Intelsat's Galaxy 35 and 36 launch on Ariane 5

Intelsat's Galaxy 35 and Galaxy 36 geosynchronous satellites were successfully launched aboard Arianespace’s Ariane 5 rocket from Kourou, French Guiana.

Galaxy 35 and Galaxy 36 are part of five satellites that Intelsat contracted Maxar to build for the C-band transition. In addition to the five C-band satellites Intelsat has ordered from Maxar in 2020 to support their C-band spectrum transition, the company also contracted Maxar to manufacture its next-generation Intelsat 40e geostationary communications satellite, currently in assembly.

“With yet another successful launch, Intelsat has demonstrated its continued commitment to its media customers,” said Intelsat CEO Dave Wajsgras. “The continued refreshment of the Galaxy fleet will provide broadcast viewers with quality programming all across North America.”

https://www.intelsat.com

https:/www.maxar.com

Intelsat Galaxy 31 and Galaxy 32 satellites successfully launched

Sunday, November 13, 2022  Intelsat, Satellites, SpaceX  

 On Saturday, November 12th, SpaceX successfully launched Intelsat's Galaxy 31 and Galaxy 32 geosynchronous communications satellites aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.Intelsat's Galaxy 31 and Galaxy 32, which were manufactured by Maxar, will ensure service continuity to Intelsat’s North American media customers.Galaxy 31 will replace Galaxy 23 at 121 degrees west and will begin service in early 2023....

READ MORE

SpaceX launches Intelsat Galaxy 33 and 34 GEO satellites

Saturday, October 08, 2022  Intelsat, Satellites  

Intelsat Galaxy 33 and Galaxy 34 geosynchronous communications satellites were successfully launched aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 7:07 p.m. EDT on October 8th.Galaxy 33 will be the replacement satellite at 133 degrees west once it is in service in early November. The satellite will provide service continuity for distribution to cable headends throughout the United States.Galaxy 34 will replace...

READ MORE

Read More

Intelsat Galaxy 31 and Galaxy 32 satellites successfully launched

 On Saturday, November 12th, SpaceX successfully launched Intelsat's Galaxy 31 and Galaxy 32 geosynchronous communications satellites aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

Intelsat's Galaxy 31 and Galaxy 32, which were manufactured by Maxar, will ensure service continuity to Intelsat’s North American media customers.

Galaxy 31 will replace Galaxy 23 at 121 degrees west and will begin service in early 2023. The satellite will provide distribution services to cable headends throughout the United States.

Galaxy 32 will replace the C-band payload of Galaxy 17 at 91 degrees west in early 2023. This satellite will provide service continuity for Intelsat’s media customers with high-performance distribution to viewers in North America.

https://www.intelsat.com

Read More

Virgin Australia picks Intelsat for Inflight Wi-Fi

Intelsat has been selected to provide high-speed in-flight Wi-Fi to Virgin Australia’s fleet of existing 737NG aircraft and future-delivery 737MAX aircraft.

The 2Ku antennas that facilitate the IFC system will be installed gradually over 18 months on more than half of the airline’s fleet starting mid-December 2023.

The service will be complimentary for the airline’s Business Class guests and Beyond and Velocity Platinum members. For all other guests, Wi-Fi access will be available for a nominal fee.

“We’re going to deliver a streaming-quality, always-on, reliable inflight internet product onboard Virginia Australia’s fleet of 737 aircraft,” said Dave Bijur, SVP of Intelsat Commercial Aviation. “We’re adding 737MAX aircraft for the first time with Virgin Australia, and they’ve made a technology decision that expands our relationship and will delight their guests.”

Read More

SpaceX launches Intelsat Galaxy 33 and 34 GEO satellites

Intelsat Galaxy 33 and Galaxy 34 geosynchronous communications satellites were successfully launched aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 7:07 p.m. EDT on October 8th.

Galaxy 33 will be the replacement satellite at 133 degrees west once it is in service in early November. The satellite will provide service continuity for distribution to cable headends throughout the United States.

Galaxy 34 will replace Galaxy 12 at 129 degrees west once it is in service in late 2022. This satellite will serve as the new restoration payload for Intelsat’s Galaxy cable distribution customers, allowing the previous restoration role at 121 degrees west to be converted to a core cable distribution satellite.

