision noted that Inmarsat used now confident of the new operation lasting
The Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs & the 3.5GHz band via a satellite ground a decade, and therefore has withdrawn its
Climate Policy (MEACP) has reached a long- station in Burum providing emergency/ objection to the Netherlands’ 3.5GHz 5G
awaited agreement in principle with satellite safety communications for shipping and auction plan while targeting a 1 February
operator Inmarsat to move its international aviation on behalf of the international 2024 launch for its Greek satellite base.
communications ground station in Burum, community, and argued that the Ministry Furthermore, according to a report on
Netherlands, to Greece to implement the should have mapped out how emergency news site Pledgetimes.com, Inmarsat
government’s plan to free up the 3.5GHz communications could be safeguarded, reached an in-principal agreement with the
frequency band for national mobile usage, taking into account international treaties. MEACP on financial compensation of an
Nos.nl reports. However, there are separate The government subsequently set the as-yet undisclosed amount, and the move
ongoing lawsuits against the country’s target of making 5G 3.5GHz frequencies now just requires a formal contract to be
5G auction plans from plaintiffs including available via auction by 1 December 2023, signed; the report quoted outgoing Minister
Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport and the Port recommending that Inmarsat relocates its of Economic Affairs & Climate Micky
of Rotterdam Authority. Court hearings services in the band to a location in Greece. Adriaansens reiterating last weekend that
regarding the 5G auction framework which The auction should make 1×300MHz of the 3.5GHz auction will not take place until
began on 11 October 2023 in Rotterdam 3.5GHz frequencies available for nationwide the first quarter of 2024 at the earliest.
also involve the main Dutch mobile network mobile usage, although Inmarsat would be

81 OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2023