Page 118 - SAMENA Trends - September-October 2022

SATELLITE UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Lynk Global Bids for Satellite 5G First

and the payload is scheduled to launch existing service in 12 countries on five
in December, when it flies its second continents. Earlier this year, the company
commercial satellite. Lynk Global claims disclosed it had contracts with 15 mobile
to have patented the ability to connect to operators covering 36 countries. Although
existing standard 5G devices using space- it is quick to highlight its advanced status,
based infrastructure in 55 countries. It Lynk Global is not the only player to target
indicated the latest trial would prove the connection with off-the-shelf handsets.
ability to send a 5G signal from space to Vodafone Group-backed AST SpaceMobile
regular handsets. The company received a is also making a play in this space and
US license for its satellite-to-phone service signed a deal with Nokia earlier this
earlier this month which it previously year covering 4G and 5G kit. Aside from
stated would enable it to operate globally. these rivals there are a plethora of other
Satellite player Lynk Global detailed plans CCO Dan Dooley stated his company was companies targeting operator contracts for
to launch a 5G base station into space later “years ahead of everyone else” in terms of providing mobile connectivity from birds in
this year, a move it described as a world enabling operators to cover “100 per cent orbit, while several device manufacturers
first. The company noted the 5G test was of their geographic territories”. Dooley have started to market early use-cases with
being funded by an undisclosed partner added Lynk Global is actively testing its their latest smartphones.

Avanti Turns to Regional Operator Partnerships to Expand Satellite Coverage

U.K.-based Avanti Communications is
seeking more partnerships to grow its
footprint after securing its first major deal
to use another regional satellite operator’s
capacity. Avanti announced a five-year
partnership with Turkey’s Turksat Sept.
13 that pools more than 100 gigabits-
per-second (Gbps) of Ka-band capacity
between them across Africa and the Middle
East. The deal combines Avanti’s Hylas 4
and Hylas 2 satellites with Turksat’s recently
launched Turksat-5B to sell broadband in
areas with limited terrestrial infrastructure.
Turksat had signed a contract in 2019 to
use capacity on Hylas 2 — which covers
Europe, the Middle East, and eastern and
southern Africa — for three years with an
option for a one-year extension. Their
expanded partnership “is a milestone for
Avanti’s business and the first time we are
partnering with another strong regional operator customers bring connectivity of five satellites are in geostationary orbit,
satellite operator to access their capacity,” to remote and hard-to-reach areas Whitehill said the company is developing
Avanti CEO Kyle Whitehill told SpaceNews. across sub-Saharan Africa. “This enables hybrid network products and services that
Whitehill said the company is “continuing customers to provide reliable cellular integrate capacity from lower orbits and
to seek out partnerships that harness service to the 100 million people living in terrestrial network capabilities. Regional
satellite technology, and help individuals, these challenging locations that would satellite operators are keen to partner
businesses and communities to thrive.” He otherwise be impossible to reach using with Starlink and other low Earth orbit
said Avanti has “committed 75% of our total traditional terrestrial infrastructure,” he broadband constellations to meet growing
investment” to bring more connectivity to said. Avanti is also currently building a demand for bandwidth, executives from
Africa. The company recently launched a satellite gateway in Senegal to extend the some of these companies said Sept. 13
managed satellite service called Avanti coverage of Hylas 4, the operator’s latest during the World Satellite Business Week
Extend, which is focused on helping mobile satellite, to West Africa. While Avanti’s fleet conference in Paris.

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