Focus: Telecom

Last week, we published a new, exclusive interview with Telesat CEO Dan Goldberg talking about the operator’s plans for 2018, particularly around Low Earth Orbit (LEO). So, for our throwback Thursday feature we turn the clock back 10 years to a major interview we did with Goldberg when he first took over at Telesat and...

Telesat announced it will cooperate with OmniAccess to conduct live, over-the-air trials on the operator’s new Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite system. After one failed launch on a Soyuz 2 in November, Telesat successfully launched its Phase 1 LEO satellite in January on a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PLSV). The spacecraft is now undergoing commissioning...

KSAT has implemented ground station services out of the Svalbard Satellite Station for Airbus Defense and Space, ensuring access to every orbit (14 out of 14) for the company’s Spot and Pleiades satellites. According to KSAT, Svalbard Satellite Station grants Airbus full orbit coverage for its constellation due to its location at 78 degrees north,...

Airlines considering purchasing or operating the Boeing 737 MAX have a new option available when considering what type of satellite communications hardware to equip on the aircraft. Miami, Florida-based avionics manufacturer Avionica received a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for its satLINK MAX Iridium satellite communications system for the aircraft model. Under the new STC, the...

SES Networks announced it will provide managed connectivity services to support the Kamoa-Kakula Copper Project, a high-grade copper mine exploration. SES’ O3b Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellite fleet will enable operators on-site to do video-conferencing with headquarters, use cloud-based applications to access and upload critical data, and improve overall productivity and safety. The project is...

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved the first Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for SmartSky Networks’ airborne 4G LTE network, awarding it to SmartSky’s manufacturing partner Avidyne Corporation for installation on the Cessna Citation Excel. Avidyne CEO Dan Schwinn said he expects to receive parts manufacturer approval soon and that more STCs for other aircraft...

“We have to change,” Javier Gill, IT director of Pullmantur, says when talking about how the Spanish ferry/cruise company intends to use satellite technology to equip its fleet. The company has been using old C-band antennas, and Gill admits Pullmantur is aware of the technology’s limitations. “There have been blockages in ports. We have found...

Thuraya Telecommunications Company has announced the launch of its Thuraya Tracking and Monitoring (T2M) service in conjunction with the launch of the first product release of the year, the T2M-DUAL terminal. A mobile, dual-mode device for Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communications and remote asset tracking and monitoring, the T2M-DUAL enables the simultaneous collection of data from multiple...

The U.S. government is considering building a national 5G network to counter the risks of China interfering on emerging technology such as, self-driving cars, IOT, or spying on phone calls. However, it is unclear of how that network would be built and paid for, as well as how it would affect current telecom operators’ plans...

Viasat has extended its nationwide fulfillment services agreement with Perfect 10, in advance of the commercial internet service launch on its ViaSat 2 satellite. The companies will extend their relationship to serve residential and business fulfillment needs across the United States with upgraded ViaSat 2 internet service packages. Viasat’s field services team will continue to train the Perfect...