Focus: Telecom

Alaska is a challenging environment for broadband connectivity. The state is by far the largest in the U.S., more than two times the size of Texas, and the third-least populous state. Coupled with a harsh climate, mountain terrain and communities in remote places, broadband access leaves much to be desired. But Alaskan satellite company Pacific...

There is not a single regulatory framework that addresses mobile cellular devices with satellite capabilities – this unaddressed dichotomy belongs to the past. National satellite service licensing frameworks need to be flexible enough to allow for the smartphones of the present, because satellite direct-to-handset connectivity is an industry development that is here to stay. Traditional...

The path that satellite constellation operator Globalstar took to signing Apple as its largest customer in history this past summer started with a crisis that happened 15 years ago. After launching the first generation of its SPOT satellites, the company experienced technical issues that rendered the intended SPOT two-way service into a one-way service. In the...

At any given moment around the world, 15 percent of the planet’s 5.2 billion mobile phone users are not connected, according to research conducted by Lynk, the first company to demonstrate a satellite-to-mobile-phone satellite constellation. What if those disconnections – from being in a remote area far from terrestrial signals or cut off from cell...

Apple announced Tuesday that its emergency SOS service via satellite is now available with the iPhone 14 in the U.S. and Canada. The service is set to start in France, Germany, Ireland, and the United Kingdom in December. The service allows customers to contact emergency services when they are outside cellular networks by connecting to...

AST SpaceMobile reported Monday that it successfully deployed the massive communications array on its BlueWalker 3 satellite that will test satellite direct to cellular communications.  The 693-square-foot array is now the largest commercial communications array in Low-Earth Orbit. It is designed to communicate directly with unmodified cell phones using 3GPP standard frequencies at 5G speeds....

SES signed a multi-year capacity renewal with Claro Brasil through Embratel to support connectivity in at least eight cities with O3b mPOWER network. Embratel is the corporate solutions division of telco Claro Brasil. Under the renewal agreement announced Thursday, Embratel will have 4 Gbps over the O3b mPOWER network to extend its mobile backhaul service....

Telstra, one of Asia’s largest telcos, is looking forwarding to deepening its relationship with the satellite industry as it looks to embrace new satellite tech over the coming years. Sri Amirthalingam, Telstra’s Commercial Engineering executive, told Via Satellite that over the last two to three years, Telstra has been excited to see the new Low-Earth...

The FCC on Friday approved Lynk Global’s license for satellite direct-to-cell service, approval that will allow Lynk to launch commercial services later this year.  Lynk has six satellites in space with plans to launch three more later this year and and six additional satellites in 2023. Earlier this year, Lynk demonstrated satellite-direct-to-cell connectivity with thousands...

Apple’s new iPhone 14 will be able to send emergency SOS messages outside the reach of cellular networks, enabled by Globalstar satellite connectivity.  The service will be available on the iPhone 14 in November in the U.S. and Canada. It will be free for two years but Apple did not specify what the service would...