Both satellites were built by Northrop Grumma.

https://www.Intelsat.com

Read More

Intelsat to provide secure global communications for FBI

Intelsat General Communications LLC (IGC), a wholly owned subsidiary of Intelsat, has been selected by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for resilient, secure, on-demand communications in clear and contested environments across the globe.

The service will leverage Intelsat's GEO satellite fleet, combining multi-layered, Ku-band HTS coverage with wide and spot beams to bring broadband connectivity around the globe - including the most trafficked flight routes. This solution delivers preflight, in-route transit, and on-station data, voice, and video communication capabilities anywhere in the world. 

https://Intelsat.com

Read More

Intelsat and OneWeb offer multi-orbit connectivity to airlines

OneWeb and Intelsat  signed a global distribution partnership agreement to offer airlines a seamless inflight connectivity solution with the best combination of performance, coverage, and reliability on the market. 

The partnership enables Intelsat to distribute OneWeb’s low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite services to airlines worldwide, coupled with Intelsat’s extensive IFC experience and existing geo-stationary (GEO) satellite service.  The companies expect the multi-orbit solution to be in service by 2024.

“This level of connectivity will enable airlines to maximize brand affiliation with passengers through all their onboard services – delivering a truly connected end-to-end passenger journey,” said Jeff Sare, president of Intelsat’s Commercial Aviation. “The hybrid service offering further allows the global airline community to plan their suite of next-generation onboard services with confidence – not only ensuring a future-proofed passenger inflight connectivity experience, but also the implementation of a connected airline digitalization strategy.”

“This is a watershed moment for the inflight connectivity market, and we’re excited to work together with Intelsat to bring our multi-orbit solution to commercial aviation. We’re committed to delivering the most differentiated and innovative solution for airlines,” said Ben Griffin, OneWeb vice president, Mobility Services. “We are proving that, through the power of partnership, a superior suite of multi-orbit capabilities can be offered to better serve the growing connectivity needs of the commercial aviation industry, delivering the highest value coupled with the lowest risk.”

http://www.oneweb.world

Eutelsat and OneWeb merger looks to GEO + LEO satellite opportunities

Monday, July 25, 2022  Eutelsat, OneWeb, Satellites  

 Eutelsat Communications and OneWeb agreed to merge.  The deal combines Eutelsat's fleet of 36 GEO satellites with OneWeb’s constellation of 648 Low Earth Orbit satellites, of which 428 are currently in orbit.The companies say their operations are highly complementary and that a clear roadmap has been designed to develop over time a complementary GEO/LEO service including a common platform, hybrid terminals and a fully mutualized network...

READ MORE

Read More

Intelsat demos private cellular over satellite using Azure 5G core

Intelsat has demonstrated a private cellular network with Microsoft Azure Private Multi-Access Edge Compute and FlexEnterprise, Intelsat’s satellite-based global connectivity service.

The demonstration creates a private LTE service using Azure Private 5G Core deployed on an Azure Stack Edge device. Connectivity to the internet and Azure services is enabled by Intelsat’s FlexEnterprise. Via the private cellular network, users can access local enterprise resources via SIM-authenticated connections to the Azure Stack Edge and access remote resources through the FlexEnterprise connection, the IntelsatOne global network and Azure. Additionally, the LTE network powers a Wi-Fi access point and IoT applications.

“As enterprises look to private cellular networks to improve the reach, security, and quality-of-service over Wi-Fi-only local networks, the ability to support deployments at any site is crucial to creating a fully connected organization,” said Jean-Philippe Gillet, SVP Global Sales Media & Networks, Intelsat. “The applications demonstrated here with Microsoft highlight the increased automation and standardization of enterprise data processing services that globally-available private cellular networks will enable. Support for high-bandwidth, low-latency networks is central to Intelsat’s vision of an end-to-end ecosystem for a global software-defined 5G network.”

“At Microsoft, we are committed to enabling an ecosystem of satellite operators through collaborations such as this one with Intelsat. As the world continues to move to 5G, Microsoft’s Azure Orbital platform, together with our Azure hyper-scale computing platform, allows operators to deploy and maintain faster, easier, and more cost-effective solutions anytime and anywhere, ” said Tom Keane, corporate vice president, Mission Engineering.

https://www.intelsat.com/newsroom/intelsat-collaborates-with-microsoft-to-demonstrate-private-cellular-network-using-intelsats-global-satellite-and-ground-network/

Read More

Intelsat exits bankruptcy restructuring, cutting debt from $16B to $7B

Intelsat emerged from its financial restructuring process as a private company. The Plan of Reorganization, supported by all creditor groups and confirmed by the Bankruptcy Court on December 16, 2021, has reduced the Company’s debt by more than half, from approximately $16 billion to $7 billion.

