Indonesia is poised to welcome SpaceX’s Starlink LEO satellite broadband service within the next two weeks, announced Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, the coordinating minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment. According to government sources, Starlink has secured the necessary agreement and license from Indonesian authorities to commence satellite internet operations.
In a significant development for remote connectivity, Telstra, the Australian telecom giant, has initiated the transition of its remote mobile sites to the low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite network provided by Eutelsat OneWeb. This move marks a departure from the traditional geostationary (GEO) satellites, aimed at reducing latency issues and meeting the growing demand for real-time services among customers.
BT’s recent talks with SpaceX to leverage Starlink’s LEO satellite fleet for remote connectivity in the UK has sparked curiosity, especially given BT’s current partnership with OneWeb, Starlink’s competition. It’s speculated that Starlink’s innovative direct-to-device capabilities, which promise unblemished global coverage without a need for a terminal, could be the allure.
China finished building the first launchpad at its Wenchang spaceport for the Long March 8 rocket. OmniOn Power’s Intelligent Distribution Bay addresses the growing challenges in the telecom and data center industry by providing real-time monitoring. Infobip launched AI Hub, an advanced upgrade integrating analytics, AI, and gen AI features to facilitate seamless end-to-end conversational experiences. CallTower joined the International Trade Council, reinforcing its dedication to excellence in Cloud Communications. The US government granted $50 million to Dish for the Open RAN Center for Integration & Deployment (ORCID), aimed at enhancing the global Open RAN ecosystem.
SpaceX’s Starlink project faced a setback this week as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted 3-2 to maintain its decision to deny funding from the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF). The initial award in late 2020 aimed to extend broadband coverage to nearly 643,000 premises in 35 states.
OneWeb, a Eutelsat entity, gained India’s coveted regulatory endorsement to usher in its satellite broadband service, evoking enthusiastic response from Eutelsat’s co-chair, Sunil Bharti Mittal. This development signifies a new era for India’s internet coverage in line with the Prime Minister’s digital vision. However, a crucial spectrum allocation by the government awaits, making OneWeb’s journey not entirely smooth sailing. An array of procedural and regulatory hurdles demands navigation, alongside competing market perspectives delaying the process.
The Global Satellite Operators Association (GSOA) is enforcing a behavior code for satellite operators, addressing the pressing issue of space debris caused by escalating satellite broadband services. The industry aims to advance its responsibility through shared best practices to preserve space access. This action, however, fuels debate over unendorsed practices, potential impacts on astronomy, and the proposed spectrum restraint at the upcoming World Radiocommunication Conference.
One New Zealand’s strategic acquisition of local operations from UK-small cell provider Dense Air aims to strengthen mid-band spectrum. Promising enhancements to fixed-wireless access services, this merge incorporates a significant 70 MHz of spectrum into One NZ’s 4G and 5G networks. This move aligns with the company’s efforts towards modernizing its network, hinting towards a customer-centric future with expanded 5G network and possible SpaceX collaboration.
In a groundbreaking revelation, Telus, Canada’s foremost operator, announced the successful two-way communication between smartphones and IoT devices, using Echostar T1, a geostationary Earth orbit satellite. Partnering with TerreStar and Skylo, Telus accomplished this feat using a specially-designed connectivity platform, highlighting the potential for remarkable connectivity throughout Canada, even in remote areas. As this technology differs significantly from regular D2D communication, Telus’s breakthrough is set to redefine the future of connectivity in previously unreachable corners of the country.
Reliance Jio’s introduction of JioSpaceFiber, a satellite broadband service, has rocked the telecom landscape. Offering gigabit speed connectivity even in remote Indian locations, this innovation brings affordable online engagement to all. Leveraging SES’ medium Earth orbit satellites, the joint venture holds the potential to transform India’s digital reach. Yet, this ambition is not without competition.
