Communication network around Earth. Photo: NASA, Via Satellite

Lockheed Martin is working with Sequans Communications to develop new 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) for satellite technologies, for worldwide deployment. According to the release, the two companies are enabling LTE end user devices to connect directly to Geostationary Orbit (GEO) satellites in a world-first achievement with wide application.

This project with Lockheed Martin is the latest development Sequans has undertaken as part of its “Custom Technology Solutions” initiative. “Sequans has expertise adapting LTE technology for special purposes such as this one,” said Scott Landis, a director at Lockheed Martin. “Sequans engineers modified their existing LTE chips to enable a new LTE-to-satellite communication specification developed by Lockheed Martin. LTE to satellite represents an important breakthrough in mobility and connectivity.”

“The work we are doing with Lockheed Martin to integrate LTE with satellite represents a significant evolution as we modify our LTE chips to take advantage of the huge satellite opportunity now developing for M2M and Internet of Things (I)T) applications,” said Sequans Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Georges Karam. “Enabling the LTE modem to speak to satellite networks as simply and as easily as possible will have a major impact on handling the huge potential volume of broadband and IOT applications that require space-based, ubiquitous communications, such as connected cars, shipping, and navigation.”