In connection with emergence, Intelsat obtained $6.7 billion in new financing consisting of a revolving credit facility, term loan, and secured notes. Supported by new equity owners, the Company is now best positioned for long-term success as it continues to innovate and bring new services to market.

Intelsat also has a new Board of Directors, composed of the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and six new directors, including Lisa Hammitt, Intelsat’s Chairperson. Biographies of the directors can be found on the Company’s website at intelsat.com/about-us/leadership/.

“For more than 50 years, Intelsat has led innovation in our sector and delivered high-performing services for customers,” said Intelsat’s Chief Executive Officer, Stephen Spengler. “Now that our financial restructuring has been completed successfully, we are driving Intelsat’s future development and growth from a position of even greater strength. We have significantly less debt as well as new financing to support our innovation and network plans, complementing our unparalleled global orbital and spectrum rights and strong operating model. We are positioned better than ever to fuel the success of our customers and partners, achieve our strategic objectives, and accelerate our growth. Building the world’s first global 5G satellite-based, software-defined, unified network is just one of Intelsat’s many groundbreaking projects well underway.”

Bankrupty court approves Intelsat's restructuring

Thursday, December 16, 2021  Chapter 11, Intelsat, Satellite  

The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Richmond Division, approved Intelsat's Plan of Reorganization, marking the final Court milestone in the company’s financial restructuring process. Intelsat is poised to emerge from the process in early 2022 upon receipt of regulatory approvals, completion of certain corporate actions, and satisfaction of other customary conditions.Intelsat sais its confirmed Plan will reduce debt...

READ MORE

Read More

Bankrupty court approves Intelsat's restructuring

The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Richmond Division, approved Intelsat's Plan of Reorganization, marking the final Court milestone in the company’s financial restructuring process. 

Intelsat is poised to emerge from the process in early 2022 upon receipt of regulatory approvals, completion of certain corporate actions, and satisfaction of other customary conditions.

Intelsat sais its confirmed Plan will reduce debt by more than half – from approximately $16 billion to $7 billion. The Plan was supported by all creditor groups across Intelsat’s capital structure following extensive negotiations and the ultimate consensual resolution of a multitude of complex issues.

“Today’s Plan confirmation is a key milestone in Intelsat’s transformation. We have achieved all of the goals we identified at the outset of the process, including a substantial reduction of our legacy debt burden,” said Intelsat’s Chief Executive Officer, Stephen Spengler. “Throughout the process, we have driven our business forward at full speed – launching new satellites, advancing the accelerated clearing of C-band spectrum, acquiring Gogo’s commercial aviation business, progressing our next generation network and service strategy, and serving customers every day with the excellence for which we are known. We greatly appreciate the dedication and contributions of our employees, the support of our valued customers, vendors, and other partners, and the collaboration with our financial stakeholders as we pave the way for future innovation and growth.”

“With a strengthened balance sheet, strong operating model, and unparalleled global orbital and spectrum rights, scale, and partnerships, we will be better positioned to advance our strategic objectives, accelerate our growth trajectory, and fuel the success of our customers and other key stakeholders. Our goals include building the world’s first global 5G satellite-based, software-defined, unified network,” Spengler continued. “For nearly 60 years, Intelsat has been respected for innovation, reliability, sector leadership, and high-performing services and support. We look forward to maintaining our leading position in the satellite communications industry for decades to come.”

http://www.intelsat.com

Read More

Intelsat launches Cloud Connect service

 Intelsat announced a new Cloud Connect service for enterprises that provides a private gateway between a cloud service provider and cloud users, utilizing Intelsat’s global integrated space-and-terrestrial network. 

The Intelsat Cloud Connect private gateway helps enterprises quickly extend cloud-based applications to virtually all of their locations, and to their remote workers—without having to build costly new terrestrial network facilities or rely on less secure, less reliable public internet connections.

The service is initially available to Intelsat FlexEnterprise customers and currently supports Microsoft Azure ExpressRoute connectivity.

http://www.intelsat.com/cloud-connect

Read More

Intelsat signs Maxar, SpaceX and Arianespace for C-band plan

 Intelsat finalized all of its required contracts with satellite manufacturers and launch-vehicle providers to meet the accelerated C-band spectrum clearing timelines established by the FCC.

