Photo: Gilat Satellite Network

Gilat Satellite Networks successfully demonstrated carrying 5G traffic over Thaicom’s Geostationary Orbit (GEO) High-Throughput Satellite (HTS), the company revealed last Thursday. Gilat’s cellular backhaul solution is now declared operational and ready for 5G implementation.

The tests were done with both Standalone (SA) and Non-Standalone (NSA) 5G architecture options, using Gilat’s Capricorn PLUS. The tests reached speeds of 400 Mbps download and 100 Mbps upload, and at faster times than the terrestrial connection’s.

Additionally, Gilat’s Capricon PLUS Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) was used to conduct live demonstrations in September with two Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) over Thaicom’s IPSTAR GEO satellite. The demonstrations involved a 5G handset, using a large number of applications including: browsing, speed test, YouTube 4K, Voice Over LTE (VoLTE), Video Over LTE (ViLTE), Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and communication with a drone providing a live video stream.

“We are excited with the results of the close work with our partners in demonstrating the extraordinary capabilities of our flagship VSAT, Capricorn PLUS. We believe that these recorded results of 400/100 Mbps to/from the 5G handset are unique in the industry,” said Alik Shimelmits, chief technology and product officer at Gilat. “This was successfully demonstrated using Gilat’s Capricorn PLUS over Thaicom’s GEO satellite and MNOs are invited to go ahead and deploy Gilat’s solution for their 5G services.”

Separately, Gilat revealed last Wednesday that its subsidiary Wavestream received multi-million-dollar orders from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) for high-power 50W Ka-band military Block Upconverter (BUC). Wavestream’s 50W Ka-band BUC is the most widely deployed solid state amplifier built at this power level, and will power the DoD’s military communications program.