Intelsat selected U.S.-based Maxar Technologies to build the final satellite required to support its C-band transition and maintain the FCC’s post-transition, “same or better” quality-of-service standard. Earlier this summer, Intelsat announced manufacturing contracts with Maxar and U.S.-based Northrop Grumman for six satellites.

Intelsat has contracted with SpaceX and Arianespace to launch these satellites on four separate launch vehicles, beginning in 2022. The diversity of manufacturers and launch-vehicle providers will lower transition program costs and help Intelsat mitigate potential launch-delay risks that could prevent the company from meeting the FCC’s accelerated clearing deadlines.

“We have made exceptional progress to date in executing our transition plan,” said Intelsat Chief Services Officer Mike DeMarco. “We’re moving forward at an accelerated pace to clear portions of the C-band spectrum and help cement America’s leadership in 5G.”

“We’re committed to maintaining this momentum, and we look forward to collaborating with our longstanding partners, Maxar, Northrop Grumman, SpaceX and Arianespace, on these important contracts to ensure we can continue to provide the high-quality, uninterrupted television, radio and data services that more than 100 million American homes and businesses have come to rely upon,” continued DeMarco.

Intelsat files C-band spectrum transition plan with FCC

Sunday, June 21, 2020  Satellite  

Intelsat filed its C-band spectrum transition plan with the FCC, detailing how it will:

• Migrate 80-plus broadcast, cable, radio, religious and government customers to the upper 200 megahertz (MHz) of the C-band, including the corresponding changes required at 3,500 cable head-ends and 13,500 affiliate earth stations
• Install 60,000 5G signal-blocking filters across the U.S. in order to mitigate post-transition interference
• Consolidate multiple telemetry, tracking and control (TT&C)/Gateway antennas into two locations on the East and West Coasts of the U.S.
• Contract with U.S.-based companies USSI Global, WESCO, ATCi and Convergent to perform aspects of the transition and installation work required on the ground at thousands of earth stations and cable television head-ends throughout the U.S.
• Intelsat and other satellite operators participating in the FCC’s accelerated C-band clearing plan are responsible for incurring the upfront costs associated with clearing 300 MHz of the spectrum and moving their existing services to the upper portion of the band. Intelsat estimates these upfront investments will cost the company $1.6 to $1.7 billion.

In addition to receiving reimbursement for reasonable upfront costs associated with clearing the spectrum and transitioning incumbent services to the upper portion of the band, Intelsat said it is eligible to receive up to $4.87 billion in incentive payments for successfully meeting the Commission’s accelerated deadlines of clearing 120 MHz of spectrum (3.7 to 3.82 GHz) by December 5, 2021, and the remaining 180 MHz (3.82 to 4.0 GHz) by December 5, 2023. Reimbursements will be funded by the winning bidders of the FCC’s public C-band auction, in line with the FCC’s emerging technologies framework.

Read More

Intelsat to buy Gogo's commercial aviation business for $400M

Intelsat agreed to acquire the commercial aviation business of Gogo, the largest global provider of in-flight broadband connectivity, for $400 million in cash.

Gogo’s leading commercial aviation business provides Intelsat with key airline relationships and customer-facing capabilities, including a leading software platform, ISP and network management infrastructure. It currently serves 21 commercial airlines, including 9 of the top 20 global carriers. More than 3,000 commercial aircraft are equipped with Gogo.

“Consumer demand for in-flight connectivity is expected to grow at a double-digit rate over the next decade, notwithstanding the impact of COVID-19. The addition of Gogo’s commercial aviation business provides compelling strategic value for our stakeholders and makes strong commercial sense,” said Intelsat’s Chief Executive Officer, Stephen Spengler. “Gogo’s business is a perfect fit with Intelsat’s expansive satellite network and infrastructure due to the breadth of Gogo’s technological solutions, global reach and operational excellence.”

Mr. Spengler continued: “A priority growth objective for Intelsat is to extend our reach closer to the millions of customers who use our satellite capabilities to stay connected around the world. The addition of Gogo’s commercial aviation business is a significant step toward this goal. We are growing beyond satellite connectivity to expand into consumer-optimized managed services.”

“We are excited to welcome the talented people of Gogo’s commercial aviation business to the Intelsat family and look forward to pairing their aviation expertise with Intelsat’s owned network capability to unlock new opportunities for growth. Our ability to execute this transaction in the midst of our financial restructuring speaks to the strength of our underlying business, our vision for the future, the commitment of key Intelsat stakeholders and the momentum that we have maintained over the past several months,” Mr. Spengler concluded.

Intelsat intends to fund the transaction using its existing debtor-in-possession (DIP) financing facility and cash on hand. Intelsat’s DIP lenders have agreed to amend the DIP credit agreement to facilitate the transaction, and Intelsat’s key economic stakeholders support the transaction. On August 31, 2020, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Richmond Division, approved Intelsat’s consummation of the transaction.

Read More

Arianespace completes triple mission with Ariane 5 rocket

Arianespace successfully orbited two telecommunications satellites and one satellite servicing vehicle for Intelsat, B-SAT and Northrop Grumman using an Ariane 5 rocket launched from the Guiana Space Center.

The Galaxy 30 UHD video distribution/broadcast and broadband satellite, built for global network operator Intelsat, will cover North America. It is the first satellite in Intelsat’s Galaxy fleet refresh plan and will replace Galaxy 14 at 125 degrees west once it is in service in early 2021.

Intelsat also said Galaxy 30 will play an important role in its U.S. C-band spectrum transition plan, which is accelerating America’s path to 5G. Intelsat is facilitating the work of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in transitioning and safeguarding media services currently utilizing the lower portion of the band to make way for 5G wireless services. Intelsat is not seeking any reimbursement costs from the FCC’s public auction proceeds for any aspect of the Galaxy 30 launch or relocation.

BSAT-4b will be used for Ultra-High-Definition (UHD, 4K and 8K) direct-to-home television broadcasting across Japan, in conjunction with its twin, BSAT-4a, launched by Arianespace in 2017.

Read More

Intelsat: 75% average fill rate for its satellite transponders

Intelsat reported revenue of $482.0 million and net loss of $405.4 million for the three months ended June 30, 2020.

Intelsat’s Chief Executive Officer, Stephen Spengler, said, “Our business demonstrated resiliency in a challenging operating environment, highlighted by a sequential quarterly increase in revenue and Adjusted EBITDA largely from the successful execution of a new agreement with Speedcast in our network services business. Financial results, when compared to the same period last year, reflect the ongoing challenges in our network services business due to the impacts of COVID-19 in the cruise maritime and aeronautical mobility, despite booking new business in merchant maritime and enterprise network applications. The decline in the media business was driven by ongoing secular headwinds that we have experienced over several quarters. Finally, the government services business delivered year-over-year growth in revenues resulting from strong uptake of third-party services and growth in our new FlexGround managed services."

Spengler concluded, “During the period we filed our initial C-band transition plan with the FCC, detailing our roadmap to meet their accelerated spectrum clearing deadlines. The final transition plans are due to be filed with the FCC on August 14, 2020. We will consult with the FCC and continue to refine our plan as that date approaches. Ongoing engagement with our supply chain, vendors, and customers gives us a high degree of confidence that we can execute our transition plan and ensure that the U.S. maintains its 5G leadership position."

Some highlights:

• Network services revenue was $176.7 million (or 37 percent of Intelsat’s total revenue) for the three months ended June 30, 2020, a decrease of 5 percent compared to the three months ended June 30, 2019
• Media revenue was $202.6 million (or 42 percent of Intelsat’s total revenue) for the three months ended June 30, 2020, a decrease of 9 percent compared to the three months ended June 30, 2019.
• Government revenue was $96.1 million (or 20 percent of Intelsat’s total revenue) for the three months ended June 30, 2020, an increase of 3 percent compared to the three months ended June 30, 2019.
• Intelsat’s average fill rate at June 30, 2020 on our approximately 1,675 36 MHz station-kept wide-beam transponders was 75.1 percent, as compared to an average fill rate at March 31, 2020 of 78.5 percent on the company's approximately 1,675 transponders. 
• As of June 30, 2020, the Intelsat fleet included approximately 1,225 36 MHz equivalent transponders of high-throughput Intelsat Epic capacity, reflecting no change from the prior quarter.

ellite  

I

Read More

Intelsat and Liquid Telecom extend partnership for Africa

Intelsat and Liquid Telecom are expanding their partnership to deliver very-small-aperture terminal (VSAT) service to 20 countries across Africa.

Through the partnership extension, Liquid Telecom will be able to connect more than 2,000 additional VSAT terminals across the continent. This will ensure the continuity of high-speed, reliable satellite connectivity to mobile operators, carriers, enterprise, media, content companies and retail customers across Africa, and it will also help Liquid Telecom better serve the growing demand for improved connectivity in its rural service areas.

“Extending our partnership with Intelsat will enable us to continue developing VSAT products with high- efficiency models and ubiquitous coverage; in fact, Liquid Telecom has just added three new high-performance VSAT service offerings to our portfolio, each with a range of data volume options. Liquid Telecom is continuing to drive increased demand and improve service levels across the continent, and this continuation of our partnership with Intelsat is a significant boost in that regard,” said Liquid Telecom Satellite Services CEO Scott Mumford.

http://www.liquidtelecom.com

Read More

Intelsat opts into FCC accelerated C-band clearing plan

Intelsat filed a written commitment with the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to accelerate clearing of the U.S. C-band spectrum. Intelsat completed the filing in advance of the FCC’s May 29 deadline.

“Intelsat has been connecting Americans with technology for more than half a century. Our expertise, innovation, and technology investments have played a critical role in driving America’s economic and national security edge for the last five decades”

In March, the FCC finalized its Expanding Flexible Use of the 3.7 to 4.2 GHz Band order, which requires the lower 280 megahertz of the 3.7 to 4.2 gigahertz C-band spectrum, plus a 20 megahertz guard band, to be cleared and repurposed for use by 5G services, by relocating existing satellite services to the upper part of the band.

“As the foundational architects of satellite technology and leading experts of integrated communications technologies, Intelsat is committed to advancing – at an accelerated pace – America’s position in the race to 5G. With decades-deep institutional knowledge of the U.S. C-band, we understand what’s required to successfully and quickly transition current users, while maintaining high-quality, uninterrupted broadcast to more than 100 million American homes and businesses,” said Intelsat Chief Executive Officer Stephen Spengler.

“Intelsat has been connecting Americans with technology for more than half a century. Our expertise, innovation, and technology investments have played a critical role in driving America’s economic and national security edge for the last five decades,” continued Spengler. “We embrace America’s drive to adopt 5G and recognize the important role that Intelsat will play in accelerating the clearing of the C-Band spectrum to ensure the U.S. maintains its leadership in 5G and other advanced telecommunications technologies for decades to come.”

FCC approves C-Band spectrum rules

Sunday, March 01, 2020  Auction, C-Band, FCC, Satellite  

The Federal Communications Commission voted to approve new rules to accelerate the auction and transfer of a wide swath of 3.5 GHz spectrum from the satellite industry for new uses, including 5G.

The 280 megahertz of mid-band spectrum will be made available via a public auction.

Within the 3.7-4.2 GHz band, the FCC has is allocating the 3.7-4.0 GHz portion of the band for mobile use and 280 megahertz (3.7-3.98 GHz band) will be auctioned by the FCC for wireless services in the contiguous United States.  Another 20 megahertz (3.98-4.0 GHz) will serve as a guard band while existing satellite operations will be repacked into the upper 200 megahertz of the band (4.0-4.2 GHz).

Satellite operators will be able to receive accelerated relocation payments of $9.7 billion if they meet accelerated clearing milestones.

FCC expects to conduct an auction beginning on December 8, 2020.

Read More

Intelsat offers Cellular Backhaul Solution for U.S. Mobile Operators

Intelsat launched CellBackhaul, an end-to-end managed service that helps Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) provide cost-efficient and rapid 4G and 5G broadband coverage to rural areas of the United States.

As an end-to-end cellular backhaul managed service, Intelsat CellBackhaul includes:

• Network-design consultation
• Connectivity from the MNO's cell sites to their core network over Intelsat's high-performance integrated space and ground network
• Satellite antenna and modem, plus additional equipment installation and maintenance options
• Guaranteed Service Level Agreements (SLAs)
• 24x7 network-operations support

“We innovate to help our customers connect more people, places, and devices they otherwise would not be able to connect, and we do that on a global scale,” said Intelsat Director of Product Management for Networks, Gerry Collins. “Our service will enable our U.S. mobile network operators to quickly and cost-effectively expand their coverage and bring connectivity into unserved and underserved areas, including many previously considered unreachable or unprofitable.”

Intelsat also noted that the FCC is moving forward with its planned $9 billion 5G Rural Fund. As much as 67% of the U.S. landmass in 49 states and three U.S. territories could be eligible for funds to bring 5G into rural communities and support connectivity needs of American farms and ranches – a tremendous opportunity for U.S. MNOs.

Intelsat plans to roll out the Intelsat CellBackhaul service to mobile operators in additional regions, including Africa, in late 2020.

Read More

SpaceX selected to launch Intelsat 40e in 2022

Intelsat named SpaceX as its launch partner for Intelsat 40e (IS-40e), which is an advanced geostationary satellite that will provide Intelsat’s government and enterprise customers across North and Central America with high-throughput, “coast-to-coast” services. Intelsat announced in February that Maxar Technologies will manufacture Intelsat 40e.

The launch is planned for 2022 on SpaceX’s American-built Falcon 9 launch vehicle.

“We look forward to working with SpaceX to launch Intelsat 40e in 2022,” said Intelsat Chief Services Officer Mike DeMarco. “IS-40e will join the Intelsat Epic high-throughput satellite fleet and integrated IntelsatOne ground network to provide our customers with the managed hybrid-connectivity they need in today’s ever-changing world.”
d communications strategies.

Read More

Intelsat demos 8K video transmission from Russia to Brazil

Intelsat is partnering with with Globo, one of the largest broadcasters in Latin America, to demonstrate live 8K video transmissions in Brazil for the 2018 World Cup.

The World Cup video is being shown at Rio's innovative science museum, the Museu de Amanhã at a resolution of 7680 x 4320 pixels.

The 8K signal will be transmitted as a 200 Mbps video stream at the International Broadcast Center in Moscow and transported to Tokyo. It will then be carried to Intelsat via the Intelsat point of presence in New York.

The signal will be transmitted on the IntelsatOne terrestrial network to Intelsat’s teleport in Atlanta, Georgia, where it will be re-encoded at 90 Mbps using a special NTT 8K HEVC real-time encoder.

Once the video is compressed, it will be modulated by a Newtec MDM-6100 modem in DVB-S2 and then uplinked to Intelsat 14, the company’s emerging HD video neighborhood in Latin America known for its HD and 4K content distribution.

“From HD to 4K and now 8K, Intelsat 14 is the premier, new neighborhood to ensure that viewers across Latin America have access to affordable, exciting, and breathtaking content that provides them with the most immersive viewing experience for premier sporting and entertainment events,” said Rob Cerbone, Intelsat’s Vice President and General Manager, Media. “While 8K technology is still evolving and further advancements in compression technology standards are needed, Intelsat’s premier video neighborhoods have proven that they are equipped to distribute 8K content to millions of viewers around the world. Since our founding, Intelsat’s satellite solutions have been at the forefront of innovation when it comes to content distribution and with this 8K demo, fans will be able to experience the match as if they are on the field with their favorite players.”

Read More

Intelsat and SES agree on joint use of C-band by satellite and mobile operators

Intelsat and SES last week both agreed to back a proposal to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) the seeks to protect satellite services in the 3700-4200 MHz C-band downlink spectrum while opening a specified portion of that spectrum for terrestrial mobile use.

The companies said their joint proposal sets a commercial and technical framework that would enable wireless operators to quickly access approximately 100 MHz of nationwide C-band downlink spectrum in the United States, speeding the deployment of next-generation 5G services. The idea builds on an innovative model first put forward to the FCC by Intelsat and Intel in October 2017 for spectrum sharing.

Under the proposal, a consortium of satellite operators would be created to oversee the governance of the initiative, define and implement the methodology for spectrum clearance, and serve as the sole interface for market-based transactions with parties interested in deploying terrestrial mobile services in specific portions of the C-band.

“The C-band is and remains a critical component of the U.S. network architecture. Space and ground segment operators have invested billions of dollars in U.S. C-band networks and connectivity and generate important value out of it. It is, therefore, our duty and mission to protect the C-band in the U.S. from any form of disruption and preserve its use,” stated Karim Michel Sabbagh, President and CEO of SES.

"Our proposed market-based solution provides a speedy resolution to the U.S. objective of accelerating deployment of 5G services. With Intelsat and SES now in agreement on major tenets of the framework and with the support of Intel, we are confident in our ability to implement this proposal quickly and efficiently, ultimately to the benefit of American consumers and the U.S. economy,” said Intelsat CEO Stephen Spengler.

Read More